Etihad Business Class Review 777 Chicago to Abu Dhabi
This is the 7th and last post in an Etihad to Abu Dhabi trip study.
- Etihad To Abu Dhabi – Introduction
- Review: Etihad Business Class Lounge Heathrow T4
- Review: Etihad Business Class A380 (LHR-AUH) – Part 1
- Review: Etihad Business Course A380 (LHR-AUH) – Function 2
- Review: Ritz-Carlton Abu Dhabi Grand Canal
- Review: Etihad Premium Lounge Abu Dhabi T3
- Review: Etihad Business Class 777-300 (AUH-LHR)
Afterwards a relaxing time in the Etihad Premium Lounge information technology was time to try out my second Etihad Business Class product of the trip – this fourth dimension on their Boeing 777-300ER shipping.
I arrived at the gate after boarding had already commenced simply there was no line for priority boarding so I was soon on the jet bridge looking at the aircraft that I was about to board.
Etihad Boeing 777-300ER
The line on the jet span was curt and moved very speedily ( I know a few airlines that could learn from whatever it is Etihad do to keep things moving) so it wasn't long before I was within the Etihad Business organization Course cabin.
Etihad Business Form 777-300 Abu Dhabi to London
Cabin/ Seat
The Etihad Business Course cabin on the 777-300ER is laid out in a ane-2-1 formation similar to that found on their Airbus A380 aircraft which I reviewed terminal week.
I had seat 9K which meant that I had a seat close to the window and with a tabular array area acting every bit a buffer betwixt me and the aircraft aisle:
Etihad Business organisation Class 777-300ER – Seat
Etihad Business organization Class 777-300ER – Seat
The seat was comfy and felt individual without being claustrophobic and I managed to get a seat with three total windows to look out of:
Etihad Business Course 777-300ER – Seat
The tabular array looks a chip like an reconsideration in the fashion it'due south stowed….
….merely, when it'due south down, it'due south definitely sturdy and doesn't flap around and bend like tables I've had in a number of other Business Grade cabins. It's a good size too with comfortably enough room for an 11″ MacBook Air with room left over should y'all demand to employ a mouse:
At that place were, notwithstanding, a few issues:
- When the seat was in bed fashion it was just about long enough for me (6ft tall) but, I suspect, anyone taller would find it a bit cramped – it definitely felt like in that location was less space than on the A380.
- The foot-stool is a fixed piece of furniture and, considering the distance between this and the seat isn't that keen, information technology limits where you can identify your feet when the seat isn't in bed mode.
Etihad Business organization Class 777-300ER – Seat
Etihad accept attempted to brand up for this by placing a foot residual under the foot-stool….
…and, while this does work to a good caste, this isn't the well-nigh elegant of solutions.
- The biggest issue with the seat expanse is the lack of storage space. Unlike on the A380 there are no storage bins past the windows, so yous're left to employ the gaps between the article of furniture and the fuselage to store your items:
Etihad Business organisation Grade 777-300ER – Seat
Etihad Concern Class 777-300ER – Seat
I'm pretty sure this isn't ideal for have-off and landing but all the other storage areas are way too small and are all labeled "no stowage during taxi, take-off and landing":
Etihad Business organization Course 777-300ER – Seat
Etihad Business Class 777-300ER – Seat
Quite simply, if you don't use the floor there doesn't appear to exist anywhere you tin store annihilation at all – and that's very poor for a Business Course cabin.
In that location are other issues too only, just similar on Etihad's A380, they are dependant on the row you find yourself in.
Just similar on the A380 it'due south important that you choose your Business concern Class seats advisedly on Etihad's 777-300. The window seats in the odd-numbered rows are like the one I had: close to the window and protected from the aircraft aisle by a table area. Merely the even-numbered rows are different.
The window seats in the even-numbered rows have their table area between the seat and the window leaving the seat (and the passenger in it) exposed to the aisle….like in British Airways Club Globe:
Etihad Business organization Form 777-300ER – Seat
Etihad Business Class 777-300ER – Seat
These seats are nowhere near as private as the window seats in the odd-numbered rows and are far less desirable.
It'due south just as important to be conscientious which seats you select when information technology comes to the ii seats in the middle of the Business Grade cabin.
If you're traveling equally a couple information technology's the odd-numbered rows that take the more desirable seats – they're closer together and take table areas separating them from the aircraft aisle….
Etihad Concern Form 777-300ER – Seats
….while the seats in the even-numbered rows have the table areas in between them and are considerably more exposed to the aisle:
Etihad Concern Form 777-300ER – Seats
Etihad Business Class 777-300ER – Seats
Clearly, in the grand scheme of things, these are all outset give-and-take problems and comparatively insignificant only, if you're paying good money (or good miles) for your seat you lot may as well option a practiced one.
