Emirates’ retrofit programme enters its next phase, with 60 A380s and 51 Boeing 777s lined up to receive the airline’s latest cabin innovations. Starting from August 2026, the airline will introduce a host of new onboard products, alongside a next-generation, fully immersive in-flight entertainment system and upgraded Wi-Fi connectivity with Starlink on these aircraft as part of its extensive fleet modernisation efforts.
Emirates Engineering, working with partners Airbus, Safran, Recaro, Panasonic, Starlink, and UUDS, will introduce the latest seating designs and a new onboard lounge on 60 A380s, paired with Panasonic’s advanced Astrova inflight entertainment system, to deliver an elevated and consistent passenger experience on the next 111 aircraft set for retrofit.
The airline has been instrumental in driving product innovation with its partners, working in close partnership with aircraft manufacturers and suppliers to continuously uplift passenger comfort, privacy, and the overall travel experience. Commitment to product excellence means the airline is in regular dialogue with partners on the latest initiatives in cabin furnishings, inflight entertainment systems, and cutting-edge cabin technologies, and shows no hesitation in making significant investments to achieve its long-term objectives.
Tim Clark, President Emirates Airline said: “Emirates’ retrofit programme is about continuously elevating standards across our entire fleet. Working with our long-standing partners, we’re taking this commitment a step further with the aim of delivering product consistency at scale, in tandem with next-generation innovations in seating, entertainment, and connectivity being brought into service with our newly delivered fleet. Our customers expect an excellent experience every time they fly Emirates, and this investment ensures we deliver on that promise in the years to come, wherever they travel with us.”
Business Class on both the A380 and Boeing 777 will receive a sophisticated upgrade with Emirates’ latest generation seating, inspired by the luxurious leather S Lounge seats by Safran, already featured on the airline’s A350 fleet. Each seat creates a more private space where thoughtful details elevate the journey, from wireless charging integrated into the side cocktail table to customisable in-seat lighting. Customers will be able to enjoy 4K ice entertainment, thoughtfully designed storage, minibar amenities, and multiple charging options including USB-C and wireless ports.
Premium Economy, Emirates’ latest cabin class, will feature Recaro’s advanced seating technology with a mechanical recline system. Spacious leather seats will continue to offer generous comfort with integrated leg and footrests, adjustable headrests, and thoughtful amenities including in-seat charging, a side cocktail table, and a 13.3-inch entertainment screen, striking the perfect balance between value and luxury.
Economy Class customers will benefit from the introduction of new, lightweight Safran Z400 seats, specifically designed for long-haul operations, with every detail designed for comfort and convenience. This includes an adjustable eight-way headrest for unrivalled neck and head support, in addition to other thoughtful tech touches.
Emirates has selected Panasonic Avionics to upgrade its IFE products on the A380 and Boeing 777s with the cutting-edge Astrova inflight entertainment platform, representing the airline’s commitment to delivering next-generation experiences.
Emirates customers will enjoy breathtaking visual clarity on 4K OLED HDR10+ displays that rival premium home cinema systems, with vivid colours, infinite contrast, and perfect blacks that bring every frame to life. Spatial Audio immerses customers in rich, multi-dimensional sound, whether using Emirates’ premium headsets or their own wireless devices via Bluetooth. Powerful 67W USB-C charging at every seat ensures all devices stay charged throughout the journey. The system’s modular design enables independent upgrades to display, power delivery, and connectivity as the technology evolves.
The platform also integrates Panasonic’s Arc 3D 4K Moving Map, delivering an immersive flight-tracking experience. Seamlessly integrated with Emirates’ Skywards programme, the platform’s intelligent recommendation engine learns individual preferences to suggest personalised content throughout the flight. Behind the scenes, real-time engagement insights allow Emirates to continuously refine its entertainment library, ensuring the selection always reflects what customers want to watch, hear, and explore.
Emirates is enhancing the travel experience further with fleet-wide Starlink connectivity, installed concurrently with the cabin retrofit programme across both A380 and Boeing 777 aircraft. The coordinated rollout strategy, integrating connectivity installations within the existing retrofit schedule, accelerates delivery of the complete Emirates experience across its global network.
