Emirates has kicked off its plan to upgrade all interior cabins of 120 Airbus A380s and Boeing 777s – two of the largest commercial aircraft types in service today.
This ambitious project, which is a multi-billion dollar investment to ensure Emirates passengers ‘fly better’ over the next few years, officially kicks off in November and is fully managed by the Emirates engineering team. .
The aim is to completely refurbish four Emirates aircraft, from start to finish, every month, continuously over a period of more than two years. Once the 67 planned A380s have been modernized and returned to service, 53 Boeing 777 aircraft will receive their facelifts.
Nearly 4,000 brand new Premium Economy seats will be installed, 728 First Class suites will be refurbished and more than 5,000 Business Class seats will be upgraded to a new style and design when the project is completed in April 2025.
In addition, carpets and stairs will be updated, and cabin interior panels will be refreshed with new tones and patterns, including the iconic “Ghaf” trees, native to the United Arab Emirates.
No other airline has undertaken a renovation of this magnitude internally, and there is no blueprint plan for such an undertaking. That’s why Emirates’ engineering teams have carried out extensive planning and testing, to establish and streamline processes, and to identify and fix any issues.
Testing began on an A380 in July, where experienced engineers disassembled each cabin, piece by piece, and recorded every step. From seat and panel removal to bolts and screws, every action has been tested, timed and planned.
Potential obstacles to installing Emirates’ new Premium Economy class or upgrading the remaining three cabins in just 16 days have been flagged and documented for expert teams to review and resolve.
As part of the program, new purpose-built workshops will be set up at Emirates Engineering to repaint, re-cut and re-upholster Business Class and Economy Class seats with new covers and cushions. First Class suites will be carefully dismantled and sent to a specialist company to replace leather, armrests and other materials.
During testing, engineers discovered several unexpected solutions. For example, existing restoration trucks could be easily repurposed to move parts for refurbishment from the aircraft to the shop for refreshment, as these vehicles have the right width doors and provide ample space.
Awaiting the official launch of the modernization program in November, a multi-disciplinary team has been assembled to regularly review the planning process, resolve any problems and monitor updates on various aspects of the project, such as procurement, staffing in personnel and training.
Emirates’ new Premium Economy class, which offers luxurious seats, more legroom and service rivaling many airlines’ commercial offerings, is now available to Emirates customers traveling on popular A380 routes. to London, Paris and Sydney. More customers will be able to experience the company’s new Premium Economy cabins from the end of the year as the modernization program expands.
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