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

Emirates and Safran Seats, a world-leading aircraft seating manufacturer, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to establish a manufacturing and seat assembly facility in Dubai.

The joint industrial cooperation, the first of its kind, will initially concentrate on Business and Economy Class seats for cabin retrofit projects, with plans to expand to line fit in the future. This state-of-the-art facility will bring capacity which will be available to serve Emirates and other customers of Safran Seats. This strategic move aims to bring Safran Seats' industry-leading expertise closer to Emirates' operations as well as to other airlines.

In creating this additional industrial capacity, it will seek to address the growing demand for aircraft seat manufacturing and incorporate further efficiencies using the latest technology in this field.

His Highness Sheikh Ahmed Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman and Chief Executive, Emirates Airline and Group said: "This agreement with Safran marks a pivotal and strategic cooperation that establishes Dubai as an aerospace manufacturing hub. We're bringing world-class seat production capabilities and supply chain to our doorstep, creating highly skilled jobs, and developing capabilities to support Emirates and produce seats for export to other carriers. The partnership will directly support our retrofit programme and the evolution of our onboard cabin interior requirements. 

Our goal is to further develop aerospace manufacturing to attract component suppliers, technology companies, and talented, skilled professionals from around the world. This initiative aligns perfectly with the D33 economic agenda, strengthening Dubai's position in a strategic industry while further diversifying our economy. The UAE has built one of the world's most successful aviation industries and now it’s time to build the manufacturing capabilities to match that success."

Olivier Andriès, CEO Safran said: "We deeply value our enduring partnership with Emirates and sincerely appreciate their confidence in partnering with us on this ambitious project. This initiative not only reinforces our shared commitment to operational excellence but also aligns with our industrial strategy as we adapt and prepare our business to support the current and future worldwide market ramp-up. We keep shaping the future of the aviation industry with innovation and resilience for the next generation of aircraft seating."

Safran has been a key partner in Emirates' fleet refurbishment efforts, supplying premium seating for the airline's retrofit programme and its new A350 fleet. The facility is the first step in building a broader aerospace manufacturing cluster in Dubai.

Emirates and Safran aim to have the facility completed by Q4 2027 bringing approximately 20,000- 25,000 Square Metres of industrial footprint. The ramp up will be in a phased approach, with the initial assembly of up to 1,000 Business Class seats per year.