It would appear that Emirates has plans to introduce an actually competitive business class hard product on its Boeing 777Xs. However, I’m a bit confused by how we’ve gotten to this point.
In this post:
Emirates will debut new business class on Boeing 777X
Executive Traveller met with Emirates President Tim Clark, and talked about the carrier’s future business class plans. Emirates is of course massively reliant on the Boeing 777X for fleet renewal, as the airline has 205 of these jets on order, and they’ll be the long term replacement for the Airbus A380.
The aircraft has been a headache for airline customers, though, given the delays — it was initially supposed to enter service in 2020, and now it won’t enter service before 2026 at the earliest.
When it comes to the onboard product, we know that Emirates plans to offer its “game changer” first class on the 777X. This was introduced in 2017, and so far has only been installed on a total of nine 777-300ERs. Presumably by the time it’s fitted on 777Xs, it’ll feature upgraded tech.
But what about in business class? Well, it sounds like Emirates has plans to finally introduce business class suites with doors, once these planes are delivered. According to Clark, the airline had a new business class product ready to launch back in 2019, with the expectation that the 777Xs would be flying in 2020.
In the meantime, the airline went back to the drawing board, to introduce a new product that rivals the best products available nowadays. We don’t have any more details about what Emirates has come up with yet, though I think it’s safe to assume the product is being designed in partnership with Safran, as the two companies have renewed their longstanding contracts.
Assuming that we’re potentially a year or so from the 777X maybe entering service, you’d think that this product would more or less be ready to go and finalized. I can’t help but think that it might just be the same business class product again, but with doors and even better tech.
What I can’t make sense of with Emirates’ plans
I think Tim Clark is one of the most brilliant people in the industry, and I also think Emirates is one of the world’s best airline brands, and has an amazing halo effect. However, what I can’t wrap my head around is why Emirates has been waiting so long to introduce a new, cutting edge business class.
Emirates is currently reconfiguring its Boeing 777s with a new business class, and Emirates is taking delivery of new Airbus A350s. So despite new business class seats being introduced, and having a long term place in Emirates’ fleet, the airline continues to install seats that certainly aren’t competitive with the best out there.
Look, I’d argue that Emirates doesn’t need to introduce an amazing product, given the company’s overall brand. If Clark said “we have an amazing brand and there’s no need for these bells and whistles,” I’d agree with him. But I find it strange how Clark essentially argues you have to have business class suites with doors nowadays, yet he’s acting as if the 777X is the only plane on which these seats could be installed, and like there’s nothing the airline could do differently.
I think it’s no different than what’s going on with Emirates’ new first class. The airline introduced the product back in 2017, and so far it has only been installed on nine 777s. Yet even as the airline now goes back and reconfigures 777s, it’s not introducing the new first class.
Bottom line
Emirates reportedly plans to introduce business class suites with doors, when those planes are delivered in 2026 and beyond (or who knows when). However, in the interim, Emirates is continuing to install what can only be described as pretty average business class seats, even on newly delivered aircraft.
I don’t necessarily think Emirates is wrong for doing what it’s doing. What’s surprising is that Emirates’ President is frustrated the airline can’t introduce a better product sooner, when the airline very much could…
What do you make of Emirates’ Boeing 777X plans?
Hurry up already with the doors in business class Emirates! You brag a lot and yet all the “bells & whistles” don’t compare to the privacy of doors. Keep shouting how great you are Emirates. Your gaudy airplane cabins are actually becoming quite dated.
Some interesting information which is not being reported herein:
The 2024 new aircraft deliveries are documented to be:
Boeing Total: 348
Airbus Total: 766
Now there’s a thing!
Not news. Duh…
Business class suites or seats with doors? I suspect it’s the latter.
Are you kidding me? I wouldn’t put my worst enemy on this POS! Boeing is a trash company, killers of 300+++ people just to make a few extra bucks!!
"Assuming that we’re potentially a year or so from the 777X maybe entering service, you’d think that this product would more or less be ready to go and finalized"
C'mon Ben... Surely you do not think Boeing will actually start deliveries in 2026? ;)
Thanks for asking for us....hahahah
Why would a passenger care about the halo effect?
Passengers are influenced by advertising images. Last year a court in New Zealand made Emirates reimburse a traveler for two business class fares from Auckland to London, because the A380 cabin experience in the airline's flashy ads was inferior to the craptacular seven-abreast 777 slave-ship cabin they flew in. So not only are pax influences by the "halo effect", but it can also backfire on carriers. Most people would grin and bear it, the man...
Passengers are influenced by advertising images. Last year a court in New Zealand made Emirates reimburse a traveler for two business class fares from Auckland to London, because the A380 cabin experience in the airline's flashy ads was inferior to the craptacular seven-abreast 777 slave-ship cabin they flew in. So not only are pax influences by the "halo effect", but it can also backfire on carriers. Most people would grin and bear it, the man in question did not. Good on him.
I get why the airline does it, but Ben’s praise for this marketing gimmick baffles me.
the products were developed for a specific fuselage width. It is likely not possible for one of the seat manufacturers to just pivot and produce the same product to fit narrower aircraft; even the 777-300ER is narrower than the 777X. and customers can't keep dealing w/ the repetitive delays from Boeing, in this case.
If Boeing had said 10 years ago that the first 777X would be delivered in 2026, then airlines would have built plans around that date.
It is not beyond the imagination of a rational person to contend that by the time Boeing delivers any 777X aircraft to EQ, etc:
A. Customers will have made alternative aircraft purchases.
B. The seats/suits will have been superseded by updated products.
C. Boeing will have been swallowed up by Airbus.
The fact that none of them happened proves that your mind is nothing like the imagination of a rational person.
One never fails to disappoint a chap Mason, you bite harder than a hammer head shark. Throw you a sprat and you will swallow it hook-line-and-sinker.
Mason is a “special” visitor to OMAAT. Thicker than a board and sharp as a feather. She only understands if you talk s-l-o-w-l-y to her. Bless her heart.
‘Roger that’ …. TW, some poor darlinks cannot recognise their own shortcomings. One can trip over hundreds of them just south of the Springs.
Completely unnecessary! It's untoward catering and a conspicuous consumption plan that caters to individuals and corporations that have more money than brains. Additionally, I can't begin to imagine that a seating configuration that included multiple compartments with doors can meet required US timelies for emergency evacuations.
The doors are unlocked for take offs and landings.
Ben, just a thought. The choice of seat for the retrofit might be due to supply chain issues. Might. With so many airlines doing retrofits post-COVID, there's a long wait for newer models. Whereas, there might be an ample supply of not as new seats . . . and at a lower cost.
As I've mentioned in other Emirates threads, I had a feeling that they'll come up with something more posh, and apparently, the A350s that are destined for long-haul flights will have doors as well.
What peaks my curiosity would be the showers; since the showers are a mainstay in the First Class experience, would it be possible, let alone technically feasible, to add showers on the 77Xs?
I think you'd lose way too much space with those. Part of the reason that they're feasible on the A380 is that space would otherwise just be a lav or storage.
Wished they added bars to the non A380 planes.
Why? Not as if the bars are well used. Virgin had them on their acrafts moons ago, but removed them. QR also had a bar on an A50 I flew from Madrid to Doha in 2019. Do they even have them still?
Flew from DXB-CAI and the bar was full. Everyone I know who flies EK A380 J or F seems to visit it at least once
You are so wrong. Virgin still has bars on most aircraft and Qatar never had bars except on the A340 many years ago and on the A380 since 2014 till now.
My question is why is this new business class not on the a350? I don’t see a reason that it should be, they could easily modify the seat to fit it to the a350.