Etihad Airways has unveiled its new Economy class soft furnishings and tableware which will be launched on board in the fourth quarter of the year.
New Experience for Economy Class passengers
Etihad Airways has unveiled a Sustainability-driven Economy Class experience. The announcement was made on the opening day of the Arabian Travel Market, a trade event for the travel and tourism industry taking place this week in Dubai.
The Economy class experience will be upgraded with new soft furnishings for all passengers in Economy. A 35% larger pillow with a 200 thread-count cotton cover made locally in the United Arab Emirates will be provided to all Economy passengers. This is complemented by a soft blanket made from recycled plastic for additional comfort on all flights.
Etihad’s new dining experience features reusable tableware made from recycled high-quality plastic and eliminates the use of single-use plastic. The tray, serving plates and their lids are part of a closed loop recycling system. At the end of their lifecycle, they are collected, washed, ground and reused to make new replacement products.
Also, finally, Etihad is introducing quality stainless-steel cutlery into the Economy cabin which upgrades the experience and also reduces single-use plastic. Etihad Airways was the only airline in the Big 3 Middle Eastern airlines (Emirates, Etihad and Qatar Airways) which did not have metal cutlery for Economy Class passengers but it is good to see this finally changing.
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Terry Daly, Executive Director Guest Experience, Brand and Marketing, Etihad Airways, said:
Etihad is trailblazing when it comes to sustainability in aviation. Following extensive research and development through our eco-flights over the past few years, we’re proud to reveal the first in a series of enhancements to our inflight experience. Our commitment to sustainability doesn’t come at a compromise to the quality and thoughtfulness behind Etihad’s guest experience, and these innovative new products will further improve our offering. We look forward to rolling out this new experience across the fleet towards the latter part of the year.
In 2019, Etihad committed to remove 80% of single-use plastic from its operation by the end of 2022 and the introduction of this new inflight equipment ensures the airline meets this sustainability goal. Where possible, Etihad is also moving towards locally produced items which will further improve the overall environmental impact of the operation.
Etihad Airways recently unveiled stunning new Business Class and Economy Class seats onboard its Airbus A350-1000s and with the new Economy experience, this should be a step forward and should be able to compete with what Emirates and Qatar Airways are offering.
Meanwhile, in June 2022, Etihad Airways will start a new flight to Nice, France.
Featured image by Etihad Airways
What do you think of Etihad Airways’ new sustainability-driven Economy Class experience? Let me know in the comments section below.
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