With Emirates planning on retiring the Airbus A380 by the early 2040s at the latest, the Dubai-based carrier’s fleet is going to be undergoing major changes in the next couple of decades. As Emirates renews its fleet, the Boeing 777X will be the single most important piece of that puzzle.
Continue reading: Emirates Boeing 777X: What We Know So Far
Share your questions, experiences, and thoughts below.
Ben, EK only has 35 778s on order and 170 779. A few years ago(2021 I think?) they cancelled their orders for the 778 and have only enough them back since it’s been redesigned to match the freighter, +4 fuselage frames.
I would love to hear your opinion on this, but I don't think that it is a given that the "game changer" First Class will be on the 777X. Originally, Emirates had planned to retrofit the new suites onto the A380 (even written in news reports back then that the cabin would fall from 14 to 11 seats). However, they have clearly chosen not to do this. With the planes flying until ~2040, it would be stark to have two such different First Class products in service.
I think Emirates may have realized that the returns to the game change are not worth it. With 6 vs 8 seats you need to charge 33.3% more to come to the same revenue (assuming a fully booked cabin) - maybe Emirates did not manage this. Also, First Class was popular with couples travelling together, which is harder on the new seat.
I wouldn't be surprised to see Emirates introduce a vastly improved First Class product on the 777X (ottomans, new design, etc.), but based on the previous 1-2-1 layout they have on the older 777-300ERs. There clearly has been some re-thinking about the new First Class over the past years. If it were working so well, we'd see it on more planes.
@ Doreen Standler -- Not to question you, but do you mind sharing a source from back when that was said? I've been following the evolution of EK's new first class since the beginning, and I don't ever remember the airline ever committing to installing this on the A380s (while the airline has committed to installing it on 777Xs). Of course it's possible that I'm wrong, though, as my memory sometimes isn't the best.
I don't think they committed to the A380 - my last stand was the same that you mentioned in your article (along the lines of - "it's very expensive to retrofit"), but clearly they decided against it. They must have removed the article that references 11 vs 14 seats (and it seems many other articles on the topic have been removed)...
So they never committed to it, but clearly it was an option that they decided against. I just feel like they may be re-evaluating whether that product is the best way to go on the 777X, or whether they can satisfy the market with an update to the old First Class (e.g., ANA and Air France have some of the world's best First Class products and their setup is the same).
I also remember reading something about EK's plans for A380 retrofits, and how the cabin would go from 14 to 11 seats. I read it on a few sources a few years ago.
I think the original reason EK decided to only have 9 planes with the new suites was so the airline could roll it out on a widespread basis when the 777X starts getting delivered. Right now it is a niche product, only available on a few routes. Otherwise, EK's old first class suites aren't "obsolete" and people still love to fly them. Had they retrofitted it onto other planes, it would have a bigger footprint and people would then expect to maybe get the new suites, and then be disappointed when they got the old suites. That's my guess as to the thinking before the 777X delays. But I do think it is possible that EK may introduce a new version of its First Class suites with some improvements on the 777X
All I can say is that with all the issues and delays that this aircraft type (777X) has endured, I certainly will NOT be among the first to get on it.
Just can't give Boeing that level of benefit-of-the-doubt anymore.... ESPECIALLY for an aircraft designed+launched in the McNerney era, as was the 737MAX.
Why do people think Ironing board seats in business class, like those ultra thin light cheap ones found in economy in recent years, are in any way desirable.
Some people are worried about flying on the B77X when it initially rolls out. Not me. It will be one of the two most inspected plane in aviation history (along with the B737MAX) when it starts flying.
I don't fly EK however I do fly QR and other OneWorld carriers.
It will be the most scrutinized and tested aircraft in the history of aviation before it launches. If anything, the extra attention is a good thing.
That wouldn't be true, as Concorde's certification process took longer (assuming 2025 for the 77X) and was far more scrutinized, for obvious reasons; yet it still had several design flaws manifest years later in service, one eventually proving fatal.
Granted, that can happen with any aircraft design-- but considering that this one's only a refresh of an extant and extremely successful model, but still managed to fail load tests, blowout at lower thresholds than anticipated, suffer uncommanded pitch incidents, while further delaying itself with nearly every approaching quarter?
......all designed under McNerny's "who cares about engineering, just raise the stock price!" era at Boeing??
Nah, f#ck that!
Will be happy to let this thing fly for a few years, before ever getting anywhere near it.
Almost amazed that anyone who's seeing its "progress" would.
Cannot wait to fly the X, it's gonna be a great aircraft. Boo hoo if your afraid to fly, that's like saying you won't get on an A330 because of the AF447 crash, geesh
For everyone worried about flying on a B777X, they'll have no reason to worry about the engines, because not only are they based upon the world's most reliable engines yet, they have also been more thoroughly tested than any jet engines GE has ever made before.