AUH-MUC return economy. both legs on the newer a330-243. great airline. amazing seat pitch for economy class. great IFE (including huge PTV), great service, good food. flights on time as well. booked them again already for the Christmas flight to Europe. My overall rating 9/10.

Etihad Airways review - by E Giallo
17 November 2006

CDG AUH BKK. Very good and new fleet. Big screens and much entertainment. Food is good but if you are seated at the rear, be warned that you will not have the choice of your food. Staff is nice but you can feel a little lack of professionalism. The planes arrive before scheduled time except from AUH to CDG (2 hours delay and no information). Be warned that in AUH airport smoking is permitted everywhere making my journey less pleasant.

Etihad Airways review - by Stewart Reynolds
8 November 2006

My wife and I recently flew with Etihad from Gatwick to Abu Dhabi and then through to Sri Lanka. What a wonderful experience this was. From check in to destination we cannot fault the excellent service. We will most certainly fly Etihad again. This holiday was actually our honeymoon,and the first time my wife had travelled long haul. Due to friendlyness and efficiency of your staff at all levels it certainly took the pressure from what on paper was seen to be a daunting journey. Well done Etihad. A credit to all.

Etihad Airways review - by Geraint Lewis
5 November 2006

Pearl Class LGW-AUH-BKK return in October and despite a couple of small glitches has an excellent set of flights. From Limo pickup from home to the full flat bed (I got a full 3 hours sleep on each of 2 sectors) I cannot fault this airline. The cabin staff were most attentive and very friendly. Food was excellent on all legs (ex AUH leg was best both times). Major gripe -lounges. Delta at LGW is awful. Dark, dingy and full of loudmouthed travelling salesmen. CIP at BKK nearly as bad - only reading material was in German. Whatever happened to their link with Thai? I'm already planning my next trip with Etihad.

Etihad Airways review - by Asmaa Sahhab
2 November 2006

LGW-AUH-LGW. Both flights on the new 777-300ER. Punctual departure on both flights. Although this aircraft can carry 350 passengers in coral (economy), the outbound flight only had 150 "guests" and the return only 100 "guests" (Etihad call their passengers guests). Me and my husband had 3 seats each to ourselves and so too did most other guests. On the outbound, Lunch was excellent, with 3 options, while on the return breakfast was less attractive but still edible. Drinks were served throughout the flights and the flight attendents were always smiling and on hand to provide assistance when required. The IFE was excellent with an on demand choice of over 100 movies and tv programs with a large 10.4” screens. We did not use the wi-Fli internet service but it will be discontinued at the end of December 2006. Effective October 1, 2006 Guests can use the service free of charge. When i reached AUH, I needed to cut my trip short and was pleasantly surprised to know that all Etihad tickets are changeable for a fee, regardless of the class booked. Overall a very pleasant experience and will fly again.

Etihad Airways review - by Ian Francis
27 October 2006

LHR - Dubai return in Coral. Both trips on A340. Excellent food, service and legroom. Good IFE. Check in at LHR erratic, asked for window seats, given middle row, but plane not full, so no problem. Check in at Abu Dhabi excellent Seats asked for given, very polite and helpful. Would recommend. Matches Emirates for less cost.

Etihad Airways review - by Patricia Beck-Palles
19 October 2006

Thank you for posting so many good and informative comments about Etihad Airways. I am now about to make my first booking, Brussels to Toronto.

Etihad Airways review - by Neil Egan
19 October 2006

MAN-AUH-BKK return, all flights excellent. Cabin crew friendly and attentive, not shy with the drinks either! Inflight entertainment good, food tasty. AUH airport small but okay for a couple of hours.

Etihad Airways review - by David Huggett
17 October 2006

LGW-AUH-BKK return in Coral Zone. Boeing 777 seemed brand new - so much more room compared to A330 or A340. The crew were excellent, food the best airline food and video entertainment good. The plane left practically on time on each leg. Only one small point to mention. The footrests fold up in front of the magazine pouch (which was severely overstuffed with various magazines) causing limited knee/shin/leg room. Apart from that - no problems.

Etihad Airways review - by B Furnival
28 September 2006

Etihad is excellent. Economy to Bangkok and back and the cabin was spacious and staff attentive and helpful at all stages. You could drink alcohol and IFE was first rate (although the touch screens didn't always work). The food wasn't quite as good as it could have been but nonetheless, all in all, this superb airline will be used by me again.

