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Etihad joins ten-across club

Published: 17/11/2009 - Filed under: News »

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Abu Dhabi airline Etihad is set to lose its economy-class comfort advantage over Emirates. It has decided to follow its Dubai rival’s lead and install ten-across seating on its fleet of B777s.

The move, reported by respected industry publication Flight International, was revealed at this week’s Dubai air show.

No details are yet available as to when the conversion from nine to ten-abreast seating will take place but it is being undertaken by local firm Abu Dhabi Aircraft Technologies. The alterations will also include new seating and an upgrade of these planes’ IFE systems.

Knowledgeable passengers grumble about ten-across seating on the B777 because it is an especially dense layout. That is because the B777 has a slightly narrower cabin than the B747 (which already features a ten-across layout).  

Most major carriers continue to operate their B777s with nine-across layouts although Air France and KLM have also begun installing ten-across configurations.

So far Etihad is not using its B777s on routes between Abu Dhabi and Europe but matters could change in future.

Right now the carrier’s B777s mainly serve Asian destinations like Bangkok, Manila and Jakarta. So Etihad’s comfort advantage over Emirates’ B777s on these routes will disappear at some stage.

Better news from Etihad at the Dubai Show concerns the carrier’s premium product. Etihad says it has decided to extend the fitting of its first class suites to all of its A340s. The work is being understaken by Lufthansa Technik.  

The suites are currently offered on just a few of Etihad’s flagship A340-600s which operate out of Abu Dhabi to Europe and Australia.

Says CEO James Hogan, “Our first class suite is a stunning product that is helping us stand out in the premium travel market. It has been incredibly well-received and we are delighted to be able to roll it out across the A340 fleet so quickly.”

For more information visit etihadairways.com.

Report by Alex McWhirter

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COMMENTS » 

MarcusUK - 17/11/2009 22:33

That's a great shame, & i think a mistake.

Etihad had one of the best Economy seats in the sky, & the busy Asia one route on which the 773 operates, is always pretty full. Very happy to fly KLM business, but i would Not choose them for economy to Middle East, say Dubai, on their packed 777. Everyone looks very uncomfortable when I have ventured from the WBC, & KLM always appear to have full flights these days med/Long Haul.

Where-as Etihad stood out from the rest, they will now fail to do so, at least for economy seating. great shame, they were quite unique. I would not book a 777 flight with 10 seats across, on any airline.

SimpleDXB - 14/12/2009 10:03

What a great shame to learn of this. Etihad was taking great steps in exposing Emirates for what it is - a substandard, poor airline, and it is a shame that Etihad is going the same way as Emirates with a 3-4-3 on the 777. Of note, Etihad use the 777 on the Toronto route, so I pity any poor individual who has to endure this loss of space on one of the World's longest commercial routes. A very very big own goal - I sincerely hope they do a u-turn on this one.

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