Emirates unveils a new premium economy seat with electric, full-height privacy screens and a U-Dream headrest — arguably the best in the sky.
Japan Airlines already has the world's first motorised PEY seat on their A350s, also with full-height privacy screens (and actually looks identical to this, minus the U-Dream headrest).
@ Alvin | YTHK -- Interesting. I'm curious, can you make sense of how the airline comes up with the claim that this is "the world’s first electric Premium Economy seat with full-height privacy screens" then? That's... odd.
I'm reading the press release, and they've been sneaky. Japan Airlines' (also full-height) privacy divider isn't electronically controlled, so Emirates is saying that they have the "world's first electric premium economy seat with full-height privacy screens" in that their privacy screens are electronically controlled, which is indeed a world-first. That's what I'm guessing.
Somewhat sneakily (seemingly), the press release never actually fully says that it has the world's first electronically controlled seat.
Could Thai selling what used to be business class seats as premium economy on some Indian routes could also be classed as electric premium economy seats?
I guess that one also doesn't have an electronically controlled privacy divider (though in a different way)...
At this point, if this is going to be the new Y+ seat, J seats will definitely have to be fully enclosed flat beds. Furthermore, if F cabins are going to survive, their biggest differentiator might be having BOTH a seat and a separate bed (and 2 TVs ha).
The next trend in First Class in my opinion would be the Peacock suites concept.
I would love to see curtains as the next evolution in Business as there's not much evolution to be had!
Well done, hbilbao, on pointing this EK update in the 'Pilot Dad & Daughter Cross Paths On ATC' from earlier today. No doubt, Ben was probably going to cover it, but you were ahead of the game!
No h/t to hbilbao?! lol j/k
There's still plenty you can do with Premium Economy. If not totally lie-flat, a deep La-Z-Boy recline would be brilliant akin to Business Class before lie-flats became a thing.
In Emirates case, they could've gone with a 15'6" telly along with 40" of pitch which most airlines are headed. Either way, the CMF does look like a luxe Merc.
If you notice the colours in the link below, it matches the Cathay palette and is based on the former HAECO Eclipse platform.
https://thepointsguy.com/news/is-this-emirates-premium-economy-seat/
It's interesting/sad to see how Y seats are the only thing that keeps getting worse across all airlines :'(
If I recall, the new JAL W seats are the first electric W seats no? Regardless these seats look nice, and getting in/out seems relatively easy? Recently flew QF in W from AKL-BNE and found the seat to be a bit cramped. No idea how people fly that AKL-JFK!
Looks like a dentists chair
I wouldn't mind that in the slightest, add in the weighted blanket they give you when they take x-rays and I usually fall asleep.
JAL calls theirs fully “motorized” is there a different between electric and motorized from Emirates perspective . Looks really comfortable. I’m curious how much of the recline come from the seat sliding forward, which people have had issues with on other airlines. And I’m surprised that the leg rest doesn’t come up higher like their current seat, unless we just don’t see that in the photos. Definitely nice looking!
Motorized does not have to be electric. Can be internal combustion 🙂
So who gets to control the divider between, for example, seats in rows A and B?
Looks like either seat can control it but there is a lock switch. If either seat locks it then it can't be lowered.
first ever OMAAT premium economy review???? 😛
Hey now... Ben reviewed Norwegian's 789 Premium Economy (recliners) back in 2019 ( https://onemileatatime.com/norwegian-premium-review/).
He also reviewed GOL's 737 ( https://onemileatatime.com/reviews/gol-premium-economy-737-max/), but I wouldn't call it Premium, more just regular Economy with a middle-seat blocked.
I can't find too many others... perhaps he'd had enough of that! Bah!
They'll definitely need a pair of disposable sleeves at every seat for those U-headrests, or else it'll get pretty nasty.
Interesting that the TVs will be the exact same size as economy. Though I do think non business/first class seats have just about reached their limit
This is impressive. Getting close to business class before the advent of flat beds. A bit deeper recline, and it's similar to Virgin America's first class (RIP).
With a xanax, this might be the first non-flat product that I could see myself actually falling asleep in!
Yes! I was thinking the same when I saw the picture. Old-school recliner with all the modern amenities.
Wow this looks nice! Props to Emirates for improving premium econ. Now let's see what other airlines follow with.
