Covid-19 prompted airlines to ground their massive Airbus A380 planes, but Emirates just unveiled a new design as Lufthansa, British Airways and Qantas bid the aircraft farewell

Jan 10 , 2021

The Emirates A380 is getting an upgrade – even if that means going against the grain. Photo: Handout

Emirates’ new Airbus A380 features an in-flight lounge and showers plus plenty of wood panelling – and the design will feature in the airline’s Boeing 777x too – but why revamp a dying breed of aircraft?

Emirates is one of the few airlines still flying the Airbus A380, a dying breed of aircraft that will soon stop being produced by Airbus. But the world’s largest operator of the A380 isn’t giving up on the world’s largest passenger jet just yet.

The Middle Eastern mega carrier unveiled a massive overhaul to its flagship aircraft that sees every cabin receiving enhancements and even the addition of a premium economy class, a first for 35-year-old Emirates. The first A380 complete with the upgrades has already arrived in Dubai with more to be delivered in the next two years.

Emirates is known for luxurious aircraft and spares no expense, especially in its premium cabins. In first class on the A380, for example, passengers not only sit in gold-accented private suites, but have access to the master bathroom that comes with its own shower.

And while other airlines have moved to discard the A380 during the pandemic due to its high operating costs, Emirates – an early adopter of the aircraft – still has nothing but praise for it. “It’s palatial,” Emirates president said Tim Clark. “And people absolutely love it. They still go out of their way to get on the 380.”

Here’s a look inside one of Emirates’ new Airbus A380s.

The aircraft quite literally towers over anything else in Emirates’ passenger fleet as the only double-decker aircraft the airline flies. And it’s become a status symbol for the airline, with Emirates first class on the A380 being one of the pinnacles of airborne luxury.

The latest generation of Emirates’ A380 first class cabins. Photo: Emirates

Emirates’ A380s can be found flying as far as New York, Sydney or Hong Kong from Dubai, or as close as Muscat, Oman. But no matter the distance, the opulence of the A380 is the same on every flight. Case in point: Emirates offers an in-flight shower for first class passengers on the A380. Premium cabin customers can also visit the in-flight bar on the A380’s upper deck.

Emirates’ newly revamped A380 onboard lounge. Photo: Emirates

And now it’s time for an upgrade, starting with installing ergonomically designed economy seats throughout the entire 338-seat cabin. Emirates calls them game-changer seats and says they’re lighter with no sacrifice of comfort. They’ll also feature new 34cm (13.3-inch) in-flight entertainment screens and have tray tables complete with wood finishes.