Etihad Airways review - by W Hill
27 September 2006

LHR-AUH-BKK return, Business Class. A340 on LHR-AUH legs, B777 on AUH- BKK legs, all new aircraft. I liked the Etihad seats as they could be made horizontal, and I found them more comfortable than seats of Qatar Airways. The seat surround has a lot of plastic, and it looks and feels rather flimsy in comparison to the seats of other airlines I have travelled with. Food and service were good, but not as good as Qatar Airways. The IFE system, although modern and with large screens, is rather clunky and slow, and the range of films was not that good. Boeing's Connexion WIFI Internet service was available on the B777 and I tried it out - reasonably fast and I was able to send and receive e- mails and browse Web pages. I was upgraded to First Class on AUH to LHR leg - First Class seats were very comfortable, service, food and wine excellent.

Etihad Airways review - by Suhail Shaibani
27 September 2006

I have flown with Etihad Airways three time now, twice to Cairo and once to Bangkok. Both of my journeys were excellent by the service received in flight and on ground. When we arrived Abu Dhabi on our way back from BKK we were given hotel to rest in the airport without any delay, thats made our flight much pleasant and we arrived in Muscat in good spirit.

Etihad Airways review - by John M Clarke
16 September 2006

I have flown between Abu Dhabi and Manchester return 5 times since May. The staff are generally attentive, although sometimes there is a problem with understanding English with some of the crew. The entertainment is good and just been changed. Every flight without fail there has been a shortage of availability of choice on the menu items. I cannot understand how the ticket pricing works, It is a lot more expensive to fly from Abu Dhabi to MAN return than it is to fly MAN to Abu Dhabi return and it differs depending on booking in Abu Dhabi or the UK. When asked at the Abu Dhabi central booking office I was told there is no high and low season and there is a set price? The price varies from 2300AED to 3500AED - why?

Etihad Airways review - by Judith Shore
16 September 2006

LGW to Bangkok. Very impressed with both outward and inward flights. Loads of legroom for very tall partner of mine! Food was best I've had in a long while on long haul flights. Staff very efficient and helpful - a bit on the serious side but very polite. We travel on a frequent basis to Bangkok and would definitely choose Etihad again in future.

Etihad Airways review - by Steve Wade
13 September 2006

Heathrow-Abu Dhabi. The aircraft was one of the new ones, with excellent mood lighting, IFE and seat pitch. In economy, the plane was not very busy at all, and that allowed the cabin crew to provide a superior level of personal service. I have been on other carriers where a low passenger count is regarded as a day off for the cabin crew, with very slow/poor service - but not on Etihad. Food choice was fantastic - WiFi in all 3 cabins - aircraft interior was bright and spacious, I honestly couldnt fault them. The lounges in Heathrow and Abu Dhabi are excellent, with plenty of food/beverage choice, and reading materials.

Etihad Airways review - by Paul Winder
6 September 2006

LGW-AUH-LGW. Both flights full but great service from FAs. Meals/drinks service plentiful. IFE great. On the return flight my wife's screen would not work, despite being rebooted at least twice (we were told) so a bit disappointing. All in all, two pleasant flights to start and end a holiday, and would recommend this airline.

Etihad Airways review - by David Cheetham
28 August 2006

LGW-AUH-BKK economy (return). This airline has improved significantly since last year. The new B777 from LGW is modern, spacious and well equiped. Etihad FA's are friendly but do not seem to like frequently serving coffee or tea - they make the excuse that there is too much turbulence?! Etihad are knocking on the door of Qatar and Emirates for service. Still really cheap compared to BA and Thai but drawback is that you have to change planes in AUH. Will be booking them next time I travel to BKK.

Etihad Airways review - by Nick Ward
26 August 2006

LGW-AUH-BKK return. Excellent. Flew economy (Coral class) was very impressed. Food great as was the entertainment. Tickets very good value for money compared to other airlines on the same route. AHU stop over was quick (only about an hours wait) and efficient.

Etihad Airways review - by Judith Matthews
22 August 2006

London Heathrow to Abu Dhabi and back again. Outstanding service in economy. Very attentive and professional staff.

