The Dubai-based airline Emirates is set to increase its premium economy seating capacity to 2 million by the conclusion of 2025, as stated by a senior company official on Thursday.
“To provide some context regarding our premium economy offerings, we currently have around 1 million seats, and this figure is projected to rise to 2 million by the end of 2025. This will position us as a leader in premium economy capacity,” remarked Adnan Kazim, the airline’s deputy president and chief commercial officer.
Kazim highlighted that the decision to enhance premium economy seating comes in response to robust customer demand.
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“Initially, the product has received positive feedback from travelers. They appreciate the added privacy, and we are noticing a trend of passengers upgrading from economy to premium economy. Instead of taking away from business class, premium economy is fulfilling the needs of corporate travelers,” Kazim conveyed to the media following a press conference about the upcoming Arabian Travel Market 2025.
Additionally, he noted that Emirates is expected to take delivery of approximately 12 to 15 Airbus A350 aircraft by the end of summer.
“Each A350 has a seating capacity of 312 and features three classes – Economy, Premium Economy, and Business. This design allows for flexible deployment and enables flights to various secondary markets in the region,” Kazim added.
Emirates has already added four A350 jets to its fleet.
In the second phase, post-summer, these A350s will be utilized on ultra-long-haul routes, which will be disclosed shortly.
Kazim further explained that planes designated for long-haul flights will feature three classes but with slightly varied layouts.
“These aircraft can service destinations ranging from the United States to Australia,” Kazim stated after the press briefing regarding the Arabian Travel Market held in Dubai.
The world’s largest airline by international passenger numbers has already revealed several routes for its A350s, which include ongoing services to Edinburgh, Bahrain, Kuwait, and key cities in India such as Ahmedabad and Mumbai.
“We’re also expanding to destinations like Tunisia… There are many regional locations that can accommodate the A350’s capacity,” he concluded.