In early 2023, Etihad Airways unveiled plans to introduce a new business class seat, which is debuting on newly delivered Boeing 787s. It’s not just business class getting a refresh, as there are also new economy seats, as well as improved Wi-Fi.
There’s now an exciting update — while we still don’t know exactly when this aircraft will enter service, Etihad took delivery of its first of these jets this week, so I imagine it will have its first passenger flight soon. Let’s go over all the details of Etihad’s latest and greatest Dreamliners.
New Etihad 787 business class seats
Going forward, Etihad Airways is installing the new Collins Aerospace Elements seat on newly delivered Boeing 787s. The Abu Dhabi-based carrier still has around 30 Boeing 787s on order, including 787-9s and 787-10s. However, so far it has only been confirmed that 787-9s will be getting these seats.
For context, Etihad’s Boeing 787s currently feature the Business Studio, which is a solid staggered configuration with seats that alternate between being forward and rear facing.
Meanwhile Etihad also started flying Airbus A350s, featuring Collins Aerospace Super Diamond seats. These are reverse herringbone seats with doors.
Starlux Airlines was the launch customer for the new Collins Aerospace Elements seat, for its Airbus A350s. I had the chance to try this product, and it’s exceptional, among my favorite business class seats out there. So while Etihad isn’t the launch customer for the product, it is the first airline to install these on Boeing 787s.
These seats are also in a reverse herringbone configuration, and feature privacy doors. For all practical purposes, think of the future delivery 787s as featuring an upgraded version of the new A350 business class. What makes this new seat better is that it feels quite a bit more spacious than previous generation reverse herringbone seats.
Etihad’s new Boeing 787-9s boast 32 of these seats, in a 1-2-1 configuration. The seats recline into 78″ flat beds, and have 17.3″ 4K TV screens, bluetooth headphone pairing, multiple charging ports (including wireless charging), plenty of storage, and higher privacy doors than before.
Below you can find pictures of Etihad’s new business class seats (I believe the first three are real pictures, while the last two are renderings).
New Etihad 787 economy class seats
Etihad’s new Boeing 787-9 deliveries don’t just feature new business class seats, but also feature new economy class seats. Etihad’s Boeing 787-9s feature 271 economy class seats, in a 3-3-3 configuration.
Etihad highlights how the new seats are lighter in weight than the previous generation seats, and therefore help with fuel economy. Furthermore, the seats have a slimmer profile armrest, which I suppose is intended to make the seats feel a bit wider.
Each economy seat features a 13.3″ 4K touch screen monitor, bluetooth audio, and a USB charging port.
New Etihad 787 Viasat Wi-Fi
Another major tech upgrade for Etihad’s Boeing 787s is that these new planes feature Viasat Wi-Fi, representing a significant upgrade over the Wi-Fi otherwise offered. Viasat is known for offering industry leading Wi-Fi speeds, so this is something that customers will no doubt appreciate.
Also keep in mind that nowadays Etihad Guest members can receive free messaging inflight, to help pass the time.
New Etihad 787 should enter service soon
While the initial timeline was for the first Boeing 787-9 with the new cabins to enter service as of the third quarter of 2023, that timeline didn’t stick, unfortunately. The good news is that the first aircraft with these interiors should enter service shortly.
There are already three Dreamliners that have been produced and should enter service with Etihad soon, and they have the registration codes A6-BNE, A6-BNF, and A6-BNG. On February 17, the jet with the “BNG” registration code was delivered to Etihad, having flown from Charleston (CHS) to Abu Dhabi (AUH). While I could be wrong, everything is pointing toward this jet likely entering service in the coming weeks, which is exciting.
My take on Etihad’s new Boeing 787 cabins
I’m looking forward to experiencing Etihad’s new Boeing 787 cabins. A few thoughts…
In business class, there’s no denying that Collins Aerospace manufactures some great seats, and the new Elements product is an evolution of the Super Diamond configuration that’s already widely in service. Having flown this seat on Starlux Airlines, I think this sets the new industry standard for “generic” business class seats. Given Etihad’s exceptional soft product (including new Armani / Casa amenities), this will be a very competitive business class.
Now, I’d probably expect this seat to be slightly less spacious than on the Starlux A350, purely in terms of the amount of space. The A350 cabin is wider than the 787 cabin, so I suspect the suites will be a little narrower. For example, you can see that the seats don’t have storage compartments to the side of the seat toward the back, as Starlux has. Still, this should be a great product.
As far as economy goes, usually an airline promoting how a seat is lightweight and the armrest is smaller isn’t exactly a great sign in terms of comfort. At the end of the day there’s only so much innovation you’ll find with economy seating, so I’d say those seats look… fine?
What I am also looking forward to is the much improved tech, from the Viasat Wi-Fi, to the higher definition video screens, to the bluetooth audio, to the several charging options in business class. In economy, I’m not a huge fan of Etihad only having USB outlets, while previously the airline had AC power outlets. But that’s just personal preference.
Bottom line
Etihad Airways is installing Collins Aerospace Elements seats on newly delivered Boeing 787-9s going forward. This is an evolution of the carrier’s new Airbus A350 business class seats. On top of that, you can expect new economy class seats, and improved tech throughout the plane, including Viasat Wi-Fi. This looks like a fantastic upgrade, and I can’t wait to fly this jet.
With the first jet having now been delivered to Etihad and having flown to Abu Dhabi, I imagine it will enter service in the near future.
What do you make of Etihad’s new Boeing 787 cabins, and in particular the new business class?
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