United Airlines becomes first carrier to fly non-stop from US to Chengdu in China

United Airlines has launched a new non-stop service linking its San Francisco hub with Chengdu, China, the fourth-largest Chinese city and the capital city of Sichuan province, becoming the first carrier to fly non-stop from the US to Mainland China beyond Beijing and Shanghai and the first US carrier to serve Chengdu.

Said Dave Hilfman, United's Senior VP of worldwide sales: "With more than 250 of the Fortune 500 companies located in the area, and as home to the giant panda and Sichuan cuisine, Chengdu will be a popular destination for both business and leisure travellers."

Flight 9 will depart San Francisco International Airport at 1:25 pm on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays and arrive at Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport at 6:40 pm the following day (all times local). Flight 8 will depart Chengdu at 9:50 am on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays and arrive at San Francisco International Airport at 8:40 am the same day. Flying times will be approximately 14 hours, 15 minutes westbound and 13 hours, 50 minutes eastbound. This new non-stop flight will shave nearly four hours off the typical travel time between the two cities. 

United will use the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner to operate the three-times-weekly service. United's Boeing 787 aircraft are configured with 219 seats – 36 in United BusinessFirst and 183 in United Economy, including 70 United Economy Plus seats with added legroom. To date, United has flown its 787 fleet more than 30,000 hours on more than 4,400 flights. The airline now operates 10 787 Dreamliners with an additional 55 on order, including the 787-9. 

United's China flights feature additional amenities and services designed especially for Chinese customers, including: Mandarin-speaking flight attendants; personalised in-flight entertainment options, including Chinese-language services; and a wide selection of in-flight meals and beverages, including Chinese-style cuisine. 

United started non-stop services to Mainland China in 1986 and today serves Beijing with non-stop flights from Chicago, New York/Newark, San Francisco and Washington/Dulles; Shanghai with non-stop flights from Chicago, Los Angeles, New York/Newark and San Francisco; and Hong Kong with non-stop flights from Chicago, New York/Newark, San Francisco, Guam, Singapore and Ho Chi Minh City. Chengdu is the ninth destination United serves in the Asia Pacific region non-stop from San Francisco, from which United offers more non-stop trans-Pacific flights from the United States than any other carrier. The airline recently announced it will add a new twice-weekly service between Guam and Shanghai beginning October 28, 2014.

As a member of Star Alliance, United has a bilateral partnership with Air China that includes code-sharing on selected routes and provides customers of both carriers additional travel benefits, such as airport lounge access and frequent-flyer-programme reciprocity. Air China offers flights to 62 cities from Chengdu, many of which will offer same-day connections to United's new Chengdu service. 

Etihad redesigns new aircraft for boutique hotel experience in the air

Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, has completely re-imagined what plane travel will look like in first, business and economy classes onboard the Airbus A380 and Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft to be delivered later this year.

Five years in the making, the airline's design vision is to bring the individuality and exclusivity of a luxury boutique hotel experience to the sky in a way that embraced Arabian Modernism, an aesthetic that combines the traditions of the region with contemporary design.


First Apartments

The First Apartment on the airline’s A380 fleet will offer a complete living space with a reclining lounge chair and an ottoman which converts to become a separate 80.5 inch long fully-flat bed. Each First Apartment has a total area of 39 square feet, 74% more space than Etihad Airways’ existing First Class suite. 

The First Suite on the Etihad Airways B787 offers guests an enhanced suite with chilled mini-bar, complete privacy and centre seats which can be joined to create a double bed.

Peter Baumgartner, Etihad Airways’ Chief Commercial Officer, said: “The final product is far superior to anything available in the market today and more akin to the offerings of the world’s top five-star hotels, as guests onboard our A380 and B787 will soon discover."

Nine First Apartments will be located in the upper deck of Etihad Airways’ A380s, six of which have ‘connecting doors’ that allow them to create apartments for guests travelling together. Configured along a single aisle, a first for the industry, Etihad Airways’ First Apartments include a 30.3 inch reclining lounge chair and separate full length ottoman which opens into an 80.5 inch long and 26 inch wide fully flat bed. 

The First Apartment also includes a chilled mini-bar, personal wardrobe, and a separate vanity unit with lit make-up mirrors and stocked with luxury branded amenities, as well as a shower room. 

The Etihad Airways B787 will feature eight First Suites in a 1-2-1 configuration. The B787 First Suite boasts a 26 inch wide Poltrona Frau seat that converts to a comfortable 80.5-inch long fully-flat bed.

Like the First Apartments on the A380, the First Suites on the B787 will also offer a chilled mini-bar and Poltrona Frau leather upholstery. 

First Class Chefs will provide a five-star restaurant-style service in the sky, with guests able to request dishes prepared to their personal tastes and preferences.
 
Click here and here to view video of the new first class cabins. 
Business Studio

The airline will debut its new Business Studio onboard its Airbus A380 and Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft, offering a standard of luxury associated with the industry’s first class travel.
 
A total of 70 Business Studios will be located on the upper deck of the A380, while the B787 will have 28 Business Studios, all offering aisle access and a fully flat bed of up to 80.5 inches long.
 
“We’re confident this new product will meet the diverse needs and highest expectations of today’s business traveller who will experience the Business Studio onboard our new A380 and B787,” said Baumgartner.

