It’s my birthday and similar to a few years ago I have a fancy flight booked, this time on Etihad. Earlier in the year Etihad First Class Apartments seats became bookable and I am lucky enough to book one for my birthday! To many, Etihad First Class Apartments are considered one of the best first class products in the sky. So having an opportunity to fly them on my birthday is something I am looking forward to. My flight is from London to Abu Dhabi. So I need to make my way to the airport here in Brussels and hop on a short flight over to the UK.
I’m glad I gave myself plenty of time, because after settling onto my train to the airport. The conductor makes an announcement about how the train is experiencing technical difficulties. At first there is a bit of confusion as to whether or not the train is delayed or if its a cancellation. There is a short sequence of getting off and back on the train because of this. In the early morning shuffle, I alarmingly realize that I left a small bag with my passport onboard. With this realization I quickly jump back onboard, run to my original car and thankfully find it sitting in my seat! Luckily, I’m able to get off the train before they shut it down and announce a new train will be taking us to the airport. Hopefully these shocks aren’t a sign of things to come!
Brussels Airport
Without anymore disruptions I eventually make it to the airport with some time to spare. I check in without issue and make my way towards my gate. On my way I take a peek outside and am treated to a beautiful sunrise over the tarmac. Hopefully this IS a better sign of how this day will go!
Brussels Diamond Lounge
To wait for my flight I hit up the Diamond Lounge which is a general lounge for Brussels Airlines’ Business class passengers. It’s a bit full this morning but I’m still able to pick up some hot breakfast and snag a seat by the windows to do a bit of plan spotting.
Brussels to London on SN 2093
Soon its time to board. I make my way to the gate and eventually find my seat. Like most other European business class seats, its mainly just an economy row with the middle seat free to give passengers a little extra room. They also serve a light breakfast of some baked goods and fruit. Since the flight is only an hour long its a very comfortable way to get from Brussels to London.
Etihad Airways First & Business Class Lounge
I soon land in London Heathrow and make the transition over to Terminal 4 where my Etihad First Class flight is set to depart. I find Etihad’s Lounge and settle in to enjoy my layover for the next few hours. The lounge is very nice with lots of comfortable seating and a great bar service.
One of the great things about this lounge is the a la carte dining option. Most lounges have a self serve buffet type setup. And while there is a section for that, there is also a proper menu and table service available. In addition to a few snacks from the buffet, I order a soup and crab cake dish to tie me over until I get onboard the plane. Pair it with some champagne and you have the makings of a delicious lunch!
Birthday Surprise!
While eating and scrolling through my phone, one of the ground staff found me in the dining area and asked to see my boarding pass. It’s pretty unusual for something like this to happen, so I reluctantly give them my boarding pass. I have read stories of people being downgraded or being involuntarily denied boarding for some reason or another. So I am admittedly apprehensive about it. However, the lady simply smiles and says it’s good news. She hands me back a new boarding pass and I see that I have been upgraded!
Originally, my booking is on Etihad’s First Class Apartments. There are 9 of these Apartments onboard and I look forward to the experience. However, onboard these planes, there is also only one Etihad Residence product available. It’s very exclusive and not something that is redeemable by points (nor are they very affordable with cash!). I didn’t ever expect to experience the “Residence” and am already extremely happy to be trying the “Apartment” product. But to be upgraded to the Residence is probably the best birthday present ever. So Thank You for making my day Etihad!
London to Abu Dhabi on EY 20
With this new revelation, I am even more excited to get onboard. I’m also a bit nervous. Up until this point I had been preparing myself to fly in the Apartments. Watching vloggers, reading reviews and making sure I would get the most out of the experience! Being upgraded throws a very welcome curve ball at me and I feel a bit like a kid in a toy store when the boarding begins. Because this is a double decker plane, the premium passengers have a separate boarding gate that takes them directly to the second floor.
