Etihad: Good Or Bad?

[Nicko]

Used to swear by Emirates but they are going down fast.

Traveled Business this last trip and it was ordinary at best (from take-off to first drink = 1 hour ffs), was not impressed.

Heard many a good thing about Etihad so will bite the bullit and try them next time. The trip down Shiek Zayed road to Abu Dhabi is a right royal pain though.

[Plucker]

I used them for the first time at the end of July to go to LOS and flew business class. No complaints, but going from Saudi it's only 90 mins to Abu Dhabi. The airport, even the business lounge is crap there though.

Dawsey, don't know where you get 5 years old from, they were 1 year old in July.

BTW, any one booking after 15th July the prices have increased and it isn't always reflected on their website. I got quote from website and took it to travel agent and it was approx 130 quid more.

Used Qatar for the previous 3 trips but service for drinks is slow with long connections at a dry airport !

[faultytowers]

Originally Posted by Plucker

Dawsey, don't know where you get 5 years old from, they were 1 year old in July.

Try inbetween , their first flight was in November 2003.

We officially launched services with a short, ceremonial flight to the oasis city of Al Ain in the emirate of Abu Dhabi on November 5, 2003. A week later, on November 12, 2003, we started commercial operations with the launch of our service to Beirut.



In the months that followed, we grew at a phenomenal pace, adding almost one new route a month. In June 2006, we achieved another milestone: 30 destinations in 30 months. By 2010, we plan to touch 70 international destinations.

[Captain]

Met a friend yesterday who is also flying Brussels-Abu Dhabi- BKK in November.
Something like 730 Euro. 2 Hours transit time in Abu Dhabi. As with Thai we normally fly Brussels-Frankfurt-BKK and we have 2 hours transit in Frankfurt, it is the same flying time, except that the waiting in the airport is in the middle of the trip in stead of at the beginning/end.

[Plucker]

Ahhh, its Etihad Guest, their reward programme , which is one year old as they sent me an email with offers to celebrate. My apologies.

[dawsey]

Originally Posted by Nicko

Used to swear by Emirates but they are going down fast.

Traveled Business this last trip and it was ordinary at best (from take-off to first drink = 1 hour ffs), was not impressed.

Heard many a good thing about Etihad so will bite the bullit and try them next time. The trip down Shiek Zayed road to Abu Dhabi is a right royal pain though.

Its not the trip down Sheikh Zayed Road thats the problem. Its getting out of Dubai! What a nightmare that place has become!

[dawsey]

Originally Posted by faultytowers

Try inbetween , their first flight was in November 2003.

My mistake Mike. I knew it was 2003 but somehow got 5 years until 2007

[ub2yoo]

Originally Posted by dawsey

Its not the trip down Sheikh Zayed Road thats the problem. Its getting out of Dubai! What a nightmare that place has become!

Living in Media City Area, can't complain about that, the road is clear and ready to go from there to AD :-)

The trip is actually not that bad, gives you a chance to see some green trees for a change 55555

As for traffic, yes, it's very busy. But to be fair, I've been in more traffic jams on the M4, M25 and M6 than here. You have to know a bit the times best to avoid it.

[dawsey]

Originally Posted by ub2yoo

Living in Media City Area, can't complain about that, the road is clear and ready to go from there to AD :-)

The trip is actually not that bad, gives you a chance to see some green trees for a change 55555

Not so good if you are in Diera City area though. I can't believe how Dubai has grown since '98, pity the infrastucture hasn't too.

[White Nancy]

Originally Posted by White Nancy

As others have said, I'd walk to hell and back to avoid Heathrow.

Famous last words. Tried to book my Kl flights with Singapore (£756) for next week but the return I wanted was full and any other flight they had on offer was >£1600!

So Malaysian it is with the added joy of a Manchester - Heathrow shuttle. I've only had my luggage go walkabout once and that was.....yes you guessed it, Manchester - Heathrow - KL on Malaysian with a shuttle!

Wish me luck.