- Reducing unplanned maintenance for nose-to-tail aircraft systems allow more time flying

Dubai, UAE, 10 February 2025: As part of its commitment to operational excellence and safety through strategic fleet management, Emirates has signed an agreement with Airbus for the implementation of its Skywise Fleet Performance+ (S.FP+) advanced predictive maintenance and fleet health monitoring solution and Core X3 analytics platform. The agreement was signed by Ahmed Safa, Head of Emirates Engineering and Laurent Negre, Vice President, Customer Services Airbus Africa and Middle East.

The adoption of Airbus’s cutting-edge S.FP+ solution is set to further improve aircraft dispatch reliability while enabling strategic data-driven decision-making for Emirates’ fleet of commercial Airbus A380 and A350 aircraft. Using the platform’s advanced capabilities, Emirates Engineering teams will be able to monitor real-time aircraft performance and health data, identify potential issues inflight, and determine maintenance actions during turnarounds.

Ahmed Safa, Head of Emirates Engineering said: “As a highly efficient, customer-centric operation, Emirates is always looking at ways to leverage leading-edge technologies that improve operational reliability and punctuality, minimise unscheduled downtime and ensure our fleet operates at the highest standards, ultimately elevating the customer experience. Adopting Airbus’s Skywise Fleet Performance+ is a step forward to support our Airbus fleet, harnessing the latest advancements, and transforming traditional maintenance activities into streamlined, precision led processes that optimise our time in the skies.” 

Laurent Negre, Vice President Customer Services Africa and Middle East at Airbus said: “We are proud to strengthen our collaboration with Emirates through the implementation of Skywise Fleet Performance+ and Core X3. These solutions will enhance fleet performance and reliability, reduce downtime, and support operational efficiency passengers will benefit from, too.”

Skywise Fleet Performance Plus features automated pre-departure monitoring of cabin temperatures, operations, and key systems, powered by advanced analytics.

The platform also integrates Aircraft Condition Monitoring System (ACMS) data for critical aircraft monitoring, delivers predictive diagnostics with real-time alerts and solutions, and provides comprehensive status insights for Emirates’ Airbus A380 and A350 fleets. The integration of the Core X3 analytics platform will help Emirates Engineering to manage vast amounts of data, connecting different systems for single source, up-to-the-minute insights through an enhanced user interface that can be intuitively used by multiple teams.

Emirates Engineering has long used aviation analytics and operational insights to maximize fleet availability while driving cost and network efficiencies. The airline is currently employing advanced digital technologies to accelerate improvements in maintenance operations, in addition to next generation prognostic and predictive maintenance. Work is in progress to deploy drone assisted aircraft inspections. Emirates Engineering is also exploring avenues to use virtual and augmented reality for maintenance tasks.

About Emirates Engineering

Emirates Engineering is one of the world’s most technologically advanced aircraft maintenance facilities, supporting the world’s largest fleet of Boeing 777 and Airbus A380 aircraft. The team manages and implements all aspects of maintenance, engineering, quality, planning and logistics for the airline. Emirates Engineering operates from a massive 400,000 square metre facility at Dubai International airport, featuring 12 hangars which form the largest free-spanned structures in the Middle East. 

In 2023, the airline announced an investment of US$950 million to build a new ultra-modern engineering facility at Dubai World Central (DWC). Spread over 1 million square metres, the new engineering complex will be the largest and most advanced of its kind to be operated by any airline, adding a boost to Dubai’s world-class aviation infrastructure. Purpose-built to support Emirates’ aircraft fleet and operating requirements into the 2040s, the facility will also be a centre of excellence for commercial aviation engineering services in the Middle East, with spare capacity potentially offered to other airline operators.

·       Airline reveals latest interiors, industry-first technologies and innovations onboard

·       Addition of A350 to Emirates fleet primes airline for growth amid robust travel demand

Dubai, UAE, 27 November 2024:  Emirates has officially unveiled the very first Airbus A350-900 to join its fleet at an exclusive event showcase in Dubai.

