Etihad cutback meals, charge for snacks

27^th May 2019

Lux-Traveller › etihad inflight service cutback economy

Etihad is to start asking passengers to pay for basic food and drinks on long-haul flights as part of it's new 'fully-customisable economy experience'. As part of the latest round of cost-cutting, tea or coffee starts at $3, while biscuits are $5.

Etihad Airways is to enhance economy class meals, by removing the entree and salad, and instead serve just the main hot dish, and a desert, on flights which can last 16 hours. Afterwards snacks and drinks, which were previously complementary throughout the flight, will now attact a charge.

Etihad's new low-cost regime will include a Sweet or Salty menu with what are called Delectable Delights, including a small packet of nuts or peas for US$3 or AED8. Passengers must use a credit card, and it will include a conversion charge passengers without a US credit card. This is typically for UK passengers up to 1.50GBP an item.

Other items on the menu include a pot noodle style Biryani at $5, sparkling water for $3, and a single small tart for $5.

To further reduce costs, the inflight entertainment system will be removed on smaller aircraft, the A320, and instead passengers will have to watch films on their own tablets on phones, downloading an app before the flight, which will connect to Etihad's onboard Panasonic eXW system.

Metal cutlery is being removed, and new light weight cutlery will be offered, as part of Etihad Airways onward drive towards becoming a low-cost carrier. Some fares in economy now exclude checked baggage, while in Business Class amenities have been removed, and the chauffeur service heavily cut back.

Etihad cutback meals, charge for snacks

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