Etihad Airways review - by Clive Beard
22 August 2006

LHR-AUH-BKK in Coral/economy. From LHR we were on a brand new A340 and from Abu Dhabi Boeing 777. They could not be faulted in any way. All flights on time or ahead of schedule. Food was very good, with good choice and the flight attendants were polite, helpful & available when requested. The only complaint would be against the IFE which on the return leg to London had loads of problems (but this did give us chance to sleep). In previous years we have flown to the Far East with Emirates and Qatar - Etihad are equally as good and deserve at least 4 star rating. Upon reaching Heathrow we reported damage to 1 of our cases a representative from Etihad contacted our home the next day and a replacement case was delivered to our home within 4 days of our return.

Etihad Airways review - by Iskandar Nordin
12 August 2006

DXB-AUH-BKKBusiness Class (Pearl Class). Arrived at AUH Airport and was informed to go to Etihad Pearl Class Check In Counter which was nice but a bit of a mess as AUH Airport was going through a major refurbishment and renovation. Got my boarding pass and got the seat I had made reservations for. Etihad Lounge in AUH is simple. Complimentary Hi Speed Internet access available with 6 computers in Lounge. Food was mixture of hot and cold food - salads to entree / dessert. Arabic and Western food available. A Ladies section was available to cater to the Arabic ladies who were using the lounge. Decor simple and staff were helpful and friendly. Boarded the aircraft from gate 8 and was held in the holding room. AUH needs to expand to cater to Etihad's bigger fleet as holding room was so small. It probably could hold only about 70-100 people. Flight was on 777-300ER. Boarded the plane and escorted to my seat. Nice interior, flat beds. Clean and tidy. On seat was an amenity kit and headset. Welcome drinks, newpapers. After take off, hot towels and blankets offered. Drinks orders taken as well as Appetisers and Entree. Interestingly no menus were offered. So didn't know choice until she pulled out the menu from her tray. Tray offered after a round of drinks and presented with Appetiser of Smoke Salmon Mousse, fresh salad with no choice of salad dressing (olive oil) and assortment of bread. Main course opted for Halibut with Wild Rice. Tasty. Portion is similar to most Economy size casseroles in other airlines. Then a preplated dessert and cheese. Towels offered and service was done. IFE was adequate but not as good as Emirates ICE Sysytem or Qatar Airways Waves System. But good. Movies up to date and on demand. Seats lay flat 180 degrees and comfortable. Before landing, Continental Breakfast served. Crew were attentive but not as friendly as cabin crew with Emirates and Qatar. Maybe need to smile a bit more. But overall efficiency was good. Good and enjoyable flight. But would still rate it as a 3 star airline because of quality of amenities, food and service. Would recommend to others. Especially because of its competitive price.

Etihad Airways review - by Neil Williams
30 July 2006

My wife and I were very impressed with the whole flying experience with Etihad. We travelled London GW to Manila via Abu Dhabi by Boeing 777. Staff were excellent and very attentive to my wife's needs (she has difficulty walking and climbing stairs). At check in and boarding they gave her priority which made the whole trip so much more bearable. Regarding the rest of the service: excellent. Super seating with lots of legroom. Inflight entertainment very up to date and absorbing. Meals were well timed, the food tasty and palatable. As before, all the staff were very attentive and professional. They were kind and sensitive without being overly sympathetic.

Etihad Airways review - by Salar Baban
30 July 2006

Dubai-Abu Dhabi-London Gatwick return. Good service by friendly and attentive staff. Good meals, inflight entertainment service is outstanding. The only thing missing is a loyalty program to encourage frequent flyers as I have flown Etihad 6 times in the last 12 months.

Etihad Airways review - by Marie Briones
30 July 2006

London Gatwick to Manila return. It was a pleasant and comfortable journey especially the one from London to Abu Dhabi and Abu Dhabi to London. Descent leg room, friendly staffs and very nice food. Good value for money. Very clean inside. The only thing I was concerned is that I had to pay £100 something because I exceeded 3kgs. in London which never happened to me with Emirates. The services on both airlines don't have a big difference to be honest.

