Emirates has begun a multi-billion-dollar ambitious project to ensure that their customers have the best experience flying better for the coming years.
They have commenced plans to upgrade the entire interior cabins of 120 Airbus A380 and Boeing 777 aircraft. These are two of the largest commercial aircraft types in service today.
The project officially launces in November and is managed entirely by the Emirates’ Engineering team. The target is to completely retrofit four Emirates aircraft from start to finish every month, continuously for over 2 years.
Once the 67 earmarked A380s are refreshed and back in service, 53 777s will undergo their same treatment.
We’ve kickstarted plans to upgrade our interior cabins, as well as adding Premium Economy on 120 Airbus A380 and Boeing 777 aircraft! https://t.co/ZK3d8fwASW pic.twitter.com/B7zF0MRaeb
— Emirates Airline (@emirates) August 17, 2022
No other airline has handled a retrofit of this magnitude in-house. There’s no blueprint for such an undertaking either. Therefore, Emirates Engineering teams have been planning and testing extensively, being extra-careful to establish and streamline processes and identify and address any possible snags.
When the project is complete in April 2025, it will see nearly 4,000 brand new Premium Economy seats installed. 728 First Class suites are to be refurbished and over 5,000 Business Class seats are to be upgraded to a new style and design.
In addition, carpets and stairs will be upgraded, and cabin interior panels refreshed with new tones and design motifs including the iconic ghaf trees which are native to the UAE.
In July, trials began on an A380. Experienced engineers took each cabin apart piece-by-piece and documented every step.
Until the retrofit project starts in earnest in November, a plethora of efforts are being taken. A cross-disciplinary team has been assembled to regularly review the planning process, address any issues and track updates on various aspects of the project such as procurement, staffing, and training.
