Emirates airline to launch premium economy in 2020, says Clark

Emirates airline chairman said premium economy will be fitted on the A380s it ordered in January this year

http://www.arabianbusiness.com/transpor ... says-clark

2020? Why so late? There are A380s and 777s in cabin refurbishment today!

EK is losing it's mojo...

lightsaber wrote:

2020? Why so late? There are A380s and 777s in cabin refurbishment today!

EK is losing it's mojo...

You would think they would try and launch it on the 777X so 2020 makes sense. 2020 is also only 1 1/2 years away.

The new premium economy class seats will account for 6-8% of the total capacity. Emirates will also refurbish the old A380 fleet.

https://gulfnews.com/business/aviation/ ... -1.2231419

FINALLY! This took long enough!

Emirates Premium Economy will feature 'sleeperettes' with a 38-40 inch pitch. The PE class will feature 56 seats on the A380 and in the high 20s on the B777.

The PE class on a 2-class A380 will be the upper deck and the at the front of the lower deck on a 3-class A380.

According to Sir. Tim, the new class will be separate from the economy class and not ' just a curtain'.

The new PE class will be fitted to the whole fleet from 2020.

Source: https://www.ausbt.com.au/emirates-promi ... um-economy

I always thought that EK never refurbish their older aircraft with newer cabin. They will fly those airplanes to till retirement or lease expires. Take for example only newer A380 and B77W come with newer J and Y cabin compared to older fleet. Is this a change in their policy for first time? Sorry if this has been discussed before.

Also with the Y+, will J class move to 2-2-2 configuration? 2-3-2 is pretty dense and tight for a premium cabin, although I do know these layout is printing money for these airlines. (same goes to TK and ET).

juliuswong wrote:

I always thought that EK never refurbish their older aircraft with newer cabin. They will fly those airplanes to till retirement or lease expires. Take for example only newer A380 and B77W come with newer J and Y cabin compared to older fleet. Is this a change in their policy for first time? Sorry if this has been discussed before.

Also with the Y+, will J class move to 2-2-2 configuration? 2-3-2 is pretty dense and tight for a premium cabin, although I do know these layout is printing money for these airlines. (same goes to TK and ET).

Yes. According to Sir Tim, the era of 2-3-2 business class is gone.

A tweet by Australian Business Traveler:

"Emirates CEO says the era of 2-3-2 business class "is gone” - from here on it’s all the same config as the A380s with direct aisle access on news A380s, Boeing 777-300ER and 777X #IATAAGM #PaxEx"

Link to tweet: https://twitter.com/AusBT/status/1003767809745121281

I think it is time EK does a total overhaul of their management. They are asleep, and afraid to do anything to put their jobs at risk. Tim C is great. But besides that, second level of guys are totally incompetent.

Saludos,
Alex

The feeling in the M/E is that STC was the right man for the thunderous growth story that got EK to where it is today.
But that he has stayed too long, the Co is run on a very top down basis where he is essentially the Sheik. He has received so many accolades over the years here, he perhaps believes that he cannot be wrong. The evidence suggests this is not the case.

He’s been slow with J 2-2-2, Employee relations terrible, Fleet mix wrong (787 late to the party), Prem Econ late etc...and let’s not forget the pilot shortage - despite reports, the grounding of aircraft is being increased to 46 widebodies...as pilots leave in droves.

He’s done a lot of great things but his stubborn intransigence when it comes to employees is starting to really bite.

aemoreira1981 wrote:

To me, it should actually be considered on the newer B77Ws as well, reducing economy to 32" systemwide. W could be 38" and 2-4-2. As an added perk, premium economy could keep AC outlets while economy would have no AC outlets but retain USB charging ports.

Heh - basically drop standards in Y to create an artificial Y+?

aemoreira1981 wrote:

To me, it should actually be considered on the newer B77Ws as well, reducing economy to 32" systemwide. W could be 38" and 2-4-2. As an added perk, premium economy could keep AC outlets while economy would have no AC outlets but retain USB charging ports.

An number of airlines offering an proper PE already other inseat power in Y, if EK was to remove the inseat power from Y they would be dropping behind.

Their current business class is like premium economy.

They may have taken their time about premium economy, but so what,it's a long term decision not a sprint.They have clearly put in a lot of work in getting it right.They will simply become more formidable than they already are -oh and more profitable too.
Their only real constraint to further growth is lack of runways!

parapente wrote:

They may have taken their time about premium economy, but so what,it's a long term decision not a sprint.They have clearly put in a lot of work in getting it right.They will simply become more formidable than they already are -oh and more profitable too.
Their only real constraint to further growth is lack of runways!

...and pilots.

xwb777 wrote:

juliuswong wrote:

I always thought that EK never refurbish their older aircraft with newer cabin. They will fly those airplanes to till retirement or lease expires. Take for example only newer A380 and B77W come with newer J and Y cabin compared to older fleet. Is this a change in their policy for first time? Sorry if this has been discussed before.

