Etihad Airways has unveiled new first and business class cabins for its Airbus A380 and Boeing 787 fleet that it claims raise industry standards.
The upper cabin on the A380 includes a three-room, luxury apartment that Etihad calls ‘the Residence‘ which will be launched on the London-Abu Dhabi route in late December.
Etihad is due to take delivery of the first of 10 A380s this autumn, with the first entering scheduled service from London on December 27.
A second A380 with the new cabins will start flying from London in the first quarter of 2015.
The aircraft will feature nine first class ‘apartments’, all on the upper deck, along with the Residence. Six of the apartments will be available as doubles.
The cabin includes a changing room and shower for first class passengers. The Residence has its own shower, living room and bedroom and a dedicated, Savoy-trained butler.
A ‘lobby’ or lounge area will divide first class from 70 business class ‘studios’ on the A380, all on the upper deck.
Etihad will also have its first 787 in service from December, fitted with 27 business class ‘studios’, with a second due to start flying in January.
The carrier plans to retrofit its existing fleet with the seats over the next four years.
Etihad chief executive James Hogan said: “It is scheduled air travel as you have never seen it – the best offering on any long-haul airline.”
He suggested: “Our competitors will be scratching their heads. But we believe there is a market for this product.”
The Residence will cost from $20,000 one way and Hogan said: “We won’t be upgrading people to it.”
He insisted: “We make money on first class. In the UAE you can’t get a seat in our first class in peak periods today.”
Hogan said the Residence marked an industry first by being the first ‘seat’ to be licensed for use by two passengers for take-off and landing.
Etihad unveiled the cabins ahead of the opening day of Arabian Travel Market on Monday. Development of the cabins took five years.