Emirates has taken delivery of its first of 65 Airbus A350-900s, the aircraft that will replace early model Boeing 777s, as the Dubai-based airline targets growth.
Emirates has taken delivery of its first of 65 Airbus A350-900s, the aircraft that will replace early model Boeing 777s, as the Dubai-based airline targets growth.
The Emirates A350 has three cabin classes, accommodating 312 passengers in 32 business class lie-flat seats, 21 premium economy seats and 259 economy class seats.
The A350 is the first all-carbon fibre aircraft purchased by Emirates and brings significant passenger benefits such as lower cabin altitude and less dehydration due to higher humidity settings.
“Today is an exciting milestone for Emirates as we showcase our first A350 and usher in a new era for our fleet and network growth,” Emirates Airline & Group chairman and chief executive Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum said.
“This aircraft sets the stage for Emirates to spread its wings farther by offering added range, efficiency and flexibility to our network, enabling us to meet customer demand in new markets and unlock new opportunities in the cities that we serve.
“Onboard, our updated interiors and seating configurations will help us deliver a more elevated and comfortable experience to travellers across every cabin class.”
Airbus executive vice-president programmes & services Phillipe Mhun said the manufacturer was pleased to extend its almost-40-year association with Emirates.
“We are proud to further expand our strategic partnership with Emirates ... with the A300, the A310, the A330, the A340 and the A380,” he said.
“Marking a new chapter for Airbus, we expect the A350 to become an integral member of the Emirates’ fleet and support its continued growth and sustainability ambitions.”
The Emirates A350 will be delivered in two versions: one for regional routes and one for ultra long-haul routes.
The airline plans to make its first scheduled commercial A350 flight to Edinburgh on January 3 2025, followed by Bahrain, Muscat and Kuwait, Lyon and Bologna in Europe, and Colombo, Mumbai and Ahmedabad in West Asia.
The A350 features a number of upgrades to the product for Emirates.
The A350’s economy class will have a new six-way adjustable headrest, allowing passengers the option of sleep with full neck support. Expected in early 2025, this new headrest is set to significantly improve customer experience in economy class and eliminate the need for neck pillows.
Business class features 32 leather ‘S Lounge seats’ inspired by the Mercedes S Class.
Business class features 32 Mercedes S Class-inspired leather ‘S Lounge seats’, which have new wireless charging on the side cocktail table and in-seat lighting controls with five streams of light.
The one-two-one seat configuration in business class ensures a private, exclusive experience. The new suites also have multiple sockets and charging ports, a wireless port, minibar, and improved storage.
All 65 of the incoming Emirates A350s will feature premium economy class with leather reclining seats, full leg-footrests and adjustable headrests. The seats feature in-seat charging points, a side cocktail table, a 13.3-inch TV screen, a generously sized pillow and blanket, and complimentary amenity kits on select flights.
Emirates premium economy class has won a multitude of awards, with its 28 seats located in an exclusive and intimate cabin.
Premium economy has 28 seats located in an exclusive and intimate cabin.
The A350 has wider aisles in all classes; premium economy with a two-three-two configuration and economy class a three-three-three layout.
The A350 galley area is also more spacious, giving economy class customers an area to stretch and grab a complimentary snack on long-haul flights.
Storage has been improved on the Emirates A350, with compartmentalised pockets and larger overhead storage bins.
The aircraft also features several technology upgrades. Electric window blinds can be operated at the touch of a button. The aerBlade dual blind system will feature in business and premium economy class and offers two shaded options, while the aerBlade single-blind systems will make a debut in economy class.
Call buttons for the cabin crew have been moved to the touchscreen on the inflight entertainment screens. Other features include the ability to instantly view your inflight menu on your screen, digital newspapers and magazines from around the world, five aircraft camera views and improved inflight live map experience, and 60-watt USB C charging in every seat with the ability to pair two Bluetooth connections for personal headphones.
The Emirates A350 introduces a next-generation version of the ICE inflight entertainment system, with a suite of features designed to enhance the passenger experience. Offering a cinematic display, this includes the best picture quality on any aircraft with 4K and 4K HDR, ultra-responsive touchscreens for seamless navigation and a vast media selection (up to triple the current content capacity).
Passengers will also enjoy new features such as ‘eye comfort mode’ to reduce blue light exposure, the ability to skip credits and intros on videos, enhanced live TV, and simplified volume and brightness controls. An improved search function is complemented by iceMoments, a revolutionary way to explore content on ICE in a short form video format.
Kids will enjoy a new pictorially driven interface, while parents will appreciate the seat side parental controls for family-friendly settings.
Marking a first for the airline, the Emirates A350 features a high-performance, new-generation antennae that will significantly improve inflight connectivity with ViaSat’s Global Xpress (GX) satellite network. Passengers will get uninterrupted global connectivity across all destinations, including over the North Pole for flights going to the Americas.
At an investment of more than $US2 million per aircraft for WiFi upgrades, passengers will notice an improved user portal with a faster sign-in for new users and a swifter login for Skywards customers.
Improved onboard wireless access points will mean more customers can connect at the same time with the potential to enjoy up to 10 times the current total aircraft bandwidth, on average, whether for work or to stay connected with family and friends.
The Emirates A350 is the most fuel-efficient large widebody aircraft, and also boasts a substantial reduction in noise both in the cabin and for airports.
The A350 is a part of a major fleet overhaul at Emirates that includes 35 Boeing 777-8s and 170 777-9s, as well as 20 787-8s and 15 787-10s. These aircraft will replace the airline’s 116 A380s, 123 Boeing 777-300ERs and 10 Boeing 777-200LRs.
Due to the delays in delivery of the 777-9, Emirates has committed to refit 110 A380s and 81 777-300ERs with premium economy as well as upgraded business class in some cases.
The new fleet mix will burn up to 40 per cent less fuel than the aircraft they replace, depending on models.
The range of types and capabilities will also enable Emirates to fly further and to operate on thinner, or less travelled, routes.
While the A350 is not currently slated to serve Perth, passengers can join it in Dubai for flights into Europe.
However, the airline may elect to use it for its new daily morning departure from Perth, which starts on December 1, replacing the larger 777-300ER.
