Etihad unveils A330neo cabin with four first-class suites

Etihad Airways has disclosed the cabin it will fit to its incoming Airbus A330neos, a three-class arrangement the Abu Dhabi carrier calls "Beyond Borders". The layout places four first-class suites at the front, 24 lie-flat business-class seats behind them and 252 economy seats.

The first-class suites have privacy doors, a 32in screen and room for a guest. Business-class seats are forward-facing with direct aisle access, sliding privacy doors and a 17in screen. Of the economy seats, 32 will be sold as Extra Legroom, with 4in more pitch.

Etihad expects its first A330neo in September 2027 and says it will take 15 of the type over five years from that date. The carrier ordered six A330-900s from Airbus in late 2025 alongside seven additional A350-1000s, taking its commitments for the A350-1000 to 27 aircraft, and plans to lease nine more A330-900s from Avolon. It also holds commitments with Airbus for 10 A350 freighters.

The interior was shown for the first time at Arabian Travel Market. Etihad says the same three-class concept will be extended across its A321LR fleet as part of a $20 billion investment in aircraft and customer experience, which includes a $1 billion retrofit programme for aircraft already in service.

Chief executive Antonoaldo Neves said the A321LR had demonstrated what is possible when the expected model of narrowbody flying is challenged, and that passengers had responded strongly to the premium cabin on those long-range narrowbodies.