The event, led by Sir Tim Clark, President Emirates Airline in the presence of His Excellency Abdulla Bin Touq Al Marri, UAE Minister of Economy,  was attended by VIP guests, aerospace partners, government officials and dignitaries, members of the media, as well as aviation enthusiasts. Guests were able to experience the aircraft’s interiors, equipped with its next generation products and latest technologies. 

The Emirates A350 features three spacious cabin classes, accommodating 312 passengers in 32 next-generation Business Class lie-flat seats, 21 Premium Economy seats and 259 generously pitched Economy Class seats. The latest onboard products reflect the airline’s commitment to delivering a premium passenger experience while optimising operational efficiency. The Emirates A350 is the first new aircraft type to join Emirates’ fleet since 2008.

His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman and Chief Executive, Emirates Airline & Group said: “Today is an exciting milestone for Emirates as we showcase our first A350 and usher in a new era for our fleet and network growth. This aircraft sets the stage for Emirates to spread its wings farther by offering added range, efficiency and flexibility to our network, enabling us to meet customer demand in new markets and unlock new opportunities in the cities that we serve. Onboard, our updated interiors and seating configurations will help us deliver a more elevated and comfortable experience to travellers across every cabin class. The 65 Emirates A350s joining our fleet in the coming years fit into the airline’s broader plans to support our visionary leadership’s Dubai’s D33 Strategy, which will transform the city into a pivotal hub in the global economy by expanding its connectivity and reach.”

Phillipe Mhun, Executive Vice President Programmes & Services for Airbus said: “We are proud to further expand our strategic partnership with Emirates which has flourished nearly 4 decades ago with the A300, the A310, the A330, the A340 and the A380.  Marking a new chapter for Airbus, we expect the A350 to become an integral member of the Emirates’ fleet and support its continued growth and sustainability ambitions.”

Omar Ali Adib, SVP Customer – Middle East and Africa for Rolls-Royce, said: “The collaborative effort between Emirates, Airbus and Rolls-Royce exemplifies what can be achieved when we share a commitment to excellence and build a long-term partnership that makes us all stronger. With our £1bn investment in durability across our Trent engine family, we are committed to continuing to evolve and improve in the years ahead.”

Apart from its newly delivered A350, Emirates operates two other aircraft types around the world to 140 destinations - the widebody Boeing 777 aircraft and the iconic ‘double decker’ Airbus A380 aircraft. The A350’s introduction will enable Emirates to expand into new destinations globally, including mid-sized airports unsuited for larger aircraft. The Emirates A350 will be delivered in two versions - one for regional routes and one for ultra long-haul routes.

The airline plans to make its first scheduled commercial A350 flight to Edinburgh on 3 January 2025. In the months to follow, customers can look forward to experiencing the Emirates A350 in existing GCC points like Bahrain, Muscat and Kuwait, Lyon and Bologna in Europe, and Colombo, Mumbai and Ahmedabad in West Asia in addition to new travel opportunities that are up to 15 hours from Dubai– to be announced in 2025.

For more information and images, please visit the Emirates A350 newsroom page.

NOTES TO THE EDITOR – 

EMIRATES A350 PRODUCT AND SERVICE DETAIL APPENDIX

Newly designed, more comfortable Economy Class seats

Economy Class customers will notice two distinct improvements to their seats on the Emirates A350. Firstly, similar to the newest Emirates 777 and A380 aircraft, the Emirates A350 Economy Class seat has a new fabric in an uplifting and elegant light blue, with luxurious bronze-coloured armrests creating a very sophisticated look. Secondly, Emirates will soon introduce a brand new 6-way adjustable headrest to Economy Class on the A350, designed with customer comfort at the forefront and allowing customers the option of sleep with full neck support. Expected in early 2025, this new headrest is set to significantly improve customer experience in Economy Class and eliminate the need for neck pillows.

