EMIRATES REINVENTS LONGHAUL TRAVEL WITH THE ULTIMATE IN LUXURY, SERVICE AND ENTERTAINMENT
New First Class suites costing no less than $125,000 each are being installed on Emirates’ latest jets – making them as comfortable as the most luxurious executive aircraft and just one of many features planned to persuade people to ‘keep on discovering’ the quality of its services.
The award-winning airline is investing $1.8 billion in reinventing long haul travel with a series of innovations to tempt every traveller to try its new fleet of Airbus A340-500s. The biggest initiative in the airline’s 18-year history to win and keep the vital custom of regular flyers will see the arrival of the world’s first private First Class suites, featuring privacy screens which they can open or close at will for maximum exclusivity.
The suites will house massage-enabled leather seats which convert to flat beds, with comfort covers, cosy fabric sleeping suits and slippers, down pillows and cotton-lined blankets to give travellers a really good night’s sleep. To match the superbly comfortable seats, suites include a dining table, built-in vanity table with mirror and overnight amenity kit, and a host of other little touches of luxury.
Multi-course meals created by top international chefs can be ordered from an extensive menu at any time with a phone call to crew, and served in the comfort of the suite. Stylish sundries include hot toast and cappuccino coffee. No less than three crew will look after the 42 Business Class travellers, who will relax in new 2-2-2 sleeperette massage seats, 55 inches apart, and which recline almost flat. Extra luxuries include down-filled pillows, woollen blankets, hot towels and roomy wardrobes.
In Economy, where most Emirates customers travel, new contoured seats with adjustable footrests and winged headrests will incorporate wider backrest cushions and extra thigh support, making them more comfortable on even the longest flights. Seat pitch will be at least 33 inches, reclining by 6.5 inches. Specially designed pillows and warm blankets will help passengers get a good night’s sleep, and large overhead lockers will mean generous storage space for cabin bags and personal items.
The new A340-500s will be the first in the world to enter commercial service, and the initiatives to care for every customer on some of the world’s longest flights will give the Dubai-based carrier a key edge on flights to the US, the world’s most competitive market. But everyone on board is set to benefit from its astonishing new i.c.e inflight system (information, communication, entertainment), a world first featuring more than 500 channels of films, TV, music and games and three times as many as on rival airlines.
Every seat in every cabin will be equipped with a phone on which every traveller can call anywhere in the world for just $5 a minute via the world’s most widely-used inflight phone system, or send and receive email and SMS for just $1 a time – another world first. And every traveller will appreciate the ultimate touch to make them more comfortable – mood lighting, which adjusts subtly to the time of day, easing jetlag and helping them to arrive relaxed, refreshed and ready to make the best of their trip.
The new aircraft carry 12 First Class, 42 Business and 204 Economy passengers, and 14 tonnes of cargo. From 1st December they will inaugurate 14-hour non-stop flights to and from Sydney, Australia, and from next year, North America, starting with New York.
Emirates’ Chairman, His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al-Maktoum, said today: “Every traveller in every seat in every cabin will discover new levels of comfort on our longest flights. We are making our biggest investment yet in customer service to make them feel as comfortable in the air as they do at home. Along with our award-winning crew, and the red carpet treatment we give customers on the ground as well as in the air, we are reinventing the entire long haul travel experience as we make final preparations to start daily services to America for the first time.”
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LOOKS REALLY IMPRESSIVE WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS?
By: Matt-100 - 28th January 2013 at 22:28
Going off-topic I admit, but why doesn’t Dubai become more like Russia instead of going down the tourism route?
After Russia’s large oil wells dried up they turned to trading, refining and transporting the black gold. The world’s largest oil pipe lines run from Saudi Arabia to Russia and from Russia to China. Russia is the world’s largest oil exporter, despite producing very little – it’s really no surprise there are so many Russian oil billionaires (their set up is second to none).
The UAE could follow the Russian model, after all they’re perfectly situated between Saudi Arabia and India.
By: Dxb Driver - 28th January 2013 at 19:03
Dubai is just part of the UAE, Dubai does’t have much oil (10%) of Dubai’s GDP. Abu Dhabi has stacks. That us why Dubai has invested so heavily, in Airlines, infrastructure, tourism etc…
Emirates success is ongoing, so they must be doing something right!!! Made a profit every year, except the first. Not many airlines can say that! Emirates does’t get cheap oil at base, it buys from many oil/petroleum companies at Dubai. All the fuel gets shipped to Singapore for refining, no facilities for that here. I tanker in fuel from some of our destinations.
