Etihad Airways unveils hotel-style rooms on A380

[khanboy007]

Etihad Airways unveils hotel-style rooms on A380 | GulfNews.com

Etihad Airways unveils hotel-style rooms on A380
A380 premium class offer features living room, double bedroom and ensuite shower room

• Staff Report
• Published: 11:18 May 4, 2014
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  • Image Credit: Gulf News Archive
  • The first class section on Etihad's A380 has been renamed First Apartments and will feature private suites with separate reclining lounge seat and a full-length bed as well as other amenities including a mini-bar.
  
  
  Abu Dhabi: Etihad Airways will be targeting premium high-yielding passengers following the announcement on Sunday of a hotel-style bedrooms on its Airbus A380 fleet.
  
  “The Residence by Etihad,” its A380 premium class offering, features a living room, separate double bedroom and an ensuite shower room.
  
  
  
  
  The concept of having actual beds on a plane is not new, however, Etihad looks set to be the first to introduce it on a commercial plane with the whole upper A380 deck reserved for the premium class.
  
  In 2007, Lufthansa reportedly considered introducing “triple-decker bunk-beds” in its economy class. While it was also reported in 2007 that Richard Branson, founder of the Virgin Group, had expressed interest of putting beds on Virgin Atlantics A380’s.
  
  
  
  
  
  Prices for Etihad’s premium “The Residence” class were not released in a statement put out by the airline on Sunday. However, fares are expected to be high with passengers traveling in this class having their own personal butler.
  
  Research and planning for their A380 offering began back in 2008 when the airline established Etihad Design Consortium (EDC), which brought together design companies, Acumen, factorydesign and Honour Branding. It conducted research workshops with Promise Commmunispace in Abu Dhabi, Sydney, London and New York.
  
  
  
  
  The first class section on the A380 has been renamed First Apartments and will feature private suites with separate reclining lounge seat and a full-length bed as well as other amenities including a mini-bar.
  
  The First Apartments will be configured in a 1-1 single aisle cabin with the passenger seat reclining to an 80 inch fully flat bed. First Apartment passengers will also have exclusive access to a shower room.
  
  
  
  
  The Abu Dhabi government backed airline did not release the cost of fitting out the A380 nor did it say how many would be initially received. Its first A380 is reportedly due to be delivered in December.
  
  Etihad also unveiled its plans for its Boeing 787 Dreamliner fleet, with the first set for delivery in October, in its statement on Sunday.
  
  
  
  
  The renamed business and economy classes are now called Business Studio and Economy Smart Seat, will also feature on the Airbus A380.
  
  The business studio, configured in a 1-2-1 format, has 20 per cent more space than Eithad’s current business class seat.
  
  
  
  
  First and business class passengers travelling on Etihad’s 787 Dreamliner or A380 fleet will have access to The Lobby, a serviced lounge and bar.
  
  Economy Smart Seat, a new seating offering, will have an 11-inch personal monitor screen.
  
  

 

[Hack-Hook]

now every rich guy can join mile high club , there is no thrill in it anymore .

 

[al-Hasani]

Amazing. The GCC has emerged into one of the very biggest aviation hubs in the world.

With some of the very best airlines (several of them even) with some of the most expensive fleets in the world.

Emirates alone have 44 Airbus A380's in their fleet. More than anyone else by far. Singapore Airlines are for instance second with "only" 19 of those beats.

Wealthy GCC Arabs are buying up half of USA and Europe nearly. It's quite amazing actually. Anyone living in either London, Paris or NYC should tell. Ironically together with the Russians.

Airbus A380 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

​

 

[khanboy007]

now every rich guy can join mile high club , there is no thrill in it anymore .

dude its MILES high

Amazing. The GCC has emerged into one of the very biggest aviation hubs in the world.

With some of the very best airlines (several of them even) with some of the most expensive fleets in the world.

Emirates alone have 44 Airbus A380's in their fleet. More than anyone else by far. Singapore Airlines are for instance second with "only" 19 of those beats.

Wealthy GCC Arabs are buying up half of USA and Europe nearly. It's quite amazing actually. Anyone living in either London, Paris or NYC should tell. Ironically together with the Russians.

Airbus A380 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

indeed; amongst other airlines i have also traveled on both Emirates and Etihad....their service is top notch stuff !....now though Etihad might take an edge on the first class or should I say First Apartments ....but Emirates has a strong customer base....and now Etihad has entered the competition...lets see how it progresses ahead

 

[pak-marine]

Sweeeeeeeeeeet

 

[Informant]

Nice, next trip to US will cost 3 times as more to enjoy the privileges

#NotRichEnough
#FuckYouUniverse

 

[BestUsernameEver]

Wow just wow...

