Etihad Airways launches First Class Suites

Etihad Airways has launched its new first class suite. The new product on board the airline’s latest Airbus A340-600 is now operating between Abu Dhabi and London Heathrow.

The state-of-the-art private suite provides first class customers with an extra-large leather seat, upholstered by world-renowned leather company Poltrona Frau, which extends into a fully-flat bed, 80.5 inches in length.

Within the first class cabin there is also a large changing room with a full length mirror, wash basin and leather fold-down seat allowing customers to freshen up at any time during the flight.

James Hogan, Etihad Airways’ chief executive, said, “The new suite is state-of-the-art in every way and the innovative enhancements, such as a personal illuminated wardrobe with mirror and refreshment cabinet, demonstrate our continued commitment to provide a world-class experience for our premium passengers.”

A second A340-600 with the new suite will join the fleet in September 2009. Etihad Airways will take delivery during the next two years of a further five Airbus A330-300 aircraft configured with the new first class suites. The first of these new aircraft is due to arrive in December 2009. The airline will also retrofit nine Airbus A340 aircraft that are currently in service by December 2010.

The new suites feature more than 600 hours of entertainment available on-demand on the 23 inch wide-screen LCD screen. In-flight dining is served on an extra large wood-finished table.

Key features of the new first class cabin include:

- First class suite is an 82 inch long private space with an extra-large seat

- The suites are in a 1-2-1 configuration, allowing all customers direct access to the aisle

- The first class seat transforms into a fully-flat bed with a total length of 80.5 inch and width of 29.75 inch

- Each private suite is accessed by its own 57 inch high sliding screen door

- Centre seats have an optional privacy divider offering total seclusion

- Every suite is equipped with a personal illuminated wardrobe with mirror, refreshments cabinet and new compartments built into and around the seat for customers to stow their possessions

- Luxurious leather seats have been upholstered by world-renowned Poltrana Frau, which also provides interiors for Ferrari cars

- A handy touch-screen control activates the built-in massage

- Every seat comes equipped with in-seat power sockets for PCs, USB ports, Ethernet port and audio jack. Customers can also connect their own media player to the IFE system

- Seats are equipped with a 23 inch personal TV/video screen, with cinematic 16:9 aspect ratio

- Noise cancelling headsets

- Four different dimmer settings for four individual lights

- The in-flight entertainment system allows customers to pause, stop, fast-forward or rewind more than 600 hours of films, TV and radio programmes, and play games

- Meals are served on an extra large (24 inch x 25 inch) wood finished table. The new seat also allows up to four people to dine together, face-to-face

- A large changing room with a full length mirror, new style washbasin and leather fold-down changing room seat, along with designer amenity kits, allows customers to freshen up and change after take-off and prior to landing.

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