Emirates had committed to introducing a new business class configuration on board its Boeing 777 ER aircraft, which would fly out after a retrofit. That means the long-disliked 2-3-2 configuration will be on its way out.

Emirates introduces of new 1-2-1 Business Class on Boeing 777 aircraft

With the delivery and entry-in-service timelines of the Boeing 777X for Emirates unknown, Emirates has committed to a massive retrofit programme for 191 aircraft, including 67 A380s and 53 Boeing 777 aircraft, internally known as Project Phoenix. The airline has committed USD 3 billion for the project. LiveFromALounge had the opportunity to tour the Emirates Engineering Centre in November 2023, when the retrofit of the A380 aircraft was ongoing.

An A380 Aircraft undergoes a retrofit at the Emirates Engineering Centre, Dubai Airport.

Emirates started retrofitting its first Boeing 777 aircraft in July, stripping out all the interiors and installing new seats where needed.

Plans included refurbishing the First Class cabin and installing 38 new Business Class seats in an updated 1-2-1 seating configuration (down from the current 42 seats), 24 of the latest Premium Economy seats, and 256 Economy Class seats. Now, the first aircraft is out of the workshop. Here is a quick look inside.

The first aircraft that has been reconfigured already had the new “Gamechanger” First Class Suites, so we still don’t know if Emirates will put more aircraft with the new F or will continue with the old one.

The new Emirates 777 Business Class is set in a warm and inviting cabin featuring thoughtful refinements with enhanced privacy for customers. The cabin’s seats and colour story have been enhanced to echo the light and airy design elements of Emirates’ iconic A380 experience, with soft leather cream seats accented with champagne trim, lighter wood panelling, and modern technology touches that deliver function and luxury.

The first B777 took 37 days and 18,000 manhours to finish as teams operated round the clock in a chronological sequence of work, from the removal of interiors all the way to reinstallation and testing of the new seats and other cabin components.

To deliver the first Boeing 777 refurbished aircraft, the airline used a total of:

• 330 square metres of carpets
• 340 laminate sheets
• 8,000 square feet of leather for First, Business and Premium Economy Class seats
• 800 metres of fabric for Economy Class seats
• 300 litres of paint

Boeing 777s sport 1-2-1 configuration in Business Class after retrofit

All Business Class seats on the newly refurbished Boeing 777 focus on personalised privacy and elevated comfort, converting to a comfortable flat bed, with 20.7-inch wide seats pitched up to 44 inches apart. The staggered seating arrangement will ensure aisle access for every seat, with direct entry and exit for customers.

The seat is accentuated with a touch-screen seat controller for in-flight entertainment and seat operation, a personal 23-inch HD screen, one of the biggest in the skies, linked to the airline’s award-winning ice entertainment system, a personal mini-bar, a large table, ample stowage for personal devices, charging outlets, and much more.

Emirates’ 1-2-1 Business Class Retrofit on an existing 777-300ER

Emirates’ 1-2-1 Business Class Retrofit on an existing 777-300ER

The Boeing 777 Business Class cabin will also include a small bar where customers can quickly grab mid-flight snacks and refreshments.

Interestingly, Emirates has added privacy to all seats but not gone for the doors, which is the hot new trend amongst airlines investing in business class today on widebodies.

In total, 81 Boeing 777s will be refurbished as part of Emirates’ investment in its retrofit programme, and more destinations to be served with the airline’s latest products will be announced over the next few months.

Boeing 777s sport Premium Economy after retrofit

In the retrofitted aircraft, 24 seats of Premium Economy are also being added.

Emirates’ Premium Economy Retrofit on an existing 777-300ER

Emirates’ Premium Economy Retrofit on an existing 777-300ER

Emirates is flying the new 777 product, effective August 7, 2024, to Geneva

Emirates unveiled the first cities on its network to be served with its newest Boeing 777 cabin interiors in July. The airline plans to introduce its refurbished B777s to Geneva, Tokyo Haneda, and Brussels, offering customers more opportunities to experience the airline’s signature Premium Economy on this aircraft and, for the first time, Emirates’ next-generation Business Class seats, set in a new 1-2-1 configuration.

Here is the seat map for the new product.

However, now that the work got done earlier than expected, the first B777 with this retrofit is already flying to Geneva as of August 7, 2024.

Sir Tim Clark, President of Emirates Airline said

Emirates continues to carry out our commitment to deliver an unmatchable onboard experience with the introduction of our latest Boeing 777 with new signature interiors, raising the industry benchmark when it comes to premium travel. Our latest Business Class cabin offers customers a sense of exclusivity and privacy, complemented by our best-in-class suite of onboard products. The addition of our popular Premium Economy cabin, rated one of the best in the industry, injects modern sophistication to the flying experience and is carefully designed for more comfort.  With more Boeing 777s and A380s refreshed to sport our latest generation onboard products, customers can consistently have the very best experiences in the sky across both aircraft types.

Bottomline

Emirates has its first Boeing 777 aircraft out of retrofit, and it now sports a new 1-2-1 configured business class seat and a new premium economy product on board. The process will be repeated on another 80 Boeing 777 aircraft to install the new product. The first destination for the latest interiors is Geneva (August 7).

What do you think of Emirates’ new business class?

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