Emirates deploys A380 featuring premium economy cabin to London Heathrow


Deena Kamel
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Emirates will deploy its Airbus A380 double-decker featuring the new premium economy cabin to London Heathrow as its first destination.

Starting on Monday, the airline will offer the new class on daily flights between Dubai and London Heathrow, Emirates said in a statement on Sunday.

"Until more premium economy seats enter its inventory, the airline intends to offer these as spot upgrades for its valued customers on a discretionary basis," the airline said.

A well-developed premium economy product like the one recently introduced by Emirates could be seen as a potential solution to sustain higher yields during a pandemic, recessions and economic downturns in the future

The Dubai-based carrier last week said it received the first of six aircraft fitted with the new cabin. The remaining order of five superjumbos will also be delivered with premium economy cabins over 2021 and 2022.

The production and implementation cost of a premium economy class seat is 1.6 times higher than that of an economy class seat, yet it generates 2.3 times higher revenues than its production cost, analysts say.

While Emirates has been considering plans for a premium economy class since at least 2016, the new offering could help the airline chase additional revenue during the Covid-19 pandemic that has hammered air travel demand, analysts say.

"A well-developed premium economy product like the one recently introduced by Emirates could be seen as a potential solution to sustain higher yields during a pandemic, recessions and economic downturns in the future, during which business travel becomes increasingly price-sensitive and companies look to downgrade their employees from business class," Linus Bauer, founder and managing director of Bauer Aviation Advisory, said.

By targeting price-sensitive business travellers and comfort-seeking leisure travellers, the premium economy product has become a value-added offering, an important revenue stream and a strategic move to improve yields on ultra-long haul services, he said.

Emirates is the first of the major Middle East carriers to offer a premium class seat. Other airlines to offer the product include Qantas Airways, All Nippon Airways and British Airways.

Emirates currently serves London Heathrow with five daily flights, of which four are operated using an A380. The airline also operates 10 flights a week to Manchester as well as daily flights to Birmingham and Glasgow.

Its premium economy cabin, located at the front of the main deck, offers 56 seats in a 2-4-2 layout.

Emirates also plans to install premium economy seats on some of its Boeing 777X mini-jumbo aircraft which are due to join the fleet in 2023. It is also considering plans to retrofit its existing A380 fleet.

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Winner Final Song, Christophe Soumillon (jockey), Saeed bin Suroor (trainer).

7.05pm Handicap (TB) $135,000 (Turf) 1,000m

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The protective shell is covered in solar panels to make use of light and produce energy. This will drastically reduce energy loss.

More than 80 per cent of the energy consumed by the French pavilion will be produced by the sun.

The architecture will control light sources to provide a highly insulated and airtight building.

The forecourt is protected from the sun and the plants will refresh the inner spaces.

A micro water treatment plant will recycle used water to supply the irrigation for the plants and to flush the toilets. This will reduce the pavilion’s need for fresh water by 30 per cent.

Energy-saving equipment will be used for all lighting and projections.

Beyond its use for the expo, the pavilion will be easy to dismantle and reuse the material.

Some elements of the metal frame can be prefabricated in a factory.

 From architects to sound technicians and construction companies, a group of experts from 10 companies have created the pavilion.

Work will begin in May; the first stone will be laid in Dubai in the second quarter of 2019. 

Construction of the pavilion will take 17 months from May 2019 to September 2020.

Groom and Two Brides

Director: Elie Semaan

Starring: Abdullah Boushehri, Laila Abdallah, Lulwa Almulla

Rating: 3/5

AUSTRALIA SQUAD

Tim Paine (captain), Sean Abbott, Pat Cummins, Cameron Green, Marcus Harris, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Moises Henriques, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Michael Neser, James Pattinson, Will Pucovski, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Mitchell Swepson, Matthew Wade, David Warner

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Produced: Lionsgate Films, Shanghai Ryui Entertainment, Street Light Entertainment
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Results

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2. Ireland Cameron Hanley – Aiyetoro, David Simpson – Keoki, Paul Kennedy – Cartown Danger Mouse, Shane Breen – Laith. Team total 200.25/202.84 – P 12 (jump-off 51.79 – P17) Prize €40,000

3. Italy Luca Maria Moneta – Connery, Luca Coata – Crandessa, Simone Coata – Dardonge, Natale Chiaudani – Almero. Team total 130.82/198.-4 – P20. Prize €32,000

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The flights

Flydubai operates up to seven flights a week to Helsinki. Return fares to Helsinki from Dubai start from Dh1,545 in Economy and Dh7,560 in Business Class.

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Golden Crown Igloos in Levi offer stays from Dh1,215 per person per night for a superior igloo; www.leviniglut.net 

Panorama Hotel in Levi is conveniently located at the top of Levi fell, a short walk from the gondola. Stays start from Dh292 per night based on two people sharing; www. golevi.fi/en/accommodation/hotel-levi-panorama

Arctic Treehouse Hotel in Rovaniemi offers stays from Dh1,379 per night based on two people sharing; www.arctictreehousehotel.com

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Sunday, January 20
3pm: Jordan v Vietnam at Al Maktoum Stadium, Dubai
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Monday, January 21
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Tuesday, January 22
5pm: South Korea v Bahrain at Rashid Stadium, Dubai
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Gran Gala del Calcio 2019 winners

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