The airline is treating passengers to classic holiday meals and has plans to celebrate the new year on board.
Etihad AirwaysThe national airline of the United Arab Emirates, it celebrates Christmas season with new festive meals on board available for a limited time. The airline said Friday that its holiday menu is available on select flights worldwide.
The carrier will also call New Year in a commemorative fashion flight for the first time, offering travelers props and amenities. Etihad expects to carry over 1.5 million passengers during the holiday season.
Christmas dinner in heaven
The airline’s festive in-flight meal options are available on several flights to the US, UK, Canada, Lebanon, South Korea, the Philippines, Seychelles, South Africa, Australia and most European destinations through Christmas Day, December 25. The menu includes festive classics such as turkey roll, chestnut filling and chocolate Christmas log with cherry compote.
Meals from farm to table
Etihad claims its in-flight meals are locally sourced.
“A meal of lettuce harvested hours before it’s served to you on a flight isn’t far off.” the airline said on its website. “We work with both UAE (United Arab Emirates) and regional farms closer to our destinations to create dishes using locally grown ingredients that taste fresher because they are fresher.”
Photo: Etihad Airways
All year-round cabins on board the airline offer complimentary dishes created with fresh and seasonal ingredients inspired by the destinations they serve. From a steak sandwich to ice cream, passengers are presented with many options. Children’s meals are reportedly also available if booked at least 24 hours before the flight.
The airline introduced its festive menu in 2019 to several destinations including Australia, Kenya, Lebanon, Manila, Seoul, Singapore, South Africa and the United States. Passengers who visited Etihad’s premium lounges at Abu Dhabi International Airport party food was also offered, including gingerbread houses. The airline has not confirmed whether it will offer the same offer to passengers in the lounges this year.
Welcome to 2023 at 35,000 feet
Celebrating the new year mid-flight is a new feature of the airline’s festive onboard itinerary. Etihad confirmed it will usher in 2023 in style, with all flights crossing midnight in the sky and joining the countdown to celebrate the new year on board. The airline will hand out personalized props for passengers, offer festive giveaways and serve festive drinks moments before midnight.
Photo: Etihad Airways
The airline also confirmed that passengers would remain occupied during the flight with its award-winning inflight entertainment system. The E-BOX in-flight entertainment center will feature a dedicated ‘Holiday Movies’ channel, including festive classics such as Love Actually and Home Alone and themed TV shows and music for the season. In-flight Wi-Fi is also available, with first class passengers or platinum members receiving free onboard access. The airline offers various Wi-Fi packages for other passengers starting at $1.99.
Etihad’s phone availability will also be a convenient amenity for passengers ringing in the New Year. The airline said that whether it’s an urgent call or just saying goodnight, travelers can use their phones to make calls or send messages as they would on the ground. The charges will be charged directly by the traveler’s domestic mobile service provider and are similar to international roaming rates.
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