Emirates - refurbished 777s start flying in August

Emirates has announced the first destinations to experience their upgraded Boeing 777 cabins. Passengers can expect 38 new Business Class suites in a 1-2-1 configuration and the airline's best-in-class Premium Economy cabin - with 24 seats.

The first upgraded planes will be on routes to Geneva starting 11th August, Tokyo Haneda starting 1st September, and Brussels starting 11th September.

Upgrades include modern designs, more privacy in Business Class and features similar to their A380 fleet. While no exact look of the new suites has been revealed, it's expected that Emirates will mirror Qantas and go with the Safran Unity suite - complete with sliding door and high walls. Business Class will offer personalised comfort with wide seats that convert to flat beds, touchscreen controls and large personal entertainment system. There's also a small bar for snacks and refreshments.

Adnan Kazim, Deputy President and Chief Commercial Officer, Emirates Airline said: “With the addition of the newly retrofitted Boeing 777s to our fleet, we’re capturing the opportunity to introduce our highly acclaimed products like Premium Economy to more cities already served by this aircraft type in our network, in addition to more seating variety in four classes.”

He added: “Borrowing inspiration from our flagship A380 in every cabin, our Boeing 777 with revamped interiors boast the very best in customer comfort and will feature modern design details and signature cabin finishings, with a new Business Class cabin that provides more privacy for our customers, in addition to other thoughtful touches that underscore our exceptional value proposition. Our investment and intense focus on offering the best possible product across every cabin class also ensures we provide a consistent experience on both the Boeing 777s and A380s.”

A total of 81 Boeing 777s will be refurbished and more destinations will be announced soon. This is part of a larger USD3 billion program to improve the Emirates fleet. Refurbishment on the 777s has started and the process takes two weeks per aircraft.

Emirates' A380 with Premium Economy already flies to various destinations. The airline aims to serve over 36 cities with Premium Economy by next February with new A350s and more refurbished A380s and Boeing 777s joining the fleet.