The Business Studios, which are arranged in a 1-2-1 configuration, giving direct aisle access to all passengers, are also the airline’s first dovetail (forward and aft) layout, allowing optimal use of cabin space. The suite has a 22 inch wide seat and separate ottoman, which together create a fully-flat bed of up to 80.5 inches long.

The centre Business Studios, while ideal for those travelling together, also offer full privacy for passengers traveling alone with full-height screens between the suites. Generous storage is also available inside the Business Studio, including room underneath the ottoman for carry-on items and shoes, as well as a large top-loading cupboard for water bottles, head-sets, literature and other items. Each Studio also features an ample side-furniture surface convenient for resting laptops, tablets and books. A number of different lighting options provide flexibility, including a side lamp, a reading light, and mood lighting.
 
The A380 will have Etihad Airways’ full mobile and Wi-Fly connectivity, while the B787 is equipped with Wi-Fly.
 
The Lobby for First and Business

Source: Etihad. The Lobby.

On the A380, First and Business Class guests will be able to relax in The Lobby, a serviced lounge and bar area located between the First and Business cabins.
With semi-circular leather sofas, a marquetry table and a large TV screen, The Lobby is designed for relaxing and socialising.

The Lobby TV has a HDMI connection so it can be used for sharing content or it can also be set to the airline’s Live TV channels for sporting and other events.
 
Click here and here to view video of the new Business cabins. 
Economy Smart Seat

In the economy class the airline will debut its new Economy Smart Seat, which is customised with a ‘fixed wing’ headrest which offers greater comfort and relaxation to guests. Upholstered in locally-sourced camel leather, the fixed wing headrest is designed to provide a firm surface for guests to rest their heads, as well as additional privacy between seats.
 
Baumgartner said: “Etihad Airways has always understood the importance of providing a travel experience that cannot be matched by others, and we have spent the past five years creating an Economy Class product that will be favoured by millions around the world.”
 
Etihad Airways is introducing Panasonic's most advanced eX3 in-flight entertainment system across both fleets, providing more than 750 hours of on-demand entertainment, improved gaming and high definition screens across all cabins.

The system has touchscreen handsets that offer a second screen for passengers so they can view additional content while watching a movie. Noise cancelling headsets are provided across all cabins.
 
Across the entire fleet, Etihad Airways will continue to offer a choice of three main courses in economy class, as well as a café service with hot chocolate and cappuccino.

Click here and here to view video of the new economy class cabins.

Etihad shares initial destinations for Airbus A380 and Boeing 787 Dreamliner craft

Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, has announced the first destinations for its first Airbus A380 and Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft. 

Source: Etihad. The Boeing 787-9.

The Abu Dhabi-based airline’s first A380 will fly to London's Heathrow from December 2014, while a second A380 will operate on the same route from Q1 2015. By the end of 2015, Etihad Airways will have five of the same aircraft in operation, with plans to also introduce A380 operations to both Sydney and New York's JFK.

The first Etihad Airways B787-9 will enter commercial service in December 2014, with a second aircraft entering service in January 2015. As with the A380, by the end of 2015, Etihad Airways will have five of this type of aircraft in operation. The first B787s will initially be deployed on Washington DC, Düsseldorf and Mumbai, with further route announcements to follow.

Peter Baumgartner, Etihad Airways’ Chief Commercial Officer, said: “The A380 will be used to provide additional seats on existing routes where there is a need for increased capacity, and in particular, high demand for First and Business Class travel.”

Etihad Airways has a total of 10 A380s on firm order. Four A380s will arrive in 2015, three in 2016 and two in 2017.

Each aircraft is designed to carry 498 guests in four living spaces on the aircraft. This includes two VIP guests in The Residence by Etihad, nine guests in the innovative First Class Apartments, 70 guests in the new Business Class Studios, and 417 guests in Economy Class.
 
Baumgartner added: “We are the fastest growing airline in commercial aviation, and by unveiling our plans for this magnificent aircraft and setting new benchmarks in onboard product, service, hospitality and style, we have redefined what flying is all about.”

Etihad Airways also has major plans for the B787 which enters the fleet in Q4 2014.

In December the mostly composite aircraft will be deployed first on routes between Abu Dhabi and Düsseldorf, and services to Washington DC and Mumbai will commence in January 2015. Services to other cities will be confirmed in 2015 as more B787s enter the fleet.

The airline has a total of 71 B787s scheduled for delivery between the end of 2014 and 2023, including 41 B787-9s and 30 B787-10s, making it the largest operator of the aircraft type in the world.

Two B787s are scheduled for delivery in Q4 2014 with three due to arrive in 2015, three in 2016 and nine in 2017. All five initial B787 deliveries will have three living spaces aboard the aircraft, configured to carry 235 guests.

There are eight First Suites in First Class, 28 Business Studios in Business Class and 199 Economy Smart Seats in Economy Class.
 
“Over the coming years this next-generation aircraft will be used by Etihad Airways to launch flights to new destinations, add capacity in existing markets and progressively replace existing, less-efficient aircraft,” said Baumgartner. 

Some of the initial Etihad Airways A380 and B787 flights may be booked online at etihad.com, through the Etihad Airways contact centre, or via travel agents.