Review: Etihad Airways B787 Dreamliner Business Class (Male to Abu Dhabi)

Wednesday newsletters always feature a hotel or flight review.

I recently enjoyed a phenomenal holiday in the Maldives, where I stayed at the archipelago’s four most exclusive ultra-luxury resorts. You can read my reviews here:

Review: Beond Airlines A319 Business Class from Zürich to the Maldives
Review: One&Only Reethi Rah Maldives
Review: seaplane transfer to Cheval Blanc Randheli Maldives
Review: Cheval Blanc Randheli Maldives
Review: Soneva Fushi
Review: Soneva Jani
Review: SO/Maldives
Review: Etihad Airways B787 Business Class from Male to Abu Dhabi (today)
Review: Etihad Airways A380 First Class from Abu Dhabi to London

Today: Review of Etihad Airways’ B787 Business Class (Male to Abu Dhabi flight)

I recently flew with Etihad Airways from Male (Maldives) to London (United Kingdom) with a stopover in Etihad’s hub in Abu Dhabi (United Arab Emirates). That was not part of the original plan, since I was scheduled to fly out of the Maldives with Beond, the new all-premium airline flying to and from the Maldives. However, two weeks prior to my departure to the Maldives, I was informed by Beond that my flight from Male to Munich was cancelled (since Munich was downgraded from a permanent to a seasonal destination). I was only offered an (unacceptable) option to travel to Zürich instead, either two days prior to or after my originally scheduled travel date. Fortunately, I was able to book a last-minute award flight with Etihad instead (and Beond refunded the return flight).

The four hour flight from Male to Abu Dhabi – in Business Class – was operated by an Etihad Airways Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner. Etihad Airways calls the Business class seat on its Boeing 787 a “Business Studio”, and it’s definitely one of the best Business Class products in the sky. The cabin has a unique dovetail design with forward and rear facing seats that creates a sense of space and freedom, with direct aisle access for all passengers and convenient storage spaces. The same seat & layout is also found on Etihad Airways’ Airbus A380, but unfortunately, the carrier’s A320 and B777 planes feature a far less glamorous Business Class product.

Have you ever flown with Etihad Airways? If so, what was your experience? Leave a comment below.

Trip: Male (MLE) to Abu Dhabi (AUH)
Airline: Etihad Airways
Aircraft type: Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner
Aircraft registration number: A6-BLM (built in 2017)
On time departure: Yes (9 am)
On time arrival: Yes (12 pm)
Distance: 1880 miles (3030 km)
Flight time: 4 hours
Seat: 10K
Class: Business Class

In this review (more information & photos below my Youtube clip & slideshow):

1. COST OF MY TICKET

I paid this one-way Business Class ticket from Male to London with miles & cash: $190 USD + 65,000 miles. The ticket was booked via American Airlines’ frequent flyer program AAdvantage (Etihad is a partner airline of American Airlines). Read my review of AAdvantage (with pros, cons, & tips) here.

2. LOUNGE

Velana International Airport is quite small and has only one Business Class lounge, located one floor above the main concourse. Called Leeli Lounge, the contract lounge is used by all airlines, including Etihad Airways. The lounge is essentially one large room, with plenty of seating areas, some of them equipped with in-seat power outlets. The lounge is quite dark (there isn’t much daylight) and the decor is rather unappealing, which is disappointing in a country that revolves around luxury travel. A buffet area with some dining tables is located close the lounge entrance and offers a selection of international food, including sandwiches, pastries, fruits, yoghurt, and some hot dishes. No alcohol is served inside the lounge because the Maldives is an Islamic country. Complimentary high-speed WiFi is offered to all lounge guests.

THE LEELI BUSINESS CLASS LOUNGE AT MALE AIRPORT

3. BUSINESS CLASS CABIN

Etihad Airways’ Boeing 787 Dreamliners come in different layouts:

Most Boeing 787-9 aircraft feature 28 flat bed seats in one Business Class cabin and have no First Class (the plane that flew me from Male to Abu Dhabi was fitted in this layout)
Some of Etihad’s Boeing 787-9 do feature a First Class cabin, with the 28 Business Class seats spread over two cabins: 8 seats in a small front cabin and 20 seats in a larger rear cabin.
The carrier’s Boeing 787-10 variants don’t have First Class and are equipped with 32 Business Class seats in one large cabin.
Etihad’s most recently delivered Boeing 787s have an upgraded Business Class product featuring suites with closing doors in a 1-2-1 layout.

