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 Abu Dhabi-based carrier’s enhanced Business Studio seat, which was 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 customised versions of the Elements seat manufactured by Collins Aerospace, which is a subsidiary of Raytheon Technologies. Etihad said it will be the first airline to introduce the Elements seat on Boeing 787 aircraft.
“Our new business class takes the guest experience to new heights with the second evolution of the Business Studio,” said Antonoaldo Neves, Etihad’s CEO.
The seats, which will be configured in a 1-2-1 layout, will recline to a fully lie-flat 78-inch bed 78 inches and include a 17.3-inch 4K TV screen, multiple charging ports, wireless charging and “plenty of storage”.
In economy class, the forthcoming 787s will feature 271 seats, which will be lighter in weight than current seating, as well as featuring 13.3-inch 4K touchscreen monitors and USB charging ports.
The aircraft will also include Bluetooth headphone pairing and the option to pair personal phones and tablets to the screen and use them as a remote. Wi-Fi connectivity will be available via Viasat.
Rolled out in April, Wi-Fly “chat” and “surf” packages are being offered on the new widebody aircraft. 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 flight duration.