Last week I had a flight with Etihad’s 787-9 in Business Class. Read below why I think Etihad Business Class is one of the best Business Class Products in the sky and why it exceeded my expectations.
Ground Experience Abu Dhabi
My flight with Etihad departed from the new Terminal A in Abu Dhabi. This new terminal opened last November 2023 and is really spectacular. It’s open, feels welcoming and it’s build for future growth. Especially the waiting areas next to the gates are comfortable and big. You don’t feel claustrophobic and packed up together with other passengers, like in so many other airports.
Since I was flying business class, I could also access the Etihad Business Class Lounge. This new lounge is also very spacious; it spans over 3 floors and the lowest level hosts the buffet area with a good selection of food. All in all, this is a very pleasant space to spend a few hours while you’re waiting for your flight. Please look at my Youtube video in the link below to get a detailed impression of the new terminal A and lounge!
Etihad Business Class Seat & Cabin Configuration
Etihad is flying with several different 787-9 business class configurations; the herringbone configuration where the business class seats are placed under an angle, and a configuration where the even row seats are placed forwards and the uneven row seats backwards. This was the configuration I had and I picked seat 8A for my flight. The even row – window seats are definitely the best seats to pick if you’re traveling alone since these seats aren’t so close to the aisle.
The seats are very comfortable and even in a lie-flat position, they have plenty of space. In fact, I could stretch out very comfortably while I’m 6ft4. Also the leg-space isn’t extremely narrow so you could still move around a bit when lying down. A soft and fluffy Armani blanket is provided for extra comfort.
An amenity kit is provided and this contains all the products you could ask for; lip balsem, moisturizing cream, face mist, and of course the eye mask, ear plugs and toothpaste and toothbrush. I also like the amenity bag itself. Slippers are also handed out before take-off.
Meals
So how’s the food served in Etihad Business Class? This was actually the biggest surprise and exceeded my expectations. I started with an Arabic Mezze as appetizer and this was brilliant! Fresh and it really tasted very good. As main dish I picked shortribs and this was cooked to perfection. Both dishes were really good and I would be very happy to get this served in a Michelin recommended restaurant! Also worth noting is that you can pick from 3 appetizers and 4 main dishes – also here Etihad distinguishes themselves from a lot of other airlines.
For dessert, I picked the chocolate orange cake and Häagen-Dazs vanille ice cream and that was the perfect combination.
Until this flight, the Air France Business Class catering was one of my favorites but Etihad is now clearly part of that selection.
Entertainment Selection
Even though the latest movie selection, wasn’t that impressive, the entertainment selection did contain one big, pleasant surprise. I like to watch Formule 1 races and during my flight the British Grand Prix was being held. I already accepted the fact that I couldn’t watch this Grand Prix. However, the entertainment selection does provide some live sports broadcasts, and to my surprise, this included Formula 1 racing. So I was actually able to watch the Formula 1 race live from the plane. Pretty amazing and I was glad I was able to see that amazing race!
Conclusion
Etihad Business Class definitely exceeded my expectations. The hard product is very good, the service was very friendly, and the food was excellent. Flying out of Abu Dhabi’s new Terminal A, makes for a very pleasant ground experience without the big queues and frustrations that seems to be the new normal when flying from a lot of other airports these days. As a bonus I was able to watch a very exciting British Grand Prix live from the plane! All in all, I can strongly recommend flying Etihad’s Business Class. In fact, this might be my new favorite Business Class product!
Please also have a look at my Youtube video I made from this trip and please subscribe to the channel!
Also review my blog on what to do in Dubai & Abu Dhabi with kids:
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