Dining experiences on Etihad

[Melburnian1]

In the last few months, the J food on WY (Oman Air) was excellent, or so I thought as a plebeian.

The choices were excellent, pleasing to the palate and (where required) no skimping on quantity (perhaps not a good thing for one's waistline).

I have read a few Internet comments claiming food on Etihad is not great, with an occasional assertion it may be due to cost cutting.

The small number of YouTube videos I've seen show fairly pedestrian food. Sometimes basic presentation is lacking.

Given few of us have unrealistic expectations about 'food in the air', how have you found recent 'post-COVID' J class dining on EY?

 

[Melburnian1]

This TripAdvisor review is dated (and being mid-2019, pre-COVID) but sums up what some claim:

"Wow, what an enormous difference from a couple of years ago. I was so surprised how awkward Etihad Airways these days. Our flight from Brussels to Abu Dhabi of more than six hours, we only got one meal and no even snacks...

...Comparing to other airlines lately, Etihad Airways is a third-rate airline. Hard to understand, they're used to be an excellent airline to fly to Southeast Asia, but with our recent trip, I'm kind of shock with the service offering onboard!

The meal is terrible! I know, food on board is not always the best, but what you got in the tray is unbelievable..."

 

[jase05]

I will agree that the J food on WY is excellent and yes EY has dropped its standards but on my last couple of flights I thought the food was pretty good even if a bit basic. Food tasted really fresh and good and variety wasn’t too bad. Staff kept us pretty loaded up and proactively offered all day dining options and snacks

 

[Melburnian1]

I will agree that the J food on WY is excellent and yes EY has dropped its standards but on my last couple of flights I thought the food was pretty good even if a bit basic. Food tasted really fresh and good and variety wasn’t too bad. Staff kept us pretty loaded up and proactively offered all day dining options and snacks

The lack of responses from other AFFers is unsurprising as EY's frequencies in December 2022 are less than pre-COVID, and IIRC it used to serve more cities in Oz than just Melbourne and Sydney.

Therefore, one would expect fewer AFFers to have used this airline since COVID restrictions ceased and normality more or less returned. But thank you for your response as it is a bit more positive than I've viewed and read elsewhere.

 

[SYD]

I haven’t set foot on EY since a year or so before Covid and they were already starting to have issues then - especially with some of their failed investments. The Berlin‘esque stuff up on the AUH Mid-Field terminal didn’t help their cause competing with EK either… They really scaled back their operations even before Covid and really just starting to come back.

The once or twice I managed to get an upgrade to 1st the EY F&B was excellent - alas I never got to try A380 F suites

I did find the F&B in EY J could be hit and miss.

I wonder how many VA FFs are redeeming for premium EY reward seats? They were first to slap on seriously outrageous carrier surcharges that was a real turnoff IMHO.

 

[jase05]

Mini TR
We generally fly EY ex Asia as normally some decent pricing and awards availability.
Our recent trip we flew EY J with VA points KUL-AUH return. For the two of us it cost us 228k in points and just over $1400 in charges which I thought wasn’t too bad. Check in at KUL was a breeze and given a pass for the Plaza Premium First lounge. As I mentioned on another thread it was a dump and not befitting of an airline such as EY but then I did remember how bad the normal PP lounge is. I did lodge a complaint with EY as lounge rather dirty and seating was torn. Very little in the way of buffet and although you could order from the kitchen my meal was pretty average. Good views and automatic Asahi dispenser with ice cold beer was it’s only redeeming feature. PB was a bit of a mess at KUL however we managed to get through in good time. Staff onboard were superb, seats comfortable as normal and meal options attached.
Menu

 

[jase05]

Mezze and Stuffed chicken were both delicious, chicken was moist and plenty of sauce.
Had the chocolate pudding which was nice
Couple of different whites which were really nice and then a few spirits

Post automatically merged: Dec 29, 2022

EY F lounge on return and had the beef sliders which was superb as was the desert.

 

[jase05]

Boarding was hopeless as usual at AUH and as it was a overnight flight I pretty much went to sleep not long after boarding but woke up a bit peckish and ordered the steak sandwich which was superb

Service was great again from the staff and great flight. Ordered a pretty basic breakfast just before approaching KL

Overall both were excellent flights and as VA Plats we had our status acknowledged by staff and thought we were treated exceptionally well as always.
I do hope that even with the QR partnership VA still maintains a healthy relationship with EY as I’ve always found them good

 

[Pele]

Earlier in December i flew EY450 AUH-SYD and my family flew the same flight the week before. Our experiences were similar.

For a point of reference the only premium cabins i have flown post pandemic(ie since Oct 2022) are EK F, RJ J, and JL J. I was dog tired and slept on both RJ flights and didnt eat a thing so cant comment there.

The Abu Dhabi airport is poor, very poor. Miles off Dubai and Doha in terms of the airport, shopping, eating, and lounges. I think you can see the new Abu Dhabi airport right next door and it has been basically finished for a few years but it is not clear why it hasnt been opened. As an aside -when flying through i also saw a QF A380 but that flew back to Sydney last week.

