When planning a trip to Japan to enjoy the cherry blossom season for the first time, it just so happened that time and again, Etihad’s business class was cheaper than all the other options by a significant margin. The ticket was just over $2000. The only catch is that it was an open-jaw booking into Kyoto and out of Bangkok. But while others saw that as an issue, I decided it was an opportunity to get massaged into putty over a long weekend on my way home. First though, it was time to try out Etihad’s business class offering for the first time in over a year. The seat was larger than I remember and service was really spectacular.
The business class seat on the Etihad Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner
While there is a divider between the seats so that you cannot put the beds together, they are very close and intimate. However, if you are traveling next to a stranger though (or get into a fight with your spouse mid-flight) you can raise the divider all the way up so you don’t see your seat partner. The footwell is large enough to provide some room to wiggle and I definitely didn’t feel like I was trapped as I do in some seats when I am trying to sleep.
The seats are comfortable when upright and in recline but the one issue I have is that every so often, you feel some sort of inflation or deflation hydraulic sensation. I think it has something to do with the fact with the cushion firmness adjustment setting not working properly and it was a bit annoying. I found it happening more when I was seated than in recline.
The seat features a handheld remote and screen to adjust the seat as well as Etihad’s signature reading light. The tray table is massive and was large enough to accommodate my 15-inch Macbook Air. Had I wanted to watch something on my iPad while I ate, the tray was large enough for that as well.
Soon after boarding, in addition to our pre-departure beverage, we were given a cute Acqua di Parma amenity kit which has some of the best smelling hand lotion I’ve ever smelled in it.
The food and drink on Etihad’s Brussels to Abu Dhabi flight
The menu on the six-hour flight was absolutely massive. I had the mezze which were fine but not outstanding, the chicken kabsa, and the molten chocolate cake. The cake is served with a vanilla sauce, but it’s so rich that actually much better with some ice cream, so I ordered some vanilla Haagen Dazs and was in dessert heaven. The presentation of all the dishes was particularly impressive too, something which I find lacking on many of the non-Gulf airlines in business class. On such a short flight, I only ate once but I will admit that the signature steak sandwich caught my eye about halfway through. There is always next time!
Even though it was an early 10:50 AM departure, I couldn’t pass up a glass of champagne when it was offered upon boarding. Etihad serves champagne from a new house called EPC, and while I was skeptical of a new brand, I was pleasantly surprised. It is very heavy on the brioche notes which is something that I really appreciate in a champagne. Oddly, it tasted even better in the air than it did on the ground, when I tried it in the lounge while on the layover. I guess this is a case of an airline sommelier doing a fine job. The rest of the wine list was large and varied but I stuck with the bubbles as I am wont to do on business class flights!
The service in Etihad’s business class cabin
The load factor was extremely low on the flight and business class was likely less than a quarter full. As such, it really gave the flight crew an opportunity to interact with each flyer. Whereas with some airlines, this would mean flight attendants sitting in the galley playing Candy Crush (I’m looking at you, US-based airlines!) but on this flight, it meant that each business class passenger received some of the most personalized service I’ve experienced on a flight in a long time. It reminded me of when Qatar Airways was at its peak and each business class flight attendant seemed like they could work first class for other airlines. Unfortunately, I have the feeling this was a one-off and less an indication of what most Etihad flights are like, but I suppose I will find out for sure on the flight back!
The bottom line
The flight from Brussels to Abu Dhabi was just over six hours but as with all the Gulf carriers, the flight supplied all the amenities of a much longer flight: a huge menu, an impressive wine list, and a hefty in-flight entertainment system. The great service was a tremendous bonus as well.
In terms of areas of improvement, it took a little while for the internet service to begin working properly, and a couple hours of the flight were behind us by the time it did.
The in-flight entertainment screen is a bit small compared to other flights I’ve been on lately, although the selection of movies and TV shows was huge! The live television option is great and I watched about an hour of CNN. You can even have a TV show or movie playing on mini screen next to the seat controls! I am not sure what most people would use it for but I enjoyed scanning the headlines while I was working.
At the price point, I was certainly willing to overlook these, especially because the closest competitors price-wise were not airlines like MIAT and EgyptAir that I would be willing to fly. Even though the return flights are red-eyes, I am quite looking forward to them.