Emirates Unveils Its First Retrofitted Boeing 777

DALLAS — The first Emirates (EK) Boeing 777 has emerged from the hangars with a new look from nose to tail. After successfully retrofitting approximately 22 Airbus A380s, EK began the same program for their Boeing 777 in July 2024.

The previous configuration of 2-3-2, particularly in Business Class, was heavily criticized for not meeting competitors' standards. The upgraded cabin now includes Business Class seats in a 1-2-1 configuration, similar to the current A380 aircraft.

After 37 days and 18,000 man-hours of work, A6-EQH, EK's first retrofitted B777, flew to Geneva as EK83. The teams operated round the clock in chronological order, removing the interiors and installing and testing new seats and cabin components.

The retrofit program has been a huge success, with EK furthering its multi-billion dollar investment to continue providing an elevated customer experience and a best-in-class suite of products across every cabin.

What’s New in the Cabins?

The visible upgrades in the cabins include new first- and business-class seats, a premium economy section, and new economy seats. The Boeing 777 has eight Game Changer first-class suites, which feature floor-to-ceiling doors, personal lighting, and temperature controls.

The major update in business class is the change from a 2-3-2 to a 1-2-1 configuration. The program has focused on personalized privacy and elevated comfort, with 20.7-inch-wide seats that recline up to 78.6 inches when converted to a flatbed. All 38 seats in business class have direct aisle access. Additionally, customers can enjoy a small bar for a quick snack mid-flight.

The premium economy section has been added to the aircraft, with 24 seats arranged in three rows of a 2-4-2 layout. The cream leather seats offer a 38-inch pitch and are 19.5 inches wide, reclining 8 inches to provide more space to stretch and relax. Furthermore, the new economy class cabin features 256 seats in the existing 3-4-3 layout.

Emirates' Retrofit Program

Emirates has chosen 191 Boeing 777 and Airbus A380 aircraft for one of the most extensive retrofit programs the industry has seen, where another 80 Boeing 777 aircraft will be refurbished as part of the program. The in-house Emirates Engineering Centre manages the program with dedicated personnel for the project and collaborates with 31 partners and suppliers.

Once the project is complete, the airline will have installed 8,104 Premium Economy seats, 1,894 refreshed First-Class suites, 11,182 Business Class seats, and 21,814 Economy Class seats. In addition to Geneva (GVA), the airline will deploy its upgraded Boeing 777s to Tokyo Haneda (HND) and Brussels (BRU) in the coming weeks.

Emirates currently operates its refurbished aircraft to New York (JFK), Los Angeles (LAX), San Francisco (SFO), Houston (IAH), London Heathrow (LHR), Sydney (SYD), Auckland (AKL), Christchurch (CHC), Melbourne (MEL), Singapore (SIN), Mumbai (BOM), Bangalore (BLR), Sao Paulo (GRU), Tokyo Narita (NRT), Osaka (KIX), Geneva (GVA) and Dubai (DXB).