I may have given my conclusion away in the title, but if you are flying on Emirates in Business Class, it is worth knowing which plane offers the better Business Class seats and which plane you should avoid. Which is best, Business Class on the A380 or Boeing’s B777?
Emirates has the largest Boeing 777 & Airbus A380 fleet in the world. They currently have a huge 105 Airbus A380’s in their fleet and an order for 57 additional aircraft.
All Emirates A380s are fitted at the Airbus factory in Hamburg, with cabin interior work and final livery being delivered from Hamburg. Airbus estimates that Emirates’ A380 orders alone support 41,000 direct, indirect, and induced jobs in Europe, including some 14,500 in Germany alone. Emirates currently operates the A380 to 48 global destinations.
Emirates has 165 Boeing 777s in its fleet, one of the most popular and advanced wide-bodied aircraft in commercial operation today. It also has a further 164 B777s on firm order, including 150 of the next generation Boeing 777x aircraft. Emirates is the only airline that operates all the variants of the B777 aircraft. Today, Emirates operates the Boeing 777 to over 140 cities on six continents from its hub in Dubai.
Why Is The A380 Better Than The B777?
The key is in the aisle access. The layout of Emirates’ new B777-300ER Business Class cabin is identical to the carrier’s old Business Class product. The seats are still arranged in a 2-3-2 configuration, which means that not everyone has direct aisle access. Passengers in the center and window seats will have to climb over their neighbor’s legs to reach the aisle. If you are traveling with a group of friends or family, this layout isn’t too bad as you won’t mind being close to and climbing over your friends, but this layout remains far from ideal.
In comparison: Emirates’ A380 aircraft feature a staggered 1-2-1 configuration, which is much better for solo travelers and overall much better design. Who wants to climb over their neighbor (be it a loved one or not) if that person is asleep.
If you are in a middle or a window seat on the b777, you are confined, almost imprisoned, in your seat. This is a terrible idea for those of us who tend to need the toilet in the night.
These planes suffer the same problem as all current British Airways Business Class seats. British Airways Club World seats are designed with a number lose-lose no aisle access seats across each row. Their new Business CLass seats should fix this issue, but no new seats have been fitted yet.
The B777-300ER vs. B777-200LR
Of note, Emirates is also in the process of refurbishing its B777-200LR aircraft (used for its longest B777 routes) with a 2-2-2 layout (instead of 2-3-2 abreast on the B777-300ER). This aircraft is, therefore, a better choice, but the aisle access problems still remain for the seats by the window.
Is the new B777-300ER Cabin Better Than The Old One?
Emirates’ new B777 Business Class cabin has a more refined and sleek-looking interior compared to the old B777 cabin, so where possible, it is always better to opt for the new cabins over the old B777 cabins.
The design and shape of the new Business Class seat is inspired by Mercedez-Benz, with a diamond stitch pattern on the full leather cover and ergonomically designed headrest.
The rest of the B777 Business Class cabin still retains Emirates’ signature jazzy decor with classy burled walnut veneer, gold trim, and pearlized plastic framing the seats.
The Best Thing About Emirates B777 Cabins
All of Emirates B777s feature excellent mood lighting, with the colors of the ceiling changing according to the local time. Stars on the ceiling, called StarLight, which is a cool technical feature unique to Emirates; it is pretty amazing lying down in your bed at 35,000 feet, opening your eyes and seeing stars.
Read my reviews of Emirates on the A380 vs. B777 below:
If you are inspired to fly away, you should always check with our Luxury Travel Concierge before booking to get further discounts and free upgrades on luxury hotels and Business Class flights.
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