Amusement & Connectivity
The entertainment organisation on the Etihad 777-300s is a picayune dissimilar to the offer on their A380 but seems every bit skillful.
Etihad Business Class 777-300ER – Entertainment
There were a expert number of movies, Telly shows and albums to cull from and there's an pick to connect your own media devices to your personal screen:
Etihad Concern Class 777-300ER – Entertainment
Etihad Business Class 777-300ER – Connectivity
The remote control is stowed adjacent to the seat controls at the side of the seat……
Etihad Business Class 777-300ER – Entertainment
….and it comes in particularly useful when using the search office that comes with the onboard entertainment software:
Etihad Business Grade 777-300ER – Entertainment
Etihad Business Class 777-300ER – Amusement
The seat comes with a multi-land power port, a USB port and, what I think may exist an ethernet port merely I tin can't be sure:
Etihad Business Grade 777-300ER – Ability and USB ports
The Etihad 777-300ER comes fully equipped with over-water WiFi and costs between $xi.95 and $21.95 depending on how long y'all'd like admission to the internet.
On this flying the internet was decidedly amend than what I has on the A380 flying into Abu Dhabi and I even managed to pay via PayPal (something which proved impossible on my previous flight).
The connexion didn't driblet and the speeds, while not not bad, were skilful enough for getting some blogging washed and for catching upward on emails.
Food/Drinks
Before deviation the cabin crew came around with a option of Champagne, h2o or orange juice and, shortly after that, took repast orders and orders for post-take off drinks.
Etihad Business Class 777-300 – Menu
Etihad Concern Course 777-300 – Menu
I chose the white crab and avocado starter which was very nice indeed….
Etihad Business Class 777-300 – Starter
…followed by the Fillet Steak for my primary course:
Etihad Business organisation Form 777-300 – Master Grade
The steak was tender and cooked merely nigh as well as you can expect on an aircraft. It wasn't anywhere approaching medium – medium/rare as I would commonly have it but I knew in advance what to wait so I wasn't disappointed.
To end off the meal I had an espresso, a glass of dessert vino and the "Um Ali"….which I chose purely because I wanted to discover out what it was…..
Etihad Business Class 777-300 – Dessert
It turns out it'due south a creamier version of staff of life and butter pudding and wasn't bad at all.
Civilities
An amenity kit was waiting for me at my seat when I got on the plane and was similar in all simply color to the one I received on my A380 flying on the way out (and this kit had a Luxe guide to Hong Kong instead of London)….
Etihad Concern Class 777-300 – Assiduities Kit
Etihad Business Class 777-300 – Assiduities Kit
If those are too hard to read, hither's a list of contents:
- Slumber pack – socks and eyeshades
- Dental pack – toothbrush and toothpaste
- Care pack – cotton pads, ear buds and emery board
- Skincare – facial moisturizer and lip balm
- Ear plugs
All products by Scaramouche and Fandango
Service
The service was very friendly and, while attentive in parts, wasn't quite as polished every bit on the A380 flight a couple of days previously.
For reasons I'm not entirely clear on and despite the fact this was a daytime flying, the aircraft shades were left closed for most of the flying. On then positive side this had the effect of keeping a very child-heavy cabin reasonably serenity while on the negative side it meant that we saw less of the cabin crew.
Nonetheless, given the choice between noisy kids or less visible cabin crew I'll have the latter every time!
I other matter I noticed was an interesting niggling diversion that our route took….
….I'm assuming that right turn that took us further n was to avoid over flying Syria…..a wise decision if that was the reason! 🙂
Bottom Line
Had I non had such a fantastic experience on the A380 two days before I probably would accept been a lot more upbeat virtually this flight than I take been.
In truth it was a very nice experience and better than a lot of other Business Class flights I've taken….but it wasn't as proficient as I now know Etihad can exist.
The coiffure were very adept (if not as polished equally on the A380) and the food wasn't bad at all but the seat and the expanse around the seat could be a lot better. The "Business Suite" that Etihad has installed on the A380 and on their Dreamliners is a vastly better product and makes the seat on the 777-300 seem old and tired.
The lack of storage space is annoying and there's absolutely no alibi for that. Even American Airlines has managed to install a Business Grade seat in its 777-300s that has more storage…and those seats have more room for the taller amongst us likewise.
The Etihad Business Class product on their 777-300s is perfectly ok just, if you're looking for something better than "ok", book on to their A380'southward – that'south where the quality truly lies.
Source: https://travelingformiles.com/review-etihad-business-class-777-300-auh-lhr/