Flying Etihad first class on an A380 is definitely one of my best flight experiences so far. The airline is based in Abu Dhabi and offers a so called apartment on the upper deck of the largest passenger aircraft in the world. Besides real in-flight chefs, Etihad also offers the possibility to take a shower on board! I was lucky to experience Etihad A380 first class during my trip to India in 2016.
Flight: Etihad Airways 204
Route: Abu Dhabi (AUH) – Mumbai (BOM)
Date: October 6, 2016
Depart: 2:10PM
Arrive: 7:20PM
Duration: 3h40min
Aircraft: Airbus A380-800
Class of service: First Class
At noon, I arrived at Abu Dhabi International Airport Terminal 3 where I was warmly welcomed at the Etihad First Class check-in desk. After I received my boarding pass, I could walk straight to fast-track security to move into the Etihad First Class lounge.
Etihad First Class Lounge Abu Dhabi
Once my boarding pass was scanned, I was kindly asked to leave my jacket and luggage in the wardrobe and I was personally shown around. It was nice and quiet in the lounge. Besides different types of seating and dining areas, the lounge also offers spa services such as massages.
After a short tour, I took a seat next to the window and soon a lounge employee came to me to ask if I wanted something to eat or drink. When he showed me a list of drinks, I decided to go for the Mumbai Cocktail to get into the Indian mood. The cocktail was served with warm nuts.
I mentioned to the lounge employee that I was not very hungry. However, I decided to choose a light meal.
I had a pleasant time in the lounge and after a while, it was time to board. Although it was not my first flight in Etihad First Class, I could not wait to see the so-called “private apartments” again. After a 10 minutes walk, I noticed that the boarding process had already started.
Etihad First Class Apartment
At the gate, I was kindly asked to show my boarding pass and my e-visa for India. Then, I boarded the plane through the first door. Once on board, I was warmly welcomed and a crew member accompanied me to my apartment. Just 2 of the 9 apartments were occupied during this flight.
In some apartments the seats are faced forward and in others they are placed backwards. I was seated in apartment 4K and I was flying forward. The apartments offer so much privacy that it feels like you don’t have any other passengers around you. This sets Etihad apart from other first class cabins such as Qatar Airways First Class and Thai Royal First that are offering much less privacy. The apartments can be fully closed.
I found a pillow on my seat and noticed there was a bench located right in front of the seat. The seat controls and minibar were located on the right side of the seat. Later on, a bag with pajamas and blanket were brought to me.
Pre departure service
Once seated, I immediately placed my seat in the massage position. Then, I was offered a glass of Bollinger La Grande Année 2005 champagne. This was served with a hot towel, a welcome letter and some dates.
A few moments later, an amenity kit was brought to me. In comparison with other first class amenity kits, I found this one to be very extensive. I found useful items such as an eye mask, toothbrush, airplane socks, ear plugs, a shaving pack and different kinds of lotions and shampoo.
After the entire crew introduced themselves to me I was treated to a delicious Arabic tea.
Later, the in-flight chef came to me to discuss the menu. A big difference with other airlines is that in addition to the flight attendants, Etihad also employs real chefs on board. This in-flight chef had won many culinary prizes in India and so I decided to choose an Indian menu that consisted of no less than six courses! What I also like about Etihad is that passengers can choose the time they want the meal to be brought to them during the flight.
Then, I was asked what I wanted to do during the flight. I said that after dinner I wanted to take a shower and then go to sleep. I could immediately notice that the crew was proactive.
Etihad A380 Take Off
The captain announced that the flight time to Mumbai would be a little over 3 hours. Once all passengers were on board, we taxied to the runway to get ready for take off. A nice detail is that you can follow the entire process on the large screen in front of you.
There is a camera on the tail of the aircraft. Taking off on an A380 remains something special. First, it is much quieter than other types of aircraft such as the Boeing 777 and secondly, it remains special that you are in the largest passenger aircraft in the world and go up in the air.
Another nice detail of the A380 is the double engine. From my seat at the upper deck, I had a fantastic view over the engines and the whole area around Abu Dhabi.
In Flight Dining Service
After take off, it didn’t take too long before my table was set up. The in-flight chef offered me an acidic strong drink with vodka which tasted very well.
The in-flight chef advised me not to drink too much of this strong drink or else it would interfere with the taste of the food. Also, bread with butter and olive oil was served.
It didn’t take too long before the following drink was served: Livio Felluga from Italy that turned out to be great in combination with the first course: Bunta.
The first course turned out to be great. I really enjoyed this Bunta dish. Later on, the second course was served and this was called Papdi Chaat.
In between the courses, I was regularly asked if it tasted good to me and if I was ready for the next course. After that, the following wine was already offered. This time I went for the Two Hands Angels Share wine from Australia.
This wine went perfectly together with the third course which consisted of chicken served with Tandoori Pudina Mint.
I liked that the in-flight chef explained the food in detail. At a certain point, it felt as if I was dining in a five-star restaurant rather than on a plane. Then, course number 4 was served.
Also this course was excellent! Later on, I was offered Chassagne-Montrachet, a tasty French white wine.
This wine went perfectly together with the fifth course.
After this delicious Indian meal, it was time for the dessert. I went for chocolate and strawberry ice, which tasted excellent.
Shower and turndown service
After this six-course menu, I decided to take a shower. Etihad is one of the fewer airlines that offers a shower on board to its first class passengers. That is really a very unique amenity considering the strict safety requirements. You are only given five minutes to take a shower. Besides a shower, the Etihad A380 also features a very spacious lavatory.
On the other side of the first class section, just before business class, there is a bar which is accessible for both business and first class passengers. However, the bar isn’t anything special, not the type of bar that Qatar Airways has on its A380. After the shower, it was time for a nap. As the apartment in front of me was not occupied, this one was converted into a sleeping cabin for me while I took a shower.
The wall between the 2 apartments can be partly moved away in order to make a twin bed. Although I was not sleeping, I had a nice time relaxing. The in-flight entertainment screen can be turned in order to watch tv from the bed. Later, I decided to have a look at the menu to order something to eat before landing into Mumbai.
A few moments later, the landing had started. I was able to watch the landing on the screen in front of me. I thanked the crew for the excellent service as I left the aircraft. Then, I walked to the immigration area where my passport was stamped and then searched for the free Etihad Guest driver service that brought me to my hotel.
Etihad A380 First Class Bottom Line
What a wonderful experience to fly Etihad first class on an A380! I definitely can see that Etihad has a much better first class product than its competitors like Qatar Airways. Etihad has a nice and comfortable first class lounge in Abu Dhabi with spa facilities and offers a great service here. The real experience is starting when you board the aircraft. Etihad A380 first class is different from other airlines in the sense that Etihad offers real private apartments onboard instead of just normal seats.
What I like about Etihad is that passengers can choose when during the flight their meal will be served. I was surprised that a 6 course meal was offered on such a relatively short flight. I also liked the presence of real in-flight chiefs onboard that explained the food in every single detail to me. The bar and taking a shower onboard made this one of the best first class flight experiences ever!
It has to be said that Etihad has downgraded the service over the last few years. In 2019, the Bollinger La Grande Année 2005 champagne is no longer offered aboard and also the food options have been slightly downgraded. Apart from that, I can highly recommend the A380 apartments as both Emirates and Qatar Airways are not offering such a good hard product and therefore I look forward to flying Etihad first class again in the future!
What’s your experience with Etihad? Have you flown them already or are you planning to make a flight with them in first class on the A380? Let me know your questions and thoughts in the comments below!
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