Flying Etihad A350 Business Class London to Abu Dhabi.

This week I had a very exciting week, as I was lucky enough to experience the business class product on Etihad’s newest and most sustainable airplane, the Etihad A350!

I was very kindly invited by Etihad to join the inaugural flight from London Heathrow to Abu Dhabi and share my experience of the new business class, and I had SUCH a great time and was so impressed (and as you’ll know from my airline reviews, I’m a very fussy traveller).

The Etihad pre-flight experience at London Heathrow

I arrived at Heathrow Terminal 3 about three hours before the flight was due to leave, and headed straight to the dedicated Etihad business class check-in desk.

I had to show my NHS vaccination certificate (if you’re unvaccinated you need to show a negative PCR test to board a plane to Abu Dhabi), and although I had a whopping 40kg of luggage allowance, my suitcase weighed a measly 10kg – I was actually pretty impressed with myself, as I’m a notorious over-packer and once took 65kg to Australia with me!

After getting through the fast-track security queue, I headed to the Qantas lounge which is available to Etihad business class passengers. It’s a fairly small lounge but has a very good restaurant with excellent food and service, and a bar which served a brilliant selection of Australian wines!

I have to be honest though, I got very teary and had a little sob when I heard all of the Australian accents around me – it’s now been over two years since I was last in Australia, so just the sound of Aussie accents everywhere made me miss my second home enormously.

Anyway, after dinner and a glass of fizz, I made my way over to the gate for boarding!

But before I tell you about my experience flying Etihad’s new business class, let me tell you why the A350 is so important and such an exciting aircraft…

Etihad A350’s Sustainability Commitment

Etihad are the very first UAE airline to take a fleet of A350s, and the new aircraft, named Sustainability50, carries a unique livery in recognition of the 50th anniversary of the federation of the UAE and Etihad’s commitment to net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.

Formed as a partnership between Etihad, Airbus and Rolls Royce in 2021, the Sustainability50 programme will see Etihad’s A350s used as flying testbeds of new initiatives, procedures and technologies to reduce carbon emissions, building on the learnings derived from Etihad’s similar Greenliner programme for the Boeing B787 aircraft type.

The Rolls-Royce Trent XWB-powered Airbus A350 is one of the most efficient aircraft types in the world, with 25% less fuel burn and CO2 emissions than previous-generation twin aisle aircraft.

Experiencing Etihad A350 Business Class

Stepping onto the plane I was shocked at how open and spacious the cabin felt compared to other business class cabins, and then I realised it was because there’s actually no bulk-head storage above the middle seats! I really loved this, and there was plenty of storage for everyone’s cabin luggage even without those centre bulk-heads.

My first impressions of the new business class seat is how classy it is design-wise. I loved the subtle colour-scheme, the soft lighting, and it even has sliding doors, providing a high level of privacy to each ‘Business Studio’.

Additionally, every seat faces forward with direct aisle access! The Business class seat, with a width of over 20”, also converts into a fully-flat bed of 79” in length. There are also a variety of storage options.

Noise-cancelling headphones and an 18.5” TV screen provide a cinematic experience to enjoy Etihad’s extensive inflight entertainment offering. The Business seats cleverly feature a built-in wireless charging dock (although my phone – a Google Pixel 2 – sadly wasn’t compatible), and Bluetooth headphone pairing. The amenity kit is a luxurious Acqua di Parma one, with generous-sized tubes.

Food on Etihad A350 Business Class

When it came to the food, I was really, really impressed. It was my first time flying Etihad Business class, and I absolutely loved the selection on offer. Etihad provide a carefully curated à la carte menu, and guests on longer flights (including this LHR to AUH one) can enjoy Etihad’s signature ‘dine anytime’ service which includes items ranging from lunch foods to breakfast foods and snacks.

As it was a red-eye flight and I was full of a horrid cold (I did do a PCR the day before the flight just to be sure, and thankfully it was negative!) I was planning to sleep for most of the journey, so I had just two courses instead of a full three. I started with the Arabic Mezze which was really delicious, and then enjoyed a very good Chicken Korma curry.

In-flight Guest Experience with Etihad A350 Business Class

The aircraft features Etihad’s newest cabin interior which is inspired by Abu Dhabi and is both more efficient and sustainable in design. Etihad is renowned for high-quality aircraft, and the A350 is filled with thoughtful design details providing exceptional comfort and enhanced privacy.

Etihad’s signature lighting design is inspired by the shadows cast by Abu Dhabi’s palm trees. The cabin lighting emulates natural ambient light and is designed to enhance the guest experience, provide an optimum environment for sleeping and reduce the effects of jetlag. The Airbus A350 also offers the quietest cabin experience for a wide-body aircraft.

Another feature to help reduce light pollution, and therefore jetlag, is the new dark-mode interface on the E-BOX inflight entertainment system. Mobile and Wi-Fi connectivity is also available throughout the aircraft.

Final Thoughts on Etihad’s A350 Business Class

The flight is a fairly short one (for me, anyway), so I managed to get a few hours of sleep after the dinner service, and arrived in Abu Dhabi refreshed and ready to do some shopping before lounging about by the pool for the rest of the day.

I really did love the new A350 business class, and was very impressed with the attentive service, subtle and classy seat design, and their commitment to improving the sustainability of the aircraft.