Let’s get all the way down to enterprise. I had many choices for my return flight from Europe, and some individuals have requested why I selected the great distance residence by way of Dubai. You realize why? Due to Etihad Diamond First Class. It’s a widely known and well-reviewed product, however I had by no means been to the Center East and kinda simply needed to deal with myself after flying to Europe and Dubai in Coach.
So, how was it? Did it stay as much as the hype or was all of it glam and little substance? Learn on to seek out out.
My closet mirror
My journey residence started early within the morning. Etihad presents a chauffeur service to its First and Enterprise class friends (together with these on reward flights) and so they’ll choose you up from any of the emirates. So, though the flight left from Abu Dhabi and I used to be on the Park Hyatt Dubai, they nonetheless drove out to Dubai to get me.
They known as me the day earlier than to verify my pickup time of 7am. Whereas early, it’d give me a while to benefit from the First Class lounge at AUH, about which I had heard nice issues.
The one drawback: I overslept my alarm. I bought a name that woke me up at precisely 7am telling me my driver was right here. I hadn’t packed but both. Eek. You realize that sound impact cartoons used to play when the character was beginning to run? Choose any of those, and that’s what I seemed like. I hurriedly threw all the things into my bag and jogged the quarter mile again to the reception space of the lodge to take a look at. The Etihad driver didn’t seem upset or something, though I put us delayed by about 20 minutes.
On the best way to AUH
I used to be easily handed off to a bellhop who escorted my EXTREMELY HUGE carry-on together with his huge wheeled cart to the First Class Examine-in space, which was in a No Focus Zone.
Thank goodness for the cart
The check-in space was good for being so out of focus.
Simply in case you overlook which airline you’re flying
Checked in, I made my approach to the First Class Lounge, which was surprisingly earlier than the buying space.
A surprisingly straightforward to overlook signal
The lounge got here with a lot fanfare and is extremely touted within the frequent flyer group. It was certainly very good.
Etihad First Class Lounge
I grabbed a seat in one of many large outsized white leather-based chairs and ordered some breakfast. And planespotted like whoa.
Enormous chairs
Eggs and bacon. Legit.
Some nice planespotting
As soon as breakfast got here and went, I made my approach to the spa for an exquisite 30-minute shoulder and again therapeutic massage.
Therapeutic massage room
My time on the lounge got here to a detailed fairly rapidly after that, for one extraordinarily silly and ridiculous purpose: the TSA Pre-clearance space at Abu Dhabi. There isn’t a purpose to have a pre-clearance facility at AUH, there are 5-6 flights a day to the USA, that’s it. In case you have International Entry, you’ll be able to breeze on via. For those who don’t, like me, you get to attend in a MASSIVE, HUGE, UNRELENTING, SLOW-MOVING line. US citizen line? HA. Not an opportunity. There’s one line. You wait and wait and wait whereas each customer to the USA is cleared, then lastly it’s your flip…and it takes 6 seconds.
I really requested for a supervisor and (politely) requested why there wasn’t a US residents line, because it’d be a lot faster and assist keep away from the large delays suffered by flights leaving AUH as a result of passengers being caught in line. He was understanding and really skilled in regards to the state of affairs and thanked me for my remark. He mentioned the political state of affairs wasn’t such in Abu Dhabi {that a} line particularly for US residents can be obtained very effectively. I perceive there’s most likely loads occurring behind the scenes that led to the ability (particularly that Dubai’s airport doesn’t have one, most probably), however actually it’d be faster if they only removed it. They wouldn’t let me purchase any duty-free objects both, which was a bummer as I can’t purchase my liqueur of alternative within the USA, solely overseas.
I had some photos of the ability (which I wasn’t presupposed to take) however actually they’d simply make me mad so I didn’t publish them. For those who undergo AUH, belief me you’ll spend loads of time there to get your fill.
Anyway, I lastly made it via the stupidity and made my approach to the gate to get my first have a look at the gorgeous A340 taking me to Dulles, probably the most unattractively-named airport on the market.
My A340!
Like many others, I like the tag-line of Etihad. There may be one large factor that I can not stand about one among Etihad’s political stances, however that’s all I’ll say about that. Those that know, know.
Anyway, after a quick wait (for passengers making their means via the TSA facility), I used to be invited to board and made the coveted left flip to my lovely suite!
Suite 2A
Awaiting me had been a menu, a welcome present, and loads of different stuff to maintain me occupied. However first, earlier than different passengers arrived, how about getting some photos of the gorgeous cabin?
Suite 2A
First Class Cabin with the tacky Diamond emblem on the wall
Diamond First Class Cabin
Diamond First Class Cabin
How about an HDR photograph of the cabin’s distinctive ceiling?
Etihad Diamond First Class ceiling
Okay, sufficient HDR for now, as a result of it was time to discover the suite.
Oh actually?
My flight attendant got here by with champagne and interrupted PictureFest 2014. What a pleasing interruption!
