Emirates airline plans to add ‘premium economy’ cabins to 105 aircraft: President

Dubai’s Emirates airline plans to add ‘premium economy’ sections to 105 of its aircraft in an 18-month project beginning at the end of 2022.

The project will upgrade 52 of the airline’s Airbus A380s and 53 of its Boeing 777s will be fitted with the new cabin class, Emirates said in a statement published during the Dubai Airshow 2021.

Emirates first introduced the premium economy cabin one year ago.

The company said that the entire project will be carried out at Emirates’ engineering center in Dubai, a “source of pride” for the company according to Emirates President Tim Clark.

Chairman Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al-Maktoum said on Monday that the airline returned to profitability in October, Al Arabiya reported.

He added that the carrier’s focus remains on increasing passenger numbers through Dubai airports.

He also said that there is currently no need for any financial support from the Dubai government and that tapping the sukuk market is an option if needed.

On Tuesday, Clark said that the company has set a July 2023 date for certification of a Boeing 777x jetliner amid delays to an order.