News of the death of the A380 superjumbo may have been greatly exaggerated.
Airbus' biggest customer for the A380, Emirates, has just unveiled a brand new premium economy product, as well as enhanced features across all of its cabins.
President of Emirates Sir Tim Clark said the refreshed offerings across all classes were designed to make the experience of travelling onboard the unique A380 "even more memorable".
"The Emirates A380 is already one of the most sought-after travel experiences in the skies, and now we've made it even better," Sir Tim said.
"While others cut back, Emirates is working hard to restore the products and services that we've had to suspend or adjust due to pandemic precautions, and introduce new offerings and enhancements. True to our fly better promise, Emirates continues to invest to offer our customers the best possible experience."
The airline received its newest A380 aircraft from Airbus' Hamburg facility last week and its remaining order of five A380s will also be delivered with premium economy cabins during 2021 and 2022.
Emirates' premium economy seats will also be installed on some of its new Boeing 777X aircraft which are due to join the fleet in 2023.
The airline is also considering plans to retrofit its existing A380 fleet with the new cabin products.
"Our First, Business and Economy experiences reset industry standards when they were introduced, and we are confident that our Premium Economy will also make its mark as a distinct premium offering," Sir Tim said.
While passenger numbers are currently low due to the COVID-19 pandemic, some lucky travellers will be upgraded for free.
"Until we have a viable number of seats in our inventory to bring to market, we plan to offer the Emirates Premium Economy experience as a complimentary upgrade to valued customers. We'll also deploy our newest A380 aircraft on various routes so that our customers can experience our latest offering in all classes."
Details of exactly where the new Emirates A380s will travel to will be announced in the coming weeks.
Premium economy: Comfort and space
The new premium economy product launched by Emirates will offer 56 seats in a 2-4-2 cabin layout.
With a pitch of up to 40-inches, Emirates' premium economy seat is 19.5 inches wide, and reclines eight inches into a comfortable cradle position. Covered in cream-coloured anti-stain leather with stitching details and a wood panel finishing similar to Business Class, each seat has six-way adjustable headrests, calf rests and footrests.
Each seat has a 13.3-inch screen - one of the largest in its class - for playing music, movies, TV, news and other content on Emirates' in-flight entertainment system.
The seat also includes in-seat charging points, a wide dining table and side cocktail table.
Emirates Premium Economy is located at the front of the main deck.
First Class: Even more privacy
On the latest Emirates A380, the airline's 14 First Class private suites have been enhanced from the original suites and are now slightly wider, with taller doors, to provide more privacy and comfort.
Cabin detail and finishes have also been refreshed with new motifs and colours, from the sweeping stairs that lead from the main deck to the upper deck, to refreshed design trims and modern fittings in the Shower Spa.
Business Class: New luxury finishes
Emirates has retained its popular A380 Business Class seats which offer direct aisle access for every passenger, reclines to a fully-flat position, and offers personal mini bars, ample personal storage and additional privacy.
All 76 seats have been refreshed to feature champagne-coloured leather covers and wood finishing, inspired by executive jets, similar to the Business Class on Emirates' Boeing 777 aircraft.
The same classic colour scheme has also been applied to the Onboard Lounge at the back of the upper deck, for the exclusive use of First and Business Class passengers.
Economy: 'Gamechanger' seats
Emirates has replaced all 338 Economy seats onboard its newest A380 with ergonomically designed seats that come with full leather headrests and flexible side panels which can be adjusted vertically for better support.
This latest seat model is said to be a step up from the version currently installed on Emirates' Boeing 777 aircraft. Each seat features a wood grain finish on tray tables, as well as a 13.3-inch personal screen.
The cabin:
Throughout the new Emirates A380 interior, new finishes and design touches feature the Emirates Ghaf tree motif, as well as the champagne colour scheme with wood panelling and bronze accents from Emirates' latest Boeing 777 interiors.
The Ghaf is considered the national tree of the United Arab Emirates.