At the beginning first class = wider more comfy leather seats, then came high tech seats with lcd screens and walls for privacy, then came compartments with reclining seats transforming into beds and now you basically have your own private hotel room.

Impressive stuff and IMO another game changer (like the ones I just enumerated).

 

[khanboy007]

Impressive stuff and IMO another game changer (like the ones I just enumerated).

this was speculated quite some time ago...it only came into reality now...indeed it is a game changer

but

we also have to see on how the market would respond to such a development.....if the costs stay the same (which is unlikely) then only its something big....but by looking at the things they offer....costs would certainly be worth for a guy to be in a First Apartment !!!

 

[Hamartia Antidote]

Well I guess the question is would the clients who would pay for this also give up riding in a private jet and mix with the masses.

 

[al-Hasani]

dude its MILES high



indeed; amongst other airlines i have also traveled on both Emirates and Etihad....their service is top notch stuff !....now though Etihad might take an edge on the first class or should I say First Apartments ....but Emirates has a strong customer base....and now Etihad has entered the competition...lets see how it progresses ahead

I still prefer Emirates and its still the best airlines that I have ever flown with and I have had a privilege to know quit a lot of airlines. Middle Eastern, European and American. Never did a 16 hours flight from Dubai to Los Angeles feel as good as with the Emirates owned A380. It's really a work of art.

But the best of luck to Etihad and all the other Arabian airlines.

 

[khanboy007]

Well I guess the question is would the clients who would pay for this also give up riding in a private jet and mix with the masses.

well a private jet is something out of the way as per my knowledge business men mostly get the tickets by the people who insist or want to progress in doing business or do business with them

business class, first class etc are more like a good gesture these days !!!

as most people on business class are funded by companies

I still prefer Emirates and its still the best airlines that I have ever flown with and I have had a privilege to know quit a lot of airlines. Middle Eastern, European and American. Never did a 16 hours flight from Dubai to Los Angeles feel as good as with the Emirates owned A380. It's really a work of art.

But the best of luck to Etihad and all the other Arabian airlines.

yeah no doubt

 

[faeza]

Lets all turn really pious and ask god for the same services when we reach heaven.
I dont think that will be affordable for 90% people on this planet.

 

[al-Hasani]

Lets all turn really pious and ask god for the same services when we reach heaven.
I dont think that will be affordable for 90% people on this planet.

Yes, but at the same time only 33% of the world's population can access the internet that both of us are using right now. Resources were never evenly shared and never will be.

This feature will be enjoyed by those that can afford it and there is nothing wrong with this.

 

[Hamartia Antidote]

well a private jet is something out of the way as per my knowledge business men mostly get the tickets by the people who insist or want to progress in doing business or do business with them

business class, first class etc are more like a good gesture these days !!!

as most people on business class are funded by companies



yeah no doubt

I totally agree that there are plenty of people who can afford it and companies definitely will pay to fly people around. They won't have trouble filling it with somebody.

But one thing overlooked is that in the US private jets can land at over 5000 airports. A commercial airliner about 550. I'm sure things are similar elsewhere. But on the other hand this is mostly long international flights so this may be moot.

 

[MastanKhan]

I still prefer Emirates and its still the best airlines that I have ever flown with and I have had a privilege to know quit a lot of airlines. Middle Eastern, European and American. Never did a 16 hours flight from Dubai to Los Angeles feel as good as with the Emirates owned A380. It's really a work of art.

But the best of luck to Etihad and all the other Arabian airlines.

Hi,

Worst service I got from EMIRATES travelling from dubai to los angeles in march. I was the last seat in economy---it took 3 hrs 40 minutes from the start of breakfast to get to me---and I had no choice left for breakfast---air hostess attitude take it or screw yourself---okay.
Then came lunch---2 hrs 20 mins wait time and only vegetarian left---on my insistence the air hostess says---let me see if any other choice available----she conveniently forgot---when she comes to pick up the tray after 45 mins reminded her----she made feeble excuxse---told her to get the supervisor---. The supervisor came after 1 hr----just let her have it with both barrels---she wanted to bring food from the business class and I had lost my appetite by then.

Filed a complaint---they responded---next time---I chew the supervisor in the begining of the flight to get better service.