Emirates A350 - The best of Business Class

Business Class on the Emirates A350 will feature 32 luxurious leather ‘S Lounge seats’, inspired by the Mercedes S Class for an exceptional travel experience. The A350 aircraft will feature brand new additions of wireless charging on the side cocktail table in Business Class, and in-seat lighting controls with 5 streams of light. The 1-2-1 seat configuration in the A350 Business Class ensures a very private, exclusive experience where customers can enjoy the latest iteration of the Emirates Experience including lie-flat seats, 4k ice screen, multiple sockets and charging ports including a wireless port, minibar, improved storage, inflight shopping and an abundance of multi award-winning food and beverages served with world class Emirates hospitality.

More chances to try Emirates Premium Economy

Emirates Premium Economy Class has been widely hailed as an outstanding product and has already won multiple awards since its introduction in 2022. All 65 incoming Emirates A350s will feature Premium Economy Class, making luxury travel more accessible to a wider audience. For a competitive price, Premium Economy offers a travel experience similar to Business Class on many airlines, with spacious leather reclining seats with full leg and footrests and adjustable headrests. It features in-seat charging points, a side cocktail table, a 13.3-inch TV screen, a generously sized pillow and blanket, complimentary amenity kits on select flights and a globally exclusive sparkling wine - Chandon Vintage Brut 2017. The award-winning catering onboard features a selection of generous meals made with seasonal ingredients served on Royal Doulton chinaware, accompanied by Robert Welch cutlery wrapped in a linen napkin. Onboard the A350, Premium Economy Class will have a maximum of 28 seats, providing an exclusive and intimate feel for customers.

More space and storage

With extra high ceilings and wider aisles in all classes, the Emirates A350 is sleek yet spacious inside. Customer comfort is a top priority, and the seat configurations offer more space and privacy to every traveller. In the Emirates A350 Business Class cabin, the configuration is one seat by the left window, 2 seats in the middle, and one seat by the right window (1-2-1). In Premium Economy, the configuration is 2 seats by the left window, 3 seats in the middle, and 2 seats by the right window (2-3-2). In Economy Class, the configuration is 3 seats by the left window, 3 seats in the middle and 3 seats by the right window (3-3-3). With this configuration, all customers have easier access to the aisle. The A350 galley area is notably spacious, offering Economy Class customers an area to stretch their legs and grab a complimentary snack on long haul flights. Storage has been improved on the Emirates A350, with compartmentalised pockets and larger overhead storage bins.

Seamless technology at every touch

The Emirates A350 takes technology to another level. Customers can now adjust their electric window blinds at the touch of a button. The aerBlade dual blind system will feature in Business and Premium Economy Class offering two shaded options, and the aerBlade single blind systems will make a debut in Economy Class, with all blinds showing the Emirates Ghaf tree motif when closed. Customers will also enjoy new touchscreen call bell buttons for cabin crew service, on the ice inflight entertainment screens. Other features include the ability to instantly view your inflight menu on your screen, digital newspapers and magazines from around the world, 5 aircraft camera views and improved inflight live map experience, and 60-watt USB C charging in every seat, with the ability to pair two Bluetooth connections for personal headphones.

The next generation of Inflight Entertainment on ice

The Emirates A350 will introduce an impressive, next-generation version of the ice inflight entertainment system with a suite of ground-breaking features designed to enhance the customer experience. Offering a cinematic display to Emirates customers, this includes the best picture quality on any aircraft with stunning 4K and 4K HDR, ultra-responsive touchscreens for seamless navigation and a vast media selection—up to triple the current content capacity. Customers will also enjoy handy new features like ‘eye comfort mode’ to reduce blue light exposure, the ability to skip credits and intros on videos, enhanced live TV, and simplified volume and brightness controls. An improved search function is complemented by iceMoments, a revolutionary way to explore content on ice in a short form video format.  Kids will enjoy a new pictorially driven interface, while parents will appreciate the seat side parental controls for family-friendly settings.

