Abu Dhabi: Flying high was never quite like this before. Following the recent launch of Etihad’s on-board sleep programme for its first-class passengers we took a look at top-notch offerings by some of the world’s leading airlines aboard their own cabins.
* Emirates airline
Private suite: A first class cabin in Emirates’ A380 with personal desk, bar and dresser
First-class cabins offer suites equipped with a sliding door, a personal mini-bar, adjustable ambient lighting and a wardrobe. Each seat can be converted to a fully flat bed with a mattress.
The suites are available on the carrier’s Airbus A380 and A340-500 as well as most of its Boeing 777 aircraft. The A380 aircraft also include two onboard shower spas with Timeless Spa shower kits.
Passengers flying first-class can enjoy snacks and beverages on two lounges located on the upper deck of the A380. As for entertainment, each passenger has a touchscreen television with access to hundreds of channels.
* British Airways
Launched in 2010, the carrier’s first-class cabin has been rolled out across the majority of the carrier’s fleet at a cost of over £100 million (Dh609 million). Passengers aboard the 14-suite cabin are offered a personal wardrobe, electronic blinds, a 15-inch in-flight entertainment screen, USB port, noise cancelling headset, and an amenities kit from Aromatherapy Associates and The Refinery.
The kit includes products that help with jetlag and dehydration such as a moisturiser, eye gel, eye serum, and facial cleanser.
Each suite is 79 centimetres across, with a 198-centimetre-long bed.
* Lufthansa
The German carrier lays claim to having the world’s quietest first-class cabin with sound-absorbing curtains that partition each passenger from the rest of the cabin. It is also equipped with special sound-insulating material in the aircraft’s outer skin as well as sound-absorbing carpeting to block footstep noise.
Seats were recently redesigned to add comfort. Each seat can be extended to create a bed, 2.07-metre in length and 80 centimetres in width, offering plenty of room for passengers to enjoy their sleep.
Additionally, the cabin has an air humidification system, which is the first of its kind on commercial aircraft and designed to adjust according to the time of day.
Instead of overhead bins, first-class passengers have an individual closet as well as generous storage facilities around their seat. They are offered a bathroom with washing and changing areas separated from the lavatory area.
The newly-done first-class cabins are available on various Airbus A330 and A340 aircraft, which service Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Muscat, Doha, Bahrain, Kuwait, Riyadh, and Jeddah, among other routes.
* Qantas
First-class cabins on the airline’s A380 aircraft feature 14 private suites, each with a 17-inch LCD video monitor, a touchscreen control unit, and a reclining seat with massage functions. Passengers can also use a dresser unit, noise cancelling headset port and PC power.
To adjust lights, there are electronically controlled dual layer window shades, and mood lighting.
Celebrity chef Neil Perry designed an a la carte menu with signature ingredients and five-star restaurant-style offerings. Select flights offer an exclusive eight-course tasting menu.
As for amenities, first-class passengers can enjoy a specially designed kit with SK-II products. There are kits for men and women, with facial cream, cleansers and moisturises. Additionally, Qantas provides sleeping suits made with 100 per cent cotton.
* Qatar Airways
Seats aboard the first-class cabins recline to 180 degrees into fully flat beds, with a seat pitch of 201 centimetres. Seats are equipped with a built-in massage function and an entertainment system, which offers more than 1,000 options and is controlled by an Andriod-based touchscreen.
Four celebrity chefs from across the world have collaborated with Qatar Airways to offer signature dishes aboard first-class cabins. An on-demand menu service is also offered. Wi-fi services are available on all seats, along with laptop power and USB ports.
Amenities are from Salvatore Ferragamo, the Italian brand
