Today, we’ll be reviewing the business class experience on Etihad’s Boeing 787 Dreamliner,
flying on one of the airline’s flagship routes, from Abu Dhabi to London. Taken
in late October 2022, our reviewer in this video was a guest of Etihad.
The flight taken was one of four daily flights operated by the airline - which can have a
duration of anywhere between seven to seven and a half hours. While the review covers a
flight taken on the 787-9, the carrier also deploys other aircraft to London,
including the Boeing 787-10 and Airbus A350-1000.
Let’s start with the experienc on the ground.
Before our reviewer made their way to the gate at Abu Dhabi International Airport,
they made sure to take some time to visit Etihad’s business class lounge,
which was only a short hop away from the gate in Terminal 3.
A heads-up - we wouldn’t suggest taking photos of the lounge from the outside
since a security guard wasn’t comfortable with our traveler taking the this photo with their
phone and asked a series of questions before calling a colleague to give the green light!
Nonetheless, once inside the lounge, it was peaceful and quiet. As a nice bonus,
the staff inside were more than willing to accommodate us in the pursuit of conducting a
trip review. A lounge review will eventually be found on SimpleFlying.com, but for now,
we’ll show these photos and proceed to the next stage: Boarding the aircraft.
After going through a rigorous second security screening at the gate, we endeavored to pass
through the heavily congested seating area that was blocking the boarding gates.
There was a slow-moving line, even for business passengers. The economy line was moving faster
than the business one as there was only one agent dealing with the business passengers,
causing a hold-up whenever there were queries.
Getting through the scanning of boarding passes, we arrived at the jetbridge,
which was a little congested. We steadily walked through the bridge to board the widebody,
and the vibe just felt much better once stepping aboard the Dreamliner. We were pleasantly welcomed
by flight attendant Sarah, who was leading the business cabin that day. She proudly
informed our reviewer that she was from Italy and would be taking care of them during the flight.
Our reviewer’s initial reaction was that there was plenty of room on offer,
and it was easy to move around and pass by other passengers and flight attendants
with the 1-2-1 configuration - even when stowing luggage and preparing the seat.
As soon as we were settled, a choice of beverage was offered. The first choice was the cold lemon
and mint drink that the crew cited as the airline’s signature. Our flight reviewer
calls it the quote “most refreshing and delicious beverage I’ve had on an aircraft”! The balance of
zest and sweetness got the onboard experience off to a great start, and so it’s highly recommended!
As for flight specifics, we were traveling on Etihad Flight EY25, operated by the
aircraft registered as A6-BLQ, a 787-9 that joined Etihad’s fleet in September 2017.
While the plane was slightly older than the A350,
it still felt new and modern. After all, it was only produced five years ago!
The aircraft left Abu Dhabi at 10:38 local time two minutes ahead of schedule. After October 30th,
the airline adjusts this service to depart 30 minutes later, at 11:10.
In preparation for takeoff, the flight attendants made sure that there were no glasses or other
items wobbling about when departing. Overall, the taxi and takeoff experience was smooth,
offering a fantastic view of the coast when heading out to the sea.
Prior
to takeoff, the cabin crew offered a choice of either having food service
soon after departure or waiting until later.
Well, our traveler was keen to eat first so that they could
sit back and catch some rest soon afterwards.
So, once at cruising altitude, the first meal was served on the tray that pulls out
from the side panel that’s near adjacent to the inflight entertainment screen.
It’s important to note that our reviewer on this trip is gluten intolerant. As a result,
their food offering would be different from that of the standard menu.
Our traveler has had some hit-and-miss experiences in this field over the years,
with some airlines unsure what to provide while others put in minimal effort.
Thankfully, on this flight, Etihad’s offering turned out to be on the better
end of the scale. The salad starter was accompanied by a nice portion of hummus.
For the main course, the serving was chicken, vegetables, and boiled potatoes. Admittedly,
the chicken was a little dry at first. Still, it was nothing a little Tabasco sauce couldn’t fix,
which was soon handed out with a little mustard.
Sarah explained that the team usually offers bread with the main meal,
but there was no alternative option on this particular flight.
The red wine accompanied the chicken well and there was
also a white dessert wine to round off the meal.
Now was the time to appreciate the seating. The warm accents along the cabin are complemented
by mood lighting, especially in the form of the locally inspired side lamp. This lamp provides
several different strengths of lightning at the touch of a button and can also be
fully turned off. No matter which tone is set, it’s not too overpowering for fellow guests.
We used the lamp to provide ample light to see what was in the bags that were placed on the desk.
There’s a post-COVID travel kit that consists of alcohol gel, two wipes, and a face mask.
We were more interested to inspect the contents of the bright yellow Acqua di
Parma amenity kit. The Italian lifestyle and fashion company is a great fit, but there are
only two small products of the brand inside the pouch - a moisturizing cream and a spray sample.
These were accompanied by an eye mask and dental kit.
Having had a good look at these little extras offered by the airline,
our reviewer stowed all the items in the side storage bin where the headphones were found.
These headphones were plugged under the opening of the storage unit, meaning that there were no
uncomfortable wires to deal with over the body despite not being a wireless headset.
Soon enough it was time to get some rest during the lengthy service. To do this,
the seat was swiftly converted into lie-flat mode with the touch of a button via the side controls.
To be honest, the screen is a little far away when lying flat, but this problem is solved by
the touch-responsive controls This was probably the easiest-to-navigate controller the traveler
had dealt with when flying, as the rest are far too fidgety. WIth this particular device,
it was easy to choose, pause, and mute the content that was being viewed.
After getting a little sleepy, our traveler dimmed those famous
787 electronic windows that can be adjusted by the buttons underneath.
The windows soon blacked out, and sleep came fast listening to Phil
Collins’ greatest hits via the IFE. With our traveler not being too tall,
the length of the lie-flat seat felt as long as a bed at home. There was also
plenty of shoulder room for turning to get into the right position for a proper nap.
Moving on to the final approach, a final meal service was offered about an hour before landing.
Unfortunately, the salad for this meal was a little underwhelming as the cuisine on a previous
Etihad flight was slightly more quote-unquote “action-packed”, as you can see in this photo
here. This undoubtedly would come down to different catering firms handling meals,
as the better salad was experienced on a flight departing Heathrow.
But, moving on, the approach and landing was as smooth as ever, and we were excited to
catch a glimpse of a former British Airways Concorde after touching down at Heathrow.
EY25 landed at 15:08 local time - two minutes before its scheduled arrival of 15:10!
Well, aside from that underwhelming salad, we can’t imagine many better ways to spend
seven and a half hours flying across the Middle Eastern and European skies.
The flight was fantastic - even if the Dreamliner business seat lacked the
same level of privacy found on the Etihad A350, which includes tall sliding doors.
All in all, it was a significantly relaxing time
that was topped off by attentive service from Sarah and her team.
As we conclude this review, it’s worth noting that there are advancements being made to the
Etihad soft product in business class, following the airline’s partnership with Armani.
We’ve already seen glimpses of what it’s like for the UAE carrier to collaborate with
Italian fashion houses, and this new initiative should make for an interesting on board product!
What are your thoughts about Etihad’s Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner business class?
Have you been lucky enough to experience this cabin for yourself? Let us know what
you think of the aircraft, the airline, and this offering, by leaving a comment!