Etihad business and first class passengers will no longer benefit from a free chauffeur drive service after the airline introduced a raft of ground and in-flight changes.
The airline will now offer a paid-for chauffeur service for all classes of travel, “at specially negotiated rates” and with the ability to accrue Etihad Guest miles on bookings.
The service will remain at Abu Dhabi airport.
Other changes announced by the carrier include:
- The ability for economy passengers to pay to access Etihad lounges worldwide, similar to that introduced by Emirates earlier this year.
- The option for business class customers to pay to upgrade to the carrier’s first class lounge and spa when flying from or transiting Abu Dhabi
- The ability for economy passengers to “bid” for up to three empty seats next to theirs, subject to availability and cabin configuration. Bids can be made at the time of booking and will be confirmed 30 hours prior to departure.
Mohammad Al Bulooki, executive VP commercial Etihad Airways, said: “Etihad Airways is constantly looking at ways to improve its value proposition for guests, focusing on the service elements that are most important to them.
“This change is being put in place as the airline looks to evolve its product proposition while continuing to match individual customer requirements.
“Following a review, the chauffeur services we offer will be amended globally, with the exception of Abu Dhabi, where there are a high number of users of the service.”