Review of Etihad Airways flight from Abu Dhabi to New York in First

ETD

EY - Etihad Airways

Flight taken on 29 February 2016
EY103
03:20 14h 50m 09:10
Class First
Seat 4K
socalnow
6,722 · 141 · 14 · 1

Hello Flight Report community and thanks for stopping by this review, the seventh installment of my American AAdvantage miles purge. This one is a little long and heavy on the pictures. Hopefully your internet service allows unlimited bandwidth…
It has been clear for several years that the American Airlines Advantage frequent flyer program was out of sync with the other major US carriers. It has remained very generous on the redemption side while the others have had significant devaluations. Smart money was on a correction coming sooner before later. It was with this in mind that I decided to structure a grand adventure and cut deeply into my AAdvantage miles inventory.
The final tally was SNA-PHX-LHR-CDG for 62,500 AA miles, CDG-DOH-DEL for 40,000 AA miles, and DEL-AUH-JFK-LAX for 90,000 AA miles.So 192,500 AA miles lighter, I was off.
The reports will be broken down as follows:
Admirals Club SNA and American Airlines SNA-PHX (A320) (First) http://flight-report.com/en/report-13485.html
The Club PHX and British Airways PHX-LHR (747) (First) http://flight-report.com/en/report-13504.html
Concord Room LHR and British Airways LHR-CDG (A319) (Business) http://flight-report.com/en/report-13518.html
Salon Lounge CDG and Qatar Airways CDG-DOH (A380) (First) http://flight-report.com/en/report-13533.html
Al Safwa First Class Lounge DOH and QR DOH-DEL (787) (Business) http://flight-report.com/en/report-13671.html
Plaza Premium Lounge DEL, EY DEL-AUH (77L) (First), and EY Arrivals Lounge AUH http://flight-report.com/en/report-13722.html
Etihad Airways Premium Lounge AUH, EY US Lounge AUH, and EY AUH-JFK (A380) (First) (This Report)
American Airlines "Flagship" Lounge JFK and AA JFK-LAX (A321) (First) http://flight-report.com/en/report-13809.html
I had a nice day touring around Abu Dhabi and a good sleep to prepare for the evening's festivities. I returned to AUH at around 23:30 via taxi and was dropped at T3. The premium check in is marked with a temporary sign.


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Once inside there is a premium check in area of sorts with seats at desks, as if applying for a bank loan.


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I collect my boarding pass and move on to the premium security line with zero wait. Once through you are dumped into a crowded maze that forces you straight through a duty free store. It's like Saturday at Ikea and you can't deviate form the predetermined path. I follow the signs for the Etihad Premium Lounge and eventually get through the duty free zone without becoming any poorer.


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Upon entering the lounge I'm quickly welcomed in and shown to the First Class section. It is explained that htis is temporeary and that in May they will open a dedicated First Class lounge. We both get a laugh out of that as they've been saying it for years.
The the First Class section is really just a roped off seating area. There area additional amenities in that table service is more prompt and they pour the good champagne for you here: The Bollinger La Grande Annee 2005. There's even a small a la carte menu that I didn't learn about until a subsequent visit. It's so exclusive it's not even written down! ;)


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I requested the Bollinger and some water.


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This lounge serves both J and F for all flights in T3 so it's quite large. There are 3 buffet food areas, a lorge bar, and wide range of seating.



The food offerings were quite nice. Everything looked very fresh and there was a wide range of choice.


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I sampled a few items from the buffet.


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Early in my visit I had secured a massage appointment and the time had come so I make my way to the Six Senses Spa. On the way you pass the Style and Shave salon where, as a First Class passenger, I could have arranged a complimentary shave or haircut in addition to the complimentary 15 minute spa srvice but neither of those were pressing issues.


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The staff here are all very friendly, smiling, and quite pleasant to interact with. I had a lovely neck/back treatment.


