SKY SUITES: Etihad’s three-room Residence will be available on its new A380 aircraft this December.

Etihad=Luxury Flying

Now is this the way to fly or what? I’m giddy the few times I get to go first class but this is really something! Etihad Airways is taking in-flight luxury to the next level. Changing first- and business-class passengers’ expectations of premium travel, the airline introduces new cutting-edge products and experiences similar to those found in luxury hotels and private jets.

The national carrier of the United Arab Emirates unveiled a new three-room cabin with amenities akin to private jet comfort as well as new first- and business-class seats for its upcoming Airbus A380 and Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft at a media event in Abu Dhabi last week.

“These new living spaces will raise inflight product and service standards to their highest level yet in commercial aviation and alter air travelers’ expectations of inflight comfort and luxury forever,” said James Hogan, president and CEO, Etihad Airways. “Etihad Airways’ A380 and B787 will deliver the most advanced airline cabins in the industry.”

The Residence by Etihad, offered on its A380 service to London from December of this year, will offer guests unparalleled privacy and comfort with a personal butler, a double bedroom with a 27-inch flat-screen TV, an en-suite shower room and a separate living room boasting a two-seat leather couch, a dining table, a minibar and a 32-inch TV. Located at the front of the upper deck on the superjumbo, The Residence can be occupied by one or two passengers.

Etihad is also raising the industry standard on first-class cabins by creating the only single-aisle first-class cabin on its A380 aircraft. Situated on the upper deck in a 1-1 configuration, each of the nine First Apartments will include a 64-inch-high sliding door, a reclining armchair and a full-length ottoman that transforms into a separate 80-inch fully flat-bed as well as a minibar, a personal vanity unit and a swiveling TV monitor. The new First Suites on its 787, designed in a 1-2-1 configuration, include a large seat and ottoman that converts into an 80.5-inch full-flat bed, a minibar and a 24-inch TV. Passengers in the center seats also have the option to create a double bed by retracting the armrests.

On both its A380 and 787, Etihad’s new Business Studios will offer guests 20 percent more personal space than its current business-class configuration. The cabin will feature a 1-2-1 configuration providing direct aisle access and seats that convert into fully flat beds up to 80.5 inches long.

Etihad currently flies to more than 60 destinations in 42 countries across the globe. The Gulf carrier plans to take delivery of its new A380 and Dreamliner aircraft this December.

*Information from Global Traveler.