Etihad Airways – First class
The plane
Boeing 777-300ER flying Frankfurt to Dubai
The seat
The First class suite on Etihad Airways’ 777 aircraft is not the latest and greatest product which has been rolled out on the carrier’s latest 787 and A380 aircraft — but you’d be hard pressed to find fault with it. Each seat in the First class cabin provides a haven of privacy, with a sliding door which can be closed when you want some alone time. The seats are arranged in a 1-2-1 configuration and couples travelling together can select the inner suites to sit together. Of course the seats recline to a fully flat bed, but when not snoozing they are wide and comfortable with a large TV and ottoman. There is lots of room to spread out, with a large table and also a side bench ideal for a laptop — and even a mini bar complete with snacks — not that you really need them given the highly attentive crew.
Entertainment
A large flat screen at the end of the suite is controlled from a hand-held device which sits in a compartment alongside all of the connections for USB devices, power and so forth. Noise-cancelling headphones are provided. The IFE content is the same throughout the aircraft and included a good selection of old favourites alongside new release blockbusters.
Service and food
You would always expect First class service to be exceptional, and this was definitely the case on this flight. The crew were friendly and professional, with several flight attendants introducing themselves and explaining the features of the cabin and the flight service. Etihad offers a full a-la-carte meal service in first class, with a menu of high quality dishes as well as options allowing passengers to design their own dish from a selection of “signature grills” and side dishes.
