Emirates and Safran sign MoU to bring manufacturing and seat assembly unit to Dubai

Emirates Airline and Safran Seats have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to establish a manufacturing and seat assembly facility in Dubai, marking a strategic milestone in aviation collaboration. Key Highlights:

First-of-its-kind Facility:
- Will focus initially on Business and Economy Class seats for Emirates’ cabin retrofit projects.
- Future expansion planned for line-fit production to serve new aircraft deliveries.

Capacity & Scale:
- Industrial footprint of 20,000–25,000 sqm.
- Ramp-up to assemble up to 1,000 Business Class seats per year in phased stages.

Strategic Goals:
- Strengthen Dubai’s position as an aerospace manufacturing hub.
- Create highly skilled jobs and attract component suppliers and technology companies.
- Support Emirates’ retrofit program and produce seats for export to other airlines.

Leadership Statements:
- HH Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman & CEO of Emirates Airline & Group:
“This agreement establishes Dubai as an aerospace manufacturing hub… creating jobs and diversifying the economy.”

- Olivier Andriès, CEO of Safran:
“This initiative reinforces our shared commitment to operational excellence and prepares us for future market ramp-up”.

Timeline:
- Facility completion targeted for Q4 2027.
- Phased ramp-up to meet growing demand for aircraft seat manufacturing.

Why It Matters
This partnership not only supports Emirates’ fleet modernization but also positions Dubai as a global center for aerospace manufacturing, aligning with the UAE’s D33 economic agenda to diversify and strengthen strategic industries.