Hi everyone,
I recently flew one of Europe’s more curious short-haul routes —
Ethiopian Airlines Flight ET729 from
Manchester (MAN) to Geneva (GVA). This is part of their fifth-freedom leg that continues onward to Addis Ababa and, unusually, it’s operated by a
long-haul Airbus A350-900. Naturally, I couldn’t resist trying out their
Cloud 9 Business Class on this 1hr 25min hop across the continent.
For reference, I paid
£105.86 for the Economy ticket and successfully bid for an upgrade using
PlusGrade for an additional
$155.00 (approx. £120.16). For a lie-flat experience on a widebody jet in Europe? Not bad at all.
Here’s what I cover in the full video:- Check-in and bag drop at MAN’s newer Terminal 2, now the default home for long-haul carriers.
- A quick visit to the 1903 Lounge, one of Manchester’s more premium options.
- Boarding this rare beast of a route and settling into seat 2A, a lie-flat window seat in Cloud 9.
- A decent meal service (albeit served at lightning speed), including Ethiopian touches like fresh coffee brewed onboard.
- Unfortunately, my IFE screen was broken — which on such a short flight is far from a dealbreaker, but still worth noting.
- Testing the seat in full lie-flat mode — because why not?
- A brief review of the lavatory amenities, and some early signs of wear on this otherwise modern A350.
- Wi-Fi login failed (again, no big deal on a 1hr flight), but still something to flag.
We landed slightly ahead of schedule in Geneva, with beautiful views of the Alps on approach.
You can watch the full trip report here:
Aircraft Details:
✈️ Ethiopian Airlines A350-941 (Reg: ET-AYN)
📍 Route: Manchester (MAN) ✈️ Geneva (GVA)
💺 Cabin: Cloud 9 (Business Class), Seat 2A
⌛ Flight Time: 1h 25m
💷 Fare: £105.86 + $155.00 for upgrade via PlusGrade
Closing thoughts:
This route is a gem for aviation enthusiasts — a long-haul product offered on a short intra-European segment, and often at a surprisingly affordable price. The crew were warm and hospitaible, the meal was better than expected for the flight length, and there’s undeniable novelty in sipping Ethiopian coffee while reclined at 38,000 feet… somewhere over France.
Anyone else flown Ethiopian’s fifth freedom sectors in Europe or Asia? Would love to hear your take.
–
@jameswarrenolivertravelexpert on YouTube