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Emirates new Airbus A380 on-board lounge

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Emirates President Tim Clark likes to laugh and talk about the Airbus A380.

"The A380 is still the best marketing tool we have". The airline is the world's largest A380 operator with a current fleet of 93 aircraft and a further 49 A380s on order. "In June this year, we will add the 100th A380 to the fleet! And we will continue to improve the cabin for our passengers. Including our upper deck bar, which continues to be a highlight for our guests," says Clark. And so Emirates is introducing a range of new cabin features and revised product offerings on board the Airbus A380 and Boeing 777 fleets this year. The multi-million dollar investment in cabin interiors also includes an extended version of the on-board lounge on the upper deck of the Emirates Airbus A380. The first A380 is currently being fitted with the new on-board lounge at the Airbus plant in Hamburg-Finkenwerder and will be in service from July 2017. "During the
the latest redesign, we were inspired by luxury yacht cabins. Among other things, we have enlarged the seating area and converted it into individual seating groups where passengers can relax, chat and enjoy the lounge service," explains Clark.

The new A380 in-flight lounge will still have the typical horseshoe-shaped bar, but will offer more seating in a new arrangement on either side of the bar. Each of the new seating areas will have a table and a clear view out of the window. In total, the on-board lounge offers space for up to 26 passengers, including eight seats. Light champagne tones and accents in dark, lacquered wood decor characterize the design of the cabin and the seating areas.

Emirates is also introducing sound-absorbing curtains to separate the in-flight lounge from the other cabin areas. There are also additional atmospheric lighting options, new window blinds with integrated LED mood lighting and subwoofers for surround sound. The new in-flight lounge offers a 55-inch LCD screen on which guests can follow current flight information, live TV broadcasts or the latest news and sports results. All 93 A380s have an in-flight lounge. Business Class and First Class passengers can enjoy gourmet canapés, hand-picked wines, premium and rare spirits and popular cocktails prepared by the bartender. Emirates currently flies to 46 destinations on five continents with its A380 fleet. Since 2008, Emirates has carried almost 70 million passengers on the flagship.