Emirates Introduces Industry-First Electric Privacy Screen for Premium Economy Seats on New Airbus A350 Fleet

Emirates has unveiled a premium economy seat featuring an electrically operated privacy screen, which the Dubai airline states is a world first for this cabin class. These innovative seats will make their debut on newly delivered Airbus A350 aircraft, marking the first time Emirates has offered fully electrically powered premium economy seating.

Passengers can easily raise or lower the divider between seats and lock it into position to enhance privacy while sleeping, eating, or working. The same control mechanism can be utilized to adjust seat positions, including dedicated lounge and meal modes. These new seats will be installed within the 28-seat premium economy cabin of the Airbus A350, arranged in a 2-3-2 configuration per row. Each seat measures 20 inches wide with a pitch of up to 39 inches and reclines into a comfortable cradle position without encroaching on the space of the passenger seated behind.

Additional features include Emirates' U-Dream headrest, crafted from leather with adjustable wings to provide optimal head and neck support during sleep, as well as a manually operated leather footrest. For the first time in premium economy, wireless charging is integrated alongside USB-C charging points. The tray tables also incorporate a built-in phone holder, enabling passengers to use their mobile devices as a secondary screen.

Furthermore, the airline is upgrading its in-flight entertainment system on newly delivered Airbus A350s. Passengers will enjoy a 13.3-inch 4K HDR touchscreen, complemented by new exterior cameras providing left and right views of the aircraft to join the existing forward and downward-facing cameras.

Emirates originally launched its premium economy cabin in 2022 and has continued to roll it out across its network. The product is currently available across markets served by the airline's Airbus A350 fleet, and the carrier is also integrating the cabin into its refurbished Airbus A380s and Boeing 777s as part of an extensive fleet retrofit programme.