Etihad Airways review - by Shayaan Nadeem
26 June 2006

LHE-AUH-LHR and return in Economy. Even though B767 was scheduled for the LHE-AUH route, Etihad changed the aircraft to an A330-200 leased from TAM. We were given seats in the second last row, and were rather cramped. Even though there was a footrest, ther was very little legroom. Etihad's economy class seating on this aircraft was similar to Economy seating on other airlines. The IFE was reasonable, with no video-on- demand. We had a three-hour stopover in the miniscule Abu Dhabi airport. Abu Dhabi airport has meagre airside facilities, with just one coffee bar and a cafe. Duty free shopping is substantial, though. We found the Etihad transfer staff to be very helpful, albeit very unprofessional. The flight to Heathrow was a different story. On time departure, it was flown on their A330-243. We got emergency exit seats, so there was plenty of leg room. Other seats seemed to have a decent amount of legroom as well, and adjustable wings on the headrests made the seats all the more comfortable. Staff very courteous and top-notch service even in Economy class. A pack of snacks was served soon after take-off, along with drinks. A bit later, a decent meal was served as well. Even for their economy class passengers, Etihad printed menus custom-made for the specific flight. IFE was video-on-demand, with (they advertised) over 200 hours of entertainment to choose from. For their video selection, however, it seemed as if they went for quantity rather than quality. The A330-243 was also fitted with ambient lighting, which changed colour with time to reflect the sky at our point of departure. Even though it seemed cool at first, the deep orange light for sunset became somewhat a nuisance. Overall, the experience was positive with Etihad; one of the best economy class products I've used, especially at such low fares! On the return journey, LHR-AUH was again flown on the A330-243; this time around, however, they played music throughout the flight, which - albeit mild - was a nuisance. It's worthwhile noting that on their A330-243, there is a premium economy section, with wider seats, more legroom, better footrests and better recline. This section is usually empty, and is only utilised when there is a full flight. Between LHR-AUH, the flight was rather empty, so we moved up to the premium economy section for a good rest (this section is only between rows 7 and 10, and the configuration is 2-4-2). For our return flight between AUH-LHE, they used another A330-200, which was not leased from TAM this time. The seats were more comfortable, even though weren't as spacious as those on the A330-243. The same video-on-demand IFE was installed. As always, service was excellent on all routes and food was reasonable. We got to choose from three dishes on each flight, and on the AUH-LHE route, we were served with metal cutlery. I would opt to fly Etihad again, given its excellent fares and competitive service.

Etihad Airways review - by Mike Houlden
21 June 2006

This was my first time with Etihad to Al Ain via Abu Dhabi and I have had a very happy experience with the new Boeing 777. Check-in was painless and they even found me a seat with more legroom because of my arthritis. Cabin crew were pleasant, attentive and professional and the food and drink service excellent.

Etihad Airways review - by John Paine
1 June 2006

Just arrived back in Manchester from our holiday to Bangkok. Our 4 flights were superb. The planes were excellent, all on time. We had spare seats where we could stretch out. The cabin crew were attentive and courteous and on the flight from Abu Dhabi to Bangkok we had the best airline meal we have tasted. No hesitation in recomending Etihad Airlines to anyone travelling from Manchester to Bangkok - just make sure you try the lamb curry.

Etihad Airways review - by Suhail Kazim
1 June 2006

BKK-AUH in Business class. I arrived at the check in counter and saw a very long queue but luckily the pearl zone queue was empty. Check in did not take more than 2 minutes. Thai Airways business class lounge is used by Etihad airways premium class passengers in BKK. The new business class seats were on the extended range version of Boeing 777 - flat bed type reclining to horizontal. Ample storage space. A large dining table and a large screen PTV with a huge variety of IFE. High speed internet by Connexion by Boeing. Shortly after take off, menu and amenity kits were given. Breakfast a choice of crepes stuffed with scrambled eggs or mixed grill or healthy option of cottage cheese and cold cuts. The flight went off very nicely and seat comfort was maximal. Time passed very easily between the internet and IFE and soon the crew were serving us a snack of open sandwiches and cake and fruits prior to landing. We landed 20 minutes ahead of schedule but unfortunately the plane had to park remotely and we were bussed off in outside temperature of 40 degrees. Business class passengers had a small private bus. Baggage was claimed soon and I proceeded to my complimentary limousine to Dubai. The flight experience was excellent and the crew were efficient. Etihad airways should strive to maintain this level of service always and it will be a winner. They should quickly introduce a FFP in order to gather a loyal group of passengers.

Etihad Airways review - by Imran Akhtar
24 May 2006

MAN-ISB. Both flights were good with the A330s. IFE good and meals very good. Staff service was excellent. A330 to Abu Dhabi was nice and clean. Unfortunately, the B767 to Islamabad was not up to the same standards but for the price it was okay. Flights on time and for the price of the tickets compared to many other carriers (PIA especially), would fly them again.