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I have read tales of the pre-clearance facility at AUH being a real bottleneck and detriment to getting the flight out on time. I have also read that the situation has improved since it was opened. Not wanting to be a part of the problem of a delay I left for the pre-clearance / gate earlier than I normally would. Alos, there's a lounge on the other side so it's not a real hardship…


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The crowd was very sparse but I had a short wait for a Global Enrty kiosk. There was an obviously new user ahead of me and another woman in the line. The woman waiting with me was running low on patience and she turned to me and rolled her eyes when the person in front of us was taking an inordinate amount of time. When it was her turn she was just as slow and confused. Karma. Anyhow I eventually made it to one of only 2 kiosks and was through quickly. The whole experience of US CBP in a foreign land was surreal, but ultimately efficient.
Ahhh, back to the safety of a lounge.


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This was a smaller lounge with no First Class section. There was an ample array of snacks and a tended bar. It was quite crowded however as this is the last holding point for premium passengers before boarding the US flights.



Champagne and water for yours truly. There was a group of young American men drinking aggressively at the bar. I was hopeful I wouldn't be seated in their proximity, if in fact we were on the same flight.


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Some snacks for me as well, out of curiosity rather than hunger.


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Eventually JFK was called for boarding. All this really meant was that we could go sit closer to the gate and wait.


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After about a 6 minute hold First Class was called to board. After many months of anticipationa nd planning it was finally happening. The First Apartment.
I was welcomed at door UL1 by Tod, the on board Chef, a friendly New Zealander. Next I was welcomed by Arancha, the Indian Cabin Manager. Finally I was shown to my apartment by Jose, the Portuguese flight attendant that would provide much of the service at my seat.
My first impression of the cabin was even more stunning and unbelievable than anticipated.


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I had selected a forward facing "seat" on the right side.


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The space is massive with an abundance of storage, two lamps, 3 windows, 2 drawers, and a huge vanity. I'll try to present the space to you.
This is the vanity where you will find your "de-constructed" amenity kit. The contents are arranged in the shelf pockets.



Two lamps that had both central and local controls.


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The seat is wide and plush with some recline.


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Adjacent to the vanity is another "pop-out" storage shelf.


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A coat closet at the entrance.


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A look at the "analog" seat controls.


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The "digital" seat and apartment controls.


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The chilled drinks drawer and a general storage drawer under the vanity complex.


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There is some storage underneath the couch/bed.


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This is the IFE controller by the seat. There is an equivalent controller by the bed as well. That makes 3 screens you can tune to 3 different images. Say movie on big screen, tail camera on one screen, and map on another. What fun!


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Obligatory boarding pass shot.


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View from the tail camera at the gate.


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While I'm feverishly taking pictures and generally overwhelmed more crew are stopping by to introduce themselves. They all have a version of a "knock knock" that they do before entering. I guess this is because you can't see the entrance to the Apartment when you're seated. Everyone is very friendly and enthusiastic. I can tell straight away this is going to be a special journey.
A beverage and hot or cold towel was offered. I request champagne. Jose bring the Bollinger.


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At this point there is some delay. I don't think we're given an explicit reason, I just remember being happy about it. At the time I thought it could be due to pre-clearance but who knows.
Let's take a look about the cabin while we have this extra time on the ground.
The aisle looking towards the forward stair. The lattice projection on the airplane ceiling is a theme around the aircraft. The same light projector can be found in the lav and agian in the social area. I makes a great effect.


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Here's the forward lav with shower.



Aft of the Apartments is the galley that you pass through to get to the social/bar area.



All 9 Apartments were occupied however The Residence was not. The crew is not permitted to show the Residence to other passengers. I will say thet my suitcase got to ride in the bedroom overnight. Lucky bag.
Menus were distributed as well as the Arabic coffee. I don't quite know how I missed potographing the entire wine/beverage list, but alas…



The IFE screen has fantastic resolution and map and tail camera functions.


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Eventually our mystery delay was sorted out and we departed about 45 minutes behind schedule. I really recommend 4A or 4K. The forward facing seat that is near to the window rather than the aisle. I think it's the best non-residence seat in the house. Of course all seats benefit from the extremely quiet Airbus.


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Service started at 10,000' and I, for one, was far to excited for sleep. Beverages were offered. Having enjoyed the Bollinger on the last flight and in the lounge I thought I would have a go at the Rose.
Served on the signature Etihad metal tray with 3 types of savory snacks.