Definitely raises the bar and I say that having tried JL's premium econ and fallen asleep soundly.
I've flown on JL's PE a few times and people don't know and/or understand how good JL's PE is. Its very comfortable for a long-haul flight. Excellent balance between price/value.
The odd premium economy review would be welcome on this site…
Premium economy may be the most elaborate scam in commercial aviation.
Economy: £599
Premium economy: £2,100
Business: £3,100
First: £4,750
Economy → PE: +251%
PE → Business: +48%
Business → First: +53%
And the marginal spend is what really makes this absurd.
You pay £1,501 extra to move from Economy to Premium Economy.
Then you pay £1,650 extra to move from Business to First.
Almost the same amount of money.
But compare what those increments actually buy you.
Economy → PE: a wider seat, a bit more legroom, slightly better food and the privilege of remaining fundamentally upright.
Business → First: more space, more privacy, better service, better dining and an entirely different level of personal space and attention.
First may be terrible value at £4,750. But at least its marginal £1,650 buys you a genuinely different experience.
PE’s £1,501 buys you a more expensive version of not being quite as uncomfortable.
There is, admittedly, one group for whom PE can make perfect sense: smaller-built passengers who genuinely find the seat comfortable enough. Fair enough.
But if you’re the bigger-built adult male travelling with your wife and kids, Premium Economy creates a rather different dilemma.
You put them all in PE.
You take one look at the seat, calculate the next eight hours, and quietly upgrade yourself to Business.
You get a flat bed.
They get PE.
And then you spend the entire holiday being reminded that you were the selfish bastard who upgraded himself while leaving the family behind.
Every dinner. Every excursion. Every taxi ride.
“Lovely business-class flight, wasn’t it?”
Enjoy that £1,000 saving.
Economy at least tells you exactly what it is. Business delivers the comfort it promises. First is extravagance, but extravagance is at least the point.
Premium Economy is different.
It takes Economy, adds a few inches, puts it in a blazer and convinces you that you’ve somehow crossed into the world of comfort.
You haven’t.
You’ve just paid £1,501 to be less uncomfortable — unless you’re tall, in which case you’ve discovered the true Premium Economy upgrade: spending the first hour wondering whether £1,000 is enough to justify the divorce.
At these fares, save the money and fly Economy — or find the extra £1,000 and buy Business.
PE is the only cabin where the marketing upgrade is considerably more substantial than the physical one.
Yes, betterbub, you are right. And, if Emirates is getting this price premium, then people must be paying it. Does anybody expect an airline (or other for-profit business) will ever say, "we could reduce profits by lower the price---let's do it."
More word count doesn't make something better.
If you don't feel like the comment is worth your time to articulate in human words, then it's not worth human time to read your AI comment.
I agree with you. Scam was hyperbole. It’s still the least sensible value proposition.
Your dyslexia or reading problems are nobody else’s. Same for @DT.
Yes these are the fridge cases where PE works. I did mention the family situation but this is also true.
Wow, this is even better than what most Business Class seats were 20 years ago! It's like what many have been saying, Business is the new First and Premium Economy is the new Business.
I can’t wait for the first lie-flat premium economy in a few years. And the first economy comfort with bigger seats and pitch (maybe around 38”?)
TH has a lie-flat premium economy. It's the old (still current on VS 787s for now) seats. They have ex-VS 330s and did not reconfig the jets. I believe they are used on regional Asia flights only
There's also the ex-SQ A330s that AC has used to BOG. The front cabin is sold as premium economy.
At 20” wide, I wonder if these will be 2-3-2? Most other carriers have 2-4-2 with have narrower seats on a350s.
They already are 2-3-2 on the A350. That and the new design is a game changer for PE. In most all cases, B787s are 2-3-2 and A350s are 2-4-2, making the former a better choice IMHO for the single traveler. Take an aisle seat in the middle section and the middle seat person will exit to the aisle on the other side if travelling with that person. Best PE is middle section of 2-2-2 on B767s. To be fair, I should note when I stopped flying international Y, I moved to J and have never been in PE (except decades ago business class, which was really PE).
It still looks like an economy seat to me. For the price of premium economy it often does not seem like a deal. Now if an airline was to introduce an angle flat seat that would be a game changer I would buy.