ETIHAD: Brings its best Business Class to Sydney and Melbourne

Etihad Airways has now rolled out its latest-generation Business Class suites on all services from Sydney and Melbourne to its base in Abu Dhabi. That consistency of product will be welcomed by Australian travellers.

In practical terms, that means no more ‘pot luck’ draw of older cabins. Book Business Class on these routes and you’ll now get Etihad’s newest hard product, every time. with consistent modern aircraft. This story comes to us via ET.

Sydney: Hello A350, ‘bye ageing 777s

For Sydney flyers, the biggest change is the arrival of Etihad’s Airbus A350-1000. These modern aircraft will replace the aging Boeing 777s.

The A350s have Etihad’s most modern Business Class suite and its a big improvement. Those 44 Business Suites onboard include:

• Sliding privacy doors
• 18.5-inch HD entertainment screens
• Bluetooth headphone pairing
• USB-C power and wireless charging

You also get some cabin noise reduction as the A350 itself is one of the quietest long-haul aircraft in the sky. That makes a real difference on overnight flights to Abu Dhabi and onwards to Europe.

The swap in aircraft also yields a 10% overall capacity increase and a 20% increase in premium cabin seating. That change reflects the post-pandemic shift toward premium cabins among baby boomers and others.

Melbourne: Dreamliner suites and more flights ahead

Melbourne will be getting Etihad’s upgraded Boeing 787-9, featuring 32 private Business Class suites. These are built for long-haul comfort, with the following features:

• Fully-flat 78-inch beds
• Sliding doors
• AC power, USB-A, USB-C and wireless charging
• Ultra 4K entertainment screens
• Bluetooth audio

The suites also come with more generous storage and a Wi-Fi system that supports streaming and live TV.

And ththat’s not all. Etihad plans double Melbourne flights to a twice-daily service in 18 months time, targeting the second half of 2027. That coincides when Etihad takes delivery of new Airbus A330neo aircraft which will free up more Dreamliners to put on the Melbourne route.

That increase in frequency means better schedule flexibility for customers.

Advantage Australian travellers

For Australians heading to Europe, the Middle East or Africa, Etihad’s Australian routes offer several advantages including an upgraded and consistent Business Class product, with Etihad providing strong onward connections from Abu Dhabi to a growing network of destinations. Etihad is aiming to reach more than a hundred destinations by the end of 2026.

2PAXfly Takeout

Consistency is a big advantage in aviation, especially in premium cabins. This move will give Etihad customers the predictability of cabin features that they have not had until now.

I’ve not had the experience of Etihad on any of these routes, so I don’tknow how they compare to the like of Emirates and Qatar, which I have flown. By reputation, this puts Etihad in fine company. With a great consistent product, and reasonable frequency, the deciding factor for passengers might be price. We will have to wait to see how competitive Etihad is on that front.