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Laura, the tall drink of water from Hungary, set the immaculate table for a meal.



Chef Tod came to discuss the food options and take orders. He was very excited to go over the options and make suggestions. I started with the Balik Salmon. This is a beautiful meat with exceptional texture.


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I enjoyed the Arabic Chickpea Soup next. Very enjoyable airplane fare, soup is.


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Back to the Bollinger while watching The Force Awakens.


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For the main i asked Chef Tod to prepare a steak frites with the rib eye and "bistro" butter. It came out quite nicely and was a fun and unique dish to enjoy on the airplane. Not gourmet, just good. I also took Jose's recommendation on wine to pair with the meat.


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The dessert taster was too tempting to pass by. Orange panna cotta, opera cake, and vanilla mousse. Some late harvest, botrytised sauv blanc.


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The meal was a lovely journey and the a la carte style is fantastic. A towel is placed to signify the end of this dining adventure.


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Not ready for bed just yeat, but knowing the time is near, I request for the turn down service.


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Window and lighting controls placed bedside for convenience.


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While the bed was being arranged I ventured to the social area for a night cap.


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A nice single malt was on offer.


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The seats have areas for charging devices and connecting headphones.


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The screen was on the map when I arrived.


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I had the pleasure of chatting with a couple of the flight attendants working in business class. I must commend Etihad on their hiring. Everyone I interacted with was very poised and conversational. They all seemed to be enjoying their job as well as interacting with passengers in a social manner. I was very impressed. One of the flight attendants was egar to show off the live TV function in the lounge. He tuned in BBC and CNN. Of course with live TV, anything can happen.


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This time in the lounge I was never joined by any other passengers. I guess the tiem of night was the reason although I've been on EK where the bar was hopping all night long.


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Eventually I returned to bed. There was a water bottle waiting on a bedside shelf. I closed the doors and it was off to sleep.


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I found the bed to be satisfactory. I was able to achieve my preferred sleeping position on my stomach and remain comfortable. The cabin temp was on the cool side, which I appreciated.
I slept for a couple of hours and then laid in bed playing with the IFE and looking at the map.



Bedside IFE controller on tail cam.


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I really liked that you could have the bed deployed and still use the seat as well as move about the suite area. Over the Atlantic I decided to visit the menu again. I rang the call button and Jose appeared almost instantly. I asked if there was any of the extraordinary salmon left and it ws served promptly, with a delightful glass of the Dog Point 94 Sauvignon Blanc.
Table set with bed still deployed.



Next up I asked for a small portion of the mushroom risotto. This was pretty well executed for an airplane. The rice remained a nice toothsome texture.


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I felt it was my duty to sample the Etihad steak sandwich and I'm very happy I do so. The onion compote/marmalade make this a great dish.


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Finally an Etihad cheese plate. The presentation, variety, and detail is fantastic. Such a treat.


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The sun was shining outside and we were approaching our destination.


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Jose arranged for me to enjoy the latest possible shower upon my request. It was that time now so off to the shower suite for what is still the silliest, most fun, and slightly surreal airplane activity. It is natural to make comparisons with the other operator that has installed showers on the A380. The pictures will show the difference in the experience. But still, it's a shower on an airplane!



Back at my seat and utterly refreshed yet starting to be saddened by the end of this exceptional journey. I asked if it was too late for a coffee and of course it was delivered immediately.


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I will leave you with some views from the tail camera as we approached JFK, still on time despite the delay.



I will also add how odd, and delightful, it is to arrive at JFK after a 15 hours on board, and deplane as a domestic passenger would. Right on to the departures level and land side in a scant 5 minutes.

Display all

Product ratings

Airline

Etihad Airways 9.1

  • Cabin9.5 / 10
  • Cabin crew9.5 / 10
  • Entertainment/wifi9.0 / 10
  • Meal/catering8.5 / 10
Lounge

Etihad Airways Business Class Lounge8.1

  • Comfort8.0 / 10
  • Meal/catering8.0 / 10
  • Entertainment/wifi8.5 / 10
  • Services8.0 / 10
Departure airport

Abu Dhabi - AUH8.2

  • Efficiency8.5 / 10
  • Access8.5 / 10
  • Services8.0 / 10
  • Cleanliness8.0 / 10
Arrival Airport

New York - JFK7.0

  • Efficiency7.0 / 10
  • Access7.0 / 10
  • Services7.0 / 10
  • Cleanliness7.0 / 10

Conclusion

Thank you for joining me on my first trip with the Etihad A380 First Apartment. I apologize for the lengthy presentation but it was all part of the story.

