Planning on flying Etihad to UK in business class in June.

Planning on flying Etihad to UK in business class in June. I hear Etihad is introducing pyjamas and a new comforter/mattress in J class. Any know if they're already available or when they will be?

Also, as a VA Platinum member will I have access to the Etihad first class lounge in Sydney and Abu Dhabi? Thanks.

Hi Propofol88, if you haven't already booked yet I hope you take advantage of the 10% discount this weekend as part of Etihad's End of Summer e-Sale.

As reported in AusBT, Virgin Australia's Platinum-grade flyers travelling on an Etihad Airways-operated flight enjoy entry to any Etihad first class lounge, regardless of what class they're booked in.

Business PJs and new sleeper mattress are already being progressively rolled out (since start of this year), with all long haul flights generally covered now. Note, you may have to ask for the PJs as apparently they don't tend to automatically hand them out according to FlyerTalk commentary.

Thanks for the tips!! Can't book yet as leave is still needing approval. I noticed CX has a sale until the end of the month - $57xx to Manchester, but the stopover in HKG is 13 hrs. 

I might even bump into you Propofol88 as I've just booked a LHR return for June (A380 all the way, apart from the MEL-SYD connectors). It's going to be a busy year for EY flights as I've got two seperate First trips (one on the old First class, the other all A380) and a Business trip (all A380 again). Looking forward to it all.

You might like to take a look at this trip report Propofol88, which provides some great high quality photos of the Business Studio on the A380 and has some useful travel info regarding location of check-in desk and lounge at LHR

http://thedesignair.net/2015/02/22/trip-report-etihad-a380-business-class-february-2015/

Hello Proprfol88,

Yes, you can enjoy the Etihad first class lounge in SYD & AUH, wherever it is offered. Otherwise, where only Business Class lounge is offered, you can use them. I was in AUH middle of last year and I was escorted to their First Class Lounge. Impressive I must say.

As gippsflyer says, you can access irregardless of the fare class you book (including Coach & Business). Hope this helps.

First class lounge in AUH due to reopen in the next couple of weeks. The current Business/First arrangement has been a bit of a muddle during redevelopment. I had a sneak peak of the new first lounge in Jan, and it will be impressive and fully operating by the time you  fly in June. 

Hi Propofol88,

I flew EY J a few weeks ago to Europe and Back and we got PJ's and the Mattress on the 77W ex MEL-AUH and back. 

I did notice though that some passengers didn't get the mattress because they didn't ask for it. I knew it had been rolled out so I asked. (I also saw it sitting rolled up in the overhead bin as I put my hand luggage in there)

So if it isn't offered maybe ask! 

As the others have said the First Class lounge at AUH is closed currently (made me sad because I'm also VA WP and wanted to try it)

The premium lounge replacement though being used at the moment is still very good, however awfully crowded at busy times of the day. 

Enjoy! 

Thanks for all the info. Gippsflyer, the flights I'm looking at getting into/out of Manchester are sadly on either 777W or 332. No A380 and new business class. I was tempted at doing a split First/Business ticket, but there's a $4000 price difference which I cannot justify! Maybe we'll see each other in the EY lounge in Sydney or Abu Dhabi! :)

You could just fly into LHR and then transfer onto a BA LHR-MAN return flight (it's only an extra hour) and $215AUD extra if you wanted A380 for all the international legs. 

However, AUH to the UK isn't a huge leg (like SYD-AUH is) so at the very least you'll get the A380 on the route that counts.