Emirates has announced plans to extend its fleet rollover with upgrades to its Boeing 777 and Airbus A380 aircraft, expanding the enhanced services to eight more cities. The upgraded A380s will soon serve Bangkok, Hong Kong, Nice, and Perth, while upgraded Boeing 777s will be deployed to Madrid, Kuala Lumpur, Phuket, and Frankfurt. Additional services to Dublin using refitted Boeing 777s are also planned.
Emirates' fleet enhancement includes a significant retrofit program, described as the largest in aviation history, costing approximately US $5 billion to refresh 219 aircraft. The airline's engineering teams are working intensively to complete a wide-body aircraft upgrade every three weeks on average. The comprehensive overhaul targets introducing over 2 million Premium Economy seats by the end of 2025, eventually growing to 4 million seats annually by the end of 2026.
The airline's revamped aircraft are expected to elevate customer experience on more than 70 routes. Adnan Kazim, Emirates’ Deputy President and Chief Commercial Officer, noted that the enhancement program aims to establish Emirates as a leader in Premium Economy services. Kazim highlighted Australia's importance in their network as the first long-range A350 is set to be introduced in Adelaide from 1 December.