Review: Etihad Business Class Airbus A321 (JED-AUH)

@ben was this the hardest flight of the trip? Not sure what time zone you felt like you were in at this stage but 2am departure had to be tough.

Were there other etihad flights with flat seats available on points?

@ Mick -- Instead of flying at 2AM, there was a flight at 7PM the previous evening operated by a 787. However, that would have cut it too close for comfort, as my Garuda Indonesia flight only arrived a couple of hours before that (and at a different terminal).

@ Mick -- You would think, but it was actually the easiest. I had gotten a great nap in at the Aerotel, so I was wide awake for this flight. The exhaustion really only kicks in at roughly hour six of may layover in Abu Dhabi, as I had around eight hours prior to my flight to London.

Fantastic! I love the mental games around long haul travel and time zones! “I’m fine! It’s only 4pm back home”!

"So to wake him up, she basically just started clubbing him with her bag"

This seems like the kind of stuff that would go viral if it was on video. How did he react?

The lady who wished to go to the toilet would not have been permitted by religious law to touch a fellow male passenger.A couple of hits from her handbag was allowed,even if a bit brutal in the middle of the night!

I plan to steal the head tap move. No contact, nothing lost in translation and a universally recognized gesture.

Depends on her age. The limits only apply to women in their child bearing years and so if she was elderly she didn't need to.
Habits are hard to shake and the subtleties rarely explained so she probably thought she couldn't.
Either that or she just wanted to wallop him

"So to wake him up, she basically just started clubbing him with her bag"

She may have done this because in Saudi Arabia, most Muslim Females avoid directly touching Males due to religious reasons. This is not unique to Saudi Arabia, as many Muslim females practice this, but this is more likely in Saudi Arabia than some other countries.

As a result, the lady needed to wake the passenger somehow, and a purse is a girl's best friend (and probably the first thing she thought of, or the only thing she had on her at the time).

That has to be one of the stupidest attempts at an explanation I have ever heard.

As with JB, what a ridiculous comment.

Julia,
Instead of rubbishing comments made by others on this subject, perhaps you'd like to enlighten us as to why this is a stupid comment, and instead offer us the benefit of your experience on the possible reasons.
I'm sure we'd all love to hear it....

How is transfer security at the new terminal? In the old terminal I often found that the priority lanes were never opened, or at least not until a long line had built up (which kind of defeats the object of a priority lane…)

Having lived in Saudi Arabia for almost 12 years, I'd say that the explanation is spot on.

Re the wakeup call with the handbag

Was the person sitting next to her a Saudi Arab? There is an incredible amount of racial discrimination against those who are not Arab so that could have accounted for the subtle approach given the high number of business people who are not Arab..

Actually your response is ignorant of the culture.

@Julia really? And what do you base these words of wisdom on?

Am flying business Abu dabai night flight to Colombo in 3 days time.
Just found out that Airbus 321 has only recliner seats not fully lie back.
Thats the same as Premium economy for Emirates and Qatar.
Am very shocked.