Etihad’s international style

Flyer: amelia hungerford Class: Business Flatbed Route: Paris-abu dhabi-sydney Aircraft: a340 and B777

The seat each Business Flatbed seat enjoys direct aisle access and, of course, its namesake 185cm-long fully flat bed, complete with massage function. a textured striped seat complements the tan of the Poltrona Frau leather headrest. a turn-down service is offered on the longer auh-syd route, including a lightweight mattress, cotton pyjamas and slippers, as well as the generously sized duvet available on all long-haul Business class flights.

The dining a dedicated Food & Beverage Manager takes orders for drinks, meals from the dine anytime à la carte menu and preferred dining times. an alternative all day menu offers light snacks and selections from breakfast. all meals are served with a flourish on white linen with metal cutlery.

the e-Box inflight system offers 750 hours of movies, tV programmes and games on a 15.4-inch screen with noise-cancelling headphones supplied. More popular on my auh-syd leg, however, were the seven live tV channels, including sport 24 that was streaming the rugby world cup semi-final between australia and argentina directly from the uK.

The lounge etihad’s flagship lounge in abu dhabi is a sanctuary in the desert, complete with a six senses spa for preflight treatments and no less than three buffet areas as well as a bar. the Paris lounge is a more intimate space, offering table service in the lounge as well as the dining area when possible. upon arrival, i enjoy a small feast of grilled prawns and an incredible apple millefeuille topped with spun sugar, all made fresh on site.

The checklist

Pyjamas: on certain long-haul routes. Amenities kit: Luxe city Guides and scaramouch + Fandango (each kit is themed by city, with designs and customised guides for abu dhabi, hong Kong, Madrid, London, Los angeles and sydney currently on offer). Wi-Fi: yes. Celebrity chef: no. award-winning inflight chefs instead. Limousine transfers: yes. Signature champagne: changes with the route: champagne Jacquart cdG-auh and champagne Lallier auh-syd. www.etihad.com