Dubai: Seamless technology at every touch, more space and storage, faster WiFi, quieter cabins, easier online shopping, and much more. Emirates, Dubai's flagship carrier, revealed its first Airbus A350 at an event held at Emirates Engineering on Wednesday, showcasing the cabin features of the newest wide-body aircraft to join its fleet.
The new aircraft boasts several next-generation in-cabin features, including Mercedes S class-inspired seats in Business Class, more space and storage options (including compartmentalised pockets and larger overhead storage bins), and 4K and 4K HDR, ultra-responsive touchscreens for seamless navigation on Emirates’ award-winning ice entertainment system. Powered by Rolls-Royce engines, the A350 is a “quiet and efficient” aircraft, according to Emirates President Sir Tim Clark.
The aircraft features three cabin classes, accommodating 312 passengers in 32 Business Class lie-flat seats, 21 Premium Economy seats and 259 Economy Class seats. The Emirates A350 is the first new aircraft type to join Emirates’ fleet since 2008. Emirates is the world's largest operator of Boeing 777s and Airbus A380 super-jumbos.
Long-awaited arrival
The Dubai airline placed orders for the A350s “a long time ago. He added, “It is just the time it takes our friends in Toulouse to make the aircraft and get it out of the door. They’ve been facing supply chain constraints for three or four years now. So, would we have had it soon? Yes, we did have it contracted earlier this year. So, here we are coming up to December. Anyway, we’re over that – first one is going, and she’s good to go,” he said.
“After today, we have 64 more A350s scheduled for delivery, all powered by Rolls-Royce engines,” explained Clark.
What to expect from the A350s?
Clark said, “When it comes to our product and customer experience, an off-the-shelf or cookie-cutter approach is not for us. On the A350, we have customised the cabin design and layout and added many innovative features to delight our passengers and help our crew deliver better service.”
Clark said the airline has opted for a light colour palette for the cabin interiors, which allows natural light to enhance the space. “This approach creates a bright and welcoming atmosphere, in contrast to the darker colour schemes used by many of the airline’s competitors.
“Our cabins feature customised mood lighting, a brand-new inflight entertainment system, automated window shades, USB-C charging ports, and much more,” he added.
> New touchscreen call bell buttons for cabin crew service, on the ice inflight entertainment screens
> Instantly view the inflight menu on your screen, digital newspapers and magazines from around the world
> Five aircraft camera views and improved inflight live map experience
> 60-watt USB C charging in every seat, with the ability to pair two Bluetooth connections for personal headphones
> Kids will enjoy a new pictorially driven interface
> Enjoy Duty-Free shopping from the passenger seat with a few taps
> More access to complimentary snacks on long-haul flights
Faster WiFi
Emirates said its passengers would enjoy uninterrupted global connectivity across all destinations, including flights to the Americas over the North Pole.
“At more than $2 million per aircraft investment, passengers will notice an improved user portal with a faster sign-in for new users and a swifter log-in for Skywards customers. Improved Wireless Access Points (WAPs) onboard will mean more customers can connect at the same time with the potential to enjoy up to 10 times the current total aircraft bandwidth on average,” the airline explained.
Deployment plan
Clark said the airline’s first batch of A350s is designed for missions of up to 12 hours. “Later, we will receive the ultra-long-range version, which will enable us to fly nonstop from Dubai to nearly any corner of the world, except Central America and parts of South America’s eastern coastline,” he explained.
The first commercial flight on our A350 is scheduled for January 3, from Dubai to Edinburgh. “We already have eight more cities lined up for A350 services soon after,” he added.
In the months to follow, passengers can look forward to experiencing the Emirates A350 in existing GCC points like Bahrain, Muscat and Kuwait, Lyon and Bologna in Europe, and Colombo, Mumbai and Ahmedabad in West Asia in addition to new travel opportunities that are up to 15 hours from Dubai– to be announced in 2025.
The handover of its first A350 model was postponed several times this year. Emirates expects to receive eight A350s by the end of its financial year, which runs from April 1 to March 31. The airline said it had invested about $48 million in advanced equipment and systems to train pilots and cabin crew on the Airbus A350 aircraft.
The Dubai carrier has ordered three full-flight simulators, with the training device replicating the A350's flight deck and using visual and audio systems to make training sessions as realistic as possible, Emirates said last month. The airline said it has trained about 30 pilots and 820 cabin crew members for its new aircraft model. By the end of November, more than 50 pilots will have completed their training on the A350 full-flight simulators, before the aircraft’s entry into service.