Etihad Airways review - by Paul Pybus
18 May 2006

MAN-AUH A330, AUH-BKK B777. Economy Class. Sat in the last row on both flights, MAN-AUH only 72 pax but still managed to have no choice of meal! Using just delivered A330 which seemed to offer more leg room then the B777. Both flights on time with good efficient service from newly recruited staff, with great IFE. No problems with AUH airport. Would use them again.

Etihad Airways review - by John Tonner
18 May 2006

LGW to BKK via AUH and back again. All 4 flights on the brand new 777-ER and they were a delight. Had 3 seats to myself on all flights, so could stretch out and sleep. Meals were well above average and the staff attentive. IFE excellent too. The only thing holding Etihad back now is Abu Dhabi airport being their hub. Far, far too small and cramped to be anything other than a negative experience there.

Etihad Airways review - by Keith Miller
13 May 2006

A330 LHR-AUH and 777 AUH-BKK. The 777 wins hands down in terms of space and comfort. Sitting by the A330 window is very cramped. Economy Class service on both flights was good. Business Class on 777s all the way back and that was excellent! They've done a great job of fitting the 777 and the mixed nationality crew were very professional. Excellent value for money to my mind and I would recommend them, but avoid A330s!

Etihad Airways review - by Stuart Hayes
9 May 2006

LGW-AUH-BKK economy. New 777 with fully dual reclining seats and decent sized seat-back screens on both legs. Decent choice of movies & games. Plane 99% full (probably due to extremely competitive pricing). An over- supply of IFE. Food/drink was good and didn't run out. Pleasantly surprised and impossible to complain about. BKK-AUH-LHR : 777 from BKK to AUH, again good. AUH-LHR an Airbus A330. Looked a bit jaded and far inferior to the 777 (seat barely reclined and legroom, screens worse), but reasonable for the price of the ticket. I was pleasantly surprised and would certainly consider again.

Etihad Airways review - by Ron Stewart
6 May 2006

Return flight To Islamabad last month on Airbus A330s. My experience was positive, especially given the low prices offered. Legroom is on the tight side, but I coped OK with aisle seats. Flight delays minimal. I found the cabin crew pleasant and efficient. Food I'd rate as average, but it did seem to arrive at the right times during the flight. On the final leg from Abu Dhabi - Manchester, departing at 2.00 a.m., a light meal was served an hour or so into the flight, followed by a quite substantial breakfast before landing.

Etihad Airways review - by Melissa Perez
2 May 2006

LGW-AUH-BKK. Possibly the best flights I have had. All four legs on the new Boeing 777. Excellent food, on-demand entertainment with a great selection and mood lighting on the plane. Will recommend Etihad to others.

Etihad Airways review - by K Kristjansdottir
30 April 2006

I have been a loyal customer to Etihad since they started operating and have been quite pleased with their service. The crew could lighten up a little bit and be more friendly towards passengers. One thing I am annoyed about is that I wrote them a complaint in January 2006 and still haven't got a feedback from them! I have written them again and again on the same issue and no feedback.

Etihad Airways review - by Sandy Mellis
20 April 2006

LGW to BKK via Abu Dhabi and return to LHR. The first leg via the new 777 was excellent, from check in to landing at Abu Dhabi. Great IFE, excellent food and staff very attentive. Unfortunately the second leg from Abu Dhabi to Bangkok via the Airbus was not so great - IFE did not operate efficiently and the staff were not so courteous. I would fly with Etihad again, because the price compared to other operators far outways any problems.

Etihad Airways review - by Owen Barnes
18 April 2006

777 Gatwick to Abu Dhabi, despite being full was comfortable (maybe the seats are a little firm but this is a matter of personal preference). The staff polite attentive and professional, IFE excellent, and one on the best meals on an aircraft. Return flight equally good - especially as nearly empty !! At check-in we were offered a row each without my asking - so we were able to sleep the whole way back. Fantastic value too.

Etihad Airways review - by Dennis Laycock
8 April 2006

LGW-AUH-BKK return. I felt all four flights were excellent, with helpful staff both ground and cabin crews, also modern aircraft and an excellent choice of meals and onboard entertainment. My criticism would be that the seats could be a little roomier with slightly more legroom. Etihad are offering a very competitive prices. I would have no hesitation using this airline again.

