After successfully launching one of the world’s top premium economy experiences, Emirates is now targeting a redesign of its economy class seat.
The airline has created a prototype for a new economy seat described by president Sir Tim Clark as a “game-changer.” To bring this vision to fruition, Emirates is collaborating with seat manufacturers in a co-creation partnership.
However, the process has not been easy for Clark, who has played a crucial role in growing Emirates from a modest two-plane startup in 1985 into a leading global airline. “I’ve been pulling the remains of my hair out,” Clark admits with a smile, as he faces challenges getting manufacturers to agree to the desired changes in the seat’s “pitch and recline.”
During a media briefing in Melbourne, Clark also announced an entirely new business class suite featuring sliding doors. Yet, when he looked at the back of the aircraft—where economy seating can range from 304 seats on the Boeing 777 to as many as 557 on the Airbus A380—he realized, “we’re missing a trick or two.”
Addressing the Pain Points of Economy Travel
“We need to tackle the issues that really bother economy passengers, especially during long-haul flights,” he stated. “If people are confined in a cramped cabin for 16-17 hours, we clearly must improve our current offerings.”
Clark emphasized the importance of leveraging modern technology, along with insights in geometry and load distribution, to develop a seat that would ideally meet passengers’ expectations. “So we’ve taken the initiative… It requires intricate seat geometry, and I’m optimistic about getting it out of the hangar,” he explained.
A major obstacle, however, lies in ensuring that the new seat complies with stringent air safety regulations. “I can’t guarantee success on that front,” Clark acknowledged. He also noted that aviation regulators are currently more cautious about innovation, likely due to recent issues with aircraft like the Boeing 737 MAX and 777X, making the approval process challenging.
Playing It Close to the Vest
Clark, however, remained tight-lipped about specific innovations aimed at enhancing pitch and recline, jokingly stating, “I’m not revealing how we’re going to do it.” He referred to the idea of a pre-recline feature, where seats begin in a slightly reclined position, as “difficult.”
Reflecting on the past, he mentioned that Emirates effectively “redesigned” long-range economy seats approximately twenty years ago to enhance passenger comfort while also making them lighter to decrease fuel consumption. “These seats used to weigh about 29-30 kg, including the in-flight entertainment system, but we reduced that to 13 kg,” Clark noted. He attributed this achievement to advancements in design techniques and “metallurgical improvements” that affected the seat’s construction, along with ergonomic adjustments to the seat cushion and back.
Clark asserted that Emirates’ re-engineered economy seat “set the benchmark” for other airlines, but lamented that since that time, “nothing has really changed.”
Photo Credit: Alexi Van Damme CEO and Founder AX Group
