Flying Etihad – Economy Class to Abu Dhabi

The Gulf carriers are said to be one of the best airlines in the world when it comes to service. Especially in Economy compared to other airlines. Of course I had tro try so let’s see how Etihad’s economy class holds up!

As much as I like flying European carriers, I thought it was time to shake things up and try other airlines. The one I always wanted to try was Etihad Airways. If you like trip report videos like me you probably have seen people talk about and fly their fantastic first and business class products. Honestly, I am far away from flying Etihad’s premium classes. Economy however was readily available and so I booked a trip to Abu Dhabi flying from Frankfurt. I had never been so it was a “catch two flies with one stone” trip.

I had heard many good things about their economy class product from friends and colleagues. The again I also had heard rumors that the service had been downgraded over the last couple of years. Boarding the plane in Frankfurt I was curious what would await me.

At the airport

Etihad uses Terminal 1 at Frankfurt airport. Check-in was quick and easy and so I headed to concourse C which is a bit of a walk. I arrived at the gate after security and passport control to have yet another control to be able to get seated in the gate area. Boarding started almost 80 minutes before departure, quite early compared when flying Lufthansa.

Boarding was quick since I was one of the first Economy class passengers allowed to board the plane. Since I took the earlier flight that day it was operated on a Boeing 787. The later flight would have been their Airbus A340 (which has ceased operations due to the COVID-19 situation). I settled into my seat in the second two last row by the window and listened to Etihad’s soothing boarding music while the plane started to fill up.

The thing that I like about Etihad is their cabin interior. Unlike other Gulf carriers, it has a muted and elegant color scheme. The sandy tones together with the turquoise in Economy makes for a relaxing experience. All sets have a special headrest that allows you to lean your against one side without getting close to your seat neighbor. A pillow and blanket were already waiting for me on my seat. All in all the look is more that of a boutique airline than of a mass airline.

The service

After take-off it only took 20 minutes before we were served our first round fo drinks. The service was swift and efficient. Nevertheless, I was starting to miss something. When the lunch service came only a few minutes later I realized where that feeling came from. I was surprised when my seat neighbors (a nice young couple who had traveled with Etihad many times) asked for two warm lunches instead of one. When I got my tray I knew why.

See, I’m used to Lufthansa’s full meal service. A warm meal, a salad, bread roll and cheese, and a dessert. The Etihad tray looked a bit lost with it’s frozen dinner style meal and a bread roll that I mistook for a dessert. Don’t get me wrong, the taste of the food was good. I would have expected more in terms of portion and variety. After lunch we were handed out a dessert in a plastic wrapper (this was when I realized that the other roll was actually a bread roll) and another drink.

Now here is the deal with Etihad’s Economy service. It was apparently reduced to save costs. Now you can buy more food through the entertainment system. Did I mind you might ask? Well, sort of. If I had flown a low-cost carrier I would have been fine with that. Etihad though gives off the vibe of a much higher class airline which they seem to be in their premium cabin but fail somewhat in Economy.

The same went somewhat for the crew serving us that day. They were nice. Professional. But somewhat distant. I couldn’t help but wonder if they really enjoyed their job….

The entertainment

What I did enjoy very much during the flight though was the entertainment system! It holds a ton of movies, tv-series and music. The interface is easy to use and the filter options and playlist function make the navigation so much easier. I was pleasently surprised that there was one of the newer seasons of Will&Grace available – considering the fact where I was heading to!

After 6 and a half hours we finally landed at Abu Dhabi International Airport. Embarkment was a bit chaotic but security was swift and friendly (unlike Dubai which can take up to an hour if you are unlucky). I picked up my bag, got some cash from the ATM, took a cab and headed into town for a week of sun in the sun!

My final thoughts

Now you might wonder, would I recommend flying Etihad? Yes and no. Their cabin is definitely comfortable and beautiful. Great entertainment system and the prices are competitive, especially when you fly on from Abu Dhabi to another location.. If you don’t mind the lack of food options and a standard service protocol, then you won’t be dissapointed.

Next time I’ll fly with them I’ll try their Business class product to see how this is holding up!

Let me know, have you flown Etihad and how did you like it?

Florian