Emirates and Safran to bring manufacturing and seat assembly unit to Dubai
Emirates and Safran Seats, a world-leading aircraft seating manufacturer, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to establish a manufacturing and seat assembly facility in Dubai. The joint industrial cooperation, the first of its kind, will initially concentrate on Business and Economy Class seats for cabin retrofit projects, with plans to expand to line fit in the future. This state-of-the-art facility will bring capacity which will be available to serve Emirates and other customers of Safran Seats. This strategic move aims to bring Safran Seats’ industry-leading expertise closer to Emirates’ operations as well as to other airlines. In creating this additional industrial capacity, it will seek to address the growing demand for aircraft seat manufacturing and incorporate further efficiencies using the latest technology in this field.
Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman and Chief Executive, Emirates Airline and Group said: “This agreement with Safran marks a pivotal and strategic cooperation that establishes Dubai as an aerospace manufacturing hub. We’re bringing world-class seat production capabilities and supply chain to our doorstep, creating highly skilled jobs, and developing capabilities to support Emirates and produce seats for export to other carriers. The partnership will directly support our retrofit programme and the evolution of our onboard cabin interior requirements. Our goal is to further develop aerospace manufacturing to attract component suppliers, technology companies, and talented, skilled professionals from around the world. This initiative aligns perfectly with the D33 economic agenda, strengthening Dubai’s position in a strategic industry while further diversifying our economy. The UAE has built one of the world’s most successful aviation industries and now it’s time to build the manufacturing capabilities to match that success.”
Olivier Andriès, CEO Safran said: “We deeply value our enduring partnership with Emirates and sincerely appreciate their confidence in partnering with us on this ambitious project. This initiative not only reinforces our shared commitment to operational excellence but also aligns with our industrial strategy as we adapt and prepare our business to support the current and future worldwide market ramp-up. We keep shaping the future of the aviation industry with innovation and resilience for the next generation of aircraft seating.”
Safran has been a key partner in Emirates’ fleet refurbishment efforts, supplying premium seating for the airline’s retrofit programme and its new A350 fleet. The facility is the first step in building a broader aerospace manufacturing cluster in Dubai.
Emirates and Safran aim to have the facility completed by Q4 2027 bringing approximately 20,000- 25,000 Square Metres of industrial footprint. The ramp up will be in a phased approach, with the initial assembly of up to 1,000 Business Class seats per year.
Emirates and South African Airways enhance codeshare
Building on almost three decades of strong and successful partnership, Emirates and South African Airways are further enhancing their relationship, working towards a reciprocal codeshare agreement, ahead of the busy peak travel season. With single ticket fare and hassle-free baggage handling, Emirates customers will be able to enjoy seamless access from Johannesburg to three domestic points in South Africa – Cape Town, Durban and Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth), and a further thirteen regional points in Africa including Abidjan, Accra, Botswana, Dar es Salaam, Kinshasa, Windhoek, Lagos, Lusaka, Lubumbashi, Harare, Victoria Falls, Windhoek, and Mauritius. The codeshare will enable Emirates to tap into feeder traffic from South Africa, and regionally alongside long-haul connecting passengers from the UK and US. This builds on the existing codeshare partnership, that provides South African Airways customers with access to Dubai on Emirates’ soon-to-be 56 weekly flights from three gateways, as well as a further 68 global destinations available on an interline basis. Since January, 45,000 passengers have taken advantage of this partnership.
The agreement was signed at the 2025 Dubai Airshow, by Adnan Kazim, Emirates’ Deputy President and Chief Commercial Officer and Professor M. John Lamola, Group Chief Executive Officer of South African Airways. Beyond the reciprocal codeshare, the MoU also outlines scope to explore further collaboration across loyalty programmes and cargo operations, as well as closer cooperation to explore synergies between their shared network and schedules.
Commenting on the signing, Adnan Kazim said, “The partnership Emirates inked with South African Airways was one of the first on our portfolio. Since signing in 1997, our collaboration has created reliable connectivity for passengers to explore more of the globe with simplified, seamless travel. South Africa remains a cornerstone of our African network, and one of the most consistently busy routes we serve, and partnerships like this are essential for us to serve our customers travelling in and out of the market. We will continue to collaborate with South African Airways to unlock benefits for our mutual customers.”
Emirates has announced a third daily flight on the Dubai-Cape Town route, from 1st July 2026. Operated with a Boeing 777, the new service boosts seat capacity by a further 600+ seats in and out of South Africa’s most visited city every day. In the last year, Emirates’ double daily schedule to Cape Town has been operating at a very high seat factor, especially during peak periods. Inbound traffic from the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), the UAE, is on the rise, while outbound traffic remains strong to Europe and the East Coast of the US.
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