Adelaide to get Emirates' new Boeing 777 business class seats
By David Flynn, October 2 2018
Business class travellers between Adelaide and Dubai will experience Emirates' latest and less-squeezy business class seat from October 28.
One of Emirates' revamped Boeing 777-200LR jets with 2-2-2 seating in business class will replace the Gulf airlines' Boeing 777-300ER – with the 2-3-2 middle seat layout – from October 28 to November 30 2018, as well as February 1 to April 15 2019.
The Boeing 777-300 will return to the route across December 2018 and January 2019 to cope with higher passenger numbers during the summer holiday season.
A spokesperson for Emirates confirmed to Australian Business Traveller that "when Adelaide is operated by the (Boeing) 777-200LR, it will have the 2-2-2 new business class seat."
The business class seats on the upgraded Boeing 777-200LR jets are two inches wider than on the Boeing 777-300ERs (22.5 inches versus 20.5 inches) and dressed in the airline's current champagne leather finish and diamond stitch pattern.
Other creature comforts include a larger 23" video screen for every passenger and, towards the rear of the business class cabin, a self-serve snack bar featuring sandwiches, crisps, fruit and drinks.
Emirates has also removed the overhead bins previously located above the centre seats to give the cabin "an airier and more spacious feel" – although this will obviously put carry-on space at a premium, as passengers in those two middle seats will have to share the same bins as window-side travellers.
However, the revamped Boeing 777-200LRs have also lost their first class suites to an expanded business class cabin.
Adelaide's aircraft change is part of a sweeping shuffle of Emirates' network which will also see the axing of three daily Airbus A380 services from Sydney and Melbourne to Dubai, with the superjumbos being replaced by Boeing 777-300ER jets.
Read more: Emirates rejigs flights for Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth
Moving beyond the Boeing 777's business class, Emirates CEO Tim Clark says the 2-2-2 middle seat layout is "history" and future business class seats will be based on the airline's Airbus A380 product (below).
"What you see on the upper deck of the A380 is what's going to be in all our cabins from now on," Clark told Australian Business Traveller on the sidelines of the IATA aviation summit in Sydney earlier this year.
"They'll all have mini-bars, 25 inch digital widescreens (and) cabinetry... the same config exactly," Clark added, although there's expected to be a refresh of the current A380 seat design in time for the Boeing 777X.
Emirates will also launch an all-new premium economy cabin in 2020, with what Clark described as a custom-designed 'sleeperette" seat with a 38-40 inch pitch.
Read more: Emirates promises all-new ‘sleeperette’ seats for premium economy
David Flynn is the Editor-in-Chief of Executive Traveller and a bit of a travel tragic with a weakness for good coffee, shopping and lychee martinis.
07 Jun 2016
Total posts 29
Not a fan of this recent trend of removing overhead bins in the middle. I appreciate the airy feel but the convenience of more storage space and not having to work with and around other passengers is worth more to me.
03 Oct 2018
Total posts 3
Outside these dates will the 300 return on the ADL DXB route? Planning a trip for August next year and wanted 1st class.
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
13 Jan 2015
Total posts 580
10 Jun 2017
Total posts 7
Hahaha, this has nothing to do with putting the new product on the ADL route. It is about the fact that EK has major crewe problems and the 77Ws are being redeployed on 380 routes.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
09 Jun 2017
Total posts 4
Does anyone know what aircraft will be on this route beyond 15 April 2019 ?
Emirates Airlines - Skywards
11 Mar 2015
Total posts 190
EK is light years behind rivals as far as business seat configuration goes-don't know who is advising that tim clark but obviously his head is in the sand....close to 6K for a business class fare I have the option so would rather fly with airlines that offer 1-2-1 seating than this middle eastern mirage airline-flew with them many times on business and 3 times 1-st class-have to admit that their 1-st class product is still pretty on top but business is less than mediocre!
12 Apr 2017
Total posts 24
Which aircraft 777-300 are Emirates flying into Melbourne in 2019 ? The upgraded seats or old version ?
Emirates Airlines - Skywards
02 Jan 2019
Total posts 2
Just wondering if there has been any information from Emirates about using the 200LR for the Adelaide route during June 2019?
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
10 Oct 2013
Total posts 111
ive got flights booked outside the dates mentioned and they are on this config 777 still - so might be staying longer than originally planned! have to say (and i know this is controversial with some people) i actually prefer the seat without mini bar - there just isnt enough room to manouvre out of the window seat past the aisle seat easily with the minibar in the seat - without much easier! although to be fair the seat is much nicer and comfier!
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
06 May 2012
Total posts 178
Hi David, is there any way to check what 777-200LR will be on the Adelaide to Dubai route ahead of buying a ticket. I would be travelling in early July in J. Would hate to be stuck on the older plane but the timings of the ex Adelaide flight would work well for my work calendar. Thanks. LTF
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