Review: 21 Hours In Etihad Business Class (Part 1) – Phuket To Abu Dhabi On A 787 Dreamliner

Back in the pre-pandemic times, my Mom and I booked a trip on the ridiculous Etihad First Class Apartments during my whirlwind retirement victory lap, which was scheduled to happen in Fall 2020. We couldn’t imagine having an entire bed and couch to ourselves…at 35,000 feet. Wild.

Well, as you can guess, that wasn’t meant to be. The points we saved were returned to our account (though it was a struggle, I’ll get into that later) and the flight was understandably cancelled. In addition, Etihad actually grounded the A380s that housed these apartments so they’re not even an option anymore.

Two years later when the world started opening up, we learned that we still needed to use these points or they would expire, so we set out to use them and instead booked this flight in Etihad’s Business Class (for the same amount of points we used to book the First Class Apartments, but don’t even get me started on that 🙂 ).

It was my first time flying with an airline I had heard so many positive things about so regardless of the changes in plans, I was excited to embark on this trip. Let’s see how it went!

PRE-FLIGHT

Customer Service

So since we were trying to get points back and then book a trip during a pandemic, changes abound 🙂 . And similar to our experience with Singapore Airlines, these changes let us really test the strength of the airline’s customer service team…usually to disappointing results.

As I alluded, when our original flight was cancelled in 2020, it was a whole process to get our points back. Basically it was almost impossible to get someone on the phone to tell us why we hadn’t received our points back.

The call wouldn’t go through or when it did go through and we got a hold of someone they said they would call us back – and then didn’t. It took a few tries of this tiring process to finally get back the points…that we already owned. Yay?

Then months and months later after we had successfully booked the trip I’ll detail below, I awakened to a 3am email that stopped by heart: “Your Etihad Flight Has Been Cancelled.” Understandably not the kind of news I wanted to see when I was slowly awakening from a sweet slumber 🙂 .

After once again trying to engage the customer service team, but we luckily uncovered that the email was sent on accident…WOW.

There's nothing like waking up to an email that your flights from Asia (booked w/ points) are cancelled & there are no other flights available to get the blood pumping✈️. (It now looks like they sent the email in error, which must be so fun for the customer service team🤦🏾‍♀️…) pic.twitter.com/CCxwAaounb

— A Purple Life (@APurpleLifeBlog) January 11, 2022

However, the fun didn’t stop there. We learned that our flights weren’t cancelled, but that we were put on another flight and we could not see that flight on their own app and could not select our seats. Customer service told us that we could pick seats after the new tickets were issued after 48 hours, but a week later….nothing had happened.

Hi there, thanks for your message. Please send us a private message with your booking reference and I will be happy to assist you. *Ikrahttps://t.co/WVAeTad9lm

— Etihad Help (@EtihadHelp) January 11, 2022

Frustrated with the phone customer service team, I took to Twitter and asked @EtihadHelp for assistance. I was happy to discover that they were indeed helpful! After some back and forth over a 12 hour period (which really isn’t bad given the time difference), our ticket was confirmed with the help of the Twitter team and we booked our seats. We discovered that we were lucky there were seats left at all since our two window seats were the only ones of its kind remaining, and this was months before take off.

Anyway, all was resolved until we stumbled upon information after arriving in Thailand, that Etihad requires all passengers on all flights to present a negative PCR test to board the aircraft…and we were never told about this. An email would have sufficed guys 🙂 . So thanks to my Mom’s accidental detective work, we were able to make that happen and board our flight, but wow they sure didn’t make it easy.

However, after our experience with Singapore, I suspected that we might have a similar experience: the ground customer service being garbage (except for the Twitter team in this case – thank y’all!) and then being wowed by the actual in person service. Based on everything I’d heard, Etihad was a top class airline with amazing service. So let’s see if it lives up to the hype 🙂 .

PHUKET AIRPORT

Check In

We arrived at the Phuket Airport and walked to the Etihad check in line. They had a separate line for Business Class that was completely empty so we walked right up to the agent and was checked in. They asked to see:

1. Passport
2. PCR Negative Test Result

Then they checked our bags and we were on our way to the next step. This was a lot smoother process than when we checked into Singapore Air in the states, but that’s understandable since they had to check 2 easily confirmed documents instead of about 5 that were not as easily validated.

