Etihad Airways Business Class Airbus A350-1000 | Chicago to Abu Dhabi

Airline: Etihad Airways
Flight Number: EY150
Route: ORD-AUH
Class: Business Class
Aircraft: Airbus A350-1000 XWB
Registration: A6-XWF
Delivered: May 2020
Flight Duration: 13 Hours 10 Minutes
Distance: 7,276 Miles

Blogpost: https://travelingfoody.com/2023/02/03/etihad-airways-business-class-airbus-a350-1000-xwb-chicago-to-abu-dhabi/

Overall Impression:
Marhaba! It's been a while since we last flew on Etihad's business class, so we were excited to fly their long haul product again, not to mention their new business class seats with doors on the Airbus A350. I thought the flight was very good overall, with a few things that were a bit lacking compared to their competitors like Qatar Airways.

What I liked:
The seats - Etihad opted for the Collins Super Diamond seats with a sliding door as their business class seats on the Airbus A350. These seats are identical to British Airways' Club Suite seats, except for a few cosmetic touches like a wireless charging base. The seats are laid out in a 1-2-1 reverse herringbone configuration. As with most reverse herringbone configurations, the seat felt private and comfortable for sitting and lounging, although the footwell felt a bit constrained since it's under the tray table and IFE monitor. I ended up hitting my knees on the table a few times during the flight while the seat was in bed position, so taller people beware.

The Food - The in-flight catering out of Chicago was very good. The Arabic Mezze appetizer was good, though I still think Qatar does their mezze a little bit better. The tuna tataki appetizer was also delightful and beautifully presented. The roast chicken that I ordered for my main was juicy and delicious, while the Cajun prawns that my companion ordered were perfectly seasoned. The steak sandwich that we had mid-flight was probably the highlight of all the meals. The bread was soft, and the steak was perfectly cooked to a medium. The pre-landing breakfast was really nothing to write home about, but it was at decent. The cheese omelet was a bit bland, but at least it was still moist considering we've been in the air for almost 12 hours.

The IFE - Etihad's eBOX system was intuitive, responsive, and offers plenty of movie, TV, music, games, and other content to keep you busy during the flight. In-flight WIFI was also available on this flight, which cost $29.99 for 24 hours or 350MB. I tried out the WiFi and the speed was OK for web browsing, e-mail, and social media. Noise canceling headphones were provided to business class passengers, but I just ended up using my own wireless headset using my Bluetooth transmitter.

What I didn't like:
The Swissport Lounge in Chicago - Etihad doesn't have their own lounge in Chicago and instead uses the Swissport Lounge. Unfortunately, not only does this lounge get very crowded during peak times, but the food and beverage selection were also very sad.

Amenities - Etihad features a business class amenity kit with toiletries by Acqua di Parma. The pouch itself was pretty good quality, but I felt they skimped out on the contents. There was sample bottle of Acqua di Parma cologne, dental kit, and eyeshades and socks. There was no bottle of lotion or lip balm available in the kit. The business class lavatories though kept clean by the crew, did not offer any toiletries except for soap and hand sanitizer. A personal protection kit with hand sanitizer, gloves, and face mask were offered to all passengers. A pillow and duvet were provided to business class passengers along with a bottled water, but there was no mattress pad available on this flight. Etihad also does not offer pajamas in business class anymore.

The cabin temperature - The cabin temperature was a bit warm for me, and I ended up waking up sweaty.

It was OK...I guess:
The onboard service - The flight attendants working our side of the aisle were quick and efficient during the meal service. Pre-departure drinks and hot towels were offered to business class passengers. The meals and beverages were served beautifully and the crew were proactive in offering us drink refills during service. My only comment is I felt they were a bit cold and somewhat disinterested, it almost felt like they were being forced to work the flight. Sadly, no smiles were offered to us by the crew.

Bottom Line:
Etihad offers a very good Business Class product, with some misses. The seat, though not perfect was very comfortable and private for this 13-hour flight to Abu Dhabi. The food offering on this flight was also excellent. The crew also did a good job in delivering service, but seemed a bit unhappy. The business class amenities could also be improved as well. I don't mind the bare bones amenity kit so much, but at least they should stock the lavatories with toiletries like lotion if they don't intend to put on in the kit. Etihad should also provide their business class passengers with a mattress pad to get a more comfortable sleep, considering this was a very long flight.

Видео Etihad Airways Business Class Airbus A350-1000 | Chicago to Abu Dhabi канала travelingfoody