All Business Class seats in Etihad’s ‘older’ Dreamliners are arranged in a staggered 1-2-1 layout. Seats in even-numbered rows face forward while those in odd-numbered rows face backward. The seats in the plane’s center section come in pairs: the seats in forward-facing rows are positioned right next to one another (perfect for couples), while backward facing center seats have significant separation and a small divider that adds an extra level of privacy. The single seats on the side also have an alternating pattern: forward-facing window seats are located in their own ‘cocoon’ (with the seat right next to the window and a console between the seat and the aisle) while rear-facing window seats are located closer to the aisle and considerably less private.

Etihad’s Boeing 787 Business Class cabin features a sophisticated, luxurious and refined decor. A neutral color palette of different beige tones is mixed with some gold and copper, reflecting the desert landscape of the United Arab Emirates.

For a seat map of the Etihad Airways’ Boeing 787-9, click here.

ETIHAD BUSINESS CLASS — BUSINESS CLASS CABIN (DURING BOARDING)

4. BUSINESS CLASS SEAT (+ BEST & WORST SEATS)

The Business Class “Studio” onboard Etihad Airways’ Boeing 787 is luxurious, comfortable and spacious. The seat is upholstered in a luxurious brown fabric and has a pitch of 73 inch (185 cm) and a wide of 22 inch (56 cm). One side of the seat features a regular armrest, while the other armrest doubles as a storage compartment, holding a bottle of water and the noise-cancelling headphones.

Next to the seat is a large console with side table. This console is either located on the aisle side of the seat (creating more privacy) or away from the aisle (in which case the seat is located directly along the aisle and considerably less private). The console holds a panel for the seat controls and the handset for the inflight entertainment. There’s another electronic control panel below the side table, with both panels controlling the seat recline, cushion firmness, dimming of the windows, and lighting within the studio. A sturdy tray table is stored inside the console and ejected by pulling a lever at the bottom of the tray.

In front of the seat is a 18.5-inch touchscreen TV. Below this TV is a spacious footrest with a small storage compartment underneath (to stow away shoes or a small bag). At the push of a button, the seat reclines into a fully flat bed of 190 cm (75 inches) long; the seat is quite comfortable in bed mode since the enclosed footwall under the TV is large enough to move around your legs and feet.

What are the best seats on Etihad’s B787-9s? Click here for a seat map.

The paired center seats in forward-facing rows are positioned right next to one another and perfect for couples.
Solo travelers should choose one of the forward-facing window seats, which are located in their own private cocoon.

What are the worst seats on Etihad’s B787-9s?

All rear-facing seats are located closer to the aisle and considerably less private.
The rear facing window seats in row 9 (9C & 9H) are missing a window and thus not recommended.
Seats in the first and last row of the cabin are located closer the galley with some occasional noise disturbance.

5. AMENITIES & BEDDING

Business Class passengers received the following amenities on this flight:

Noise-cancelling headphones for suppressing cabin noise and engine drone. The headphones can only be powered within an aircraft and cannot be taken home.
Sleeping amenities comprising a stylish blanket and a rather small pillow.

Unfortunately, no amenity kits were distributed on this (rather short) flight.

6. MEALS

On this four hour flight, a three course lunch was offered shortly after takeoff. I choose the following selection from the menu:

Aperitif, served with mixed nuts
Starter: prawn salad, served with cucumber, mango salsa, almond and garlic chili oil
Main course: fillet of beef, served with roasted potatoes, sautéed mushrooms, carrots, zucchini and green pepper jus
Dessert: seasonal fresh fruit + chocolate mocha mousse cake

Food taste and presentation were great.

7. ENTERTAINMENT

Each Business Class “Studio” has a 18.5-inch touchscreen TV. The inflight entertainment (IFE) has an easy-to-use interface, that is controlled by touchscreen or handheld device. It features hundreds of hours of on-demand entertainment, with more than 300 TV shows as well as more than 100 movies, ranging from blockbusters to timeless classics and representing all corners from the world (Hollywood, Arabic, European, Indian and Asian Cinemas). Etihad Airways’ inflight entertainment system also features live TV channels (e.g. BBC, CNN), although live TV was not available during this flight.

8. ONBOARD INTERNET

Etihad Airways’ Boeing 787s are equipped with WiFi. A variety of plans are on offer, catering to both light browsing and more intense work. Guests of Etihad Airways’ frequent flyer program have access to free messaging.

9. OTHER INFLIGHT EXPERIENCES

# CREW: The international cabin crew on this flight was professional and friendly. All requests were dealt with promptly and cordially.

# CREW UNIFORM: Etihad Airways’ cabin crew wears very stylish uniforms by Italian designer Ettore Bilotta. The chocolate-brown, purple and orange colors reflect the brand of Etihad Airways, which is headed by Australian James Hogan.

# LAVATORY: Etihad Airways’ Business Class cabin on the B787 has two lavatories in the front, located directly behind the cockpit.