Emirates spends $2 billion to revamp A380’s new cabin

First-class passengers bemoan loss of in-flight showers emirates airlines Passengers who put their airline’s A380s out of service during the start of the pandemic travel decline will be happy to know they’re on their way back. They, along with the rest of the cabin, will be upgraded as part of a comprehensive update. This month, flight EK003 from Dubai to London Heathrow demonstrated just that.

With the return of international travel and the return of its largest aircraft, the Airbus A380, to accommodate this traffic, Emirates last year announced an extensive makeover program, the largest ever undertaken by the airline. Plan: Complete interior upgrade of 67 A380s, followed by 53 Boeing 777s, with four aircraft scheduled to be completed per month, all scheduled for April 2025.

As explained by the airline’s president, Sir Tim Clark, “Customers will notice the difference the moment they step on board – the spacious A380 will look and feel even more impressive and comfortable. With Our newest interior and product, this newly refurbished aircraft elevates our flying experience across all travel categories and enables us to offer more Premium Economy seats to meet customer demand. I am particularly proud of the , the refurbishment was designed, implemented and completed in-house at our facility in Dubai to the highest quality and safety standards. It reflects the world-class aviation capabilities and infrastructure of Emirates and the UAE.”

Specific improvements include upgraded carpet and stairs, updated cabin interior panels with new light-colored woods and design patterns, such as the ghaf tree native to the United Arab Emirates, said Essa Sulaiman, Emirates vice president for the US and Canada. Business and Economy Class seats will be refitted with new seat covers and padding. The first-class seats will be disassembled and sent to artisans to replace the leather and armrests. Debuting alongside the facelift are premium economy seats in cream leather with a wood panel finish, footrests, side cocktail tables and six-way adjustable headrests. The cabin, which appeared on flights from New York’s JFK in December, will also be available on flights from San Francisco.

Other additions made along with the new cabin: new menus. First and business class passengers will experience fresh vegetable salad greens, arugula and spinach free from pesticides, herbicides and chemicals from Bustanica, the world’s largest organic vertical farm, where Emirates in-flight catering invested $40 million . New dishes from the multicultural team of chefs include pan-fried salmon trout with moqueca (Brazilian fish stew) sauce and Creole rice. A comprehensive vegetarian menu will be launched, including popular dishes that have been converted from the regular menu to vegetarian versions without sacrificing flavour. First-class passengers can also enjoy unlimited Persian caviar paired with vintage Dom Perignon champagne, and can order canapés and lobster rolls as movie snacks while watching 5,000 entertainment channels. For those who have to work: In addition to First Class passengers and Platinum members in any class, Skywards Gold or Silver members in Business Class also get free internet throughout the flight. A popular feature continues: chauffeur-driven transfers to and from the airport for business and first-class passengers.

Update 02/10/23: An earlier version of this article stated that premium economy seats would be available on San Francisco flights beginning 2/15. They have since been delayed.

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