Etihad Airways seemingly has plans to introduce a higher density layout for one of its newest jets, and I can’t help but find this to be a quirky layout…
Etihad will fly three-cabin, 194-seat Airbus A321LRs
Abu Dhabi-based Etihad is growing at a fast pace at the moment. While Gulf carriers are known for their wide body jets, Etihad’s growth as of late has largely been with new narrow body aircraft. That’s because the airline is taking delivery of 30 Airbus A321LRs.
These narrow body planes have good range, but what makes them unique is how they’re configured. Etihad has them in a three-cabin layout, meaning there’s first class, business class, and economy. Furthermore, both first and business class boast reverse herringbone seats, which stand out from the competition on narrow body planes (where so many airlines elect to install herringbone seats).
Up until now, all of Etihad’s A321LRs have been configured with 160 seats, including two first class seats, 14 business class seats, and 144 economy seats. However, that may soon be changing. As reported by AeroRoutes, as of early 2027, the airline has scheduled flights with a new configuration. Initially, these planes will be flying from Abu Dhabi (AUH) to Delhi (DEL) and Mumbai (BOM).
This plane will have 194 seats, including two first class seats, six business class seats, and 186 economy class seats. Below is the seat map from ExpertFlyer.
In other words, the airline is eliminating eight business class seats in order to install 42 more economy seats. I’m not sure if there are further space savings somewhere (there must be?), or if one business class seat and over five economy seats really take up the same space.
I understand not all destinations are equally premium, but we’re talking about a very small premium cabin here, and I imagine there are situations where it will book out many months in advance (all it takes is one wealthy family to book the business class cabin).
India’s biggest business markets have a good amount of premium demand, and to have so few premium seats to sell might cause issues where people book away from the carrier, which can impact demand for connecting flights as well.
It’s funny to see first class on a plane like this
It’s fascinating to see a high density narrow body plane that still has a three-cabin first class product. Even the overall business class cabin will feel very intimate.
It might seem strange to introduce first class on a plane like this, but keep in mind that Etihad is installing first class very efficiently. In terms of hard product, this is more of a “business class plus” experience, as it just utilizes the extra space at the bulkhead.
But what Etihad has done well is introducing its full first class soft product, so the service really is elevated. On top of that (and this I really respect), Etihad prices first class on its A321LRs more reasonably than on its other aircraft, given the quality gap.
Anyway, it’s still kind of funny to see an airline where you’ll find first class on an A321LR operating some short and medium haul routes, but not on an A350-1000, which operates some of the carrier’s longest routes.
We’ve heard Etihad’s current management team suggest that they’d eventually like to have first class on all aircraft, though I haven’t heard any concrete plans beyond the A321LRs, A380s, and a handful of Boeing 787-9s.
Bottom line
Etihad plans to introduce a new high density Airbus A321LR layout, with 194 seats. This will include two first class seats, six business class seats, and 186 economy seats. The airline is eliminating eight business class seats in order to be able to introduce 42 more economy seats, so that’s quite a difference. Seeing first class on a high density narrow body jet is a first…
What do you make of Etihad’s plans for a high density A321LR?
