Etihad Airways - review on a family adventure London to Thailand

Etihad Airways – review: Travelling from the UK to Thailand we were filled with excitement and anticipation for the journey ahead. We were flying with kids and keen that everything ran smoothly. Flying London to Thailand with Etihad Airways really did become part of the adventure. It was filled with so many wonderful delights, little treats and smile-inducing moments. It’s a series of journeys the children can’t stop talking about. We also took advantage of Etihad’s stop over in Abu Dhabi for some family fun at the end of the trip which really was an extra level of happiness for all of us. Read on to discover what to expect in both business and economy class, in the lounges, on board and in Abu Dhabi.

If you’re planning a long-haul family holiday and wondering what it’s like flying Etihad Airways from London to Thailand, this review covers everything from check-in to onboard experience, food, comfort and travelling with children.

Keep reading to the end where we have a video of our time onboard.

👩‍💻 About the author – Nichola is a family travel expert and has written for The Guardian, The Telegraph, Lonely Planet Magazine and Wanderlust, amongst many others. She’s spent over a decade travelling the world with her children, finding the best places for you to explore too.

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Table of Contents

Etihad Airways – review -Flying from Heathrow Business Class to Thailand

Checking in at Terminal 4

Etihad Airways - review on a family adventure London to Thailand

We arrived at Heathrow’s Terminal 4 with plenty of time since it was the start of the summer season. There was no reason to worry though, checking in at the dedicated business lane meant we were through in no time.

Using this lane, particularly when you’re travelling with kids is such a bonus. It meant we were off through security in record time with no stress at all.

Heathrow Terminal 4 is well set up for long-haul travel and we found the whole experience very smooth, especially when travelling as a family with luggage and hand baggage.

Etihad’s Business Class Lounge at Heathrow Terminal 4

As it was the start of the summer season the airport was fairly busy. If you fly Business Class with Etihad though you have access to their dedicated lounge.

This was our favourite of the lounges we experienced. We were there in the morning and there was a wonderful breakfast spread of juices, pastries, cereals and fruits.

You could also order individual meal items, like Eggs Royale to come which was such a treat.

For those travelling with children there’s a pod filled with beanbags, books and games suited for a wide age range.

The whole lounge provided a lovely, calm space to sip cold drinks, read from the complimentary online magazines and relax before our flight.

Having access to a lounge before a long-haul flight with kids really does make a difference. It gives everyone space to relax, eat properly and start the journey feeling calm rather than rushed.

Flying Business Class on Etihad Airways with kids to Thailand

We took four flights with Etihad Airways, three of those in Business Class and absolutely loved the whole experience. This is a fantastic airline which really cares about its passengers’ comfort.

The seating on board – Etihad Airways – review

On board we each had our own pod with chair that would lay flat into a bed at the touch of the button. For me this was wonderful and I snuggled up with the cosy blanket for much of the flight.

The chairs also had a massage facility which the kids loved. They adored being able to stretch out and watch cartoons and child specific films which passed the time perfectly.

The seats were incredibly comfortable and spacious.

There was a wide range of films to watch and I loved browsing through albums of music to listen to.

The lie-flat beds are a real game-changer on overnight flights, especially when travelling long-haul from London to Thailand. Being able to get proper rest makes a huge difference when arriving at your destination.

Eating onboard Business Class with Etihad

For me, aside from being able to lay flat onboard the food was the real standout star of flying Business Class with Etihad. It was incredible and this is from someone who rarely eats aeroplane food.

You could choose when to eat your meals and there was such a range to choose from. The quality was fantastic and it felt like every dish had been delivered from a top restaurant.

The dine-anytime concept is particularly helpful when travelling across time zones, allowing you to eat when it suits your body clock rather than a fixed schedule.

I’m vegetarian and some of my favourites were the herbed chickpea salad with a mint dressing and a delicious tofu with curry sauce on a bed of lentils. It was all so tasty.

I also really loved that you could choose local dishes like the cheese kunafa with crushed pistachio and syrup with a strong coffee which was delicious.

The children loved their meals too from fish fingers and chips to a pasta with vegetables they tucked in and loved every plate.

You could also order snacks throughout the flight which the children took full advantage of. Little bowls of crisps or cookies were steadily delivered and I have to confess to enjoying a few cups of tea and coffee with side orders of baklava.