The interiors I like, but it may not be to everyones tastes. Many seem to like it! 😀
DXB Driver.
By: Arabella-Cox - 18th January 2013 at 19:25
It’s in a handy place for stopping over en route to Australia/New Zealand.
The Dubai-Sydney sector over the Indian Ocean is rather boring, though.
By: Matt-100 - 17th January 2013 at 16:34
It’ll never work out. As it stands 60+% of the UAE’s GDP is derived from gas and oil exports. These could run out by as early as 2025, there’s no way they can cover the shortfall in the space of 12 years. Already there are collosal unfinished building schemes as investment dried up during the global downturn.
There are quite a few abandoned mining towns around the world from America to Australia. I can’t help but wonder if Dubai will suffer the same fait once their own black gold disappears and the party moves elsewhere.
By: Ship 741 - 17th January 2013 at 02:23
At least they are trying to develop themselves into something, for that time when the oil does run out.
By: ThreeSpool - 16th January 2013 at 20:08
The hulks of 90 A380s. :dev2:
By: Matt-100 - 16th January 2013 at 19:42
That’s the very reason I have never, and have no plans to, visit Dubai. It’ll be interesting to see what they’re left with once the oil dries up…
By: Arabella-Cox - 16th January 2013 at 19:38
The comments about gaudiness in Emirates’ décor are interesting. I found the whole of Dubai like that – rather like a giant version of Disneyland.
By: Bmused55 - 16th January 2013 at 10:30
I agree with the gaudy look. It looks cheap and tacky. Fake wood and gold accents all over the place.
Look at their A380 First and Business cabins…. urgh.. The hight of bad taste and fake luxury. I’m not sure I’d want to pay money for it, even if I had it.
Mr Totty, you’re not the first person I’ve heard say that. Emirates focuses too much on the premium cabins and not enough on the service that keeps them in business!
By: Arabella-Cox - 16th January 2013 at 07:42
Whatever you do, don’t fly Economy on Emirates. I found the airline very poor and will never fly them again.
By: Matt-100 - 15th January 2013 at 20:12
I too agree with your sentiments. I find the Emirates décor a little tacky and over the top, the plastic wood veneer and spray-on-gold finishings remind me of a ’70s motel room.
The worst part is the complementary tube of pringles. Nothing screams despair more than a £0.49 tube of pringles standing next to a vase of synthetic orchids on an £8,000 ticket.
By: ThreeSpool - 15th January 2013 at 19:15
As ever from Emirates looks like a great product but personally I’m not a fan of the middle east look, it’s a bit gaudy for my liking. I’d probably still give it a go though given the chance and the funds.
I totally agree, if I could travel in First it would probably make me feel quite awkward. It’s a bit too ostentatious for my tastes. However, I do think the new BA First looks like a nice balance. Might be a British thing.
By: chornedsnorkack - 15th January 2013 at 19:04
So, how has the experience been in the 10 years?
Singapore and Jet Airways have followed suit in offering doors. Anyone else?
By: Matt-100 - 15th January 2013 at 18:27
Dragging up a 10 year old post!? I started reading then double checked when it said ‘latest A340-500’, thought it was a typo
Same. I have to say, I was a little surprised when I read they were investing so much in first class. Then I saw the topic was posted in 2003. Last week they announced they’d be replacing it with business class on a large number of A380s due to “unsatisfactory loads”.
By: Doors4 - 15th January 2013 at 17:25
As ever from Emirates looks like a great product but personally I’m not a fan of the middle east look, it’s a bit gaudy for my liking. I’d probably still give it a go though given the chance and the funds.
By: Arabella-Cox - 15th January 2013 at 16:20
Dragging up a 10 year old post!? I started reading then double checked when it said ‘latest A340-500’, thought it was a typo
By: MSR777 - 15th January 2013 at 12:54
Three years ago, I was lucky enough to experience Business Class on one of their A380s, what a trip! Will probably never be able to do it again, as the trip was a family gift, to my partner and I.
By: smspro - 15th January 2013 at 05:20
Volume discount?
I wonder what is the expected volume at $125K per seat? And can we get volume discounts?
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December 1, 2003 at 1:43 pm