First retrofitted Emirates A380 enters service

First retrofitted Emirates A380 enters service 3

Today, EK003, the first Emirates A380 that has been completely refurbished as part of the airline's US$ 2 billion retrofit program, flew on the Dubai-London Heathrow route.

 

See this timelapse video of the retrofit work done on A6-EVM, the first of 120 Emirates aircraft to have completed its refurbishment.

 

"Customers will notice the difference the moment they step onboard – the spacious A380 will look and feel even more impressive and comfortable. With our latest interiors and products, this newly refurbished aircraft elevates our inflight experience in all classes of travel, and enables us to offer more Premium Economy seats to meet customer demand. I’m particularly proud that this refurbishment work was designed, conducted and completed in-house at our facilities in Dubai, to the highest standards of quality and safety. It reflects the world-class aviation capabilities and infrastructure that exists within Emirates, and here in the UAE." ~Tim Clark, President Emirates Airline

First retrofitted Emirates A380 enters service 3

All cabins of the completely redesigned A380 feature the most recent Emirates products and interiors, including 56 seats for Premium Economy class on the main deck and new color schemes in the carpeting and wall panels. Similar to the airline's "game changer" product, First and Business Class seats on the upper deck feature Emirates' most recent cream-colored leather upholstery and lighter-toned wood finishing. The First Class Shower Spa's hand-stenciled panels are another prominent example of Emirates' recognizable ghaf tree motif throughout the interiors.

 

The next Emirates A380 aircraft lined up for its make-over is A6-EUW, and work is expected to be completed by the end of this month.

First retrofitted Emirates A380 enters service 3

Engineers will be working on two aircraft simultaneously as the program progresses. This means that every eight days, one aircraft in the fleet will be taken out of service and moved to Emirates Engineering facilities. All 67 A380s designated for refurbishment will have been returned to service by 2024. After that, Emirates will begin work on the 53 Boeing 777s it has designated for this project. The program is expected to be finished by the airline in 2025.

 

First retrofitted Emirates A380 enters service 3

Emirates has hired hundreds of skilled workers in addition to working with 48 major partners and suppliers to deliver the largest known aircraft refurbishment program in aviation history.

 

Teams of engineers and technicians have worked around the clock to disassemble the entire interior of the A380 and reassemble the components in a sequence that has been carefully planned and tested.

 

Read more about Emirates’ retrofit project here.