Comfort leads the way in Etihad Airways’ new A321LR aircraft

Stepping onto Etihad’s new long-range, single-aisle A321LR at the Airbus factory in Hamburg, we have the strange feeling of boarding a miniaturised version of the Etihad that we know and love. Until recently, this was an airline known for mostly flying wide-body aircraft with spacious cabins and seats. However, on the delivery flight of its first A321LR – a model now also being flown by SAS, American Airlines and others – things feel a lot cosier.

The most striking part of the experience comes when I sit down in our business-class seats. Why? It is indistinguishable from sitting in business on one of the airline’s larger 787 or A350 aircraft. You have a lie-flat seat with good counter space, a large footwell and direct aisle access with plenty of privacy. All of this was, until recently, nearly unheard of on an A321, with Etihad one of a growing group of airlines to opt for Airbus’s extended-range, single-aisle A321LR and A321XLR, eager to offer more frequent direct flights in smaller markets where it can’t quite fill a larger aircraft.

The A321LR is set to serve destinations that are six to seven hours from Etihad’s Abu Dhabi hub. The A321XLR, on the other hand, adds an innovative central fuel tank between the wings to offer the most impressive specs of the line-up, with a range of 8,700km, compared to about 7,000km for the A321LR (easily covering routes such as London to Dallas non-stop). In terms of onboard experience, they are identical.

Though this is a special, invite-only delivery flight to Abu Dhabi, Etihad has sought to show off what the aircraft and its onboard service will be like. It has a full complement of cabin crew, speedy Viasat wi-fi and a standard business-class menu – the champagne that I sample is Blanc de Blancs by EPC, though Etihad has since switched to serving Taittinger (an upgrade, if you ask me). There’s the usual Armani Casa bedding with blanket, pillow and mattress pad to soften out the lumps of the seat in bed mode.

While the onboard service is just about flawless, it should be said the A321LR experience isn’t perfect. The single aisle can become crowded and, despite latest-generation engines the aircraft can’t cruise as high or as fast as many newer wide-bodies. The result is often some extra flying time and, occasionally, the need to navigate through or around weather, instead of above it. Despite this, today’s flight is six hours and 50 minutes, a typical medium-haul stage length for Etihad’s A321LR flights. I would happily take this on a similar journey in future.

The reality is that long-haul, single-aisle flights are here to stay. Their efficiency and just-right capacity has put hundreds of new routes into play that were previously unprofitable to serve directly with a wide-body. So it’s good news that airlines are outfitting them with long sectors in mind. Etihad is leading the way and setting the bar high.

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