Emirates completes first-ever retrofit of two-class A380 aircraft

The newly refurbished aircraft has taken to the skies operating as EK39/40 between Dubai and Birmingham, featuring sparkling new interiors with Emirates’ latest products in three cabin classes: 76 Business Class seats, 56 Premium Economy seats, and 437 Economy Class seats.

This is the first of 15 two-class A380 aircraft in its fleet that Emirates will renovate as part of its commitment to offer customers a consistently superior experience in the sky.

Managed entirely in-house by Emirates Engineering in Dubai, the retrofit program has so far completed work on 95 Emirates aircraft, including 42 Airbus A380s and 53 Boeing 777s, representing more than one-third of Emirates’ current fleet.

Fleet first for Premium Economy
Sir Tim Clark, President of Emirates Airline, said: “The Emirates retrofit program revolves around the central premise that we will offer our customers a truly elevated experience every time they choose to travel with us. To this end, our engineering team has been working continuously and at pace in close collaboration with an ecosystem of partners and suppliers to meticulously refresh and integrate the best-in-class products to each aircraft in the program.

“Our retrofit program has raised the bar at every step, in terms of complexity, scale and detailed craftsmanship. The reconfiguration of our two-class A380 into a three-class layout that brings our popular Premium Economy seating onto the upper deck illustrates the extensive capabilities of our team.”

As part of the retrofit, Emirates’ award-winning Premium Economy cabin will be featured, for the first time, on the upper deck of the A380. Featuring spacious leather seats with generous recline in a 2-3-2 configuration, customers can enjoy features including full leg and footrests, six-way adjustable headrests, built-in charging ports, side cocktail tables, elevated dining experiences, and an entertainment system via a 13.3-inch personal screen.

Refreshed interiors across all cabins
The retrofitted three-class A380 features upgraded interiors across all cabins, including the latest generation seats and updated cabin finishings. From nose to tail — from fresh carpets to ceiling panels — Emirates’ new signature elements are evident throughout the cabin, including modern colour palettes, specially designed Ghaf tree motifs, and premium wood finishes.