For the next portion of my Iceland to The Residence via Cambodia trip, it was time for what was perhaps the most anticipated flight of the journey, as I was flying Etihad’s A380 The Residence from Abu Dhabi (AUH) to Paris (CDG).
For those not familiar, The Residence is Etihad’s product above first class, consisting of a three-room suite on the A380, which can accommodate up to two people. For what it’s worth, upgrading from first class to The Residence on this flight cost around $1,600.
The Residence experience starts before you even board the flight, and consists of what can only be described as an impressively seamless and high touch experience. I was extremely impressed by how well executed the experience, especially given my limited layover time.
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Anyway, the second I stepped off my A321LR flight, I was greeted by Milos, the lovely Etihad agent from Serbia, who would be looking after me during my layover. It’s really nice how there’s one dedicated point of contact, who both picks you up on arrival, and brings you to the plane on departure.
Milos was also joined by a porter who carried my bags. On top of that, there was a golf cart waiting for me, with a driver. Suffice it to say that having a three-person entourage to get to the lounge feels a bit over the top. I mean, people were taking pictures of me as I drove by… heh.
I had to quickly clear transit security, but that’s easy enough when you’re pushed through to the front, and you don’t even carry your own bags.
Milos was awesome, and as we walked to the lounge, he went over the “plan.” He asked if I wanted to board my flight in The Residence first or last. Given the limited time I had, he also told me that he had reserved a slot for me to get a spa treatment. He recommended that I go to my private room, look over the menu and place my meal order, go to the spa, and then be served the meal when I return.
I was delighted to see how detail oriented the service was, and how invested he was in making sure I had a nice time. I was also quite jazzed to be presented with the elusive green The Residence boarding pass holder.
Etihad The Residence Lounge Abu Dhabi private room
Etihad has one primary, large lounge concept in Abu Dhabi. This primarily consists of the Etihad Business Lounge, but then there’s also the Etihad First Lounge, which is essentially a lounge within a lounge.
A great solo travel tip spotted this week on One Mile at a Time.
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