Reviewing Etihad Airways Inaugural Airbus A350-1000 Flight from Abu Dhabi to New York
Etihad Airways is now flying its brand new Airbus A350-1000s direct from Abu Dhabi to both New York’s John F. Kennedy airport and Chicago’s O’Hare airport.
These state-of-the-art aircraft have been outfitted with Etihad’s newest cabin interior to provide both a sustainable and best-in-class design.
With 25% less fuel burn and CO2 emissions compared to the previous generation wide-body aircraft, Etihad’s A350 gives U.S.-based passengers the opportunity to visit Abu Dhabi with one of the lowest emission airliners to date.
About Etihad’s A350-1000s
From a passenger’s perspective, you will feel the influence of Abu Dhabi all throughout the inside of the aircraft. With lighting that was designed to give you the impression of shadows cast by the local palm trees, passengers can feel more refreshed as this type of lighting on the A350 helps reduce the effects of jet lag.
Additionally, in the business cabin, customers will notice the increased amount of natural ambient light due to the central overhead bin compartments being removed. This not only makes the aircraft feel more luxurious but also reduces the aircraft’s weight and aids Etihad in its mission to become more sustainable.
In the economy cabin, you will find 327 Crystal Cabin Award-winning seats in the 3-3-3 layout. These seats were selected by the airline based on both their comfort and sustainability credentials. Each seat is equipped with Etihad’s signature support headrest, USB charging and a 13.3-inch entertainment screen.
Also located within the economy cabin are 45 Economy Space seats which offer four additional inches of legroom and are accompanied by Etihad’s award-winning cabin crew.
Customers seated in economy on North American routes will receive amenity kits, pillows, blankets as well as complimentary food and beverage service.
In the business class cabin, you will find 44 forward-facing business studios. Each seat has direct aisle access and is equipped with sliding doors that can be used after takeoff to give the passenger a greater feeling of privacy. These seats are over 20 inches in width and, when converted into a fully lie-flat bed, measure 79 inches in length.
Though this product is marketed and sold as a business class seat, you can see how impressive the quality and design are. When you factor in the top-ranked inflight services that accompany this business class experience, it’s easy to see how this product competes so closely with most international airline first-class products.
Also included with the purchase of a business ticket are premium cabin check-in counters, dedicated security lines, business class lounge access and priority boarding before each flight.
Each business seat features two enclosed storage compartments and a wireless charging pad next to the retractable tray table.
Plug-in noise-canceling headsets and luxurious amenity kits from Acqua Di Parma are also provided. In the forward storage compartment (pictured above) you can see the entertainment system remote controller, power outlet and headphone jack.
For passengers seated in the business class cabin, meal options include a three-course meal from the à la carte menu as well as selections from the all-day menu.
Main dish choices on the inaugural flight included Beef tenderloin (pictured above), Black Cod, Chicken Foga and Casarecce Pasta.
During the dining portion of the flight, the 18.5-inch entertainment system and flight map provide the perfect backdrop to the food and beverage experience.
In addition to enjoying the wide variety of dining services available on the world’s quietest wide-body aircraft, don’t forget that business class customers also receive access to Etihad’s business class lounges where they can enjoy an extensive list of complimentary beverage and dining options.
In between each meal service, business class passengers have about 10-11 hours of free time where they are able to convert their seat into a lie-flat bed if they desire. Because the seat is outfitted with high-quality cushioned material, there is no need for an additional mattress pad that you may find necessary on other various airlines.
Below are the current gate-to-gate flight times from Abu Dhabi to North America.
Trip times
AUH-JFK: 14H 15M
AUH-IAD: 14H 25M
AUH-ORD: 15H 35M
AUH-YYZ: 14H 0M
About Etihad Airways
Etihad Airways is the national carrier for the United Arab Emirates (UAE), with its main hub located at Abu Dhabi International Airport. Abu Dhabi is currently the only airport in the Middle East that offers US pre-clearance to Etihad passengers bound for the United States.
This pre-clearance allows passengers to pass through U.S. customs and immigration before they board their flight in Abu Dhabi. This ultimately helps customers avoid the long immigration lines upon arrival in the United States. Even if you don’t have a connecting flight, being able to deplane and head straight to your hotel is an international traveler’s dream!
In addition to the two A350 city pairs of New York and Chicago, Etihad also offers direct flights for North American-based passengers on their Boeing 787 from both Washington D.C. and Toronto.
Sustainability
Etihad is well known for the highly awarded service and products it offers to its customers. Though it has been a leader in inflight offerings and overall customer experience for years, the airline has shown that it wants to become the leader in sustainable aviation.
In 2019, the airline announced its goal to half its emissions by 2035 and be completely zero-emission by 2050. Part of that plan is to operate a fleet of fuel-efficient aircraft, including the 787-10 ‘Etihad Greenliner’ as well as the A350-1000 ‘Sustainable 50’ that was flown on the inaugural flight to New York JFK.
In addition to operating fuel-efficient aircraft, the airline has also been one of the few operators to be an early user of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF). This is quite the accomplishment considering that SAF can be in excess of six times more expensive to produce than conventional aviation fuels.
On top of its decarbonization plan, Etihad is also working towards total air travel sustainability by reducing its environmental impact in a variety of ways. This includes initiatives like the following:
– Eliminating single-use plastics in the economy cabin.
– Contrail prevention/avoidance systems with U.K.-based green aerospace company SATAVIA.
– Ground-based electric tractors.
– Airspace efficiency improvements to reduce aircraft flight and operating times.
– Equipping inflight entertainment systems with Bluetooth headphone pairing to help eliminate air carrier distributed headphones that are normally discarded and end up in landfills.
Booking options
For travelers based in North America that want to book their first trip with Etihad Airways, you may be wondering what booking options are available to you.
If you reside near Chicago, New York, Toronto or Washington D.C. you can take a direct flight for your trip to Abu Dhabi.
If you need to connect to one of these airports, you may be pleasantly surprised to find out that Etihad already has partnerships with Air Canada, American Airlines and JetBlue Airways to help connect you to these four airports.
Instant Silver Status
Whether you are a first-time traveler with Etihad or a previous traveler that has yet to sign up for Etihad’s free loyalty program, the airline has just created the EY-ZERO1 campaign to jumpstart your loyalty status and benefits.
Usually, earning airline status takes a lot of time and effort before you can begin to enjoy the best loyalty benefits. Etihad, on the other hand, has created the opportunity to earn instant silver status with the airline while also contributing to a more sustainable future. All proceeds from the campaign will go directly towards the purchase of sustainable aviation fuel in 2022.
The EY-ZERO1 campaign can get you access to these perks before you even take your first trip with the airline. You could soon be enjoying benefits such as increased baggage allowance, lounge access at Abu Dhabi International Airport, discounts on economy space seat reservations, inflight wifi discounts and 25% bonus miles on your future flights.
Etihad A350 Quick Facts
– 371 Seats
– 2 Class Configuration
– 10 Lavatories
– Two Designated Prayer Areas
– 7 Bassinet Capable Seats
– 2 Rolls-Royce Trent XWB Engines
– 8,700 NM Range