Photos: Etihad Unveils New Business Suites With Closing Doors
With the delivery of new Boeing 787 Dreamliners, the UAE-based airline reveals major upgrades, including privacy doors and new dining experience
Photo: Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, Business Class. Courtesy of Etihad Airways
Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, has revealed a revamped business class for its new Boeing 787 Dreamliners.
The new cabin will feature a new rendition of the Elements seats, previously unveiled in the Airbus A350 cabins. With an added privacy door and a height increase, the seats offer ample privacy to travelers flying onboard. All of the new cabin updates are set to debut in Q3, along with the delivery of the new Dreamliners.
Etihad Airways Greenliner / Photo: Courtesy of Etihad Airways
“Etihad’s new 787 Dreamliner cabin interior showcases further enhancements to our award-winning and industry-renowned cabins,” said Antonoaldo Neves, Chief Executive Officer of Etihad Airways. “Our new Business class takes the guest experience to new heights with the second evolution of the Business Studio which was launched on the Airbus A350-1000 last year.”
Business Class Seat Details
Each of the 32 Business seats will be placed in a 1-2-1 configuration and offer direct aisle access to all passengers. In addition, the seats will all fully recline to a lie-flat bed and receive a complete technology upgrade, thanks to the new Rave Ultra 4K TV screens.
Photo: Courtesy of Etihad Airways
Bluetooth headphone pairing capabilities, wireless charging, the ability to pair personal phones and tablets to the screen as a remote will also be part of the new onboard experience.
Furthermore, all of Etihad’s 787 Dreamliners will also use a new Wifi technology from Viasat. It will allow passengers onboard to have high-speed wifi and streaming capabilities. In addition, it will enable passengers to watch Live TV, such as news and sports channels.
Photo: Courtesy of Etihad Airways
The Business Class experience also showcases Etihad’s partnership with Armani Casa. The partnership, announced earlier this year, features new bedding, cutlery, and glassware designed in conjunction with the brand for Etihad. According to the airline, the new collaboration has been rolled out in all their Business class cabins.
Upgraded Economy Experience
Aside from the elevated Business Class experience, Etihad plans to revamp its economy cabin. All 271 seats are lighter than the current fleet, making them more fuel efficient. In addition, the new design will create increased space and feature a 13-inch 4K touchscreen monitor along with USB ports for charging.
Photo: Courtesy of Etihad Airways
Most notably, Etihad’s new economy dining service is making strides in the brand’s goals to be more sustainable. The airline removes single-use plastic from the onboard experience by incorporating a closed-loop recycling system.
Neves also mentioned that this year is about UAE-based carriers’ evolution. He says, “This year is about growth for Etihad—as well as enhancing our guest experience and adding aircraft to our fleet, we’ve announced new routes to our network, including Kolkata last month, Lisbon, Malaga, and Mykonos this summer, and Copenhagen, and Dusseldorf in the fourth quarter.”
Photo: Courtesy of Etihad Airways
With the addition of the new routes, the airline’s network will expand to 66 cities across the globe. The airline also intends to reach net zero emissions by 2050.
