Review: Etihad A330 Business class - Dublin to Abu Dhabi
After a great time at the lounge and head back home. Getting done with dinner at the lounge was both a good and a bad idea! But we'll get to that in a bit. I was quite looking forward to this flight - not just because I was going home, but it gave me the opportunity to experience (again) and review (for the first time) Etihad's A330 business class.
EY48 | 7h 50m | 3,696 miles | A330 Business Class
The boarding gates were a short walk from the lounge. Boarding for business class was through door 1L up front.
And here's a picture of seat 10H. As you can see, it is a lot easier to get into with that space between the aisle and the seat shell. However, this is nowhere close to the window, nor does it offer the privacy of a true window seat.
The seat itself is perfectly fine, and is the standard business class lie flat seat that Etihad has on its long haul aircraft (other than on the A380). [Confession time: I cannot sleep well on a fully flat bed / seat! I need some elevation for my head and neck, more that what a pillow (certainly an airline pillow) can provide.]
The seat controls are located on the side panel of the armrest, as is the remote control unit that covers everything else such as attendant call, lighting, seat calls, and even the TV, which is in any event a touch-screen TV.
Next to the magazines rack, there's a separate space for a bottle of water, and also a place to keep small personal belongings, though the latter is not covered or secure. This is a downside of the proper window seat. On the offset window seats, this holder is on the other side (ie by the window) making it much more secure.
Instead, one could use the compartment under the armrest, which is a lot less easy to access from the aisle.
On the panel (behind the seat in front) is also a power outlet and a USB port, in addition to an ethernet port! I was able to put the power and USB ports to good use during this flight, so I know it works!
I did find it a bit strange that there was a fairly large gap between the seats and the cabin walls. Here's a look at the gap, and you can see straight to the very front of the cabin.
My guess is that the dimensions of the aircraft interiors were probably a little poorly considered, keeping in mind the dimensions of the seat (along with the overall shell that comes with it). However, I leave that to my betters.
I also noticed the absence of overhead bins in the middle of the cabin - the only ones were above the window seats. Reminded me of Qatar's A350 that was on display at the India Aviation 2015 show.
I also asked if they had champagne, which was promptly acknowledged and brought across. It would later turn out to be my only drink on this flight.
Soon it was time to push back, this bright and clear evening.
Menus had been handed over for both drinks and dinner. Here they are.
I'd had a rather good dinner at the lounge, and so decided to skip another meal on the flight.
Halfway into the dinner service, the mood lighting was turned up to a mid-level...
...and completely so in about 30 minutes after that.
Soon it was time to straighten out our seats, stow our tray tables, seatbelts on and window shades open.
Touchdown! We were bussed to the terminal, and I had to kill 90 or so minutes before my next flight - the last one on this trip - back home.
I would now spend some time at the Etihad Business Class lounge at AUH. I could've well used the First Class Lounge & Spa, but I'd seen that on the onward leg, and I wanted to get some pictures and do a review (which I'd failed to do last year).
Index of posts
- Introduction
- Chennai International Airport lounge
- Chennai to Abu Dhabi, Jet Airways B737-800, business class
- Etihad First Class Lounge, Abu Dhabi
- Abu Dhabi to London, Etihad A380, business suites
- London to Dublin on Ryanair (because…I’m masochistic like that)
- Hotel review: Holiday Inn Express Dublin Airport
- Etihad First & Business Class Lounge, Dublin
- Dublin to Abu Dhabi, Etihad A332, business class
- Etihad Business Class Lounge, Abu Dhabi
Flight review
DUB-AUHEY48 | 7h 50m | 3,696 miles | A330 Business Class
The boarding gates were a short walk from the lounge. Boarding for business class was through door 1L up front.
I was one of the last passengers, at least in business class, to board the flight. The foward cabin was quite full by the time I'd settled in.
Seat 9K was mine for this flight, which is a window seat. Business class seats are set in a staggered 1-2-1 configuration, though there's a horizontal offset even among the window seats.
I prefer the window seat that's closer to the window than not, even if it is a bit difficult for someone of size to squeeze through the rather narrow gap in order to get to the seat. Here's what I mean - this picture below was taken from seat 10H, which was the one behind mine.
And here's a picture of seat 10H. As you can see, it is a lot easier to get into with that space between the aisle and the seat shell. However, this is nowhere close to the window, nor does it offer the privacy of a true window seat.
The seat controls are located on the side panel of the armrest, as is the remote control unit that covers everything else such as attendant call, lighting, seat calls, and even the TV, which is in any event a touch-screen TV.
Next to the magazines rack, there's a separate space for a bottle of water, and also a place to keep small personal belongings, though the latter is not covered or secure. This is a downside of the proper window seat. On the offset window seats, this holder is on the other side (ie by the window) making it much more secure.
Instead, one could use the compartment under the armrest, which is a lot less easy to access from the aisle.
The seats had an amenity kit already in place. The contents are the same as in the kit on the A380.
On the panel (behind the seat in front) is also a power outlet and a USB port, in addition to an ethernet port! I was able to put the power and USB ports to good use during this flight, so I know it works!
There's an ottoman with a shoe compartment below it. The compartment itself is quite spacious, so no worries there.
I did find it a bit strange that there was a fairly large gap between the seats and the cabin walls. Here's a look at the gap, and you can see straight to the very front of the cabin.
My guess is that the dimensions of the aircraft interiors were probably a little poorly considered, keeping in mind the dimensions of the seat (along with the overall shell that comes with it). However, I leave that to my betters.
I also noticed the absence of overhead bins in the middle of the cabin - the only ones were above the window seats. Reminded me of Qatar's A350 that was on display at the India Aviation 2015 show.
The stewardess soon came around with welcome drinks, and I selected my new favourite and Etihad special - Lemon & Mint. If you haven't tried it yet, I strongly recommend that you do the next time you fly Etihad. It is unbelievably refreshing!
I also asked if they had champagne, which was promptly acknowledged and brought across. It would later turn out to be my only drink on this flight.
Soon it was time to push back, this bright and clear evening.
Menus had been handed over for both drinks and dinner. Here they are.
I'd had a rather good dinner at the lounge, and so decided to skip another meal on the flight.
Halfway into the dinner service, the mood lighting was turned up to a mid-level...
...and completely so in about 30 minutes after that.
I started watching a movie, but I must've been exhausted after the hectic schedules of the previous 3-4 days, so I don't really know when I dozed off. I was woken up by the stewardess just an hour before landing, ready with breakfast.
Nothing fancy, though. Pancakes, croissants, OJ and coffee.
Soon it was time to straighten out our seats, stow our tray tables, seatbelts on and window shades open.
It was rather hazy outside, but we were pretty much on time with this flight, even though there was a small delay at departure.
Touchdown! We were bussed to the terminal, and I had to kill 90 or so minutes before my next flight - the last one on this trip - back home.
Overall, this was a rather nice flight. Admittedly I didn't "use" much of the offerings - drinks, dinner, entertainment - but the hard product was quite comfortable (barring the narrow seat entry). The crew was really friendly and helpful, though there was nothing really exceptional to speak of.
I would now spend some time at the Etihad Business Class lounge at AUH. I could've well used the First Class Lounge & Spa, but I'd seen that on the onward leg, and I wanted to get some pictures and do a review (which I'd failed to do last year).
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