This was probably my most anticipated flights of 2015 and yes! I ended the year with the grand finale of Etihad Apartment as my last flight of the year.
The trip was not on my sight earlier in the year. It only came about with Etihad's announcement of the devaluation of EtihadGuest of unprecedented proportion in May that I decided to snap on the opportunity to try this product just once to see what all the hype is about.
EtihadGuest Programme is never an attractive Programme to begin with. The burn rate is ridiculously high. But knowing that it's going to devalue a ridiculously 50% more (now it's costing a ridiculous 181,000 miles one way!), I decided to bite the bullet and lets just try it once.
We had a really Super fantastic experience with Etihad earlier in 2015 as well (trip report here) and we really take them I high regard. So the fair bit of miles is something we are willing to part with.
The original intent was to redeem all the way in F from SIN but because of my procrastination and the Long transfer time from Citibank to EtihadGuest, by the time my miles were in, they had completely blocked F awards on SIn routes completely. Fortunately, the much-hyped about Apartments were still available. So we had to be contented with a mixed class trip consisting of the new business studio (787) to AUH and then followed by the First Apartment (A380) to LHR.
This trip report hence consists of 2 parts:
Part 1: SIN-AUH in Business Studio (787)
Part 2: AUH-LHR in First Apartment (A380)
Part 1: SIN-AUH in Business Studio
Flight: EY473
Aircraft: 787-900
Reg: A6-BLB
Class: Business
Seat: 6E
Load: 90%
The journey started on this grey carpet in Terminal 2 where check-in was quiet and smooth and bags were tagged all the way to LHR.
Being new to Etihad, we didn't know that we were entitled to use the premier check in lounge as well.
The lounge used by Etihad is the SATS Premier Lounge.
What nostalgia from being SQ Gold Long time back.
Of course there has been some renovation.
First Class was just a 'section'. What disappointment.
We didn't spend much time in the lounge and soon after we headed to the gate where our graceful bird had been waiting.
Not my first time on a stagger layout which I found ridiculous but Etihad's version I found quite better than the other I had tried or seen although I still find it nowhere near SQ's.
The single seats are definitely more private.
Etihad has a complicated layout where the staggers also have forward and backward versions.
Mine is the forward version but I find this is not the best because I could see all my Neighbours. The humongous side table is between the seat and the aisle, which is yes is more private, but for me I find it more claustrophobic.
But these forward versions are good for couples. The seats are closer together as seen here. So couples can hold hands. Haha.
Now Comparing it to sitting on the rear facing seats, the seats are separated by 2 humongous tables.
These rear facing seats are also more private. Not only that you are far from your seat mate, you also can't see any other passengers in the line of sight.
In conclusion, my preference will be the single seats by the window and rear facing.
The trip was not on my sight earlier in the year. It only came about with Etihad's announcement of the devaluation of EtihadGuest of unprecedented proportion in May that I decided to snap on the opportunity to try this product just once to see what all the hype is about.
EtihadGuest Programme is never an attractive Programme to begin with. The burn rate is ridiculously high. But knowing that it's going to devalue a ridiculously 50% more (now it's costing a ridiculous 181,000 miles one way!), I decided to bite the bullet and lets just try it once.
We had a really Super fantastic experience with Etihad earlier in 2015 as well (trip report here) and we really take them I high regard. So the fair bit of miles is something we are willing to part with.
The original intent was to redeem all the way in F from SIN but because of my procrastination and the Long transfer time from Citibank to EtihadGuest, by the time my miles were in, they had completely blocked F awards on SIn routes completely. Fortunately, the much-hyped about Apartments were still available. So we had to be contented with a mixed class trip consisting of the new business studio (787) to AUH and then followed by the First Apartment (A380) to LHR.
This trip report hence consists of 2 parts:
Part 1: SIN-AUH in Business Studio (787)
Part 2: AUH-LHR in First Apartment (A380)
Part 1: SIN-AUH in Business Studio
Flight: EY473
Aircraft: 787-900
Reg: A6-BLB
Class: Business
Seat: 6E
Load: 90%
The journey started on this grey carpet in Terminal 2 where check-in was quiet and smooth and bags were tagged all the way to LHR.
Being new to Etihad, we didn't know that we were entitled to use the premier check in lounge as well.
The lounge used by Etihad is the SATS Premier Lounge.
What nostalgia from being SQ Gold Long time back.
Of course there has been some renovation.
First Class was just a 'section'. What disappointment.
We didn't spend much time in the lounge and soon after we headed to the gate where our graceful bird had been waiting.
Not my first time on a stagger layout which I found ridiculous but Etihad's version I found quite better than the other I had tried or seen although I still find it nowhere near SQ's.
The single seats are definitely more private.
Etihad has a complicated layout where the staggers also have forward and backward versions.
Mine is the forward version but I find this is not the best because I could see all my Neighbours. The humongous side table is between the seat and the aisle, which is yes is more private, but for me I find it more claustrophobic.
But these forward versions are good for couples. The seats are closer together as seen here. So couples can hold hands. Haha.
Now Comparing it to sitting on the rear facing seats, the seats are separated by 2 humongous tables.
These rear facing seats are also more private. Not only that you are far from your seat mate, you also can't see any other passengers in the line of sight.
In conclusion, my preference will be the single seats by the window and rear facing.
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