March 3, 2016 – Keep an eye on our website on March 9, when the aviation world will be introduced to a major new product: Emirates’ new Boeing 777 business class seat. The seat is due to be revealed at ITB Berlin, the international travel trade show which takes place from March 9-13.
These are the key facts Emirates has indicated prior to the reveal:
• The seat will be manufactured by B/E Aerospace in Ireland and North Carolina
• The new seat is set to make its commercial debut on Emirates’ 170th Boeing 777 aircraft, a -300ER version, which the airline expects to receive in November 2016
• The styling is automotive-influenced, with diamond-stitched light grey leather
• The seat pitch will be 72in
• New features include a minibar and a 23in IFE display
• The cabin LOPA will remain as 2-3-2, with 42 seats – no move to 1-2-1
“Our current Boeing 777 business class seats [fitted to 155 aircraft] are already an industry-leading premium product, and what this new seat does is to take that design and comfort to the next level. We gave the seat a fresh and modern look, retained all the existing features that our customers love and added a few more, while improving the seating and sleeping comfort,” stated Sir Tim Clark, president of Emirates Airline.
The ‘super business’ class segment is proving to be a lively new area, especially with Qatar Airways due to introduce a product with a double bed on its A350-1000s in mid-2017.
Emirates has stated that the design and shape of the new seat has been inspired by the interior of a modern sports car, captured in the diamond stitch pattern of a light grey full leather cover, ergonomically designed headrest, and a “sleek overall look and feel”. Designed with enhanced customer comfort in mind, the airline has indicated that the new seat will have a pitch of 72in and a 180° fully flat bed.
The seat will retain many of the most popular features of the current B777 business class seat, but with an updated seat layout and additional amenities including an in-seat mini-bar, an expanded personal meal table, a 23in IFE display with touchscreen controller, USB and HDMI ports, as well as improved in-seat lighting options. The privacy panel between the seats has also been redesigned, as has the literature pocket, foot rest, and shoe stowage area.
The airline also states that the redesigned seat retains Emirates’ color tones of dark and light grey, accentuated with burled walnut veneers around the IFE screen, center console, mini-bar and privacy panel, in keeping with the airline’s distinctive cabin interior color palette.
Emirates will retain its current seat layout of 2-3-2 across its B777 business class cabins, as well the total number of business seats per aircraft at 42. All newly delivered Boeing 777s after the arrival of the first aircraft in November (the airline has 188 on order) will have these new seats on-board. The seats are being manufactured by B/E Aerospace at facilities in Ireland and North Carolina in the USA.
“Providing our customers with the best possible experience has always been at the heart of any new product development at Emirates. It’s evolution as well as revolution. We are always working towards the next big leap, but at the same time we continually look at the little ways we can enhance what we already offer. We believe this new business class seat further strengthens the experience and value proposition for our premium customers. We are very excited about the arrival of our first B777 later this year with the new seats, and to see how our customers will respond to it, which I’m optimistic will be positive,” added Clark.
