Date: 8th August 2009
Carrier: Etihad
Flight: EY 461
Depart: Melbourne Airport
Arrive: Abu Dhabi International Airport
Take Off: 2215
Arrive: 0635
Aircraft: A346
Class: F
The Etihad courtesy car, an Audi Turbo, arrived promptly at 1600. We were packed and ready but still I was fluffing around double checking everything. Our driver, Richard, hoisted our luggage in the car and we bid China, Agador and Lyn farewell. I was waving like the Queen on my way down the driveway. We were strangely calm, not quite believing that this long awaited day had dawned. We had a terrific run to the airport and were deposited at arrivals with our luggage.

Arriving with luggage at Melbourne Airport

Mind you, we arrived at around 1745, hours early so we could get in the mood. We walked around dragging our luggage for over an hour and decided to have our cases wrapped in plastic just in case they couldn’t cope with the load. Finally at around 2130, the check in desk for F opened and we were the only customers at that time. From that moment on, it was friendly service all the way. We received our boarding passes and entrance card allowing entry to the Qantas Business Lounge. After two sly cigarettes out the front – for medicinal purposes only – we made our way through immigration/customs to the lounge. Whilst we were ecstatic to be in any lounge, it would have been awesome to have spent time in the Qantas First Lounge but Etihad is only permitted to use the Business one. It’s a big space and we made ourselves comfortable having a few nibblies and Aly a scotch’n’çoke or two. I on the other hand being mindful of how my feet swell when flying, stuck to water and juice. I popped a nicotine patch on my arm and hoped it would suffice until I reached Abu Dhabi. Unfortunately I think this had an adverse effect on me during the trip because I was so unbearably hot throughout the flight I was beginning to feel distressed. More on that later.

In the Qantas Business Lounge - I forgot to take a photo before we ate. Note the Nicobate which sent me troppo.

Sitting in the Qantas lounge, both Aly and I became extremely tired and I think I was feeling some anxiety which was affecting me physically. I was tired but couldn’t seem to just rest. I was up and down the whole time and when they announced the boarding, I couldn’t wait to just get on the plane. By the time we arrived at departure gate 10 and swiftly made it through to the plane, I was feeling like the walking dead. I was tired, excited, anxious all rolled into one. This is the primary reason why I didn’t take hardly any photographs in the cabin. We just didn’t have the energy. Aly was so tired that he could barely keep his eyes open and I was so hot that I didn’t know what to do. I was feeling so anxious and it felt like there was literally no air in the cabin. I just couldn’t seem to concentrate on anything except staying awake to eat my dinner.

Upon entering the cabin, we were welcomed by all the crew working first and our amenity kit, cool Etihad jim jam’s and menu for the flight were given to us. Aly and I sat in 2A and 3A, directly behind each other so we could have a window seat each. We felt the cabin was so roomy and set out in such a way to afford each passenger as much privacy as possible. We both indulged in some champagne and Aly also felt the need for a scotch. Take off was bang on time and once in the air, we were asked for our food orders and Scott, one of the wonderful crew, explained the menu. The food was excellent and far exceeded my expectations.

We managed to sleep for quite some hours, Aly more so than I however. The crew asked if we would like to change into our sleeper suits and they would make up our bed. I jumped up in a flash and took up the offer but Aly said he would just finish his drinks. Two seconds later he was out for the count in his clothes and bed unmade. I was waiting in the lounge area up the front and within about 2 minutes I was ushered back to my newly made up bed. It looked so inviting that I got in and was asleep within minutes. I did keep waking up every couple of hours to wet some face washers to lay on my head and neck. Now I’m thinking that it might have been the nicotine patch that raised my internal temperature to boiling point. Aly did agree that the cabin was quite stuffy but he wasn’t heat distressed like me and it seemed neither was anyone else in the cabin. Out of the 8 in first, I was the only one who looked cooked. I must say that all of the crew were so attentive and warm toward us. Scott in particular was just amazing and he really made our flight something very special. He and Aly talked for ages about different things and whilst I was sleeping, I fear he plied Aly with more alcohol. At one point, Aly looked like he was on dish washing duty at Jackson and Young (i.e. a busy pub) there were so many empties on his table…lol.

I can honestly say that the flight did not feel like 14 odd hours. We slept for hours of it and arrived totally fresh in Abu Dhabi on time. We fast-tracked through customs etc so quickly that I didn’t quite realize that we were walking through the exit door of arrivals. The process from start to finish was utterly excellent and Etihad is to be congratulated on the quality service we experienced on this leg.

Our Etihad driver was waiting for us at the airport and before we knew it, we had arrived at the Emirates Palace hotel. Now that is a whole other story which I will save for my next post. To say it was a wonderful experience is entirely an understatement. It was mind-blowing.

Please forgive my spelling….I can’t find my glasses.