Etihad Airways

Advantages: inflight entertainment. Friendly staff
Disadvantages: still quite new so give it a chance.

...so far. We flew on Etihad Airways from London to Abu Dhabi return in Oct 2004. Knowing it was a new airline we did look online for a few reviews regarding this airline – and I am afraid it was mostly negative ! People were mainly moaning about the unfriendly staff and the awful food and comparing it to Emirates. We decided to fly by Etihad anyway. We thought since we are going to UAE, we might as well go on one of their national airline. My husband ...
...so did not deal with Etihad directly. The economy flights cost £160 each with a 30KG baggage limit. The outbound flight was Sunday night, and the plane was almost empty. We pretty much had a pick of the seats! So we opted for the spacious seats near the emergency exit – plenty of legroom ! (to the joy of my over-6ft husband) In fact we had the whole aisle to ourselves. I think the plane was empty as it was low peak season and probably because it ... Read review

Advantages: Laptop Plug!!!!!
Disadvantages: No disadvantages anymore than any other airline

Etihad was voted the World's Leading New Airline for three years in a row at the World Travel Awards between 2004 and 2006 - and it's not difficult to see why. New planes; a decent seat-pitch; a state-of-the-art entertainment system; laptop plugs; a generous reward programme, cheap airfares and quick journey times. It ticks all the boxes. It all didn't start too well mind. My efforts to book seats over the Internet ended in abject failure as the ...
...quote we'd received. Etihad really set themselves apart from the moment we arrived at the airport. Within ten minutes we had checked-in and were ready to make our way airside. We boarded the new Airbus A340-600 to be awed by the 10.4 inch seat-back screen - the largest in the sky. Over 500 hours of movies and TV programmes kept us entertained. There were films for every taste - 74 of them. From classics and new releases to Asian, Arabian and European ... Read review

Advantages: Lower prices, less time checking in, half empty plane
Disadvantages: Less choice of flight times and dates than other airlines, especially from Gatwick

In a nutshell, Etihad is the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, and it flies to and from Abu Dhabi. Flights are mainly from London Heathrow, with limited flights (currently one per day) from Gatwick. This is annoying if you live near Gatwick, and that time doesn't suit you. Etihad also fly to far eastern destinations, such as Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok, Manila, Colombo and Mumbai (with a stopover in Abu Dhabi, obviously). I travelled ...
...Yes, I did say Dubai. Etihad don't fly to Dubai, but are still an option if you're headed there, as Abu Dhabi is right next door. It'll take under an hour (well, traffic permitting…) to get to where you're headed in Dubai. You can't book flights directly on their website, www.etihadairways.com, and you can't see prices either. You can book flights online through the usual travel websites. The check-in queue at Heathrow was nonexistent, literally ... Read review

Advantages: Lower price, friendly staff, tasty food
Disadvantages: New so unexperienced

...my ticket changed at the Etihad office, only to be told they couldn't extend my ticket as I had brought it on promotion and instead I would have to buy a brand new ticket. Quite a shock. There was another Eithad office in the town center and I went to them, they changed it without question and for the £50 fee initally quoted. My return flight at night so it was a lot quieter, the entertainment system worked and you had a choice between films, tv ... Read review

Advantages: Very good
Disadvantages: Needs improving

...years and has been using Etihad Airlines. I find the ground staff in Toronto, to be the best i have encountered in all my years of travel. However, the ground staff in Abu Dhabi needs to improve their effeciency. It may be that their offices out of the airport are too congested, with dozens of flight arriving and leaving every hour. This facility needs to be upgraded immediately, now that there are other compeittors flying out of Toronto. The food ...
...the Stewardess/stewards needs to be dramicatically improved.I just returned from Jakarta, Indonesia on January 25,2008 and have found all or most of the seats out of Jakarta to Abu Dhabi were filled. This has been the situation for a number of years but what I noticed is the way the officials including those of Etihad, are guilty of, is the way they treat Indonesian passengers. They are not allowed to access the boarding gate withinin two hours of ... Read review

Advantages: In the airport, inexpensive, convenenient
Disadvantages: Only 40 rooms, no in-room internet

...just to trot downstairs and off to the duty free area. Abu Dhabi duty free is not as glitzy and glamorous as Dubai, but they have a similar selection, certainly a good variety, and at competitive prices. It is also more compact and less irritatingly pushy, in my experience. I picked up a few very low priced DVDs (genuine), some PC accessories and of course a bottle, then was off to board my Etihad Airways flight, refreshed and relaxed.... Read review

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