Faster wi-fi

Marking a first in aviation history, the Emirates A350 will feature a high performance, new generation antennae which will significantly improve inflight connectivity taking full advantage of ViaSat’s Global Xpress (GX) satellite network. Customers will enjoy uninterrupted global connectivity across all destinations, including over the North Pole for flights going to the Americas. At an investment of more than USD 2 million per aircraft, customers will notice an improved user portal with a faster sign in for new users and a swifter log in for Skywards customers. Improved Wireless Access Points (WAPs) onboard will mean more customers can connect at the same time with the potential to enjoy up to 10 times the current total aircraft bandwidth on average, whether for work or to stay connected with family and friends.

Seamless online shopping

From 2025 onwards, customers on the Emirates A350 will be able to enjoy Duty Free shopping from their seat in a few taps. EmiratesRED will offer an extensive catalogue of luxury gifts on ice, where customers can shop online, create a basket and conveniently transition to their personal device to complete the checkout and payment process, including payment via ApplePay and G-Pay.

More inclusive, accessible travel

A new user interface on ice has been designed in partnership with Thales and advocacy groups for visually impaired customers, to ensure all customers have an intuitive, high quality inflight entertainment experience. This imparts best practice experiences for visually impaired customers including audio-cue navigation assistance, voice metadata feedback, touch and swipe gesturing support and presents the large selection of audio-descriptive (AD) content available on ice.

Quieter cabins

The Emirates A350 is celebrated as the most fuel-efficient large widebody aircraft, and also offers customers a substantial reduction in noise. Emirates customers can take advantage of the peaceful ambience and elevated comfort in the quietest twin aisle cabin of any aircraft.

Award-winning inflight dining and the world’s best beverage selection in the sky

Emirates is renowned for its award-winning inflight dining and the world’s best beverage selection in the sky across all aircraft types. The same premium quality, regionally inspired cuisine will be available onboard the Emirates A350, alongside an impressive wine collection, exclusive Moët & Chandon, Veuve Clicquot in Business Class and Chandon Vintage Brut 2017 in Premium Economy Class. Chef crafted dishes and multi course meals are served in all classes, with dedicated nutritious meals for children.

More complimentary snacks

Business Class customers will have their own minibar on the Emirates A350, which includes still and sparkling water, and 2 snack packs - one sweet and one savoury, as well as a new snack display area at the back of the cabin, where customers can come and grab fresh fruit, sandwiches and sweet treats anytime they like. Premium Economy customers will have a snack service on long haul flights and Economy Class customers will also be able to access complimentary snacks on long haul flights on a newly designed island in the galley area.

A sleek interior designed for relaxation

The Emirates A350 will feature the latest sophisticated and luxurious design by Emirates, including key motifs like the illuminated Ghaf Tree – the symbolic tree of the UAE, and the signature bronze and gold of the Emirates brand, combined with crisp cream leather and elegant wood grain for a soothing and sleek neutral palette. The aircraft features customised mood lighting designed for a relaxing ambiance. The washrooms are a luxurious and pristine white with bronze accents, offering a spacious feel as they are the same size as the current washrooms on the larger Emirates A380 aircraft.

World class hospitality from Emirates’ Cabin Crew

Emirates’ world class cabin crew have received specialised training to ensure the airline’s signature customer experiences are delivered consistently onboard the Emirates A350. The training blends classroom learning with practical sessions, on a dedicated simulator in the Emirates Cabin Crew Training College, Dubai. Cabin crew learn the intricacies of the new inflight entertainment system, as well as the service procedures unique to the A350.

The aircraft was officially handed over this morning to Emirates and will soon embark on its ferry flight from Toulouse (TLS) to Dubai today at 1600hrs local time.

Aviation enthusiasts and Airbus A350 fans can track the flight’s journey in real time on Flight Radar 24. Once the Emirates A350 lands in Dubai, the aircraft will receive its finishing touches at Emirates Engineering before being officially unveiled at a special event later this week. 

The delivery flight for the newest member of the Emirates fleet was powered by a blend of jet fuel and sustainable aviation fuel (SAF).

The aircraft will officially enter commercial service in January when it makes its debut flight to its first destination, Edinburgh, followed by 8 other destinations across the Middle East, West Asia and Europe.