[Click above for the video review.]
Note: Apologies about the poor lighting. This was a night flight and Etihad keeps their cabin very dark for passengers to maximize on sleep.
- Flight: EY876
- Route: AUH-ICN
- Equipment: Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner
- Registration: A6-BLL
- Cabin: Business Class
- Seat: 5H (Rear Facing)
Overall Impression:
I must admit, it’s been a while since we’ve flown Etihad (EY) since we’ve been flying Qatar Airways (QR) a lot lately and I’ve forgotten what it’s like to fly QR’s rival, EY. They have a modern fleet of airplanes including the Boeing 787 Dreamliner and Airbus A380. Their premium seats are comfortable the food delicious, and the service good. They also have an awesome IFE system with tons of content.
That being said, I can’t help to compare them with their rival Qatar Airways and sadly that’s where Etihad falls short in terms of onboard service and lounge experience. Qatar is just better overall, but that’s just my opinion.
Etihad Business Studio vs Qatar Airways QSuite
Etihad still offers an excellent business class product, and this flight was no different. It was a very comfortable 8 hour flight across Asia to Seoul.
Let me know what you think about Etihad vs Qatar’s business class products down in the comment section below.
What I liked:
The airplane – I love the Dreamliner as much as the Airbus A350, so it’s always a nice treat to fly the 787. It’s such a beautiful plane. I love the dimmable windows and the fact that the cabin pressure is lower than the usual jetliner with helps your body fight the effects of jetlag.
The Seats – are very private and spacious. It reminds me of Qatar’s Qsuite seats minus the sliding door. The seat reclines all the way flat, and and a full-size pillow and duvet are provided.
The Food – Onboard catering was awesome. Notably, I loved the Arabic Mezze, Korean Bibimbap and steak sandwich.
The IFE – Etihad’s eBOX entertainment system was intuitive, responsive, and offers plenty of movie, TV, music, games, and other content to keep you busy during the flight.
The Amenity Kit – I really like the new Acqua di Parma leather amenity kit. The pouch is of very good quality. Don’t ask me about the contents. I decided to save it for later. 😉
What I didn’t like:
The boarding area in AUH – Abu Dhabi International is a rather compact airport compared to Dubai and Doha’s Hamad International. The airport is beautifully decorated with middle eastern touches, but their boarding areas are rather cramped, which made boarding the flight a bit chaotic, as passengers bum rushed the gate as soon as boarding was called.
It was OK…I guess:
The Etihad Premium Lounge – The Etihad Premium Lounge in Abu Dhabi features plenty of seating and food options, though I feel Qatar offers a much better lounge experience for their premium passengers in their home airport.
The Onboard service – We were offered a pre-departure beverage and towels upon boarding and all our requests were attended to, however I couldn’t help but notice that the flight attendants were a bit robotic. They were efficient and good in delivering service, but I’m not sure if they were mad or disgruntled. I would always thank them for bringing me my meals and beverage, but they never responded. 
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