Etihad A380 The Residence and First Apartments

Etihad's new A380 will feature The Residence, a three room private living space with double bedroom, living room and ensuite bathroom with shower.

Etihad's A380 will also include 9 First Apartments also on the upper deck of the A380, with 74% more space than Etihad's current First Class Suites.

Wow. Etihad just raised the bar to whole new heights, in terms of first class on commercial flights. My family and I enjoyed Etihad First Class Suites on the way back from the Maldives, although the suites are narrow–not as spacious as Singapore Suites or Cathay Pacific First Class. 

So, while I don't expect to see award availability *ever* for The Residence, and probably not for a long time for Etihad First Apartments (see FAQ below) it's nonetheless fascinating to see these wholly new first class products introduced on a commercial aircraft. Etihad's goal is to provide more of a boutique hotel experience, so we'll see whether service lives up to the enhanced hard product. Emirates A380 First Class isn't the only one with a shower any longer, and the ante has definitely been upped, given that The Residence gives you a private bathroom and shower.

Here are the full details, from Etihad:

Etihad A380 The Residence 

• 125 square feet
• 3 Rooms: Double bedroom, living room, ensuite bathroom with shower
• Furnishings upholstered by Poltrona Frau, suppliers of Ferrari interiors
• Double bed is 82 inches long
• Living room features a 32 inch LCD TV, and bedroom also has its own 27 inch LCD TV
• Communications include broadband Internet, Live TV, HDMI, AC and USB ports
• Dedicated private butler, trained by Savoy Butler Academy in London