When i booked my flights they were on the 787-9 but by the time i flew them they were switched to the 777-300. I would call this a downgrade. The 777 looks 10 years old at least and needs a refresh of the interior.

The flight was full in Y and about 90% in J and the service from the crew was below expectations. I am not sure if they are running one or two hostesses light in J but it seemed to be like that. Everything took way too long. The other issue was that once a main or entree came out the crew took so long to clear it i ended up taking the dishes up to the galley myself. My family member on the week before's flight said exactly the same thing.

Having said all that I would say the food quality was fine and tasted good. The presentation was not up to JL or EK standards but it definitely isn't some kind of slimmed down pandemic pack.

Entree was salmon, main was the eye fillet, dessert was some kind of cake. Similar to Jase05 i did a snack of the steak sandwich and it was delicious.

I too hope that VA retain EY as a partner. The more options the better. And with EY firing up the A380's (my favourite plane) again it is even better.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I flew multiple EY J sectors in April… the food was ‘ok’… as I like to say, ‘good cafeteria style’.

It was nothing remarkable other than they created a few dishes for Ramadan. I would classify those as ‘concept pieces’… the idea was there but you had to use a bit of imagination to sense what the dish could have been had it prepared freshly and served on the ground.

I would not be travelling EY for the food or AUH airport experience. But the bed was great… longer than I needed and I’m 6’3. The crew were also great, a couple of steps above say Thai Airways.

 

[jase05]

The Abu Dhabi airport is poor, very poor. Miles off Dubai and Doha in terms of the airport, shopping, eating, and lounges.

Agree the airport is a dump but the First lounge is still pretty darn decent IMO.
At check in the J counters had a couple of passengers in each so a staff member came over and said as VA Plats he would allow us F checkin and he walked us over there. Check in was done in a few minutes and straight into the lounge so I’d estimate that from dropping the rental car off I was sitting in the lounge in 10-15 minutes tops. Boarding was a debacle though as it nearly always is there

 

[Melburnian1]

Earlier in December i flew EY450 AUH-SYD and my family flew the same flight the week before. Our experiences were similar.

Having said all that I would say the food quality was fine and tasted good. The presentation was not up to JL or EK standards but it definitely isn't some kind of slimmed down pandemic pack.

Entree was salmon, main was the eye fillet, dessert was some kind of cake. Similar to Jase05 i did a snack of the steak sandwich and it was delicious.

Thank you. Most informative.

The food may have tasted better than it looks, but the presentation is worse than I could do at home.

I am rapidly forming a view that this airline has engaged in serious 'enhancements', to wit serious cost cutting. WY again looks more appealing though EY has better schedules (and perhaps on the A380 AUH-LHR and return daily may have better food, who knows).

 

[TMP]

Thanks @jase05 and @Pele. If you don't mind me asking, what month were your flights? Etihad recently made a bit of hooha about the new Armani collaboration for new crockery and (most importantly!) a "memory foam mattress and luxurious Armani bedding" launching "from December 2022". https://www.etihad.com/en-au/fly-etihad/our-cabins/business-class/beyond-business

Did you get the mattress out of interest? I've enjoyed EY the two times I have flown them in J, but am definitely looking forward to a mattress topper on the seat when flying them in December 2023 (if this "enhancement" actually comes through! )

 

[jase05]

Thanks @jase05 and @Pele. If you don't mind me asking, what month were your flights? Etihad recently made a bit of hooha about the new Armani collaboration for new crockery and (most importantly!) a "memory foam mattress and luxurious Armani bedding" launching "from December 2022". https://www.etihad.com/en-au/fly-etihad/our-cabins/business-class/beyond-business

Did you get the mattress out of interest? I've enjoyed EY the two times I have flown them in J, but am definitely looking forward to a mattress topper on the seat when flying them in December 2023 (if this "enhancement" actually comes through! )

October and November so sadly no mattress topper. I can see how the seats can be a little too hard for some but I find by adjusting the firmness of the seat that suits me fine and I sleep well. A mattress topper would be nice though

 

[Pele]

October and November so sadly no mattress topper. I can see how the seats can be a little too hard for some but I find by adjusting the firmness of the seat that suits me fine and I sleep well. A mattress topper would be nice though

I flew December and didn't have that bedding or crockery.

 

[Ozymandias]

I wonder how many VA FFs are redeeming for premium EY reward seats? They were first to slap on seriously outrageous carrier surcharges that was a real turnoff IMHO.

I’ve got a BNE-SYD-LHR trip booked for August in J, but EY wasn’t my first choice for that exact reason. $790 in charges was hard to swallow, but it was either that or Y.
It’ll be my first ever international J flight so I’m quietly hoping my inexperience will mean no matter how worse off EY is these days I’ll still have a wonderful experience. Will be sure to report back once it’s happened.

 

[TMP]

I’ve got a BNE-SYD-LHR trip booked for August in J, but EY wasn’t my first choice for that exact reason. $790 in charges was hard to swallow, but it was either that or Y.
It’ll be my first ever international J flight so I’m quietly hoping my inexperience will mean no matter how worse off EY is these days I’ll still have a wonderful experience. Will be sure to report back once it’s happened.

I've redeemed EY J as QR J has dried up pre-Xmas 2023.