Also with the Y+, will J class move to 2-2-2 configuration? 2-3-2 is pretty dense and tight for a premium cabin, although I do know these layout is printing money for these airlines. (same goes to TK and ET).

Yes. According to Sir Tim, the era of 2-3-2 business class is gone.

A tweet by Australian Business Traveler:

"Emirates CEO says the era of 2-3-2 business class "is gone” - from here on it’s all the same config as the A380s with direct aisle access on news A380s, Boeing 777-300ER and 777X #IATAAGM #PaxEx"

Link to tweet: https://twitter.com/AusBT/status/1003767809745121281

Meanwhile, at British Airways....

Arion640 wrote:

Meanwhile, at British Airways....

Without wanting to move too far away from the main subject, BA are launching their new 1-2-1 Club product next year on the A350 and 787-10. Some 777-200s, -300s, 787s and A380s will be refitted.

lightsaber wrote:

2020? Why so late? There are A380s and 777s in cabin refurbishment today!

EK is losing it's mojo...

Presumably because, like the new J seats, the seat design (which is not an off the shelf product but a clean sheet specific to EK) isn't finalised yet.

xwb777 wrote:

juliuswong wrote:

I always thought that EK never refurbish their older aircraft with newer cabin. They will fly those airplanes to till retirement or lease expires. Take for example only newer A380 and B77W come with newer J and Y cabin compared to older fleet. Is this a change in their policy for first time? Sorry if this has been discussed before.

Also with the Y+, will J class move to 2-2-2 configuration? 2-3-2 is pretty dense and tight for a premium cabin, although I do know these layout is printing money for these airlines. (same goes to TK and ET).

Yes. According to Sir Tim, the era of 2-3-2 business class is gone.

A tweet by Australian Business Traveler:

"Emirates CEO says the era of 2-3-2 business class "is gone” - from here on it’s all the same config as the A380s with direct aisle access on news A380s, Boeing 777-300ER and 777X #IATAAGM #PaxEx"

Link to tweet: https://twitter.com/AusBT/status/1003767809745121281

I know of several companies in Ireland that have stopped using EK for corporate travel due to that middle seat in J on the 777s, and indeed the relatively inferior J in general on those aircraft compared to other options such as LH, QR, CX etc. The only worse one I’ve experienced is BA.

Although I thought J on the EK 380s was excellent.

747fly wrote:

Arion640 wrote:

Meanwhile, at British Airways....

Without wanting to move too far away from the main subject, BA are launching their new 1-2-1 Club product next year on the A350 and 787-10. Some 777-200s, -300s, 787s and A380s will be refitted.

Yes I know the 350's and the 781's will have the new product. But how long will they take to retro fit to the older fleet? It's going to be mid 2019 before the new catering and bedding service (launched in autumn 2017) reaches Gatwick. Nearly 2 years!

Someone from the company tells me a decision is going to be made to retro fit some super high j 747's as retirement will likely be extended past 2023.

Dogma, hubris, call it what you like, to many on here its slowly dawning on them that EK has made some significant mis-steps recently. The best onboard product in the world is useless when you don't have the pilots to fly the programme.

Nothing is said about what happens to normal Economy. Will it be downgraded to "encourage" people to upgrade, or will the new PE simply fill the gap left by J being upgraded?

emiratesdriver wrote:

Dogma, hubris, call it what you like, to many on here its slowly dawning on them that EK has made some significant mis-steps recently. The best onboard product in the world is useless when you don't have the pilots to fly the programme.

Or motivated cabin crew.

Spiderguy252 wrote:

aemoreira1981 wrote:

To me, it should actually be considered on the newer B77Ws as well, reducing economy to 32" systemwide. W could be 38" and 2-4-2. As an added perk, premium economy could keep AC outlets while economy would have no AC outlets but retain USB charging ports.

Heh - basically drop standards in Y to create an artificial Y+?

That's exactly what ULLC are doing, tariff-wise...

inferno wrote:

Their current business class is like premium economy.

Would you be so kind to enlighten us about where to find exactly this "premium economy product" around?

xwb777 wrote:

Emirates Premium Economy will feature 'sleeperettes' with a 38-40 inch pitch. The PE class will feature 56 seats on the A380 and in the high 20s on the B777.

The PE class on a 2-class A380 will be the upper deck and the at the front of the lower deck on a 3-class A380.

According to Sir. Tim, the new class will be separate from the economy class and not ' just a curtain'.

The new PE class will be fitted to the whole fleet from 2020.

Source: https://www.ausbt.com.au/emirates-promi ... um-economy

How on earth does he expect to offer lazy-z deep recline and proper footrests without fixed-back shell "sleeperette"-like seats in 38" pitch..?

It sounds like more noise than anything else. Hype for the sake of it because it is really hard to believe that all this can be comfortably achieved (for the person in their seat and the person behind them). Something has to give.

JAL PE should be the benchmark when it comes to PE. I'm not sure if even they manage to offer all the stuff that STC is talking about offering in even less space...