Emirates has completed the first retrofit of one of its two-class Airbus A380 aircraft, introducing a new three-class cabin layout that adds Premium Economy seating to the double-deck jet.
The refurbished aircraft, registered A6-EUX, entered service on flights EK39 and EK40 between Dubai and Birmingham.
Configured with 76 Business Class seats, 56 Premium Economy seats and 437 Economy seats, the aircraft is the first of 15 two-class A380s that Emirates plans to reconfigure under its retrofit program.
The work was carried out internally by Emirates Engineering in Dubai and required extensive structural modifications to the aircraft’s upper deck. According to the airline, 120 Economy Class seats were removed to make space for the new Premium Economy section and additional Business Class seating.
The retrofit also involved changes to galleys, storage areas, overhead bins and onboard electrical and plumbing systems. Emirates said the project required about 35,000 man-hours from a team of around 50 engineers and technicians.
Airbus A380 2026 | Emirates Airline Airbus A380 2026 | Emirates Airline
The airline expects future retrofits of the same configuration to take about 30 days, roughly half the time needed for the first aircraft.
Emirates has so far refurbished 95 aircraft under the broader modernization effort, including 42 A380s and 53 Boeing 777s. The program currently covers 219 aircraft across both fleets.
The Dubai-based carrier operates 116 A380s, by far the world’s largest fleet of the Airbus double-deck aircraft.
As part of the retrofit program, Emirates said some removed cabin materials are being reused in products such as bags and children’s backpacks made from retired aircraft interiors.
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