Etihad Airways plans to include updated business and economy cabins in three new Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft scheduled for delivery in the third quarter of 2023, the carrier announced Monday.
The carrier’s Business Studio, launched on the Airbus A350-1000 last year, will include suites with higher walls, “offering even greater privacy for guests.” The business-class seats are customized versions of the Elements seat manufactured by Collins Aerospace, a Raytheon Technologies subsidiary. The seats will be in a 1-2-1 configuration, will recline to a fully lie-flat bed 78 inches in length and include a 17.3-inch 4K TV screen, multiple charging ports, wireless charging and “plenty of storage.”
Etihad will be the first airline to introduce the Elements seat on a Boeing 787, according to the carrier.
In economy class, the forthcoming 787s will feature 271 seats that are lighter in weight than the current fleet with 13.3-inch 4K touchscreen monitors and USB charging ports.
The aircraft also will include Bluetooth headphone pairing and the option to pair personal phones and tablets to the screen and use as a remote, and Wi-Fi connectivity via Viasat, according to Etihad.
Rolled out in April, Wi-Fly “chat” and “surf” packages will be offered on the new widebodies. Etihad Guest members will have access to free chat messaging throughout their flight. Non-members can access chat for a fixed rate depending on the length of the flight. The surf Wi-Fi plans are available for a flat fee with unlimited data with pricing also dependent on the length of the flight.
