After a month of not travelling, I feel distinctly out of practice. It takes me longer to pack than usual. And I had to turn back twice to pick up stuff I had forgotten – like my passport. Pretty essential for any trip out of Singapore.
This time, I am headed for Abu Dhabi and it’s my first time flying Etihad. I feel like a novice flyer, excited and wondering whether all those images evoked by The Residence are true.
Of course, I am not flying The Residence and I wonder if I ever will but you know what, if nothing, it’s good marketing by Etihad – it lifts the bar on the imagination as to what an airline can do up there.
On the ground, the experience starts at check-in. As a business class passenger, you are ushered straight to the Premier Lounge and the staff are warm and welcoming. A porter helps you with your baggage.
In-cabin, I get acquainted with 7A. It’s a single window seat. It’s a bit tight to squeeze into the seating area but once you are in, it feels like a well-designed cocoon. The chair has three positions – upright, relax and flat. I check out the massage function. Feels great. There’s also a waves function although I’m not sure what that does.
The wide screen TV has more channels than I have time for. It’s a seven-hour flight and I hope to catch some sleep. The cabin crew is mostly female and blonde, the accent Australian and the service friendly and efficient. I love the soft blanket and pillow, plus the amenities kit. I can see how and why Etihad is giving Singapore Airlines a run for its money.
It is on ground at Abu Dhabi airport that the experience falters. Even though we are on fast track, we aren’t sure which queue to join. There are more counters unmanned than manned. At baggage claim, there is confusion as to which belt our bags would arrive at. The announcement inflight had said 6, but there are two different flights stated at that belt.
I am told there aren’t enough conveyor belts for the number of flights and well, the new Minefield airport, which will be the world’s largest airport terminal capable of handling 30m passengers, will open in July 2017 so this is only temporary.
Abu Dhabi: More to come
You get a lot of that – “this is temporary” – in Abu Dhabi which is really a city still in the making. Yes, there are already a lot of skyscrapers but what’s to come will absolutely dwarf what’s been built.
Everything is new. After all, before 1972, this was all sand and what’s been built in the last 10 years, since my last visit, is mind-blowing. I was told that just last year alone, 200,000 five star room nights were added.
Yas Island where I am staying is a mega development build on reclaimed land that includes several hotels, Ferrari World Theme Park, the world’s largest water park, a marina, a mall, a Marina Circuit for go-karting and nearby, the F1 race track. Parts of it are still being built.
I am staying at the Yas Viceroy Hotel which, at night, lights up like giant glow bulbs. It’s got every modern comfort you’d want in a hotel, and more.
The domed roof of Yas Viceroy lights up at night.
I am here to attend the Abacus International Subscriber Conference 2014 whose theme is “Breaking New Ground” appropriately and you can see why it’s chosen Abu Dhabi as the venue for its bi-annual gathering of its agent customers.
According to Abacus, Abu Dhabi is one of the hottest new destinations in Asia, with travel agents across the region booking 73% more flights to this desert metropolis just in Q1 this year.
Indonesia’s numbers have doubled year-on-year, as volumes from Jakarta rival Abacus bookings on Hong Kong-Sydney and Shanghai-Singapore routes. India, with Mumbai three hours’ flying time, hasalso soared 48%, while affluent South Koreans are heading over in higher numbers too. Seoul to Abu Dhabi has lifted 22%, with Kuala Lumpur and Manila also sending 20% and 18% more passengers, respectively.
In the lobby, I also see lots of Chinese tourists who are heading to Abu Dhabi to shop.
Abacus CEO & President Robert Bailey said, “the Emirate has made tourism an investment priority, with Etihad Airways literally clearing a path to our region. In fact, the carrier was recently first to ticket with Abacus in China.”
And he added, “We are discussing big themes in travel and the factors determining success. Abu Dhabi provides ample inspiration.”
Well, just 24 hours in this city and I couldn’t agree more. This city is built not on rock and roll, but oil and sand.