The Etihad Residence
The Etihad Residence is something else. I’ve been fortunate enough to fly in some amazing airplane cabins over the years and even I am a bit stunned once I arrive in my seat(s)! Essentially the residence is something akin to a one bedroom condo in the air. There is a “living room” where you have a couch to yourself and a huge entertainment screen in front of you. There is also a private bathroom AND a private bedroom to boot! (More on this later). So getting my head around the fact that there is so much space for just me is definitely a new experience!
Waiting for me in my “residence” is a big bag of goodies. On top of the normal amenity kit that you get is a full loungewear set that I change into and makes that bit more comfortable!
The a380 Lobby
In addition to the first class amenities, there is also shared space with business class called the “Lobby“. Similar to Emirates they have an onboard bar/lounge where guests can mingle over drinks and snacks. Unfortunately when I visit there isn’t anyone here so after a quick drink on my own I head back to explore my residence even more!
The Residence Bedroom!
One of the most prominent features of the Etihad Residence is the private bedroom. I have been aboard many a plane with excellent and private “pods” for sleeping. However, I have never been aboard a plane with my own exclusive room for sleeping. This is something else and truly an experience I didn’t prepare myself for. I even sheepishly asked if I needed to let someone know if I intend to transition into the bedroom in case of emergency. I felt a bit out of my element because its such a new experience. But once things started to normalize, I really did appreciate the absolute privacy, space and comfort the room provides! Hands down one of the best naps on a plane I’ve ever had!
The Residence Private Bathroom
When I took my Emirates First Class flights back in 2021, I didn’t think I would get another chance to shower in the air. Well I am wrong. Not only is this an opportunity to do it again, this is my own private shower and bathroom. Even on the Emirates flight the shower spa facilities are shared amongst all other first class passengers. However this bathroom and shower are mine alone to use for the entirety of the flight. Chalk it up to another over the top feature of the Residence. While the bathroom and shower are not as grand as the Emirates shower spa, it’s really hard to complain since it is all mine for the time I’m onboard!
The Food!
Unfortunately, as great as this flight is, it is relatively short clocking in at just over 6 hours. So being able to gorge myself on a lot of food is limited. Overall I am able to have one multi course meal onboard which consists of a super tasty caviar starter, a cold lobster salad and a wonderful sable fish main. Throughout the flight, I am offered some very tasty beverages and I even have my own little mini bar of soft drinks and water. Everything is delightful and I have no complaints about the dining experience at all! Except maybe choosing one side of my “couch” to sit on since there is a tray table available from both arm rests!
Etihad First Class Apartment
I suspect one of the reasons for the upgrade is to accommodate a travelling family. When I originally checked in, the First Class cabin was pretty empty. However after boarding I noted that every first class apartment is occupied. So instead of breaking up the family they probably upgraded the solo first class passenger into the Residence to accommodate the family together. I’m not complaining though! I did manage to snap a quick photo of one of the apartment suites when we were deplaning and it is just as nice. I would not be upset about finding myself in one of these suites sometime in the future. It’s no residence but I can certainly still see why it would be considered one of the best first class products in the sky!
Abu Dhabi Terminal A
Sadly, all good things must come to an end. And as quickly as we fly from London we unfortunately land in Abu Dhabi just 6 hours later. The one last bonus of arriving in Abu Dahbi is being able to check out the new Terminal A building. This is a brand new airport terminal that just opened a few weeks ago! It’s even featured in one of the more recent Mission Impossible Movies: Dead Reckoning. So it’s cool to be able to check it out. I will also be flying out of this airport in a few days, so I’ll have more of a chance to explore then, but the first few glimpses are already pretty impressive!
By the time I get through customs and immigration its about 2:30 in the morning. So I quickly hop into a taxi which takes me my hotel. I quickly check in and crash. I have the next few days in Abu Dhabi and look forward to checking a few things out! But for now I will revel and dream about my outstanding birthday flight experience! I did put together a quick Instagram Reel with a few videos of the experience. Feel free to check it out here:
Wow!