Security

We proceeded to Passport Control where they checked – you guessed it 🙂 – our passport and ticket. Then we were directed to an immigration line. They checked our passport, ticket and then took the immigration form we filled out when we landed a month prior. Then they took our fingerprints and picture sans mask and glasses.

Then we were directed to actual security. There was just one line for everyone and interestingly, in addition to the usual request to remove liquids and electronics (including Kindles) from our bags, they also asked us to remove power banks specifically, which I own, but have never taken out before. New experience!

The Lounge

When we checked in, the agent gave us vouchers to the Coral Executive Lounge, which was a bit of a let down 🙂 . While it was very close to our gate (yay!) it was also small and pretty packed. They didn’t have a good selection of food, some beer on tap and wine upon request, but I wasn’t hungry after cleaning out our Airbnb fridge before we left. However, the lounge did have free wifi and bathrooms, which was nice. Before we knew it, an hour had passed and our gate was about to board.

THE JOURNEY

Flights Details

• When: March 2022
• Where: Phuket to Abu Dhabi
• Flight: EY 431
• Flight Time: 6h 14mins
• Seat: 10K (Business Class)
• Distance: 3,118 miles
• Points Used: 125,000 points (Flight 1/2 – AKA this is the total amount of points we used to get from Thailand to NYC and this was the first flight of two)

Boarding

Our flight started boarding about an hour before takeoff and we rolled up at that time and were gestured right through. There was barely a line and they just checked our tickets. Then we went down a ramp where attendants checked our tickets again (they’re sure thorough!) before we were directed to the plane.

The Flight

I settled into my seat and a flight attendant asked if I would like champagne for takeoff, which I accepted 🙂 . This was my first takeoff champagne since at least 2018, so it tasted especially good, but that also might have been because it was Duval Leroy Brut, which goes for $50 a bottle 😉 .

The flight attendants then came around and asked us by name for our dinner orders. While getting used to my seat, I pulled out the provided over-ear headphones and discovered they made a loud crackling noise when plugged in. Strangely, my Mom’s headphones did the same thing, but no one else seemed to have this problem. We flagged down an attendant and they seemingly instantly gave us other headphones – impressive 🙂 .

I then opened my amenity and wellness kit, which was pretty exciting. It was a full kit unlike the one we had received on Singapore Air and included things like an eye mask and socks (with grips on the bottom!) I was very excited for this full kit because it turned out that I had accidentally packed my lovely Bombas socks and was appreciative of these replacements.

As for the wellness kit, it was great to have these extra items and I wasn’t expecting that they would even come in handy after the flight, but that has been the case! I’ve been using this gaiter they provided for cold weather running and it’s been awesome 🙂 .

I then started rewatching the surprisingly good and ridiculous Godzilla vs Kong and discovered a few interesting things about our seats. One was that my Mom’s seat (9H) didn’t have a window. I was shocked and dismayed to learn this since I had checked my beloved SeatGuru and the Etihad website thoroughly.

Both usually point out when a seat is missing a window, but this did not. Fortunately, this was a night flight and the shorter of our legs to get home, so my Mom wouldn’t miss much, but it was still disappointing.

Also a heads up that this cabin configuration is unlike any I’ve seen before – half of the Business Class seats face backwards from the cockpit, specifically the odd numbered rows.

The even numbered rows face forward, are closer to the window and have a console between the seat and the aisle for additional privacy. The odd numbers are the opposite – there is a console before the seat and the window and the seat is directly next to the aisle, though it does have a privacy screen you can pull for additional separation from others.

We also learned that the in-flight entertainment system allowed us to type chat messages between seats, which was cool! In addition, the seat has a massage chair setting and you can change the seat firmness on a screen above your console. Super cool 🙂 .

Anyway, in preparation for takeoff, an attendant came by and put my backpack in an overhead bin. There was room for it under the foot well, but they didn’t want anything on the floor. So I snuggled into my (super soft!) blanket they provided, tried to get comfortable on the surprisingly not comfy seat, and watched my movie.

After a smooth take off, the attendants came around with the meal service and it was all DELICIOUS! I was impressed with how well the meat was cooked and how flavorful everything was. The only letdown here was that their “warm bread” was quite cold and hard – I sadly ended up not eating it.