Etihad Airways review - by Dorrien Zilavetz
25 March 2006

My friend and myself flew Bangkok to Abu Dhabi on Friday March 17th,delighted that now we can fly direct to various destinations without driving to Dubai. However for a world class airline it was far from satisfactory. Immediately we boarded, we felt that the flight was "off", from the surly attitude from the cabin staff to the freezing cold tea and coffee - on more than one occasion. The in-flight entertainment was not working for the entire flight. When we mentioned to a pleasant Australian stewardess of the shortcomings she admitted that they knew certain things were not up to par - that is an understatement - but they were trying to rectify them. I tried to point out that with competition these days they had better do it quickly otherwise passengers will have no choice but to fly alternative airlines.

Etihad Airways review - by Ian Mockett
15 March 2006

UK to Abu Dhabi was on the Iberworld Airbus A330. Although the plane was a little long in the tooth I found the leg room adequate (more than 29 inches). Cabin staff - a mix of Iberworld and Etihad were very good. Food was some of the better I have had. Inlight entertainment was a bit poor. Abu Dhabi to Bangkok was on a Etihad Airbus A340. Leg room was adequate in flight entertainment was seatback tv with choice of about three films. Bangkok to Abu Dhabi was an Etihad A330. Again legroom was adequate, food good, service OK although they need to work on the delivery of drinks with meals. The final leg was on the Boeing 777 a plane that had been in service a few days. Seat comfort was okay, perhaps not as comfy as the Airbus. The inflight entertainment was touch sensitive screens with choice of thirty movies on demand, umpteen audio channels - audio was fully configurable allowing the user to select what audio tracks in a My Favourites type scenario. There were also computer games and onboard map. If you have a notebook you can also make use of Wireless internet. With Etihad getting more of these aircraft, if they can improve the service a little they could prove a competitor in the top airline stakes. Ground handling was fine and all flights ran on time. Certainly use them again at the deals they are doing at the moment.

Etihad Airways review - by Neil Plummer
26 February 2006

I will certainly never fly with Etihad again! My wife and I flew Johannesburg / Abu Dhabi and were very disappointed after their hype about being "so good". I subsequently sent an e-mail to Etihad via their feedback facility on their website explaining the reason for my displeasure and despite specifically asking for a response, have heard nothing from them. This indicates that they either don't care about their passengers, don't have the courtesy to respond or ignore constructive criticism.

Etihad Airways review - by Mike Frank
26 February 2006

To John Noble and others who recently had flown from Gatwick on the Iberworld sub-contracted Airbus, Etihad will start to use new Boeing 777's daily from 9 March so this should make matters better on this route at least.

Etihad Airways review - by Peter Sokhi
26 February 2006

LGW-AUH. Flight was on the chartered Iberworld aircraft. We were lucky to have been allocated the seats by the emergency exit - so legroom for us was great. The service both at check in and on board was excellent. The senior purser had her team working well and we had good food and drinks as and when we required them.

Etihad Airways review - by Andy Clark
26 February 2006

LGW-AUH-CMB return. Excellent service in the air / ground, with good food and entertainment. First flight on the Iberworld aircraft, legroom poor - luckily only 56 passengers on a 200+ seat aircraft. Six hour stop over at Abu Dhabi - this airport has very poor facilities. Other flights on fully booked Etihad aircraft where legroom was less of a problem. Good value for money.

Etihad Airways review - by Stephen Boyes
21 February 2006

Etihad Economy from London Heathrow to Abu Dhabi and returned six days later. Pleasantly surprised by ground and inflight staff. The seats were reasonable, the food good (albeit dinner on the outward flight should have been served earlier) and inflight entertainment excellent. Not surprisingly it does not achieve the overall quality of the likes of Singapore Airlines, Cathay Pacific, etc.

Etihad Airways review - by Mark Aldrich
3 February 2006

London Gatwick to Bangkok via Abu Dhabi. The first leg of the outward journey was on an old Airbus chartered from the Spanish airline Iberworld. The seats on this aircraft were uncomfortable and very little legroom between the seat in front. The second leg of the journey was an Etihad plane with a UAE/Thai crew - comparable to other airlines in economy class. The return journey was much the same, with the Iberworld plane being used on the second leg of the journey. This was totally uncomfortable for a flight of 7.5 hours. Etihad give value for money and their own aircraft are of an acceptable standard. However, all the time they charter unsuitable alternative aircraft, the standard of their product is shabby.

