Emirates Airbus A380-861 takes off from Zurich Airport. The Airbus A380 with the registration A6-EEJ has been in service with the airline of the United Arab Emirates since September 2013.getty
Not too long ago, it looked as if the reign of the Airbus A380 as queen of the skies was coming to an end. But one airline, Emirates, isn’t just bringing back its A380s with a vengeance, it’s also investing up to $2 billion to refurbish its aircraft and introduce a whole new class of premium economy services.
Before Corona, Emirates was considered the only airline to make full use of the A380. Dozens of the huge planes landed at the spacious Dubai Airport (DBX) like clockwork, as did so many 500-passenger buses. There were six daily flights to London alone.
But Airbus ended production of the magnificent aircraft in 2021 and only 251 examples were built. With international borders closed due to COVID-19 quarantines, most A380s were parked. At least 17 A380s have already been scrapped. Several airlines, including China Southern, Thai Airlines, Malaysia Airlines and Air France, have announced plans to ground the A380 or send it to scrap sites.
In the wake of the pandemic, airlines are favoring smaller, fuel-efficient and easier-to-fill aircraft like the 200-seat Airbus A321XLR. But they didn’t ask passengers who would vote twice each day and Sunday for a spacious A380.
While the majority of Emirates’ A380 fleet has been grounded in 2020 due to COVID, demand has quickly returned. Meeting in the Emirates Lounge at LAX, Essa Sulaiman Ahmad, Emirates Divisional Vice President for the US and Canada, told me Emirates demand is now at 97% of 2019, the last full year before COVID.
Premium Economy cabin on Emirates A380 aircraft. Each cabin has 56 premium economy seats that recline and offer much more passenger space than traditional economy class seats.Emirates Airlines
For example, the airline flies six daily A380 flights to London and five to Mumbai. Mr Ahmad said the A380 is vital for Emirates at slot-limited airports like London, as it essentially does the work of two smaller aircraft.
To date, Emirates has fitted the new Premium Economy cabin to more than 20 of its 116 A380 aircraft. The modernization program, which will also affect Emirates’ fleet of 180 Boeing 777s, will be completed in 2025.
Emirates A380s are used on some of the longest routes in the world. From Dubai to Auckland, for example, a 14,200 km long and 16 hour flight is required. It’s also 16 hours from Dubai to Los Angeles, my home airport.
It makes sense for Emirates to offer premium economy for such long-haul flights. Many passengers are unwilling to pay business or first class fares, but pay more to get more comfort than economy class can offer.
The new Emirates A380 Premium Economy cabin has 56 seats. Each offers 40 inches of seat pitch (regular economy is 32 inches) and is 19.5 inches wide.
The upholstered leather seats are finished in a restful beige and feature both a fixed headrest and a plush cushion. The reclining seats have comfortable footrests. A flight attendant assured us that reclining doesn’t provoke rebellion from the passenger behind, but sometimes sets off a reclining chain reaction.
shows a large video screen on the backrest. Emirates anticipates that a significant percentage of passengers will be willing to pay more for a significantly more comfortable Premium Economy seat.Emirates Airlines
Each passenger gets a large screen on the back of the seat in front of them. On the screen you can stream a wide range of films and TV shows, including numerous children’s programs for a long-haul flight. Wireless Internet access is also available. A promotional video from Emirates shows that you can also watch live sports.
The seats feature an extendable seat tray to serve the special menu for Premium Economy passengers. We were served vegan cheesecake. While this may seem like a contradiction in terms, it’s actually pretty good.
If the flight attendant doesn’t let you have dessert first, your choices include Cobb Salad, Fried Cod with Sautéed Kale, and Chicken with Spinach and Butter. There is a selection of wines, beers, spirits and soft drinks. Wines include an Emirates exclusive, Chandon Brut Vintage 2016, an Australian sparkling blend of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier.
According to Emirates, over 160,000 passengers have opted for Premium Economy since its launch a year ago. Emirates invited us on board (unfortunately not to fly) to mark the availability of Premium Economy in the LA market from July 2023.
In the Emirates video, an enthusiastic passenger says that Premium Economy is “a little more, but worth it”. So how do the prices compare to Economy and Business Class?
We were looking for a one way flight from LAX to DXB on 30th September. Flight EK216, an A380, departing LAX at 4:40 p.m. cost US$544 for a one-way economy ticket. Premium Economy for the same flight was $1,629 while Business Class was $5,051.60. The return flight on October 8th on EK215 was $584.15 for economy. Premium economy class cost $1,669.15 while business class cost $4,318.15.
Displays a meal being prepared from the special food and wine menu.Emirates Airlines
An economy ticket from LAX to Mumbai on October 3 cost $506.10. The premium economy price was $1646.10 while the business class cost $4213.10. Round-trip fares cost $539.10, $1679.20 and $3320.20, respectively.
On some flights, Premium Economy was found to be only “partially available”, presumably due to connecting on a non-upgraded A380 or B777.
Whether the flights are “a little more but worth it” is in the eye (and wallet) of the beholder. Premium Economy essentially costs three times as much as Economy. On the other hand, business class is almost ten times more expensive at $5,051 than economy class at $544.
In terms of service, Emirates typically ranks among the top ten global airlines. Therefore, the introduction of Premium Economy is unlikely to be seen as a downsizing, but rather an extension of the brand’s cachet to a new product.
While friendly competitor and neighbor Etihad is once again touting its ultra-upscale residence ($30,000 each way), Emirates is betting that a much larger group of upscale families and business travelers will indulge a little in Premium Economy.
This “mass wealthy” group is growing worldwide. In Los Angeles alone there are over 255,000 millionaires. These practical people, who know the value, may pay the price for a comfortable Emirates Premium Economy flight without hesitation.
Passengers pose for a photo at Beijing Capital International Airport on May 1, 2023 in Beijing, China. An Emirates Airbus A380 lands at Beijing Capital International Airport on Monday. (Photo by Cui Jun/Beijing Youth Daily/VCG via Getty Images)VCG via Getty Images
I have won several journalism awards and my writing on travel has appeared in the Los Angeles Times, American Way, Southwest Airlines Spirit, Successful Meetings and United Hemispheres. I’m in the middle seat at home, have a handful of travel rewards credit cards, have lived more than six months of my life in Las Vegas hotels and have traveled the world. But one of my favorite travel destinations was Independence, Kansas, a great small American town where my work as a playwright was performed at the William Inge Festival.
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