We all thought the food on board was wonderful.

Business Class amenities on Etihad Airways

I loved the amenities we had on our Business Class flights. To start with there were the quilted blankets that felt like duvets, along with comfortable pillows.

We got a gorgeous Acqua Di Parma set which included some lotion, a toothbrush and paste and a small fragrance. The bag had poppers which meant it could be turned into a little jewellery tray which I used throughout our travels in Thailand – it was so useful!

There was also a little pack containing socks, hand gel and a little snood that doubled up as a mask or scarf which is also something we will all use again.

These thoughtful extras really elevate the experience and make long-haul flying feel far more comfortable and enjoyable.

Economy Flights on Etihad Airways to Thailand

Of course flying economy class with any airline is hard to compare to Business Class but Etihad do a great job here too.

We flew from Abu Dhabi to Bangkok in their economy cabin and thought it was great. The seats were spacious and comfortable and we enjoyed the blanket and pillow.

Each seat had it’s own console to watch films and play music or games. You could also charge your phone here which was really handy.

We thought the food on board the economy cabin was of a very high standard with a particularly delicious curry for the vegetarian option.

For families looking for a more affordable way to travel long-haul, Etihad’s economy offering still feels comfortable and well thought out.

Etihad Airways – review – travelling with kids to Thailand

Our children couldn’t have been more welcome on Etihad Airways. This is clearly an airline that cares about the families they have on board.

The food for the kid’s meals was well designed and thought out and my children really enjoyed the food. It would be nice if there was an option to select a kid’s meal that is vegetarian but that goes for every airline I’ve flown with and Etihad were great at making sure they had food they could eat.

Etihad have some really sweet children’s amenities, linked to Warner Bros. World for the kids on board. The Scooby themed packs were well thought out and greatly appreciated by my youngest two.

If you’re flying long-haul with children, these little touches really help keep them entertained and comfortable throughout the journey.

Enjoying an Abu Dhabi Stop Off if you fly with Etihad

One of the benefits of flying with Etihad is that you can easily include Abu Dhabi as a stop off.

We loved this and there’s so much to do in Abu Dhabi that we will definitely be back for a return trip. For this journey we chose to focus on Yas Island and all the many theme parks and attractions here. There were so many things to do in Yas Island we loved it.

As it was summer when we visited the weather was very hot. Luckily this doesn’t affect many of the entertainment options which are under air conditioned cover.

We had a great long weekend in Abu Dhabi visiting Warner Bros. World, Yas Waterworld and Ferrari World. We also stayed at the world’s first Warner Bros. Hotel which the children declared the best hotel stay ever.

We visited the amazing Yas Mall, ate boxes of baklava and shopped in all the fantastic stores on offer.

Our time in Abu Dhabi really made our holiday complete as when we left Thailand, leaving behind our amazing family holiday to Thailand, we weren’t going home, just off on another adventure.

If you can extend your trip to include an Abu Dhabi stop off I would definitely recommend it. It also really helped with all the jet lag as we staggered our return back home.

Is Etihad Airways good for families?

Yes – based on our experience, Etihad Airways is one of the best airlines for families travelling long-haul. From thoughtful children’s amenities to comfortable seating and excellent service, they clearly understand what families need when flying.

FAQ – Etihad Airways London to Thailand

How long is the flight from London to Thailand with Etihad?
Flights typically take around 6–7 hours to Abu Dhabi and then a further 6–7 hours to Bangkok.

Is Etihad Business Class worth it?
If your budget allows, absolutely. The lie-flat seats, food and service make a huge difference on long-haul flights.

Is Etihad good for kids?
Yes, with children’s meals, entertainment and activity packs, it’s a very family-friendly airline.

Our conclusions in our flights London to Thailand with Etihad Airways – a family adventure

We absolutely loved our time flying with Etihad Airways and would heartily recommend them to anyone flying with kids or without.

The food, service, amenities on offer and comfort levels are some of the best we have experienced. Being able to combine the trip with an Abu Dhabi stop-off just added to the adventure.

Thailand with kids is a wonderful holiday to take children on and we wouldn’t hesitate to fly with Etihad when we return to this part of the world.

Overall, flying Etihad Airways from London to Thailand was not just transport – it became a memorable part of our family adventure.