Flying Pleasures

Are airline suites really worth it?

- Riaan Jacob George

The world watched in awe as Etihad took bookings for its luxurious Residence. This is something we had never seen before and it really changes the way people travel,” says Vishal Jolapara, one of India’s leading aviation photographers and bloggers.

In 2015, Abu Dhabi-based Etihad Airways made headlines when it announced the “Residence” a penthouse in the sky, with a separate sitting room, a bedroom with a double bed and a separate bathroom. During a recent visit to the Etihad Airways Innovation Centre in Abu Dhabi, the airline’s product team highlighted that these premium cabins are not designed to look like a typical first or business class product. They’re modelled after a “private member’s club” or even a yacht. And further adding to the luxury quotient are exclusive privileges like a private Savoy-trained butler, branded amenities, luxurious linen, massive television screens and the works. This is the super first class.

In aviation parlance, the super first class is a product that goes beyond the traditional first class. The more conventional first class products do not involve enclosed suites, but wide flat-bed seats, albeit with limited privacy.

There has been an ongoing debate about the relevance of first class since 2017, because of the sufficiency of new, enhanced business class seats, as well as the introduction of premium economy cabins. Despite this, most long-haul airlines – Cathay Pacific, British Airways, Lufthansa, Air India, Jet Airways – continue to offer a noteworthy first class product on their long haul routes, catering to a small bunch of travellers who are looking for that extra exclusivity.

And then there are the following four, including Etihad, who cater to an even smaller group with their offerings that come at a dear price.

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