mike84k

Paying to get into business lounge i can still understand but this is just too much. And they keep cutting food choices and quantities for actual F / plat guests.

You can now pay and upgrade to our First Class Lounge & Spa at Abu Dhabi Airport.

Enjoy our most remarkable lounge experience with a variety of spaces to work, rest and play. Enjoy fine-dining prepared in-house by our Chefs. Relax in our spa, be pampered at nail bar, have a blow dry, or take advantage of our wet-shave service. Work out in the Fitness Room or rest in the Relax and Recline Room.

If you're flying in Business or Economy Class, you can choose from 2, 4 and 6 hour upgrade packages starting from only USD $200 / AED 735.
As a First Class guest, you can invite a companion to join you in our First Class Lounge & Spa for only USD $100 / AED 367.
If you're an Etihad Guest Gold member travelling in Business Class, you’ll have a preferential upgrade rate of only USD $100 / AED 367.
All Lounge access is subject to availability, so check with our Lounge staff on your day of travel. Our First Class Lounge & Spa is open 24 hours a day.

Payment is by credit card only.

NoY

Following EK’s lead And absolutely NOT worth it unless on a long layover (unless there are imposed time restrictions - that wouldn’t surprise me, either)

mike84k

prices start at 200$ and im guessing thats the 2h package. 4 and 6h must be quite a bit more. unless people are gold in business where they get the 100$ rate its still rather pricey

sabdhabi

Everything they do these days is a backward move. Premium passengers' benefits are being constantly devalued, both in the F/J lounges and in the F/J cabins. It wouldn't surprise me if they follow BA and start charging for food and drink!

lightyear40

This does not make sense, if I hold a Business Class ticket why is my entry fee, into the first lounge, the same price as economy who do't have any access to any lounge access at all? Etihad have you lost the plot or what?

Reds2011

I wonder what marketing genius came up with this one. Glad I have moved my travel to QR these days.

thbe

Strange offer of a national airline of an islamic country as it will give a good return only if the guest drinks a lot of alcohol.

yabadoo

Seems that over the last 3 years EY has shown itself to be a victim of its own success. Since 2003, management has expended significant effort in building up its brand through addition of new destinations, pioneering service and inflight product as well as well trained staff and a robust frequent flyer program for premium passengers. Slowly, like a block of Lego, they have been pulling back and dismantling what management built up over the years, thus eroding brand loyalty and stickiness of consistent premium flyers. As a result, this has lead to significant dilution to what the EY brand offers and what it stands for.
It is understood that in a competitive environment, a commercially run business has to continue to innovate and make adjustments to stay ahead of the game, however in the case of EY I wonder how much impact these decisions and initiatives to slowly pare back vaulable benefits that were afforded to premium passengers are going to have in the medium and long term in retaining loyalty of its premium passengers. Getting and keeping a loyal following of premium passengers is an expensive business, and once these passengers leave, its near impossible to get them back. I was a loyal EY fan for years, but have not flown with them for over 2 years now and have no intention to unless I have no choice, in my view their service has deteriorated (more on the ground than in the air) and become inconsistent and patchy.

NoY

Their lack of on-going competitive pricing doesn’t help either. Therefore, I have one EY F flight booked for the rest of 2017. I have many QR J/F flights booked in 2017.

LoungeBum

for $200 you get whatever alcohol of your preference at the duty free, a burger king meal and a room in the Hotel which is actually private and watch a movie or have fun...

That's where I will put my $200

amnicoll

IF Etihad had any concept of loyalty and customer service they would look at their records and identify customers who flew First and were stuck in the roped off area of the business lounge and offer a limited number of them each day an upgrade into the new First lounge if they are flying in business (forced to fly business in my case cause no First on the routes I am using)

Dogmatick

Hen's teeth anyone ?

yabadoo

They're going through a difficult time, losing cash weekly due to operating costs, which in the grand scheme of things would not be so bad as they can justify this as investment in the product etc., but the cash they're losing in funding the investments they made in Alitalia and others is what is causing the problem. As a result, they've had to rein in costs significantly but are doing so in a manner which will hurt them in the long term.
This however is just a hypothesis, long term they may just end up becoming a transportation company (as opposed to a full service airline) and compete with the likes of the long-haul low-cost carriers like Air Asia, Norwegian etc. and be satisfied with that.

NoY

Not a chance!!

Dogmatick

I'm, for once, in agreement with NoY on this. Ego is such that it is shut down or be very good - it's moving away from being very good at the moment.

They've got to cut loose the various money pits and concentrate on making their own money. One really wonders how many revenue passengers the partners were providing them anyway