Emirates has announced that it will be expanding its existing retrofit programme to include a total of 191 aircraft, with 43 A380s and 28 Boeing 777-300/ERs set to undergo complete refurbishment. This marks an increase from the original plan, which included 120 aircraft – 67 A380s and 53 777s. The airline is investing additional funds into this initiative to introduce state-of-the-art cabin products, aiming to enhance the overall customer experience with top-tier amenities across all cabin classes.
Emirates has already refurbished 22 A380 aircraft, and the first Boeing 777-300/ER is scheduled for an interior refresh in July. The refurbishment process for each Boeing 777-300/ER is expected to take around two weeks before it re-enters service. The updated configuration will feature a revamped First-Class cabin, new Business Class seats in a 1-2-1 layout, and the introduction of 24 Premium Economy seats. To accommodate the Premium Economy cabin, 50 Economy seats will be removed.
The Emirates Boeing 777-300/ER will now be equipped with 332 seats across four classes, comprising 8 First Class suites, 40 Business Class seats, 24 Premium Economy seats, and 260 Economy Class seats. The airline’s Engineering Centre is overseeing the refurbishment work internally, with a dedicated team of over 250 project personnel working collaboratively with 31 major partners and suppliers to deliver the refreshed cabins.
Upon the completion of the retrofit programme, Emirates will have installed a significant number of next-generation Premium Economy, First Class, Business Class, and Economy Class seats on its fleet. The airline has already introduced Premium Economy on select routes and plans to expand this offering to more destinations in the coming years.
By February 2025, Emirates aims to have Premium Economy service available in 42 cities. Additionally, with the introduction of the A350 into its fleet and the refurbishment of Boeing 777s, the airline is committed to providing an enhanced travel experience for its passengers.
