Emirates Airline has taken the wraps off the multi-million dollar upgrade of its Boeing 777 fleet, which takes its interior design cues from the Mercedes-Benz S-Class motor cars. Boasting fully enclosed private suites in First class, the new look was created in collaboration with Boeing, Rockwell Collins interior systems, Panasonic, Jacques Pierre Jean Design studio and Seattle-based design firm Teague, and has newly-designed seats and upgraded inflight entertainment systems in all cabins.
Emirates has the largest commercial fleet of Boeing 777s with 165 planes in service and another 164 on order, including 150 of the new 777x. The new interiors have a lighter color scheme in soft grays, cream and champagne, with new lighting, textured panels, and design accents. The most distinctive of these is the recurring use of images of the Ghaf evergreen tree (prosopis cineraria), the national tree of the United Arab Emirates and indigenous to the region.
The First class section is particularly posh with six private cabins set in a 1-1-1 configuration. Each suite is 84-in (213 cm) long, covers 40 ft² (3.72 m²) and has floor to ceiling sliding doors reaching up to 81 in (205 cm) from deck to overhead. The 78-in (198 cm) long, 30-in (76 cm) wide, electrically powered seats recline from upright to a "zero-gravity" posture to flat out for sleeping, yet leave enough room for the passenger to change with complete privacy into the complementary Hydra Active moisturizing pajamas that use thousands of microcapsules to dispense sea kelp lotion. The Mercedes touch is clear in the seats' diamond stitch pattern on the full leather cover.
Even First class passengers in the center cabin have a decent view, albeit through virtual windows that use video screens to relay images in real time from exterior cameras. In addition to the infotainment system that includes a 32-in LCD screen with 2,500 channels, First class passengers get Bowers & Wilkins headphones with noise cancelling technology that were especially made for the airline.
Other amenities include a pull-out work desk, cocktail table and a full length wardrobe, as well as carry-on luggage storage and a personal minibar. There's even a hatch to accept canapes and drinks without being disturbed and a video call system to summon the attendants. Lighting is from chandelier fixtures with programmable settings
The S-Class influence carries over in to Business class, which has 42 seats in 2-3-2 configuration. Each folds fully flat and is 78-in (198 cm) long and 20.5-in (52 cm) wide with an electronically operated footrest and lumbar support. Along with the privacy panels and personal lighting options, the Business class seats have a 23-in LCD screen, shoe stowage, personal mini-bar, and charging ports for digital devices.
Meanwhile, the 306 seats in Economy class have ergonomically designed contoured seats with full leather headrests. These have a pitch of 33 in (83 cm), which is generous by today's standards, are 17-in (43.3 cm) wide, and recline 6 in (15 cm). Each has an inseat capacitive touch screen with LED backlight, and charging ports.
Recently, Emirates has started experimenting with 3D-printed parts made using selective laser sintering (SLS). For evaluation, printed video monitoring shrouds and air vent grilles are being installed on some Emirate aircraft, and such parts may one day appear on the new 777 line.
The first of the new latest Emirates 777 is expected to enter service on December 1, 2017 on flights to Geneva and Brussels.
Source: Emirates Airline
