Etihad A380 First Class Apartments LHR-AUH (with Video!)
Jun 19, 2016, 4:03 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: UK
Posts: 134
Etihad A380 First Class Apartments LHR-AUH (with Video!)
Hello everyone!
I have never been more excited for a flight than I was for this one.
I was determined to get the flight in before the AAdvantage devaluation, and so ended up heading over to the middle east when I didn't really need to, for the sake of the flight - but such is my obsession, and one that the majority of you will understand.
The whole experience was absolutely fantastic. From Cornel - the driver who picked me up and took me to LHR, the ground staff (bit grumpy at check in but lounge staff and concierge arrival service were amazing), the flight itself and the ground and transfer experience at AUH - everything matched or beat my expectations. My only complaint was that the flight was far too short!
I made a video of my experience so you can visually enjoy, here is the link:
Some more in depth thoughts...
Food:
The food onboard was some of the best I've ever had. I had the steak, which I always find a huge risk in the sky, but as I said in the video, it was one of the best pieces of meat I've ever eaten on a plane. British Airways, take note!
Drink:
Having a cocktail in a proper cocktail glass, with a cherry plonked in
really made a huge difference. It's the little things like that, that make everything the more special. Watch out for these glasses though, mine went flying and I managed to cover myself and half the apartment in cocktail!
The wine tasting was brilliant. Crew were super knowledgable and made the trying the 7 or 8 wines into a real experience.
On Board facilities:
The lounge area was really cool. I sat and chatted to loads of interesting people and had a couple of drinks. It was a bit weird that when the seatbelt signs came on, you couldn't just strap yourself in there and stay. I must say that they were much stricter with getting the business class lot back to their seats!
The shower was the greatest thing of all time. I LOVED it. Having a shower and getting in the PJs and coming back to a made bed and watching a bit of attenborough on the huge screen was amazing. A top tip - the screen swings out, so if you sleep with your feet by the window, you can bring the screen round over your feet for easy viewing. Crew had originally set the bed up the other way round. Due to flight length I wasn't planning on actually sleeping so this was important.
Thanks for reading / watching
Nicky
I have never been more excited for a flight than I was for this one.
I was determined to get the flight in before the AAdvantage devaluation, and so ended up heading over to the middle east when I didn't really need to, for the sake of the flight - but such is my obsession, and one that the majority of you will understand.
The whole experience was absolutely fantastic. From Cornel - the driver who picked me up and took me to LHR, the ground staff (bit grumpy at check in but lounge staff and concierge arrival service were amazing), the flight itself and the ground and transfer experience at AUH - everything matched or beat my expectations. My only complaint was that the flight was far too short!
I made a video of my experience so you can visually enjoy, here is the link:
Some more in depth thoughts...
Food:
The food onboard was some of the best I've ever had. I had the steak, which I always find a huge risk in the sky, but as I said in the video, it was one of the best pieces of meat I've ever eaten on a plane. British Airways, take note!
Drink:
Having a cocktail in a proper cocktail glass, with a cherry plonked in
really made a huge difference. It's the little things like that, that make everything the more special. Watch out for these glasses though, mine went flying and I managed to cover myself and half the apartment in cocktail!The wine tasting was brilliant. Crew were super knowledgable and made the trying the 7 or 8 wines into a real experience.
On Board facilities:
The lounge area was really cool. I sat and chatted to loads of interesting people and had a couple of drinks. It was a bit weird that when the seatbelt signs came on, you couldn't just strap yourself in there and stay. I must say that they were much stricter with getting the business class lot back to their seats!
The shower was the greatest thing of all time. I LOVED it. Having a shower and getting in the PJs and coming back to a made bed and watching a bit of attenborough on the huge screen was amazing. A top tip - the screen swings out, so if you sleep with your feet by the window, you can bring the screen round over your feet for easy viewing. Crew had originally set the bed up the other way round. Due to flight length I wasn't planning on actually sleeping so this was important.
Thanks for reading / watching
Nicky
Jun 19, 2016, 7:35 am
#3
formerly rxfleming
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: AUH, DXB (and GLA)
Programs: BA GGL, HHonors Diamond, Marriott Plat Elite
Posts: 2,450
Are you intentionally trying to imitate Casey? Because i've been watching your trip reports the past few weeks, and they are slowly but surely taking that turn. Please try and be original... it might improve your view count.
Jun 19, 2016, 3:00 pm
#4
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: UK
Posts: 134
Thanks! I think!!
I'm not no - but I guess that could be construed as a compliment. Without being a technical whizz it's hard to do much more than shoot what you see and patch together all the bits! I'm also pretty new to doing this so hope to develop my own style. As I photographer I was never really taught in the beginning so was free to develop my own vibe - and I definitely feel more at home taking stills.
Thanks for the feedback - I will definitely try and pursue a route of originality!
Thanks for the feedback - I will definitely try and pursue a route of originality!
Jun 23, 2016, 1:17 am
#7
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: NYC
Posts: 274
Enjoyed the vid. Good job.
I don't think there's anything wrong with using someone else as inspiration, especially when you're starting off. He himself welcomes that. Just don't make a film of you surprising your girlfriend in South Africa.
I don't think there's anything wrong with using someone else as inspiration, especially when you're starting off. He himself welcomes that. Just don't make a film of you surprising your girlfriend in South Africa.
