10 December, 2014

Changes on Emirates A380's

Emirates, the world’s largest airline by international passenger traffic, is all set to scrap its award winning first class cabins from some of its Airbus A380’s! 
The Dubai based airline will switch to a two-class business and economy configuration from late next year on some of its superjumbos, a spokesperson confirmed on today. Emirates can fly between 489 and 519 passengers in its current thee class configuration. The two-class A380s will fly on select routes where the airline is more likely to fill economy and business class seats over its premium product.

 
“There are some routes that don’t require first class,” said Shaikh Majid Al Mualla, Divisional Senior Vice President, Commercial Operations told the media. 
However, the airline has not named the routes; however, one destination could be Mumbai, the only Indian city it flies the A380 to. There are around one million Indian expatriates living in the UAE, made up mostly of labour workers that could fill the cheaper economy seats.
It’s not clear what the impact the two-class configuration will have on the amenities currently offered on Emirates’ A380s. Emirates introduced the on-board shower with its first A380 it received six years ago and has since introduced a bar. The additional seats in the two-class configuration are likely to add to the weight of the aircraft.
However, first class will still be available on some of Emirates’ A380 fleet, which will reach 57 aircraft by the end of this year, and will “very soon” introduce a new bedroom concept to the premium class.
“It’s … based on our [first class] cabin but more as a room concept and private,” Al Mualla said.
Emirates is still finalising the planning for its bedroom concept and is yet to commit on the seating layout.
But Al Mualla said its bedroom concept could mean a cut in the number of economy seats available on the three-class A380s.
Etihad Airways is expected to unveil its first A380 next week, which features The Residence, a three-bedroom suite that comes with a dedicated butler. Tickets for The Residence from Abu Dhabi to London are $20,000 and the first sets of flights are booked out, according to Etihad President and Chief Executive James Hogan.

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