In 2017, Emirates made waves when it introduced its revolutionary first-class suites, hailed as a “game changer.” These suites marked the first time in commercial aviation that a first-class cabin boasted doors and walls extending from the floor to the ceiling, providing passengers with complete privacy.
However, when crafting these suites, Emirates focused on catering to individual travelers rather than couples or jet-setting duos. Unlike some competitors, Emirates decided against offering a separate bed and lounge chair within its suites.
During an exclusive interview, Emirates President Sir Tim Clark shed light on the airline’s design philosophy behind these suites. He explained why the experience was curated with solo executive travelers in mind.
Emirates First Class Is All About Privacy, Not Socialising
Our observations have shown that most of our first-class clientele is driven by business purposes,” Clark reveals. “They desire the opportunity to board the flight, close the door, and have a moment to unwind and relax. Privacy holds immense value for them.”
“While it’s true that individuals occasionally travel with companions or work colleagues, even if they are on the same trip, surprisingly, they prefer having their own space!”
There are plenty of places to talk or relax, so you will not need ottomans or special seating areas in the suite to make room for friends during meals.
On Emirates’ Boeing 777 planes with fully enclosed suites, people sitting across from each other in certain suites can also talk to each other because the doors and windows are lined up across the aisle.
If you want to talk, sit in seats 1A and 1E or 2F and 2K. And do not forget to move each seat forward with the seat controls so that everyone can see each other well.
When it came to making these suites, Emirates chose not to copy competitors like Etihad and Lufthansa, whose top-of-the-line first-class products had a separate chair and bed. Singapore Airlines would later use this method when it remodeled its Airbus A380 Suites Class rooms the following year.
“Having both a bed and a seat takes up a lot of space, and to be honest, we did not see the need for it,” says Clark. “If we had put in a separate bed, we might have only been able to fit two suites on the Boeing 777s, instead of the six suites that are so popular.”
Instead, the chair inside the room turns into a fully flat bed. During this change to “bed mode,” the chair automatically moves away from the aisle and closer to the window, making room between the bed and the doors on the aisle side.
When the bed is in bed mode, you’ll find a generous amount of floor space, allowing you to stand up and change your attire comfortably. This advantage is made possible by the floor-to-ceiling privacy door.
“The seat itself was carefully designed with inspiration from corporate jets, providing ample width to give the feeling of a full-sized bed when lying on it,” Of course, maintaining the utmost privacy remains a key priority.
“For many of our first-class passengers, privacy is paramount… and to be honest, we have received no complaints regarding our approach.”
