Emirates today launched its extensive two-year modernization program and officially began work on the first of 120 aircraft for a full cabin upgrade and installation of the latest Premium Economy seats.
This ambitious project represents a billion-dollar investment to provide Emirates customers with an even better flight experience.
Following the completion of flight EK928 from Cairo to Dubai on Monday, the A6-EVM was relocated to Hangar E at Emirates Technical Centre, where a team of expert engineers began preparing the aircraft for conversion.
In addition to hiring 190 new employees for this project, Emirates is also working with 62 key partners and suppliers who have hired hundreds of skilled workers for this largest aircraft modernization program in commercial aviation history.
After months of careful planning and detailed testing on a real A380, experts took stock and requested a total of 2.200 part numbers. The Emirates procurement team has also started preparations and placed 12.600 orders for the first phase of the programme. Special workshops have also been set up at the Emirates Engineering Center to stock up on parts and equipment needed for this large-scale project.
Overview of the planned process
Over the next 16 days, teams of engineers and technicians will disassemble and reassemble the entire A380 cabin in a carefully planned and tested sequence.
Thousands of parts will be dismantled, replaced or a new facelift done. Even the famous shower in First Class will be decorated in new colors with the handmade Ghaf tree motif.
Trained crews will follow a uniform procedure for each aircraft – a team of technicians will first remove the window seats in Economy Class, causing another crew to remove the cabin interior side panels. These panels will go directly to one of Emirates' three purpose-designed workshops where they will be laminated in the latest color tones. 56 Economy Class seats will be removed in the fore part of the main deck to make room for 88 Premium Economy seats.
On the upper deck, Business and First Class seats will be dismantled and loaded into a modified dining car that will lower it to the ground where other vehicles will transport them to specialized workshops. Business Class seats at the Emirates Center will be repainted and covered with new leather, while First Class seats will be sent to experts at Dubai World Central for refurbishment. All carpets and floor coverings in the aircraft cabins will be replaced before the refurbished seats are reinstalled.
Health and safety
All processes are designed in accordance with the highest safety and health standards, and the company has invested in the latest equipment to protect workers against harmful fumes that can arise, among other things, when working in the cabins during the treatment of the shower bath. First class.
After the renovation works are completed, the aircraft will be inspected and certified by aviation authorities before being put back into service.
Program speed
The second aircraft to be converted, the A6-EUW, will arrive at Emirates Engineering Center on 1 December 2022.
Once the program is fully operational, engineers will work on two aircraft simultaneously. This means that every eight days one aircraft will be decommissioned and relocated to Emirates headquarters for modernisation. By 23 May 2024, all 67 A380 aircraft targeted for the modernization program will be back in service, after which Emirates will begin work on 53 Boeing 777 aircraft, and all 2025 modernized aircraft will be back in service by March 120.
Emirates' new Premium Economy cabin, offering luxury seats, more legroom and services to rival many airlines' Business Class offerings, is now available to customers traveling on popular A380 routes to London, Paris and Sydney. As the modernization program progresses, more customers will be able to use Premium Economy cabins.
The airline also announced plans to offer Premium Economy service on its routes to New York JFK, San Francisco, Melbourne, Auckland and Singapore by the end of March 2023.
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