At a whopping 16 and a half hours, Etihad’s new direct route from Abu Dhabi to Los Angeles is the longest the airline offers, flying almost as far as a plane can go non stop around the world.
The airline is hoping strong trade connections between LA and the UAE and the wealthy clientele likely to make use of the route – as well as the sheer distance – will attract a larger share of business class passengers than other routes. As a result, they are offering 40 business class seats on this route rather than the usual 24.
But you will need to spend Dh25,000 to secure a business return seat on this flight - that’s in comparison to an economy class fare of Dh7,000 return.
Currently the route is operated by an A340 aircraft but next month the company says it plans to upgrade to a Boeing 777 200 long range aircraft.
And the company has been heavily promoting the new route with brand ambassador Dannii Minogue declaring at the launch party last week that the flights were so good passengers wouldn’t want to get off.
So, what’s it like as a flying experience?
Firstly the route itself is the key attraction. To fly directly from Abu Dhabi to LA, Etihad flights actually fly over the North Pole so on a clear day anyone with a window seat can be treated to hour after hour of breathtaking scenery of polar ice, snow covered grey mountains and long flat planes of ice.
For those not lucky enough to secure a window seat, the only other way to enjoy the spectacular views without disturbing fellow passengers is to peer through the bathroom window.
For the rest of those 16 hours, the entertainment options are pretty pleasant too.
Business class seats on the route can recline to a fully flat position making it easy to sleep during your time on board.
And each seat is designed with a permanent footrest under which you can store hand luggage leaving plenty of room to relax during the long flight.
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