The Ground Service: The check in was flawless as there was no wait and friendly helpful staff to take care of issuing the boarding pass. The maze of duty free is a bit disappointing but seems to be the norm now at many international airports.

The Lounge: The Etihad Premium and US Lounges were both very good Business Class lounges, as they are intended. The First class section was a nice gesture but not quite the same as a true First Class lunge with table service and a la carte dining on demand. They say it's coming in May. I'll be there in May, by coincidence, but I'm not hopeful of any different lounges.

The Cabin: What can I say about the most innovative, spacious, thoughtful, and just plane beautiful cabin in the sky? It's about as perfect as I can imagine a commercial airplane cabin. Major kudos to the design team and then major kudos to Etihad for having the courage to buy it and install it. It's in a class of it's own.

The Crew: This is the story of this flight for me. Sure the A380 they have to work with probably takes some of the pressure off of them to perform but it didn't show. This was hand down the most poised, friendly, thoughtful and downright fun group that I have ever traveled with. Every person I interacted with took the time to slow down, say hello, and have a chat. It was so personal I felt like I was among friends. Very well done Etihad, the screening, training, and work environment show really well.

The Food and Beverage: There's no caviar. There, I said it. Really though it's hard to find fault in any of the dishes I sampled. I thought the selection and customization that was possible from this menu was spot on. The on board chef is a fantastic addition in that he can curate a dining experience just for you. I found all the staff to have an exceptional knowledge of the menu and wine. Everything is presented in true first class fashion.

Overall: As I am sure is evident at this point, I really fancy Etihad and the A380. I was so very impressed with how the personal element matched up so perfectly with this great design achievement. What a fantastic experience. I feel very fortunate for having been on board that airplane, on that day.

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Comments (14)

  • what a nice flight you had ! thanks for sharing it .. i really enjoyed reading .. travelling with first class is phenomenal specially with a company like Etihad airways.. there are 2 photos for Qatar airways i was wondering if they were showed up in the IFE of this flight ?

    • Greetings Alosh and thanks for leaving a comment.

      there are 2 photos for Qatar airways i was wondering if they were showed up in the IFE of this flight ?

      -Yes, quite comically, there were TV commercials for Qatar Airways while watching CNN live TV in the Etihad social area during the flight.

      Thanks again and happy flying.

  • Incredible report as always. The lounge looks nice, but not quite as over the top as the Qatar First Class lounge. I've never seen either in person though. The complimentary spa treatments Etihad offers seem like a nice touch.

    So was the CBP process exactly the same as you'd experience when landing in the states? Were there actual American CBP officers there? When you got to JFK, was there still a customs process for checked bags and you just skipped the initial Immigration control?

    • Cool, thanks for the info. Glad it went smoothly for you.

    • Hi Nick, thanks for reading and the kind comments.

      So was the CBP process exactly the same as you'd experience when landing in the states?

      Yes, for me it was the Global Entry kiosk but others were in queue to speak with CBP officers.

      Were there actual American CBP officers there?

      -Yes, same uniform and variety of Americans. They must do some kind of work rotation and stay over a month at a time or something.

      When you got to JFK, was there still a customs process for checked bags and you just skipped the initial Immigration control?

      -Good question, I was hand carry baggage only so I walked straight to the Air Train to T8.

      Thanks again and happy flying.

  • Looks like an amazing flight with Etihad. Thank you for sharing!

    Their First Class cabin looks amazing.

    • Greetings 757Fan and thanks for the comments. Amazing is the perfect word to describe a trip on the EY A380 Apartment. Thanks again and happy flying.

  • Thanks for sharing!

    This is definitely the best First Class available in the air.

    The cabin looks amazing, the catering seems really great and the crew was awesome!

