Etihad changes the rules of the game: here's the first A321LR with First Class suite
The Flight Club attended the handover ceremony: a narrowbody like you've never seen before
It was a real honor for The Flight Club To be among the very few media invited to Hamburg, at the Airbus plant in Finkenwerder, to attend the handover ceremony of the first Airbus A321LR (Long Range) of Etihad Airways.
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An event that celebrated a historic moment for the Abu Dhabi-based company, which is poised to rewrite the rules of short- and medium-haul flying.
As he stated Antonoaldo Neves, CEO of Etihad, "today we welcome an aircraft that changes everything we thought possible on a single-aisle aircraft. This will be the heart of our company for the next ten years."
A true widebody narrowbody: the first with first class
The A321LR is only a single-aisle aircraft, but it all starts and ends there. Because the onboard experience is what you would expect on an A350 or B787.
The plane is configured in three cabins and represents an absolute debut for the company: it is in fact The first narrowbody in Etihad's history to offer true first class, with private suites equipped with a sliding door, fully flat bed, 20-inch 4K screen, Bluetooth connection, wireless charging, and even space for a guest. A level of comfort that until yesterday could only be found on intercontinental routes.
The product chosen by Etihad to configure these machines is the same business class seat chosen by ITA Airways for its baby flagship, with one small (but important) difference, the door. This small detail allows the Abu Dhabi airline to sell the first two seats as first class, where EY will guarantee the same service offered on the A380 or 777s.
Top-of-the-line business class
Business is no joke either: 14 seats arranged in 1-1 layout with a herringbone (herringbone) configuration, which guarantees Direct aisle and window access for each passenger.
Each seat includes a 17.3-inch 4K screen, wireless charging, Bluetooth pairing for personal headphones, and an attention to detail that reflects the entire Etihad philosophy.
Economy that is not Economy
Rounding out the offering are 144 seats in Economy, designed to offer More space, comfort and technology than any other single-aisle on the market. The seatbacks house 13.3-inch 4K touchscreens with on-demand content (more than 1,000 hours of movies, series and games), as well as USB-C ports and Bluetooth compatibility.
To make it even more practical, the oversized hatboxes that allow them to stow much more carry-on luggage than the average narrowbody.
Connected from gate to arrival, 10,000 meters above sea level
Another feather in the cap of this A321LR is connectivity: on-board Wi-Fi is powered by Viasat technology, with speeds of up to 1 Gbps, practically equal to domestic speeds. Streaming, video conferencing, gaming: everything will be possible, seamlessly, from takeoff to landing (where permitted). The rollout of the service will be progressive on Asian routes, with full operation expected by September 2025.
First destinations and expansion strategy
The new A321LR will enter service. as of August 1, 2025 on the Abu Dhabi-Phuket route. It will then fly to Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Medan, Kolkata, Krabi, Phnom Penh and Tunis, but also on European routes such as Milan, Paris, Düsseldorf, Copenhagen, Krakow and Zurich.
A detail not to be underestimated for Italian readers: Milan will be among the first cities to be served by this aircraft, allowing you to fly to Abu Dhabi (and beyond) with a long-haul in-flight experience, even on a 6-hour flight.
With the "Journey 2030" plan, Etihad aims to Carry 38 million passengers by 2030, and the arrival of the 20 A321LRs plays a central role in this strategy. After the first example, nine more will be delivered by the end of 2025.
A symbol of luxury and innovation
During the ceremony, Airbus also emphasized the importance of this milestone. Benoît de Saint-Exupéry, EVP Sales at Airbus, called the A321LR "a symbol of innovation and partnership that strengthens the historic bond between Airbus and the UAE."
And looking at this plane closely, it is hard to disagree: is not just a new model, but a statement of intent by Etihad. The airline is not content to fill routes with smaller aircraft: it wants to do so Taking the premium experience to all levels, even where no one expects it.
