Etihad A350-1000 business class

LONDON-ABU DHABI

- Tom Otley

BACKGROUND The A350-1000 is Etihad's newest aircraft, with 371 seats in a two-class configuration: 327 economy seats in a 3-3-3 layout in two cabins, including 45 Economy Space seats with four inches of extra legroom (seat pitch), and 44 business class suites.

Etihad has ordered 12 of these aircraft for routes from Abu Dhabi to the US and the Indian subcontinent, though starting from October 30, Etihad's A350 will operate flight EY11 from Abu Dhabi (departing at 0235 and arriving into London at 0550) and EY12 (departing Heathrow at 0830 and landing in Abu Dhabi at 1920).

CHECK-IN This was a little unusual, firstly because this flight took place in the final weeks before Terminal 4 reopened and Etihad returned to its normal home there, so both check-in and boarding was from Terminal 3. Instead of using Etihad's refurbished lounge at Terminal 4, we used the Qantas Lounge.

BOARDING This was a 'special' flight from Abu Dhabi (EY2009), so while business class was almost full and there was a full service on board, the rest of the aircraft was empty as the A350-1000 returned from 24 hours of promotional duties in London. Boarding was at 2000 for the 2100 departure to Abu Dhabi, a flight time of six hours and fifty minutes.

You can watch a video review of the flight on the Business Traveller You Tube channel.

THE SEAT In business class the 44 seats (or business suites as Etihad calls them) are forward facing in a 1-2-1 configuration, starting at row 5 (A-DG-K).

This is an 'off the shelf' seat, the Collins Aerospace Super Diamond, which is the same seat as the new British Airways Club Suite, for instance, but one which is adapted by each airline which uses it (including Air China and China Airlines).