Etihad B787-9 Business Class from Abu Dhabi to Düsseldorf (EY133)
- creditcardadventures
- Feb 16
- 5 min read
After a five day long stay in the Middle East it was time to fly back home to Germany. To do so, I booked a flight with Etihad from Muscat via Abu Dhabi to Düsseldorf for 169 Euro. Shortly before departure, I received the message that I can bid for an upgrade for the segment from Abu Dhabi to Düsseldorf which I did (for the lowest price of 199 Euro). In this review you can read whether it was worth it and what I thought of the flight.
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Details of the flight:
Route: Abu Dhabi (AUH) to Düsseldorf (DUS)
Airline: Etihad
Airplane: B787-9
Departure: 2:50am
Flight time: 7h 10min
Class: Business Class
Seat: 9F
Check-In:
As my flight from Muscat to Abu Dhabi was in Economy Class, there is not that much to say about the Check-In. It opened exactly three hours prior departure and was quick as well as efficient. Due to the fact that I could not use the premium Check-In, I will not include this experience into my final rating.
Boarding:
After enjoying the Etihad Business Class Lounge, it was time to board my flight to Düsseldorf. Around 45 minutes prior departure the gate opened and I was one of the first onboard. There was a seperate boarding process for Economy and Business Class (including status holders) passengers.
Boarding was quick and the staff was friendly. So nothing to complain at this point. But it was not the case that the boarding process was remarkably good to stay in my mind.
After walking down the jet bridge, I was greeted in a friendly manner and the way to my seat was shown. Shortly after that I was offered a welcome drink in form of either water, champagne or the signature drink. I opted for the signature drink which was a lime-mint drink and delicious. It was served with a small bowl of heated nuts. While the rest of the Economy Class was boarding, we also received the amenity kit, slippers and menu for the flight.
Rating: 4/5
Seat:
Etihad offers a 1-2-1 configured seating configuration aboard their B787-9 meaning that every passenger has direct aisle access. The seats on the left and right hand site are alternating between close to the window and close to the aisle.
Seats with an uneven seat number (5,7,9...) are closer to the aisle while seats with an even seat number are closer to the window. Those seats are more private and I would recommend them if you are travelling alone. If you are traveling as a couple, the seats in the middle with an even seat number will suit you the best.
In my opinion, the seat design is one of the best on the market. The seats are kept in a beige tone and the colors match perfectly. Only letdown compared to e.g. Qatar Airways is that there is no door for maximum privacy.
There is lamp next to each seat. Its brightness can be adjusted using the control system located at every seat. The seat is very comfortable and not too hard or too soft.
On the right hand side of the seat is an armrest that also functions as a storage shelf. It also contains a bottle of water as well as the safety card.
On the opposite side of the storage shelf there is the seat control as well as a remote control for the screen. Basically every part of the seat can be somehow adjusted. There are various options like adjusting the cushion firmness or the backrest.
If you are traveling in one of the middle seats like I did, there is the option to use the automatic seat divider for more privacy. Especially in the case when you do not know your seat neighbor, this is a nice extra. It can be activated by using the buttons in the middle.
One of the most important features of every Business Class seat is having a full flat bed to sleep. Etihad offers that as well. The sleeping comfort was one of the best I had so far on the many flights I have taken. This might be due to the generous foot space and the rather soft seat. I was even able to sleep on the side comfortably.
Rating: 4.5/5
Food and drinks:
Unfortunaly, Etihad somehow disappointed me regarding the food. Looking at the menu, it is noticeable that it is more about snacks than full meals. This may be due to the late departure time, but I still expect a little more (especially compared to the other airlines from the middle east who serve full meals even in the night). I am also a fan of trying traditional food onboard a plane, but besides the baklava and the shakshuka there was nothing to order.
Nevertheless, I opted for the pulled chicken nachos as well as for the baklava. Especially the nachos were tasty and perfect for watching a movie (but not as a full meal).
I also ordered a breakfast, but the crew forgot to wake me up prior landing. That is why this part of the review is very short, although I usually attach great importance to it.
Rating: 3.5/5
Amenities:
On this seven hour flight we received an amenity kit from Acqua di Parma as well as a pair of (very comfortable) slippers. There was no pyjama given to the passengers on this flight (although it was an overnight flight).
The amenity kit contained an eyeshade, toothbrush and toothpaste, earplugs as well as some creams. For the duration of this flight this was perfectly fine.
Rating: 4/5
Service:
The biggest letdown on this flight was the service unfortunaly. The crew was friendly in their way and did their job, but that was it. Although the Business Class cabin was nearly empty (we were 9 passengers), the service took way too long. Before departure I was asked whether I wanna have breakfast or not. I said yes, ordered two items and the crew wanted to wake me up one hour prior landing. Unfortunaly, they forgot about me and I woke up 30 minutes before landing without the chance of getting a breakfast. I also had to ring the bell every time I wanted to drink something, because the crew did not check on that.
Rating: 3/5
Final result:
To answer the opening question first, whether the upgrade was worth it or not: yes, it was definitely worth the price of 199 Euro. Etihad offers a word-class hard product with their perfectly designed seat and the amazing pre-boarding experience in Abu Dhabi. But, at least on this flight and route, the soft product was just not great. The food options were too little, the service was slow and too basic. I am sure that it will not be the same on other flights, as the crew performance is very individual. But for this price, I would always book this product again (and so should you).
Check-In and Boarding: 4/5
Seat: 4.5/5 Food and drinks: 3.5/5
Amenities: 4/5
Service: 3/5
Total: 19/25
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