- I toured one of Emirates' new Airbus A350 jets in Edinburgh.
- The sleek new aircraft features 4K screens and electronic window blinds in every class.
- The A350's main competitor, the Boeing 777X, suffers yearslong delays to its launch.
Emirates is building a more diverse fleet, with the Airbus A350 becoming its first new aircraft type since 2008.
Business Insider toured the aircraft earlier this month at Edinburgh Airport. The first route the airline started using the A350 on was Dubai to the Scottish capital, which launched on January 3.
Emirates has also contended with delays to the Boeing 777X — a modernized version of the best-selling wide-body airliner, that competes with the A350.
Emirates president Tim Clark previously told BI the airline is spending $4.5 billion retrofitting older 777s in response to the delays.
The Dubai-based airline previously only operated the Boeing 777 and double-decker Airbus A380.
With sleek interiors, an upgraded entertainment system with Bluetooth, and new window blind tech, take a look around Emirates' newest jet.
From a lounge in Edinburgh Airport, we watched the Emirates Airbus A350 arrive from Dubai.
This A350-900 was delivered to Emirates just two weeks earlier. It's the third of 65 on order.
With room for 312 passengers, it has a maximum range of 7,700 miles — enough to fly from Los Angeles to Sydney.
The airline expects to have 21 A350s by March 2026. The first Boeing 777X isn't expected to be delivered until 2026 — six years later than initially scheduled.
"For Emirates, it's a new era. After COVID, the activity changed significantly, and it was also for us a good moment to change also our fleet, to refurbish and retrofit our aircraft," said Thierry Aucoc, Emirates' senior vice president for commercial (west).
"We consider that Emirates has to maintain a certain standard. We want to be an exceptional airline."
Emirates has announced its first nine planned routes, with five already in operation.
Emirates is using the wide-body aircraft on both long-haul and short-haul routes.
The airline doesn't have any single-aisle aircraft, so even regional flights have amenities like lie-flat seats and in-flight entertainment.
My tour started in the premium economy cabin, which has 21 seats.
Emirates was a late adopter of the premium economy cabin, introducing it in 2022.
In this image, you can also see how the A350 has higher ceilings and larger overhead bins than the previous generation of airliners.
A couple of meals were laid out to show what's on offer to premium-economy passengers.
In premium economy, meals are served on proper crockery rather than the plastic trays of economy. Although, unlike many other airlines, both cabins offer metal cutlery.
The seats, arranged in a 2-3-2 layout, were inspired by the Mercedes Benz S-Class.
Emirates first collaborated with the carmaker in 2014, to inspire its first-class product.
I got to test out the comfortable recline and leg rest.
There were several flight attendants throughout the cabins who explained the various features of the seats and service. They came across as both passionate and friendly.
Emirates' A350 has 259 economy-class seats, arranged in a 3-3-3 layout.
The seats are 18.4 inches wide.
The A350 can be configured in a 10-abreast layout, but this would reduce seat width. It has a narrower cabin than the Boeing 777X, where a 3-4-3 layout would be more common.
Even economy has touches of luxury such as electric window blinds.
Typically, you'll only find electronic blinds in business or first class. One exception is the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, but even that uses electronically dimmable windows rather than motorized blinds.
The A350's aerBlade technology can be controlled by the cabin crew for takeoff and landing. It is also set to be installed in Emirates' 777X planes.
In economy, there's only a single blind — but premium economy and business class passengers also have the option of a shade.
Emirates also says its TVs offer the best image quality of any aircraft.
Emirates is already known for its broad selection of movies and TV shows on offer, but the 4K screens take the resolution to another level.
It might not be evident in photos, but I was definitely impressed by the crisp colors and resolution.
There are USB-A and USB-C outlets — plus, you can connect your own Bluetooth headphones.
Economy seats also benefit from the same 13.3-inch screen as in premium economy.
I found the legroom was generous, but by the window, the bracket was located a bit awkwardly.
The seat pitch, or distance between the same spot on one seat and the one in front, is 31 to 32 inches.
The seatback table also has a sleek wood finish.
I thought this was a thoughtful touch compared to the typical dull, gray plastic — helping economy feel a little less like cattle class.
The airline also gives out free toys to kids traveling in economy.
The bags include soft toys, blankets, activities, puzzles, and games.
Finally, it was time to explore the cream of the crop in business class.
Below the tree design, there was a countertop with bowls of snacks.
The same Mercedes-Benz seat design added to the feeling of luxury.
The cabin is arranged in a 1-2-1 layout so every seat has direct aisle access — unlike some of Emirates' older planes in a 2-3-2 arrangement, but retrofits are ongoing to update this.
On the console, there's a touchscreen controller and a minibar.
As well as a wireless charging port on the console, there's an international charging outlet, and sockets for USB-C and USB-A cables.
I had a moment to test it and was impressed with the space and large screen.
Business class suites have a seat pitch of 44 inches, while the TV screens are 20 inches.
I also liked that the footwell was a regular shape. Some airlines' are more askew, which can make things a bit uncomfortable when lying down.
The seats lie flat — but don't have sliding doors for privacy.
Sliding doors are becoming more common in business class, but Emirates only has them in first class — which isn't offered on the A350.
I think this is where your seat selection is most important. The business-class layout is staggered, with the console alternating between window-side and aisle-side. Choosing the latter would allow for more privacy, which is especially helpful if you want to sleep.
Central dividers can be fully lowered for a more intimate experience if you're traveling together.
On the left is one of the airline's most popular meal choices: Arabic mezze.
While the Boeing 777X awaits certification, the A350 gives a taste of what it could look like.
More fuel-efficient engines reduce the operating cost for airlines and help the environment. But these newer jets also make the experience more comfortable for passengers, with larger overhead bins and higher ceilings — not to mention the opportunities for new interiors and upgrades.