    Adding to that the pre-clearance in AUH, this flight was nearly perfect.

    While the air product is awesone, the lounge experience for First Class passengers should definitely be improved in AUH.

    Thanks again for letting us dream!

    • Greetings beijinner and thanks for the comments.

      This is definitely the best First Class available in the air.

      -Gosh it's so difficult for me to pick a best but I don't think you'll get too much of an argument by saying EY A380 is best.

      Thanks again and happy flying.

  • Thanks for this report on an amazing product. 90K AA miles for DEL-AUH-JFK-LAX in F was a steal! Alas, those days are gone. *le sigh*

    Once inside there is a premium check in area of sorts with seats at desks, as if applying for a bank loan.

    - Haha, it does kinda look like that. If I ever want to fly in The Residences I would need a loan, LOL

    It's like Saturday at Ikea and you can't deviate form the predetermined path.

    - It's like Salmon swimming upstream. The only think more annoying is a Costco parking lot on a Saturday, Grrrr

    The lounge is nice for not being a dedicated First Class lounge. Spa services are definitely nice in lounges, but shave and haircut, that's really unique and very convenient.

    Not wanting to be a part of the problem of a delay I left for the pre-clearance / gate earlier than I normally would.

    - It's so nice that there's also a lounge AFTER pre-clearance. In Dublin, all the lounges are BEFORE and it's a pain in the butt! I arrived at the lounge over an hour before STD of my flight and was told I couldn't enter because I had to go through CBP. Glad I did because it took forever!

    It really is amazing that EY created a First class cabin with only one aisle on a widebody! The First Apartments really are a class unto themselves, way above First. That used to be First class suites...now they have become the norm. I have to give Etihad credit here for really being an innovator. The only problem with this configuration is that you are so isolated, that if you are travelling with someone else, you have to visit one another's apartments, you can't really experience the whole thing together.

    I guess this is because you can't see the entrance to the Apartment when you're seated.

    - That's just pure craziness! I'm sure there are studio apartments in NYC that are actually smaller, haha

    The catering is mouthwatering!

    Not gourmet, just good.

    - You can't go wrong with a good steak frites.

    I'm surprised the bar/social area was so empty. I guess noone wanted to socialize, lol

    Hah! A Qatar Airways Ad on an Etihad flight. Toooo funny!

    I guess the tiem of night was the reason although I've been on EK where the bar was hopping all night long.

    - Personally, I'd probably be at the bar/lounge hanging out most of the flight enjoying every minute of the experience. Would be a shame to sleep through most of this once in a lifetime flight. But I guess when you have a 14 hour flight it's long enough to enjoy it all!

    Thanks again for a great report! Alas, I wasn't able to take advantage of any award travel deals before the devaluation. I could kick myself! haha.

    • Hello Kevin and thanks for the notes.

      It's so nice that there's also a lounge AFTER pre-clearance. In Dublin, all the lounges are BEFORE and it's a pain in the butt! I arrived at the lounge over an hour before STD of my flight and was told I couldn't enter because I had to go through CBP. Glad I did because it took forever!

      -Wow! What a different experience...and good to know.

      The only problem with this configuration is that you are so isolated, that if you are travelling with someone else, you have to visit one another's apartments, you can't really experience the whole thing together.

      -Yes, this is an issue. However, the partition does lower so when it's sleeping time you can lay shoulder to shoulder. Also, the Apartment is so spacious that dining with your travel companion seems like it would be far more comfortable than I've seen in other suites/first products.

      Alas, I wasn't able to take advantage of any award travel deals before the devaluation.

      -Doh! The bright side is that it should be much easier to find availability now...

      Thanks again Kevin and happy flying.

    • However, the partition does lower so when it's sleeping time you can lay shoulder to shoulder. Also, the Apartment is so spacious that dining with your travel companion seems like it would be far more comfortable than I've seen in other suites/first products.

      - Good to know! Yes, it's so spacious, at least dining together is not as cramped.

  • Great report. Surprised though that caviar isn't offered in Etihad first.

    • Greetings eminere and thanks for the comment. Caviar would be most welcome and the omission is curious. Thanks again and happy flying.

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