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Emirates' Airbus A380 lounges evolved from cautious beginnings

Emirates' Airbus A380 lounges evolved from cautious beginnings
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Tim Clark President of Emirates | Official Website

Over the years, Emirates has gained a reputation for offering one of the most luxurious passenger experiences in the world. The airline's Airbus A380 fleet has been central to this approach, featuring distinctive elements such as an onboard lounge at the rear of the upper deck.

When Emirates first introduced this lounge, it included overhead bins as a backup measure. In 2004, Pierrejean Design Studio was selected to explore concepts for the lounge. Sir Tim Clark, President of Emirates, explained: “I designed the bar at the back of the aircraft on the upper deck, on the understanding that if it didn't work, we could remove it in 96 hours and put eight more business class seats in within the first few flights.”

The lounge eventually became a popular feature on the A380, leading to its continued presence without overhead bins. Over time, Emirates has made several updates to improve its design and functionality. In 2017, a major update introduced a lighter aesthetic with ivory tones and wood-grain finishes.

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Neil Taggart from AIM Altitude commented on these updates: “This long and continuous association with Emirates is evidence that the design of the A380’s lounge bar has reached classic status whilst retaining its freshness and continuing appeal to passengers.”

The latest version of this space is more open than earlier designs and accommodates around 26 passengers. It includes seating for seven to eight people across curved sofas and side benches. The area features a dedicated bartender who can prepare signature cocktails upon request.

Sir Tim Clark hinted at possible future changes during an event in New Delhi: “I won’t reveal exactly what is going to happen... but it’ll be very attractive.” As Emirates continues retrofitting its A380 fleet with new cabins like Premium Economy, potential changes to their iconic bar might follow.

Today, this lounge remains integral to Emirates' premium product offering across all superjumbos in their fleet—a testament not only as part standard but also one that continues delivering what it set out initially achieve over fifteen years ago.

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