After a month of not travelling, I feel distinctly out of practice, it takes me longer to pack than usual and I had to turn back twice to pick up stuff I had forgotten â€" like my passport, pretty essential for any trip out of Singapore;Â
This time, I am headed for Abu Dhabi and it’s my first time flying Etihad. I feel like a novice flyer, excited and wondering whether all those images evoked by The Residence are true.
Of course, I am not flying The Residence and I wonder if I ever will but you know what, if nothing, it’s good marketing by Etihad â€" it lifts the bar on the imagination as to what an airline can do up there.
On the ground, the experience starts at check-in. As a business class passenger, you are ushered straight to the Premier Lounge and the staff are warm and welcoming. A porter helps you with your baggage.
In-cabin, I get acquainted with 7A. It’s a single window seat. It’s a bit tight to squeeze into the seating area but once you are in, it feels like a well-designed cocoon. The chair has three positions â€" upright, relax and flat. I check out the massage function. Feels great. There’s also a waves function although I’m not sure what that does.
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