Emirates announced (18-Nov-2025) the next phase of its fleet retrofit programme, under which 60 A380s and 51 Boeing 777s will receive the following cabin improvements from Aug-2026:
- Safran Seats' S Lounge seats to be installed in business class cabins on both aircraft types;
- RECARO Aircraft Seating "advanced seating technology with a mechanical recline system" to be installed in premium economy cabins on both aircraft types;
- Safran Seats' Z400 seats to be installed in economy class cabins on both aircraft types;
- Panasonic Avionics Corporation to install Astrova inflight entertainment platform and integrated Arc 3D 4K Moving Map throughout cabins on both aircraft types;
- Starlink to install free high-speed inflight WiFi connectivity throughout cabins on both aircraft types.
As previously reported by CAPA, Emirates' fleet retrofit programme commenced in 2021 with 120 aircraft, later expanding to 191 aircraft in May-2024 and to 219 aircraft in late 2024. To date, 76 aircraft have been retrofitted and "the programme maintains a steady cadence, with two freshly refurbished aircraft emerging each month". [more - original PR]
Background ✨
Emirates planned to install Starlink inflight connectivity across its entire operational fleet of 232 aircraft by mid-2027, with the first Boeing 777 deployment scheduled for 23-Nov-2025 and A380 installations starting in Feb-2026, making it the first airline globally to offer Starlink on A380s. The rollout targeted installation on approximately 14 aircraft per month, offering free high-speed WiFi in all cabins1. Safran Seats was selected for both business and economy cabins2.