Carlux

We are Canadians resident in France, planning our trip back to Toronto to catch up with family. We usually try to do from Toulouse, which works better from the Dordogne than a trip up to Paris and overnight hotel. (Tried the overnight train once and it's not worth it)

I see there is a new carrier on this route, Brussels Airlines, created after Sabena went bust. The Toronto route seems to be operated by Etihad airways from Abu Dhabi. Has anyone used this flight or this airline?

Odin

I've used Etihad Airlines from London/Abu Dhabi and on to Bangkok.

Carlux

Were you satisfied? Was it comfortable? Any different from other major airlines?

Odin

Etihad are a new airline, they have only been going about 2 years. Therefore they have not received all the new aircraft they have on order.

Journey was like this:

LON/AUH wet leased (I think)plane from Iberostar, no Etihad crew on this, however it was a very good flight, comfortable, not full and catering was good. No complaints, also no inflight entertainment.

AUH/BKK was an Etihad flight on an airbus, was full, had inflight entertainment but not state of the art, catering was odd as we had light snacks on a flight that left AUH at 2130 plus breakfast just before we landed. As our journey started in London at 1000am with another breakfast and light snack, we were starving by the time we got to BKK.

Return leg BKK/AUH was the same as above, the connection time in AUH was just right as there is not much to do in the airport.

But on the last leg, AUH/LON, at last one of the brand new aircraft on order had arrived and was in service. It was great, I felt as if I was the first passenger in it, they had a camera pointing from the front of the aircraft and also downwards so you can see the take-off/landing. Inflight entertainment was very good.

Alcohol is served onboard.

So in conclusion, when they receive all the new aircraft they've ordered, there's no reason why they won't be as good as Emirates in time (it took them 10 years to get the reputation they have today. I'd travel with them again.

Carlux

Thanks for your reply. I'll try to see what they're using on the Toronto flight.