08-07-2025
First aircraft with 4-class cabin to touch down in city next week
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Kolkata: The first aircraft with a four-class configuration in its cabin is scheduled to touch down in Kolkata at 7.15 pm on July 18. Dubai-based Emirates Airlines, which currently operates a three-class configuration in the Boeing B 777 aircraft it uses for the flight, will switch to a four-class configuration with the introduction of the retrofitted aircraft.
Etihad, the other carrier from the UAE that ferries passengers from Kolkata to Europe and the US via Abu Dhabi, is also set to change the aircraft from Airbus A 320, which offers only economy and business class, to A 321-LR from Sept. This aircraft will offer 14 flat beds in the business class along with two first-class seats. The other Gulf Qatar operates two aircraft on the sector: the A 350 four days a week and the B 787 Dreamliner on the remaining three days.
Both aircraft have two seat configurations: economy and business. Fly Dubai that has four flights a week to Dubai uses a B 737 MAX aircraft that offers business and economy class seats. Low-cost carrier Air Arabia that has three fights a week has 170 all-economy seats on the A 320.
Emirates' four-class B 777 will offer 24 premium economy seats arranged in a 2-4-2 layout with six-way adjustable headrests for added comfort and space.
The upgraded business-class cabin will offer more privacy, with 40 seats in 1-2-1 configuration. The aircraft will also feature eight first-class suites. The refreshed economy-class cabin will have 260 ergonomic seats with leather headrests that can be adjusted vertically.
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However, it is the premium economy, the first to be introduced in Kolkata by an international airline, that is hogging the limelight. While a return economy class ticket to Europe on Emirates costs around Rs 80,000, the premium economy fare is expected to be around Rs 1 lakh-Rs 1.5 lakh.
In contrast, the business class fare ranges from Rs 2 lakh-Rs 2.3 lakh, while it costs Rs 4 lakh-Rs 4.5 lakh to fly first class.
"The four-class configuration, including the premium economy, will be offered in the evening flights that operate four times a week on Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sunday. The remaining seven flights will continue to offer three cabin classes until all aircraft in the fleet are retrofitted to feature the premium economy cabin," said Emirates vice-president (India & Nepal) Mohammad Sarhan.
Travel Agents Association of India chairman (East) Anjani Dhanuka said there was excitement among frequent flyers over the improved legroom and elevated dining experience with multi-course meals that the premium economy will offer. "Passengers will also get generous checked-in baggage allowance of 35kg and a further 10kg of carry-on baggage," he said.
