Etihad Airways seemingly has plans to introduce a higher density layout for one of its newest jets, and I can’t help but find this to be a quirky layout…
In this post:
Etihad will fly three-cabin, 194-seat Airbus A321LRs
Abu Dhabi-based Etihad is growing at a fast pace at the moment. While Gulf carriers are known for their wide body jets, Etihad’s growth as of late has largely been with new narrow body aircraft. That’s because the airline is taking delivery of 30 Airbus A321LRs.
These narrow body planes have good range, but what makes them unique is how they’re configured. Etihad has them in a three-cabin layout, meaning there’s first class, business class, and economy. Furthermore, both first and business class boast reverse herringbone seats, which stand out from the competition on narrow body planes (where so many airlines elect to install herringbone seats).
Up until now, all of Etihad’s A321LRs have been configured with 160 seats, including two first class seats, 14 business class seats, and 144 economy seats. However, that may soon be changing. As reported by AeroRoutes, as of early 2027, the airline has scheduled flights with a new configuration. Initially, these planes will be flying from Abu Dhabi (AUH) to Delhi (DEL) and Mumbai (BOM).
This plane will have 194 seats, including two first class seats, six business class seats, and 186 economy class seats. Below is the seat map from ExpertFlyer.
In other words, the airline is eliminating eight business class seats in order to install 42 more economy seats. I’m not sure if there are further space savings somewhere (there must be?), or if one business class seat and over five economy seats really take up the same space.
I understand not all destinations are equally premium, but we’re talking about a very small premium cabin here, and I imagine there are situations where it will book out many months in advance (all it takes is one wealthy family to book the business class cabin).
India’s biggest business markets have a good amount of premium demand, and to have so few premium seats to sell might cause issues where people book away from the carrier, which can impact demand for connecting flights as well.
It’s funny to see first class on a plane like this
It’s fascinating to see a high density narrow body plane that still has a three-cabin first class product. Even the overall business class cabin will feel very intimate.
It might seem strange to introduce first class on a plane like this, but keep in mind that Etihad is installing first class very efficiently. In terms of hard product, this is more of a “business class plus” experience, as it just utilizes the extra space at the bulkhead.
But what Etihad has done well is introducing its full first class soft product, so the service really is elevated. On top of that (and this I really respect), Etihad prices first class on its A321LRs more reasonably than on its other aircraft, given the quality gap.
Anyway, it’s still kind of funny to see an airline where you’ll find first class on an A321LR operating some short and medium haul routes, but not on an A350-1000, which operates some of the carrier’s longest routes.
We’ve heard Etihad’s current management team suggest that they’d eventually like to have first class on all aircraft, though I haven’t heard any concrete plans beyond the A321LRs, A380s, and a handful of Boeing 787-9s.
Bottom line
Etihad plans to introduce a new high density Airbus A321LR layout, with 194 seats. This will include two first class seats, six business class seats, and 186 economy seats. The airline is eliminating eight business class seats in order to be able to introduce 42 more economy seats, so that’s quite a difference. Seeing first class on a high density narrow body jet is a first…
What do you make of Etihad’s plans for a high density A321LR?
Has the author ever been to the USA? This is only strange in your region. This is common industry economics. This setup is common on US domestic flights (except JetBlue). US carriers have a completely different look on international flights - depending on where you fly. Domestically, first and business seats were not in booths until JetBlue changed the practice. As for the seats facing the window, it'll be difficult to get an incapacitated person...
Has the author ever been to the USA? This is only strange in your region. This is common industry economics. This setup is common on US domestic flights (except JetBlue). US carriers have a completely different look on international flights - depending on where you fly. Domestically, first and business seats were not in booths until JetBlue changed the practice. As for the seats facing the window, it'll be difficult to get an incapacitated person out (facing away from the window has better ingress/egress). Besides, having the window over your shoulder makes it easier to read the menu.
>We’ve heard Etihad’s current management team suggest that they’d eventually like to have first class on all aircraft, though I haven’t heard any concrete plans
I'd make a guess that in future refurbishment of their 787/A350 aircraft, they will just create extra space by removing storage boxes from the bulkhead seats and make "First class" similar to A321LR so basically Business Suite with First class soft product.
It's not a true First Class as there aren't even bulkheads separating the Business Class cabin from First and both cabins share the lavatory... it is simply Etihad making a huge deal about a product that is simply Business Plus
What are you talking about, dude?
The defining characteristic of "true First Class" is the SOFT PRODUCT, which (as clearly mentioned in the article) these aircraft will offer.
Hard product doesn't mean squat.
By your "logic," BA offers "true first" to its secondary US destinations like Nashville and New Orleans, since the aircraft it usually flies there have separate F seats and separate F bulkheads, despite the fact that they only offer Club soft service.
Especially with rising fuel prices, the industry will need more-efficient narrowbodies with long-range and premium cabins (including lie-flat), so I say, this is welcome. That said, I'm not sure I'd route via AUH for a while...
these will have just token premium cabins but predominantly serve the mass market that flies between the Middle East and S. Asia.
The A321NEO is great for that market; almost 200 seats is a good chunk of what a widebody can carry w/ a product that is not bad for 3-4 hour flights.
The real issue is how long it takes for the Middle East airlines to stabilize from the present war.
The lines between F, J and the proletariat classes are being blurred beyond comprehension.
This is the business class seat AA and UA should have installed on their XLRs rather than not listening to 20 years of complaints of pax to VS and NZ they they don't want to face away from the window
Agree 100%….and their seats are super narrow too. How do airlines keep making these dumb mistakes?
Let's wait and see where that "middle" bathroom will be situated.
If at all present.
At 38" and 2ab, removing 8 J gives space for only 30 Y seats at 6ab and 30".
The missing 12 seats likely come from the elimination of the pair of middle bathrooms and reduction of rear galley, illustrating the shorter haul scope. At 1:10 toilet/pax the front bathroom can serve the totality of the premium cabins. With 2 additional "Airspace" rear galley bathrooms Y would be at 1:62. Etihad sure wants to compete vs Indigo in Y.
I think these will be reconfigured A321NEOs that were previously at Bamboo Airways as when you book any of the AUH-BOM/DEL flights - the aircraft is listed as A321NEO as opposed to the A321LR listed for the other flights such as AUH-BKK/KBV.
the airline is eliminating eight business class seats in order to install 42 more economy seats.
Terrible cabin utilization for business class, J/E space ratio of 1:5.4 is crazy.
Etihad is operating in one of the most competitive markets in the world, which means each player needs have a product that stands out. So the 'cabin utilisation' may had to be sacrificed for that matter, in the region where even Qatar Airways' A320s with Collins Diamond parallel seats are sometimes described as underwhelming.
Etihad A321LRs are probably the best narrow-body aircraft among the ME3, and quite comparable to some wide-body aircraft (and so...
Etihad is operating in one of the most competitive markets in the world, which means each player needs have a product that stands out. So the 'cabin utilisation' may had to be sacrificed for that matter, in the region where even Qatar Airways' A320s with Collins Diamond parallel seats are sometimes described as underwhelming.
Etihad A321LRs are probably the best narrow-body aircraft among the ME3, and quite comparable to some wide-body aircraft (and so does the airline use this aircraft for destinations where Emirates and Qatar send wide-bodies).