Etihad Airways is rolling out new premium experiences for its forthcoming Airbus A321LR planes, including new first-class suites and business class seats.
The new first-class suites feature fully closing privacy doors, lie-flat beds, a 20-inch entertainment screen with Bluetooth pairing, wireless charging, and additional space for a companion traveler to sit in the suite. There will be only two of the suites at the very front of the aircraft, making for an ultra-exclusive experience that is “normally reserved for long-haul widebodies,” the airline says.
The suites on the narrowbody planes also come with Etihad’s signature first-class perks, like a private chauffeur to and from the airport, as well as being escorted to a dedicated check-in, the Etihad First lounge, and to boarding.
In business class, there will be 14 “widebody-style seats” that fold into lie-flat beds that measure 78 inches long. Every seat will have direct aisle access, a 17.3-inch entertainment screen, Bluetooth headset capability, wireless charging, and personal storage space.
The economy cabin will get an upgrade, too, with 144 seats offering five inches of recline and 18.5 inches of width, plus new 13.3-inch entertainment screens and USB charging ports. All guests will have access to Etihad’s high-speed in-flight Wi-Fi that allows for streaming, surfing, and gaming on board.
“We've taken the luxury experience which we are famed for on our widebody fleet and adapted it to offer guests the same experience in a single-aisle aircraft – all while keeping them seamlessly connected with superfast, streaming Wi-Fi throughout the journey,” said Etihad Airways CEO Antonoaldo Neves.
The first of the A321LR planes are set to launch on August 1. A total of 10 of the narrowbody planes are set to join Etihad’s fleet this year. Those aircraft will fly short- and medium-haul routes from the airline’s hub in Abu Dhabi to 17 destinations in Europe, Asia, and the Middle East, including: Algiers, Athens, Bangkok, Chennai, Chiang Mai, Copenhagen, Dusseldorf, Kolkata, Krabi, Medan, Milan, Paris, Phnom Penh, Phuket, Riyadh, Tunis, and Zurich.
The launch of the airline’s new single-aisle jets is part of a larger expansion effort Etihad is undertaking, which includes doubling its fleet size and tripling its passenger numbers by 2030.
The Abu Dhabi-based carrier also plans to add 16 new destinations to its route map in 2025.
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