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Watch: Inside Emirates' brand new A350 aircraft; improved economy seats, faster Wi-Fi

It is the first new aircraft type to join Emirates’ fleet since 2008

Published: Wed 27 Nov 2024, 5:44 PM

Updated: Thu 28 Nov 2024, 5:00 PM

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KT photos: Shihab

KT photos: Shihab

Dubai’s flagship carrier Emirates has once again redefined the experience of air travel and flying better. Its first A350-900 aircraft was officially unveiled on Wednesday and here’s what passengers can expect – from newly designed and more comfortable seats, extra high ceilings and wider aisles in all classes, to 4K-cinematic and ultra-responsive touchscreens; to wireless charging, and faster WiFi on board.

The A350-900 is the first new aircraft type to join Emirates’ fleet since 2008. It features three spacious cabin classes, accommodating 312 passengers in 32 business class flat-bed seats, 21 premium economy seats, and 259 economy class seats. It carries the same golden livery as the iconic Airbus A380 and the popular Boeing 777.

The interior of the aircraft also features similar design and key motifs by Emirates, including the illuminated ghaf tree (the symbolic tree of the UAE), and the bronze and gold interior touches, and soothing neutral palette.

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‘S lounge' business seats

A350 Business Class features 32 leather lie-flat seats in 1-2-1 seat configuration – called by Emirates as ‘S Lounge seats’ as they are inspired by the Mercedes S Class. The seat pitch is 44 inches and width is 21 inches.

Emirates raised the bar for an exceptional travel experience as they added wireless charging on the side cocktail table in Business Class, and in-seat lighting controls with five streams of light. Each seat also has a 20-inch 4K screen for in-flight entertainment, as well as multiple sockets and charging ports including a wireless port, mini-bar and improved storage.

Watch video below:

Customised premium economy seats

Featuring 6-way adjustable headrest, leg and footrests, seats at premium economy cabin will surely give passengers more comfort – especially during long-haul flights – without breaking the bank.

The seat pitch is 39 inches and the seat width is 19.5 inches. Each seat has a 13.3-inch 4K screen, in-seat charging points, a side cocktail table, plus sizeable pillow and blanket.

The A350 premium economy class has a maximum of 28 seats in 2-3-2 configuration, providing an exclusive and intimate feel for customers, noted Emirates, adding: “Catering onboard features a selection of generous meals made with seasonal ingredients served on Royal Doulton chinaware, accompanied by Robert Welch cutlery wrapped in a linen napkin.”

Watch video below:

Improved economy seats

Two distinct improvements were made to economy class seats: New fabric in elegant light blue, and bronze-coloured armrests for a more sophisticated look. The seat pitch is 31-32 inches and the seat width is 18.4 inches. Each seat also has a 13.3-inch 4K screen for in-flight entertainment, and the seat configuration is 3-3-3.

Emirates said by next year, economy class passengers on A350 can expect a brand new 6-way adjustable headrest on seats to allow passengers the option of sleep with full neck support. “This new headrest is set to significantly improve customer experience in economy class and eliminate the need for neck pillows,” noted the Dubai-based airline.

Watch video below:

Higher ceilings, wider aisles

More striking inside the Emirates A350 are the high ceiling and wider aisles in all classes. The A350 galley area is also notably spacious, giving economy class passengers an area to stretch their legs and grab a complimentary snack on long haul flights. Storage has also been improved on the Emirates A350, with compartmentalised pockets and larger overhead storage bins.

There is also a new touchscreen call bell buttons for cabin crew service and instant of in-flight menu on the screen, plus digital newspapers and magazines from around the world.

Faster Wi-Fi

The Emirates A350 features a high performance, new generation antennae that means faster Wi-Fi connection onboard, with the potential to enjoy up to 10 times the current total aircraft bandwidth on average.

Emirates also assured “customers will enjoy uninterrupted global connectivity across all destinations, including over the North Pole for flights going to the Americas.

Aside from internet connectivity, Emirates’ ice in-flight system also offers more than 6,500 channels of on-demand entertainment, as well as more than 2,500 movies, 650 TV shows and box sets, plus 4,000 hours of music, podcasts, and audiobooks across over 40 languages.

Maiden flight

Emirates plans has set its first scheduled commercial A350 flight to Edinburgh on January 3, 2025. It will then serve eight other cities in existing GCC points like Bahrain, Muscat and Kuwait; Lyon and Bologna in Europe; as well as Colombo, Mumbai and Ahmedabad in West Asia. New travel destinations that are up to 15 hours from Dubai will be announced in 2025.

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