Etihad Airways says it has set a new benchmark for luxury travel on the UAE-Singapore route with the start of daily Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner services this weekend.

Etihad Airways’ President and CEO James Hogan said: “Deploying the Dreamliner to Singapore reflected the importance of the route to the airline and its commitment to a best-in-class experience. The Etihad Airways B787-9 Dreamliner is the most customized aircraft of its kind in the sky.”

“The ground-breaking, next-generation First Suites, Business Studios and Economy Smart seats offer a superior level of luxury and comfort and will transform the inflight experience.

Never before has the airline had such a compelling proposition,” Hogan said.

“With evening departures in both directions, we offer our guests in the UAE and Singapore more convenient travel times and improved connectivity to 35 destinations in the GCC, Middle East, Africa and Europe. This includes seamless connections to our flagship A380 services to London enabling guests to experience the luxurious First Apartment and The Residence, the world’s first private three-room cabin on a commercial airliner,” he added.

Etihad Airways’ Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner carries 235 guests — eight in First Class, 28 in Business Class and 199 in Economy Class.

First Class guests experience luxurious private suites with a large, Poltrona Frau leather-upholstered seat and ottoman, a personal wardrobe, bed chilled mini-bar, a 24-inch TV monitor and center seats, which can be joined to create a double.

Business Class guests enjoy the comfort and space of the airline’s new Business Studios, each offering direct aisle access, a fully flat bed of up to 80.5 inches in length, and a personal 18-inch touch screen TV with noise-cancelling headsets.

In Economy Class, the Economy Smart seat provides enhanced comfort with a unique, ergonomic ‘fixed wing’ headrest on each seat, a 32-inch seat pitch and a generous 6-inch recline.