Etihad Airways review - by Mohammad Ali Dada
1 February 2006

LHR-AUH-KHI sector. I agree with most other comments, the A330 is not configured for a 7 hour plus flight, the legroom is inadequate. The service was good though on the flight with nice meal options. What really didn't help was the airport they use at AUH. Its way too small for an airline aspiring to go the Emirates way. Suffered a 4 hours delay there due to aircraft trouble. No complaints about that, all airlines face that, but the ground service was bad and the only information that was coming through was due to passengers asking the airline staff. Its a new airline and I hope they learn those basics fast.

Etihad Airways review - by Mike Leigh
26 January 2006

LHR-AUH-BKK. What a very inconsistent airline this is. You either get a very old plane with terrible inflight entertainment and adequate legroom, or a new aircraft with excellent in flight entertainment and shocking leg room! Food good, cabin staff fine, although 2 hours into a 7 hour flight, they had run out of red wine. If you get a cheap deal, take your chance - but in future I will pay extra and fly with someone else.

Etihad Airways review - by John Noble
10 January 2006

London to Bangkok via Abu Dhabi and found the return journey to London, the worst flight I have ever experienced. The plane was a very old Airbus A330 chartered from Iberworld, who seemed to be going for a world record as to how many seats they could shoe horn into a plane. There was virtually no leg room which resulted in sleep being a total impossibility for not only myself, but every fellow passenger over 5 foot 2. The staff seemed to be used to complaints about the lack of room and would only give me a standard "we are expecting a delivery of new aircraft soon" speech. Subsequently I would NOT recommend this airline until they have taken delivery of their new aircraft.

Etihad Airways review - by Ian Milligan
10 January 2006

London Gatwick to Abu Dhabi, in Economy. A dreadful experience with an awful airline! Seats are tiny, with the lowest seat pitch I have ever experienced. During the outward and return flights, my legs were dangling in the aisle in an attempt to get some comfort. Service on board is very poor - cold coffee, inappropriate menu for children, unsmiling cabin attendants. The advertising for the airline creates a lot of high expectation, but sadly, Etihad do not have their act together or any idea of what people really expect. Fly with them only as a last resort!

Etihad Airways review - by Ronnie Taylor
10 January 2006

LHR to AUH. Our pre-ordered vegetarian meals arrived without a problem and we got our pre-booked seats. I'm 6 feet tall so the legroom was restricted when the person in front puts their seat in the reclining position. This was our fourth trip to Abu Dhabi and probably the best in terms of flight times, connections etc. Abu Dhabi airport is very busy in the late evening so it was an absolute pleasure that it was so quiet in the morning and made things a lot more comfortable.

Etihad Airways review - by Oliver Rann
4 January 2006

London to Bangkok via Abu Dhabi return. Possibly the worst flights I have ever experienced. Clapped out seats, pitched at a miserable 29 inches for 7.5 hours - chronic lack of legroom - to recline in these circumstances was obviously appalling manners but the idiots in front of my family reclined the whole 7.5 hours. One of my children attempted a recline, but was greeted with howls of protest from behind - so we sat there very uncomfortable for 7.5 hours - wedged between our upright seats and the recliners to the front, knees braced against metal rod to rear of seat in front. Everyone tetchy, bad tempered and sleep impossible. Staff totally indifferent (obviously had many complaints on every flight) and refused to respond. Air-conditioning not working properly (very hot about 40C) - clapped out very old A330, chartered from Iberworld. No menu choices available for other than first few rows - just cold curry - one child nearly sick in hot cramped conditions. Difficult to get tea or coffee - tepid anyway, and virtually no chance of an alcoholic drink. All four flights completely full, way too few flight attendants. Poor service. Cheap but absolutely awful. Will never fly with Etihad again.

Etihad Airways review - by Sofia Khan
4 January 2006

Toronto to Abu Dhabi.We were scheduled to leave on the night of Dec. 30th. Upon arrival to the airport three and a half hour earlier than scheduled flight and a long wait of 2 hours. We were curious to know when the check-in counter will open. After a long wait and still no sight of Etihad's employee, we asked a airport employee about the flight EY 502. He advised us that EY 502 had been cancelled, and that we should come back 10:00 in the morning - flight was now scheduled for 1:00pm. When we arrived to the airport, we were again notified that flight is further delayed and that we should wait in the lounge for news. Plane finally took off after a long 14-15 hours of stressful wait and running around. We could have avoided all the hassle if somebody from Etihad had bothered calling their customers, and notifying of flight cancellation.

Etihad Airways review - by Samir Vora
1 January 2006