Emirates is set to introduce ‘Premium Economy’ services on its Mumbai (from October 29th) and Bengaluru (from October 30th) flights capitalising on sustained passenger demand. The announcement was made in Mumbai yesterday where the airline hosted a ‘Special Preview’ of the Premium Economy services on its Jumbo jet A380 for members of the press and 60 key travel trade partners.

All you need to know about Emirates ‘Premium Economy Seats’

• The A380 will also have 14 first-class seats, 76 business-class seats, 56 premium economy (In the front of the aircraft with 2-3-2 configuration) and 370 economy seats, making it a comprehensive offering for travellers.
• Emirates’ premium economy section offers customised seats with several features, including a 6-way adjustable headrest and calf and leg rests for personalised comfort.
• The seats are 19.5 inches wide, with a seat pitch of up to 40 inches.
• Passengers can recline their seats to a maximum of 8 inches and enjoy a 13.3-inch back-mounted LCD screen for entertainment.
• Emirates invested $2 billion in retrofitting 67 Airbus A380 and 53 Boeing 777 aircraft to incorporate premium economy options and improve the entire cabin.
• To make room for the A380 aircraft, Emirates reduced the number of weekly flights to Bengaluru from 24 to 21 last year. Consequently, they have been utilising Boeing 777 aircraft on this route.
• Emirates initially introduced its premium economy offering in August 2022, and it is already available on flights to various destinations, including London, Sydney, Auckland, Christchurch, Melbourne, Singapore, Los Angeles, New York, Houston, and San Francisco.
• Emirates plans to introduce this class of service on flights to Sao Paulo and Tokyo before the end of 2023.

Emirates on India routes:

According to Mohammad Sarhan, Vice President – India & Nepal, Emirates, there is a substantial demand for premium economy seating. Passengers are increasingly willing to upgrade for enhanced comfort and convenience, especially on long-haul flights. Corporate travellers who previously chose economy class are now opting for premium economy.

Emirates currently operates 167 flights weekly to nine Indian cities, including Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, Cochin, and Trivandrum. Sarhan mentioned that their load factors in India are consistently above 80%.

It’s worth noting that the United Arab Emirates (UAE) stands as the largest overseas market for India. Data from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation reveals that during the April-June period, more than 4.6 million passengers traveled between India and the UAE.

Check out more captures from the event on our facebook page: 

Here’s a quick walk through the newest Premium Economy Class on Emirates Airlines: