Emirates is retrofitting 105 of its Boeing 777 and Airbus A380 aircraft with premium economy cabins and is considering other upgrades to its 777 business class.
The airline will install premium economy cabins in 53 Boeing 777 and 52 Airbus A380 jets and is looking into coming up with a new business class product on its 777s, with customised seats in a one-two-one layout.
"Since we introduced our premium economy seats a year back, we have received a hugely positive response ... we intend to further develop our premium economy into a distinctive Emirates experience that is unmatched in the industry," said Tim Clark, president of Emirates airline.
"We are also considering a brand new Business Class product. More details will be revealed in due course."
Emirates – known for its luxury premium cabins, on-board shower and lounge – made its first foray into premium economy when it introduced the new cabin on its A380s a year ago.
By the end of December 2021, the airline's A380s with premium economy will be flying to Frankfurt, Paris, Heathrow in London and JFK airport in New York.
The 18-month retrofit programme, scheduled to begin at the end of 2022, will be fully done at the Emirates engineering centre in Dubai.
"It demonstrates the strong aviation capabilities that have been built up within Emirates airline and the broader UAE ecosystem to support such a highly specialised and technical programme," Mr Clark said.
At the end of the retrofit programme, Emirates will have 111 Boeing 777 and Airbus A380 aircraft offering premium economy seats. The number will include the six A380s that would have been delivered to the airline with four cabin classes by December 2021, Emirates said.
On the Emirates Boeing 777, five rows of economy class seats located behind business class will be removed to allow for the 24 premium economy seats in two-four-two configuration to be placed.
On the Emirates A380, 56 premium economy seats will installed at the front of the main deck, also in two-four-two configuration.
The airline's premium economy seats are covered in anti-stain leather with stitching details and a wood panel finish. Each seat is designed with six-way adjustable headrests, calf rests and foot rests.
With a pitch of up to 101 centimetres (40-inches), each seat is 49.5cm wide and reclines 20.3cm into a cradle position, with room to stretch out. The premium economy also has in-seat charging points, a wide dining table and side cocktail table.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The five pillars of Islam
The burning issue
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on
Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins
Read part one: how cars came to the UAE
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The years Ramadan fell in May
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Farage on Muslim Brotherhood
Nigel Farage told Reform's annual conference that the party will proscribe the Muslim Brotherhood if he becomes Prime Minister.
"We will stop dangerous organisations with links to terrorism operating in our country," he said. "Quite why we've been so gutless about this – both Labour and Conservative – I don't know.
“All across the Middle East, countries have banned and proscribed the Muslim Brotherhood as a dangerous organisation. We will do the very same.”
It is 10 years since a ground-breaking report into the Muslim Brotherhood by Sir John Jenkins.
Among the former diplomat's findings was an assessment that “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” has “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
The prime minister at the time, David Cameron, who commissioned the report, said membership or association with the Muslim Brotherhood was a "possible indicator of extremism" but it would not be banned.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The years Ramadan fell in May
The specs: 2019 Audi A8
Price From Dh390,000
Engine 3.0L V6 turbo
Gearbox Eight-speed automatic
Power 345hp @ 5,000rpm
Torque 500Nm @ 1,370rpm
Fuel economy, combined 7.5L / 100km
'Outclassed in Kuwait'
Taleb Alrefai,
HBKU Press
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
Favourite book: ‘The Art of Learning’ by Josh Waitzkin
Favourite film: Marvel movies
Favourite parkour spot in Dubai: Residence towers in Jumeirah Beach Residence
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Saturday's results
Women's third round
- 14-Garbine Muguruza Blanco (Spain) beat Sorana Cirstea (Romania) 6-2, 6-2
- Magdalena Rybarikova (Slovakia) beat Lesia Tsurenko (Ukraine) 6-2, 6-1
- 7-Svetlana Kuznetsova (Russia) beat Polona Hercog (Slovenia) 6-4. 6-0
- Coco Vandeweghe (USA) beat Alison Riske (USA) 6-2, 6-4
- 9-Agnieszka Radwanska (Poland) beat 19-Timea Bacsinszky (Switzerland) 3-6, 6-4, 6-1
- Petra Martic (Croatia) beat Zarina Diyas (Kazakhstan) 7-6, 6-1
- Magdalena Rybarikova (Slovakia) beat Lesia Tsurenko (Ukraine) 6-2, 6-1
- 7-Svetlana Kuznetsova (Russia) beat Polona Hercog (Slovenia) 6-4, 6-0
Men's third round
- 13-Grigor Dimitrov (Bulgaria) beat Dudi Sela (Israel) 6-1, 6-1 -- retired
- Sam Queery (United States) beat Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (France) 6-2, 3-6, 7-6, 1-6, 7-5
- 6-Milos Raonic (Canada) beat 25-Albert Ramos (Spain) 7-6, 6-4, 7-5
- 10-Alexander Zverev (Germany) beat Sebastian Ofner (Austria) 6-4, 6-4, 6-2
- 11-Tomas Berdych (Czech Republic) beat David Ferrer (Spain) 6-3, 6-4, 6-3
- Adrian Mannarino (France) beat 15-Gael Monfils (France) 7-6, 4-6, 5-7, 6-3, 6-2
More from our Neighbourhood series:
UK-EU trade at a glance
EU fishing vessels guaranteed access to UK waters for 12 years
Co-operation on security initiatives and procurement of defence products
Youth experience scheme to work, study or volunteer in UK and EU countries
Smoother border management with use of e-gates
Cutting red tape on import and export of food
Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD)
What is THAAD?
It is considered to be the US' most superior missile defence system.
Production:
It was first created in 2008.
Speed:
THAAD missiles can travel at over Mach 8, so fast that it is hypersonic.
Abilities:
THAAD is designed to take out projectiles, namely ballistic missiles, as they are on their downward trajectory towards their target, otherwise known as the "terminal phase".
Purpose:
To protect high-value strategic sites, such as airfields or population centres.
Range:
THAAD can target projectiles both inside and outside of the Earth's atmosphere, at an altitude of 93 miles above the Earth's surface.
Creators:
Lockheed Martin was originally granted the contract to develop the system in 1992. Defence company Raytheon sub-contracts to develop other major parts of the system, such as ground-based radar.
UAE and THAAD:
In 2011, the UAE became the first country outside of the US to buy two THAAD missile defence systems. It then deployed them in 2016, becoming the first Gulf country to do so.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
