Shane Cullen reports on the Etihad flight from Dublin Airport to Abu Dhabi
I was actually delighted to travel in both economy and business classes with Etihad. Let’s face it, while we dream of flying up front, most of the time we are selling (and travelling) down the back. I was fortunate to be travelling in economy space (extra leg room) to Abu Dhabi. As you would expect, the experience onboard was very much a full-service offering.
Dreaming of a much better flying experience? It’s here!
A definite perk about the direct Abu Dhabi service is the flight is onboard a 787 Dreamliner. They no longer share the route with the older A330 aircraft. Since Etihad has only recently acquired this fleet of Dreamliners, it means passengers benefit from much larger windows with touch screen controls to dim the glass, cleaner air with a higher oxygen content to help keep you feeling fresh, USB ports to charge your phone/tablet. There is also state-of-the-art, touch screen, HD displays to enjoy the onboard entertainment. Far from PR spin by Boeing, it genuinely offers a much better flying experience and is much better for the environment – reducing your global footprint – the 787 is one of the most fuel-efficient aircraft on the market today.
Onboard Entertainment – Plenty to Watch or Read
Shortly after take-off, the attentive cabin crew served a drink of our choice with nibbles to settle into our 7-hour flight. Browsing the inflight entertainment system, it’s easy to see Etihad offers an excellent selection of new release movies as well as classics for every age. My daughters would be over the moon to see the full library of Harry Potter movies as well as some of the newer Disney offerings. My 3-year-old would be fully entertained with full seasons of PJ Masks and Paw Patrol meaning I would get to enjoy an uninterrupted Spiderman movie marathon or find something in the huge HBO Max TV catalogue on offer.
Alternatively, Etihad has an excellent selection of magazines via their eLibrary. Access from your in-seat touch screen or log in (for free) via your mobile or tablet (recommended). Publications on offer include Rolling Stone, GQ or Esquire. For those into fitness, there is Men’s Health, Women’s Health, and Women’s Fitness. Searching for adventure inspiration, check out National Geographic, Conde Nast Traveller or perhaps pure gossip with the latest Heat magazine.
Dining on the Dreamliner
Dining didn’t disappoint. Three dinner options were available. I enjoyed the chicken breast with spinach, garlic and sauteed potatoes with a pasta salad on the side. A Lily O’Brien salted caramel moose followed for dessert. Yum. A nice little touch was the fact you had proper cutlery. As Alex shared this is part of Etihad reducing single-use plastic on board. An added bonus of a more premium experience for economy class passengers.
After cleaning my plate and enjoying a cuppa tea (passed the decent tea test), I put on a film and drifted off till landed.
Shane Cullen is travelling on a four-day travel trade fam trip with Etihad Airways, Hyatt Hotels & Resorts and Abu Dhabi Tourist Board.