Ah sure
Ah what a “whole”ly nice view (get it?)
Okay, now that I had some bubbles, let’s take a more in-depth look across the suite.
Mini-bar
Spectacular TV, taking part in a cat video
There have been many alternative energy shops and USB ports accessible.
Energy port and distant
Touchscreen seat controls
There was a coat closet within the “wall” of the suite, however it was virtually too slender for even one coat. My hand for scale.
Scientific measurement
I used to be then interrupted by the bringing of items.
Amenity Equipment
My attendant then insisted on taking an image of me.
Trying good. ish?
Arabic espresso and dates had been then introduced by.
Espresso and a date
Oh, you need some HDR pictures of the suite space too? No? WELL TOO BAD.
My suite
The design on the suite doorways
Suite 2A
The golden blanket
At about this time, we really needed to get round to flying. I took my seat and loved some surroundings as we proceeded to the runway and loved the A340’s well-known leisurely takeoff roll (I swear we had pushed again to Dubai by the point we took off).
AUH management tower
Ferrari World and the Grand Prix monitor
HDR of the climb? You guess.
Lovely deep blue sky
It was about lunchtime, so shortly after we took off the flight attendants made preparations for the meal service. The chef got here by and launched himself and knowledgeable me that I may have no matter I needed at any time. I made a decision to go forward and eat so I may attempt to get some sleep. Have in mind the entire time I used to be instagramming the crap out of the expertise for everybody. The in-flight wifi was $24 for your entire flight and was very quick. I even determined to hog bandwidth and livestream a CrossFit occasion on my iPad.
CrossFit AND First Class? Yep.
After some time I made a decision I used to be being a jerk and a bandwidth hog, plus the meals was prepared, so I put apart the iPad as they made the desk prepared for my meal.
Amuse bouche
I liked the desk setting, it was very elegant and chic. Each of these issues are sometimes wasted on individuals like me, however it was nonetheless good.
Desk setting
I ordered the hummus, since I’m a little bit of a hummus fanatic, and it was glorious.
They known as it “Etihummus” and/or I made that up
Some extra hummus-related equipment
The service was exact if not somewhat rare. The flight attendants had been well-trained in show and presentation, all the things had its place and so they did an suave job of constructing it look nice.
Hummus show
I then had the steak. And for no purpose I attempted to make it HDR (no thought why, undoubtedly overdone). The steak was scrumptious and pretty near a medium/medium-well cooking, which is hard to do on an airplane.
Etisteak
I then settled in for a peaceable fliTHEN THE TURBULENCE HAPPENED. I don’t like turbulence and am really a very nervous flyer. We had about an hour of constant turbulence, not solely up-and-down but additionally side-to-side (these I’m certain are the scientific names for turbulence). It will definitely settled down, however it left me feeling uneasy for a lot of the remainder of the flight.
After some time I made a decision to attempt to get some sleep, though my efforts would finally show fruitless. Since nobody was within the suite subsequent to me, the mattress was made there.
Mattress!
Earlier than laying down I went to the pretty giant rest room to alter into my jammies.
Rest room
Oh how heat the cabin was! I can’t sleep if it’s heat (or even when it’s chilly really, I don’t get very a lot sleep and am doing a sleep examine this week). That was a part of the rationale I couldn’t get to sleep, the opposite purpose most likely was the turbulence.
It wasn’t for an absence of attempting although, when the lights had been turned out the ceiling even had fiber optic lighting to simulate stars! It could’ve been higher I believe if they’d’ve had fiber optic ceiling followers that simulated precise ceiling followers so I may sleep, however oh effectively.
Starry “evening”
I gave up on sleeping and returned to my seat. I had heard nice issues in regards to the steak sandwich and needed to strive one for myself.
Steak Sandwich
After a very long time we started to make our strategy into the DC space (I didn’t get an image of the shifting map as a result of it wasn’t engaged on our flight). Simply beforehand, we got some nuts and water.
Etinuts and water
Aaaaand it’s finished
We landed and the flight was over. It was an extended flight that felt lengthy, in contrast to my earlier journeys on different carriers. Did it stay as much as the hype? In sure methods, sure. The arduous product was extremely good and chic. The service wasn’t fairly to the usual of Singapore Airways in Suites Class or Cathay Pacific’s First Class however it was excellent. They may’ve been a bit extra proactive, however I assume I may’ve been extra proactive as effectively and rang the decision button after I wanted one thing.
Finest flight ever? Not likely. Would I ever pay for it? Don’t have a alternative on that one, I couldn’t afford it. Would I’ve been pleased with the service if I had paid for it? I’ve completely no thought since I may by no means afford it. I’ll say although that 90,000 AAdvantage miles was a heck of loads cheaper for me to accumulate than the $8800 this ticket value, so I bought that going for me (which is sweet).
And thus concludes my Eurabia journey report. Thanks in your persistence and thanks for becoming a member of me!