When Emirates says “Fly Better” they fully mean it. Flying Emirates is an experience in itself and regulars who have taken to the skies in their aircraft will tell you nothing but that. Mumbaikars and Bengalureans jetting off to Dubai, a new form of luxury is coming your way starting October 29, 2023. After 10 global cities, Emirates is bringing its much-talked-about Premium Economy to India, that, too, on your routes.
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With this, Emirates becomes the first Middle East carrier to bring a premium economy to India. Marrying the luxury of business class and affordability of economy class, the Premium Economy Cabin Class is the best of two worlds in one. Having started almost a year ago, people have been loving the fourth addition to the cabin class options presented to them. The other three being Economy, Business and First.
Exclusive Preview Of Emirates Premium Economy Cabin
I exclusively previewed the Premium Economy cabins on EK506 that arrived at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (MIAL) on October 19, 2023. The exclusive event at CSMIA was addressed by Emirates and Mumbai airport dignitaries. Shortly after the Press Conference, we went for a walkthrough of the newly retrofitted cabins. While it was a select media event, it was jam-packed with other stakeholders from the travel space.
We toured the A380 aircraft starting with Business Class, then the First Class, and finally the Premium Economy class. There was no time to even peek at the Economy Class as we ran out of time because the passengers were waiting to board the plane. Yes, it was all happening on a flight scheduled to fly, But passengers were not flying Premium Economy Class.
So, What’s New In The Premium Economy Cabin?
- For starters, the Airbus 380 bus is retrofitted with these plush seats, designed by Mercedes Benz. The leather is stain-free and super comfortable to sit on. You are going to be enveloped in luxury, no doubt.
- The seats are 19.5” wide, and the seat pitch is up to 40” and recline at 8 degrees (maximum). It’s comfortably snug.
- There is more leg room and it doesn’t suffocate you like economy seats sometimes tend to. The calf rests add more to the comfort.
Image Courtesy: Rachna Srivastava
- There’s a cocktail table that looks sleek and elegant. It folds and fits inside the armrest. The wood-pannelled beauty will come in very handy when they hand out complimentary cocktails to you. Yes, you get that in Premium Economy.
- The headrest moves six ways so you can catch forty winks, twenty winks, or longer naps too. You can adjust it to best attain a suitable position. Your neck and shoulders will thank it for it.
- There’s a 13.3” back-mounted LCD screen that has Emirates’s in-flight entertainment, Ice. It has 6,500 channels, with 45 Academy Award® winning films, over 1,500 movies, over 1,500 hours of TV, music, podcasts, and audiobooks (in 40 languages), and 5 live TV channels like BBC, CNN, Sky News Arabia, Sport 24, and Sport 24 Extra.
Image Courtesy: Rachna Srivastava
- You also get complimentary headphones to watch the content.
- Long-haul flyers also get a sustainable, amenity kit made from recycled materials.
- They also have kids’ suitable content and kid-friendly headphones to keep the young ones entertained on board.
- The flyers are treated to a wide range of gourmet meals.
- As mentioned earlier, flyers are welcomed with complimentary drinks. Like spirits, beers, soft drinks, and fine wines including sparkling Chandon wine from Australia. Missed that part, certainly.
- We’re told the menu will keep refreshing on a regular basis and it caters to a wider palate, keeping in mind allergies. Yes, there’s a kid-friendly menu too.
On Which Routes Is The Premium Economy Cabin Available?
It is currently available on flights to:
- London Heathrow,
- Sydney,
- Auckland,
- Christchurch,
- Melbourne,
- Singapore,
- Los Angeles,
- New York JFK,
- Houston, and
- San Francisco.
Image Courtesy: Rachna Srivastava
New routes with Emirates Premium Economy:
Emirates is all set to deploy Premium Economy seats on 4 more routes before the end of 2023:
- Mumbai,
- Bangalore,
- São Paulo, and
- Tokyo Narita
CT Verdict?
It is certainly an offering that Indian (and global) flyers will appreciate. The luxury is unmatched. It has a seating arrangement of 2-4-2 and offers very restful and homely seats. The champagne colour really lights up the mood and the space. The windows come with electronic window blinds so you can rest well and protect yourself from harsh sunlight. The cocktail table is certainly a beautiful touch. The cabin crew is cheerily helpful; and in the Premium Economy Cabin, you will be attended by 3 crew members at any given time. I didn’t have much time to review the inflight entertainment system. Nor did we get to try the food aboard. But from the looks of it being served in fancy china, it sure seems like an elevated experience.
The operations shall commence on the Dubai to Mumbai/Bangalore route on October 29, 2023; and outbound flights from the two cities to Dubai from October 30, 2023. It’s posh, it is luxurious, and it is surely something I would pay to experience. Global flyers have been raving about it for over a year, and now Indians get to hop on the bandwagon, or shall I say Airbus, soon enough.
CT Nugget:
Pre-bookings are already open. For passengers flying from Dubai to Mumbai (and vice versa) EK500/501 is the flight you wanna be on. And the Dubai-Bengaluru (vice versa) flight is EK568/569. Check here.
Also Read: Emirates Economy Passengers Can Now Enjoy Complimentary Amenity Kits; Guess What’s Inside?
Have you tried Emirates’s Premium Economy Cabin yet? If so, do let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.
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