FIRST IMPRESSIONS: Frequent travellers flying out of Manila know from experience to give a lot of time for checking in for international flights at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA).
I was at NAIA Terminal 1 two-and-a-half hours before the 1610 departure of the EY421 flight. I passed through security check at the entrance in less than 10 minutes and went straight to the Etihad Airways counters at the end of the left-hand side of the airport.
A queue two-metre deep from the counters had already formed, but I was heartened to see the line moving steadily. The only snag came when I was asked to produce the original visa of the UAE visa, which I was to pick up upon arrival at the Abu Dhabi airport. After showing a computer printout of my scanned visa sent to me earlier, I managed to get through.
When I finally reached the counter, I was pleased to learn that my earlier request for an upgrade was granted. I went through immigration without a fuss.
BOARDING: With 45-minutes to spare, I went up the second level to the business lounge that Etihad shares with other airlines. As Business Class lounges go, this one is unpretentious with minimal adornment, but still provides a restful space after the frenetic activity at the check-in and immigration counters. Refreshments consisted largely of light sandwiches, simple pastries and assorted drinks.
After passing through the final security check at Gate 11, priority boarding allowed me to bypass the queue and head straight toward the air bridge to the waiting aircraft.
THE SEAT: The plane on this flight was a two-cabin Boeing B777-300ER which seats 28 in Business Class and 350 in Economy.
Seats on Etihad’s Pearl Business Class are arranged in a 1-2-1 configuration. Pearl Business Class seats recline 180 degrees into fully flat, six-foot-one beds. With an 88-inch pitch and direct access to the aisle, these seats offer plenty of space and privacy. Each self-contained seat is equipped with individual lighting and a reading lamp. There is also a built-in massage facility to help loosen tight muscles. Etihad’s innovative mood lighting system creates a soothing ambience in the cabin.
THE FLIGHT: The nine-hour flight was uneventful, which means to say everything ran like clockwork. After half an hour of finishing my welcome drink and typing notes on my laptop, I settled in to enjoy the perks of Etihad’s Pearl Business Class, with an alert and approachable cabin crew ever ready to take any request.
Dinner was served about an hour into the flight. From a balanced menu created for various gustatory preferences, my original choice was a risotto dish to satisfy my craving for Italian, but I opted finally to have stewed duck, which was the only thing available when it was my turn to be served – a downside of being seated at the back of the cabin. It was a fine meal nonetheless.
I skipped dessert to dive into Etihad’s extensive film, music and games library from its state-of-the-art AVOD entertainment system. It was a blast catching up with current movie and TV hits. With 15-inch personal screen, Etihad has one of the biggest video monitors in Business Class.
ARRIVAL: EY421 touched down on schedule at 2045. The Abu Dhabi International Airport would have done well by adding more English signage to enable visitors to easily navigate their way around the huge facility. However, I was able to locate the immigration counters quickly.
Non-UAE residents have to go through an iris scan before proceeding to immigration. The iris scan room is conveniently located at the side of the visa and immigration area on level 1.
I cleared immigration and picked up my check-in bag within 20 minutes after landing and soon found myself on a chartered bus that took me to my hotel.
VERDICT: Superb inflight service all the way through. The accolades received by the airline in its short five-year history are well-earned.
PRICE: Online return Business fare from Manila to Abu Dhabi in early June starts from US$1,359.
CONTACT: www.etihadairways.com
Gigi Onag
