Travel Tips

Etihad Airways: Beds, Baths & Butlers in the Sky

bedEtihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) recently revealed the newest feature on its double-decker Airbus A380 and Boeing 787 Dreamliner: three-room suites complete with your own bedroom, bathroom and a London-trained butler.

For first-class guests who have  a spare $20,000 or so, the three-room Resident Experience is the latest development for Etihad Airways.

A personal butler will be available for each suite, and you can even take a shower in the attached bathroom (there’s a 4-minute limit). The bedroom decor boasts Egyptian cotton sheets, a choice of pillows, and a natural fiber mattress double bed. As if that wasn’t enough, there is a chef who fixes gourmet meals on demand.

If economy is all you can afford, the Economy Smart Seat has a “fixed wing” headrest and is ergonomically designed with lumbar support. With  mood lighting, you can choose between a variety of settings beyond bright fluorescence. In addition to mobile and Internet access, you can watch over 750 hours of entertainment on the 11-inch screen with noise-reducing headsets.

Etihad is now using the double-decker Airbus A380 and, with all that extra space, these planes include a type of lobby with a leather couch and bar area for first and business class passengers. There is also a curtained-off prayer area for Muslims, which includes an electronic Qibla-finder that points to the location of Mecca depending upon the plane’s exact position.

Last year, Peter went behind the scenes of Etihad Airways, including flight attendant charm school!

Are you equipped to fly Etihad? There’s a dress code, which is basically a throwback to the golden age of travel. Once passengers book their ticket, they receive an email that looks as follows:

etihad2

 Want to see more over-the-top flying experiences? Check out:

By Stephanie Ervin for PeterGreenberg.com