Despite persistent requests for increased seat allocations, Emirates has enhanced its service offerings in India with the introduction of Premium Economy class. The airline's decision to introduce this new cabin class on select routes underscores its commitment to the Indian market, even amidst ongoing negotiations for more seats.
Emirates launched its Premium Economy service on routes to and from Mumbai and Bengaluru on October 29, 2023. This offering is available on the airline's newly retrofitted Airbus A380 aircraft. The A380s operating on the Dubai-Mumbai route are designated as EK500/501, while those serving the Dubai-Bengaluru route are designated as EK568/569.
The Premium Economy cabin features 56 cream leather seats arranged in a 2-4-2 configuration. These seats boast a 6-way adjustable headrest, calf and leg rests, a 19.5-inch width, and a generous 40-inch seat pitch. Passengers can enjoy an 8-inch maximum recline and a 13.3-inch back-mounted LCD screen. Emirates has invested \$2 billion to retrofit 67 Airbus A380s and 53 Boeing 777s to include the Premium Economy cabin and enhance the overall passenger experience.
Emirates' Vice President for India and Nepal, Mohammad Sarhan, has expressed optimism about the Premium Economy offering, noting a strong demand from travelers seeking enhanced comfort and convenience on long-haul flights. He anticipates that corporate travelers who typically opt for economy class will now choose Premium Economy.
While Emirates introduces premium offerings, it continues to advocate for increasing the number of seats allocated under the air service agreement between India and the UAE. This agreement, which was last revised in January 2014, allows airlines from both countries to operate a total of 66,000 seats per week between Dubai and 15 Indian cities. Emirates has been seeking an additional 50,000 seats per week to accommodate the growing demand for travel between India and the UAE.
Emirates' Chief Commercial Officer, Adnan Kazim, has stated that the current seat limitations create an unhealthy environment, hindering the addition of capacity, flexibility, places, and routes. According to Tim Clark, president of Emirates Airlines, the airline has been operating with the same 65,000 seats in each direction for over 11 years, during which travel demand has grown significantly. He estimates that for every seat Emirates sells, there are approximately 10 potential customers.
Despite these constraints, Emirates operates 167 flights per week across nine Indian cities: Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, Cochin, and Trivandrum. The airline reports load factors exceeding 80% on its India routes.
Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, chairman and CEO of Emirates Airline, stated that Emirates is "happy" to add more seats to Indian destinations and that countries that do not update their bilateral aviation agreements will be the losers. He also noted that India's decision not to increase seating capacity has not stopped the airline from buying aircraft or opening new routes, given the vastness of the globe.
Even with the challenges in expanding seat capacity, Emirates is enhancing its in-flight services. The airline's ICE inflight entertainment system, which features 6,500 channels, will offer larger screens and a wider selection of movies, TV shows, and albums in Indian regional languages, including Hindi, Marathi, and Kannada.
