AA & EY / Etihad Airways launch reciprocal miles redemptions
Oct 30, 2011, 3:18 am
#271
Join Date: Jan 2005
Programs: BA Gold, AA Lifetime Gold 1.8mm, IC Spire Ambassador, Hilton Diamond, SPG Gold et al
Posts: 4,350
I think its likely MAN-AUH would be on a 330-200, so in my estimation it would be unlikely. The old business class seats are still pretty good and still in the top 10 for business class seats. A lot of airlines have copied Etihad's business class seat. If you can I'd suggest going via LHR if you can fly first class. Etihads first class is one the best. I fly SYD-JFK via AUH despite it being longer because of the Etihad's first class product.
Oct 30, 2011, 4:58 am
#272
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Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 4,861
Yeah Seat Guru is about 4 years outdated, and Seat Maestro probably is too. All Etihad Boeing 777-300ER's have 10 across economy seating. I've actually messaged Seat Guru about 10 times about this issue, and its never fixed I don't think Trip Advisor actually cares about that site anymore.
http://www.etihadairways.com/sites/E...0ER_2class.gif
Oct 30, 2011, 8:04 pm
#273
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Sydney, NSW, Australia
Posts: 343
That's weird. Four sources, including Etihad, say 3-3-3.
http://www.etihadairways.com/sites/E...0ER_2class.gif
http://www.etihadairways.com/sites/E...0ER_2class.gif
Oct 30, 2011, 8:28 pm
#274
Join Date: May 2007
Location: ORD, DEL
Programs: AA (Plt Pro; 1.5 MM)
Posts: 6,185
I am flying EY on Dec 3 (ORD-AUH) and Dec 20 (AUH-ORD). Seat maps at Expertflyer for both flights show 3-4-3 arrangement in coach. I'll let you know for sure on Dec 5 when I arrive at my destination. 
Oct 31, 2011, 12:54 am
#276
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Sydney, NSW, Australia
Posts: 343
As someone that flies Etihad a lot and have used their website for the last 5-6 years, they rarely update their on-board experience information. The last time it was updated was when they started to introduce the First Class Suites about 2-3 years ago. The older business class seats are featured in the business class section, and it says Diamond First Class Suites are only on 340-600's and 330's. Notice they didn't specify the 330-300 as it is an aircraft they took delivery of after that website was made. Also the suite is on all 340-500 aircraft now. Almost all of the fleet was upgraded by the middle of this year except some 330-200 aircraft in my experience. Their fleet information which you pulled up an old seat map lists they only have 2 airbus 330-300 in their fleet when they currently have 6 (all with the new business class seats). I don't know if you noticed in your exhaustive research to prove me wrong that Etihad has pulled all seat maps on their fleet information primarily because those seat maps are no longer current, and its probably better they don't update them to accurately reflect the fact economy is 3-4-3 now.
Etihad's website as any frequent Etihad customer knows is not their strong point.
I'm sorry you take exception to nearly everything I say, but I guess I could have said "Etihad's fleet and on board services are updated every 2-3 years." I guess I assumed wrongly that readers would understand the context of what I was saying. There are still bits of the on board experience back from 2008.
October 2009 Website
Here is James Hogan commenting to Business Traveller about the 777 10 across seating: http://www.businesstraveller.com/new...-comfort,-etih
Etihad's website as any frequent Etihad customer knows is not their strong point.
I'm sorry you take exception to nearly everything I say, but I guess I could have said "Etihad's fleet and on board services are updated every 2-3 years." I guess I assumed wrongly that readers would understand the context of what I was saying. There are still bits of the on board experience back from 2008.
October 2009 Website
Here is James Hogan commenting to Business Traveller about the 777 10 across seating: http://www.businesstraveller.com/new...-comfort,-etih
Oct 31, 2011, 2:24 am
#277
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Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 4,861
That clearly would have been clearer.
Last edited by Austinrunner; Oct 31, 2011 at 2:34 am
Oct 31, 2011, 2:32 am
#278
Join Date: May 2006
Location: New York
Programs: SPG Platinum, AA 2.0 MM, DL Plat, Hertz Plat, LY Gold
Posts: 1,602
Just saw that KVS is testing an Etihad Award Booking method on their tool. Anyone give it a try yet?
http://www.kvstool.com/index.php
http://www.kvstool.com/index.php
Oct 31, 2011, 10:12 am
#279
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2003
Programs: BA Silver, EY Gold, HH Diamond, IHG Plat
Posts: 12,210
Just saw that KVS is testing an Etihad Award Booking method on their tool. Anyone give it a try yet?
http://www.kvstool.com/index.php
http://www.kvstool.com/index.php
Nov 1, 2011, 9:25 am
#280
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Oakland, CA
Posts: 463
Have 2 F seats on hold JFK-AUH-COK//BOM-AUH-JFK. Same thing about AA.com showing it in Economy. Reservation is held in O class.
Thanks for the data point. Flying in coach just wouldn't be nearly as fun.
Thanks for the data point. Flying in coach just wouldn't be nearly as fun.
Nov 1, 2011, 1:23 pm
#281
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: PDX
Posts: 988
i got a little worried when i got mine ticketed last week and looked it up on AA, especially when there was only 1 seat available, i was worried agent screwed and possibly not even have that 1 seat available any longer. But was glad to find out it was only the booking code discrepancy
Nov 1, 2011, 2:33 pm
#282
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: YYZ
Programs: AA LT Plat, AC 25K, Marriott Plat, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 1,137
BTW will not apply to all the US citizens interested in EY redemptions, but if you need EY to arrange your UAE visa, they (EY and their visa outfit TTS) are clueless whether they can, considering ticket is on AA stock. I'm still trying to get a straight answer from them.
Nov 1, 2011, 3:38 pm
#283
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2003
Programs: BA Silver, EY Gold, HH Diamond, IHG Plat
Posts: 12,210
BTW will not apply to all the US citizens interested in EY redemptions, but if you need EY to arrange your UAE visa, they (EY and their visa outfit TTS) are clueless whether they can, considering ticket is on AA stock. I'm still trying to get a straight answer from them.
Nov 2, 2011, 1:30 am
#284
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Sydney, NSW, Australia
Posts: 343
BTW will not apply to all the US citizens interested in EY redemptions, but if you need EY to arrange your UAE visa, they (EY and their visa outfit TTS) are clueless whether they can, considering ticket is on AA stock. I'm still trying to get a straight answer from them.
Nov 2, 2011, 2:51 am
#285
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Seattle
Programs: AS MVPG 75K
Posts: 2,574
United States Citizens don't need a visa ahead of time if only going to be staying up to 30 days (this can be extended with a fee (85 US dollars) to 60 days). You just show up at immigration they fiddle with your passport and then put a stamp in your passport book. The only issue would be visas if you are going on to another country of if you are planning to stay for up to 90 days then you'll have to prearrange a visa and have Etihad sponsor it. The 90 day visa costs 355 US dollars so unless you have to stay for more than 60 days I'd avoid it just due to cost.
BTW will not apply to all the US citizens interested in EY redemptions