Beyond Emirates’ “first electrically powered premium economy” claim: is it a good seat, and is all this a good idea?

Emirates’ incorrect claim to be “first” with electric actuation might overshadow more important questions about whether this type of seat — and vertical privacy dividers — make sense in premium economy

By John Walton 9 min read
Seat mockup. A man and woman sit in beige premium economy seats. She is reclined, he is working on a laptop. A privacy divider is between them.

Is Emirates’ new premium economy seat the first to be electrically powered, as it claims? No. I know: I was in Toulouse when the first ones were delivered to Japan Airlines in late 2023.

Here’s exactly what Emirates is claiming, from its LinkedIn:

“Emirates is introducing the world’s first electrically powered Premium Economy seat, featuring a full-height adjustable privacy screen between every seat.”

To check that this wasn’t just some social team wording snafu, I looked at the full press release:

“Emirates is elevating the award-winning Premium Economy experience even further with the launch of the world’s first electrically powered Premium Economy seat, featuring a full-height adjustable privacy screen between every seat.”

But this is absolutely not the world’s first electrically powered premium economy seat.

JAL first showed off its A350-1000 electrically powered premium economy at Airbus in Toulouse on 13 December 2023, the date when I took this photo:

A red, black and grey premium economy cabin in 2-4-2 on an A350. It has a high privacy divider and an extra-extended one between the centre two seats of the middle quad.
You don’t have to look especially closely to see the electrically activated seat controls. Image: John Walton

This Safran-manufactured, tangerine-designed seat has been flying passengers since January 2024, inflatable airbag seatbelt (yikes) and all.

This “first” claim from Emirates, then, is disappointing to see, as is the extent to which the claim has been repeated, unchallenged.

Beyond that, Emirates’ claim it is the first premium economy seat to feature “a full-height adjustable privacy screen between every seat” is also debatable.

EmiratesPremium Economy ClassA350Safran Seats
John Walton

Editor in chief of The Up Front, with two decades of experience reporting across the global aviation industry, specialising in business and first class, seats, cabins and the passenger experience.