Changes from the previous upgraded Skylounge version include a shift towards brassy gold accents on horizontal surfaces and high-touch areas, replacing a light steel-colored support metal effect and some faux burled walnut. Glossy thermoplastics remain part of the seat shrouding in front of each passenger.
The minibar and side table have been enlarged, with extended diagonal shrouding enhancing privacy for window-adjacent and middle-pair seats. Additionally, charging ports have been repositioned for easier access.
Seat controls are now actual buttons rather than capacitive touchscreens, addressing issues where inadvertent touches could adjust seating positions. Despite these updates, the overall aesthetic retains what has been described as "deposed dictator chic," with increased brassy elements and minimal burled walnut.
While not revolutionary in concept, these seats benefit from 16 years of incremental improvements since their introduction on the A380. Enhancements include a larger 23-inch inflight entertainment screen and improved seat kinematics.
Runway Girl Network suggests that this seat likely remains the Safran Seats Skylounge product from Emirates' A380s, manufactured by Safran Seats France in Issoudun. However, Safran did not immediately confirm this detail due to it being August in France.
The wider cabin of the 777 allows for a broader seat: 20.7 inches wide when seated and extending to a bed length of 78.6 inches (just over six feet six inches) when fully reclined.
The refurbishment process took 37 days and required 18,000 person-hours for the first aircraft. It is expected that future refurbishments will be completed more efficiently as processes improve and installers gain experience.
“Once the project is complete,” Emirates states, “the airline will have installed 8,104 next-generation Premium Economy seats, 1,894 refreshed First-Class suites, 11,182 upgraded Business Class seats and 21,814 Economy Class seats.”
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