Emirates eyes new first class for upgraded 777s

Emirates has only just begun overhauling its Boeing 777-300ER fleet with new business class and premium economy seats, but the jets could be headed back into the hangar for a first class makeover.

Under the plan, which airline president Sir Tim Clark shared with Executive Traveller during a media briefing in Melbourne, the original 777 first class berths would be replaced by Emirates’ signature ‘game changer’ suites boasting floor-to-ceiling walls for complete privacy.

A second round of refits would add the 'game changer' first class suites to the older 777-300ERs.

Clark also shared details of the 777-9’s doored business class suites and his all-new design for economy class seats.

He described the 777 retrofit as “a product of the moment”, made necessary by ongoing delays to Boeing’s next-generation 777-9, which Emirates might not see until 2027-2028.

“The most important thing is to deal with premium economy (and) deal with business class as best we can.”

For business class, that meant Emirates had to “get rid of these terrible 2-3-2 things, put the 1-2-1 in there that we’ve always had on the A380 since 2008, and refresh and improve everything else we can – the IFE systems, all the other bits and pieces.”

Upgrading the 777's business class to a modern 1-2-1 layout was a high priority, Clark says.

81 of the Gulf carrier’s Boeing 777-300ERs are earmarked to receive new business class and premium economy seats, with the process taking around two weeks per plane.

“At the same time, if I want to do a game changer type (first class) in the 777 it’ll take forever,” Clark explained.

“I have no problem once I’ve got them up and running, and flying with a decent business class product and premium economy, to take them back in, rip the first class cabins out and do what we have to do there... I assure you, things will change, even on the older aircraft.”

Waiting for the 777-9...

“Don’t forget, this is a kind of hybrid,” Clark noted of the upgraded 777-300ERs, which under Boeing’s original timetable were due to be retired as the new 777-9s arrived from 2020.

“Right now I would have had 107 777-9s on the original contract, which was signed in 2013. I haven’t got one.”

“None of these (777) aircraft would’ve been with us… so we’ve had to do what we can.”

If Clark had his way, Airbus would also now be building an advanced version of the A380, which it scrapped in 2021.

This A380neo would take advantage of the latest technology – including lightweight carbon-fibre composites and high-efficiency engines –  to reduce the superjumbo’s thirst for fuel by “at least 20-25% ” and increase its appeal to airlines.

Emirates president Sir Tim Clark has big plans for the big A380.

“We now know a lot more about the A380 than we did when it was built,” Clark explained.

“I still have a design in front of Airbus as to how they could build a new one which would be 25% cheaper to run, far more fuel-efficient than this one.”

“They said, ‘Well if you give us €20 billion, we’ll do it for you!’”

Clark’s riposte was that it was up to Airbus to make that staggering investment in the A380neo – “but if you build them, we’ll buy them.”

Also read: Five tips for getting an Emirates status match