Going forwards – backwards

The trickle-down effects of premium cabin seat configurations

Leapfrogging past Emirates’ now-venerable A380s and Qatar Airways’ soon-to-arrive superjumbos in the luxury stakes, Etihad will offer three and a half classes on board: a lower deck full of economy, business class ‘studios’ upstairs, ‘apartments’ in first class, and the latest way to travel for the sheikh who has everything apart from a private jet, The Residence by Etihad.

The Residence is Etihad’s answer to the question “what do we put in that odd space at the front of an A380 upper deck”, where airlines like Qantas have a little-used lounge and airlines like Lufthansa and Emirates have unusual bathroom facilities (a urinal and shower, respectively).