Other Middle East and Africa Frequent Flyer Programs - First timer on Etihad

I booked a good deal with Etihad for the route Brussels - Bangkok .How is the service on Etihad? Is it possible to buy standby upgrade at Brussels or Bangkok and how much do they cost? Do you pay cash or credit card at check in?
Thanks

Good thing about Etihad is PRICE, period.

Can anyone please amplify on the Etihad experience in the back of the bus (LHR-AUH) ? I find Emirates to bfine. How does it compare ?

Nine of ten sectors MAN-AUH-MAN with Etihad this year I've had middle 3 seats to myself in Y, after a bit of the usual seat shuffle when the doors close, and been able to stretch out in last few rows - sleep horizontal, even. Or been upgraded with an Op Up or with Guest Miles (I love the Pearl class horizontal bed. A window seat is incredibly private.) On the only full flight in Y my seat companion was a gentleman and no trouble at all.

Menu in Y is plain Middle Eastern / Indian choice of 3 mains, but ok. Drinks and service plentiful - Bitburger Pils is good. Toilets with windows in C and Y are great fun. IFE in Y is excellent. On demand and huge choice. Sit at the back (A330?) as families are in mostly at the bulkhead and front rows (noise). OAPs are at the back (quiet).

I can only compare with 2 sectors on EK in Y MAN-DXB-MAN that were "fine", but nothing special.

BTW - MAN-AUH is a BD codeshare, so BD Golds get unofficial Pearl check-in, Fast Track security and baggage priority tags (every time) which helps convince me.

Also AUH is smaller, quicker for baggage and doesn't take much longer to get to Dubai by taxi/limo than coming in from DXB, but I guess you knew that.

Nine of ten sectors MAN-AUH-MAN with Etihad this year I've had middle 3 seats to myself in Y, after a bit of the usual seat shuffle when the doors close, and been able to stretch out in last few rows - sleep horizontal, even. Or been upgraded with an Op Up or with Guest Miles (I love the Pearl class horizontal bed. A window seat is incredibly private.) On the only full flight in Y my seat companion was a gentleman and no trouble at all.

Do you know of any EY consolidators for cheap C fares ex-MAN? I've flown them once on AUH-DEL, and it was by far the best airline experience I've ever had (that includes flying around 30 airlines in Y and half a dozen up front), so I'd love to try them out on a longer trip!

Not sure about Y but the hard product in C is excellent. Almost like a private cabin. And the price was great. Only issue is that there was clear inconsistency in crew quality. The Asian crew members were very good if a little too attentive (is there such a thing?) but some of the European senior crew members behaved as if they would have been rejected by Aeroflot in its USSR days.