An attendant came around once and tried to take my plates while I was still eating, but I said I was still eating and they went away for a bit. Then when I was actually done, 🙂 my plate was quickly cleared and I drifted to sleep for a while.

When I awakened, I used the bathroom at the front of the cabin, which felt fancy and like a ‘real’ bathroom instead of one on an airplane. It also impressively looked like it was cleaned between every person that used it.

I went back to my seat and watched a movie until I drifted to sleep again and before I knew it, we’d landed.

THE REVIEW

So that’s what happened, but now let’s get into the actual review portion and what I thought of the experience 🙂 .

Seat

As I mentioned, the seat was unfortunately not comfortable – in any configuration. It was really weird 🙂 . In an upright position it felt too short to be comfortable (and I’m not particularly tall. I imagine this is worse for the taller of us). It helped a little to change the seat firmness to soft, but not a lot.

Then when I put the seat in lie-flat mode, I couldn’t get comfortable either. Laying on my back felt like my waist was higher than my head and feet, which was a weird sensation. Moving to my side didn’t give enough room for my (once again not that tall) knees to fall into the seat. And finally, a semi-reclined position didn’t give you anywhere to comfortably rest your legs because of a strange lip on either side of the seat and the obvious gap between the bottom of the seat and the foot well.

Overall, the seat was about as comfortable as an economy one, though it obviously lies down more than economy would. I would liken it to a worse version of an American international carrier’s less impressive business class, such as Delta One instead of an international business carrier that is known for more comfortable seats.

And as I already mentioned, seat 9H not having a window or any previous indication that was the case, was a disappointment. My Mom also mentioned that flying backwards felt really weird so heads up if you do choose one of those odd numbered row seats. If you are to fly this product, I would recommend an even row window not just to fly forward, but also because even rows have 3 windows to odd rows 1 (or 0 for 9H) as well as additional privacy because of the location of the console.

Customer Service

As I mentioned, the pre-flight customer service was garbage with the exception of the Twitter team (good job!) Etihad’s startling and incorrect email and lack of communication for something as important as a pre-trip PCR test was also disappointing.

The check in counter, lounge and gate agents were wonderful. On the flight, the crew was perfectly fine with the exception of being a little rushed and trying to take my food before I was done. Their service was helpful and adequate, but not above and beyond. For example, I was never checked on throughout the flight, which wasn’t a big deal, but as you’ll see on my next Etihad flight, can be a lovely part of the experience.

Food

As I mentioned, the food was delicious and with the exception of the hard bread, I was very impressed with what we were served. The meal was so filling I couldn’t finish all of it despite not having eaten for a while before.

In-Flight Entertainment

After the headphone crackling incident was resolved, I was sad to learn that the headphones were not at all comfortable. On my previous international fancy class flights, we were given Bose noise cancelling headphones, which are some of my favorites on the market. These headphones in comparison did not have a lot of cushion, were uncomfortable to wear for the duration of the flight, and overall felt like cheap imitations.

However, I was impressed with the giant TV in front of the seat and the fact that it was a touchscreen while also having a remote in case you didn’t want to lean all the way forward to the TV. There was also an additional small monitor that was used to control the seat firmness, massage settings and lights, which was cool.

As for the movies available, I think Singapore Air spoiled me because instead of seeing more movies than I could watch in a week’s time, Etihad had a very reasonable number of movies. I did have enough to watch to pass the time well, but it wasn’t an abundance of choices compared to that Singapore flight. Singapore Air might have set that bar too high 🙂 .

CONCLUSION

In general, I was a bit confused with praise for this airline and I think my expectations were too high. The service was overall fine with a few highs and a few lows and the seat and headphones were uncomfortable while the food was delicious and the in-flight entertainment was fine.

I left this flight thinking that our original plan to go on the Etihad First Class Apartments would have been a bit of a letdown and concluded that even if they bring the A380s out of retirement, that I won’t pursue that experience. The more you know!

Next week, I’ll dive into my experience on the 14+ hour flight from Abu Dhabi to NYC and the wonderful Etihad Business Class Lounge as well as my first experience going through US customs before reaching the US. See you then!

What was a surprising flight experience you’ve had?