Etihad wins world leading airline award

[sn26567]

Middle East airline Etihad Airways has been named "world's leading airline" for the second year running. The seven-year-old airline was also named "world's best first class" for the third consecutive year.

[regi]

wow

[fretn]

They are a good airline, but to say the best is too much!
a carrier that puts 3 4 3 seating in its 777 is not a good carrier; their seat pitch is pathetic.
I flew them yesterday and the cabin crew wasn't good!

& if you look at the other competitors (American Airlines ) it's quite clear that something is not right!

[Bralo20]

They are a good airline, but to say the best is too much!
a carrier that puts 3 4 3 seating in its 777 is not a good carrier; their seat pitch is pathetic.
I flew them yesterday and the cabin crew wasn't good!

& if you look at the other competitors (American Airlines ) it's quite clear that something is not right!

Are you sure that you flew with Ethiad? Etihad uses 3-3-3 configs on board of their 777's, it is Emirates that uses 3-4-3

[ThierryD]

Ethiad recently changed it's configuration to 3-4-3 instead of 3-3-3 (see http://www.airlineindustryreview.com/bo ... 0-abreast/)

And if you really want to know how good Ethiad is in Economy Class please read http://www.airlinequality.com/Forum/etihad.htm

[regi]

Ethiad recently changed it's configuration to 3-4-3 instead of 3-3-3 (see http://www.airlineindustryreview.com/bo ... 0-abreast/)

And if you really want to know how good Ethiad is in Economy Class please read http://www.airlinequality.com/Forum/etihad.htm

Dear Fretn, I am flabbergasted about this 10 abreast, Emirates style. It is a shame. That alone should have been enough to not put them even in the list of competitors .
I flew Etihad and was happy about it. But that was on Airbusses 2-4-2.
I had lost this important detail out of sight and it means they are automatically scrapped off my list. This is an easy pick for Qatar Air when they will start flying to Brussels.
I feel really sorry for you Fretn. Was it the flight out of Abu Dhabi ( to BKK?)
Bru -Abu Dhabi probably was still OK in an A330 .

[fretn]

Well, I flew their 777 from AUH to DEL, it was 3,5 hours but nontheless not very comfy in those narrow seats...
I do have to say their narrowbodies are great.

I will use Qatar from next year!

[regi]

Well, I flew their 777 from AUH to DEL, it was 3,5 hours but nontheless not very comfy in those narrow seats...
I do have to say their narrowbodies are great.

I will use Qatar from next year!

Well...Abu Dhabi-Delhi is not too far to be seated in LCC style.
But you are 100% right to let us know that you scrap Etihad from your list because of this 10 abreast issue.
Imagine you have on top of that an IFE box next to your feet...

[Air Key West]

Etihad also decided to do away with Business class on a number of routes. Not all of them are very short haul, and if you want to be a real premium airline you offer C class on all flights, even if it's only to offer C class to connecting pax from long haul flights.
http://gulfnews.com/business/aviation/e ... s-1.664600
I have never flown Etihad, so I cannot add my comments on the quality of service by this airline, but from what I hear Etihad is going down in quality.
And as to the World Travel Awards, these awards loose all their credibility for me when they reward AA with the best North American airline award and KL as the best European airline.
My conclusion : never take travel industry awards for serious. Judge by yourself or listen to someone who sees things the way you do.

[Darjeeling]

It is widely known that some "journalists" who grant those awards get some nice gifts... Like 5 free tickets in business or first class with the whole family !!!

In that perspective, SkyTrax's credibility is nearly close to zero, I won't even comment on more local awards.

Business Traveller is a bit better, but I still prefer read trip reports or try by myself an airline 4 to 5 times to make up my mind properly.

[regi]

It is widely known that some "journalists" who grant those awards get some nice gifts... Like 5 free tickets in business or first class with the whole family !!!

In that perspective, SkyTrax's credibility is nearly close to zero, I won't even comment on more local awards.

Business Traveller is a bit better, but I still prefer read trip reports or try by myself an airline 4 to 5 times to make up my mind properly.

Skytrax...on the one side there is the own activity of Skytrax. But there are also thousands of individual reports. I have put about 15 reports on Skytrax and they were all published .
I admit that it must disturb customers who had a bad experience with an award winning airline.
I personally do not look too much at those general awards. But I read the individual reports on travel websites/fora to make up my own mind.
In those reports it is sometimes amazing how contradictionary they are. One says that the food is great, another calls it dogfood. And it is very interesting to see that individuals have sometimes completely different priorities. So you have to read all those reports very attentive, putting yourself in the place of that customer.

[eurojet]

I did last year Frankfurt-Abu Dhabi-Manila in C and return in Y with Etihad.

Positive: the lounge in FRA is just fantastic, pure luxury, good food (ala care), champagne, you name it.. Very stylish as well. Flights in C: bwa... seat is very strange, hardly any storage, but did allow for good sleeping. Food so and so, I remember the cabin was very very hot. Lounge in Abu Dhabi is fantastic as well. Staff a mixed bag, European carriers have better long haul C class cabin staff. The return in Y was just bad, tough seating, poor food, again IFE with uninspiring selection. never flew Emirates C, flew Emirates Y and they beat Ethiad for both hard and soft product (IFE and catering in Y with Emirates is very hard to beat)