After a six-hour layover at the Etihad lounge in Abu Dhabi, it was time to fly to Male. My flight departed from the same terminal, but the gate was a bit of a walk from the lounge. On my way to the gate, I made the mistake of stopping at the currency exchange to get some Maldivian Rupees.
As I explained in my Waldorf Astoria Maldives review, you do not need to exchange currency. The hotel only accepts U.S. Dollars and does not provide currency exchange or change for bigger bills other than U.S. Dollars. Lesson learned.
The flight was slightly delayed but eventually, they invited business class passengers to board. For a good 10 minutes, I was the only person on that bus until a bunch of economy class passengers boarded.
- Etihad Business Class Lounge Dulles (IAD)
- Etihad Business Class Washington to Abu Dhabi
- Etihad Business Class Lounge Abu Dhabi Review
Etihad Airways A320 business class cabin
I’ve said it before: Etihad gets ambiance right. The A320 features recliner style seats and lacks the chic lighting of the Dreamliner. However, music was playing and the cabin smelled like vanilla.
The cabin was freezing cold at takeoff. Seriously, how was it so unbearably hot outside and Antarctica onboard?
Etihad Airways A320 business class seat
There were only three of us in business class, so the flight attendant asked if I wanted to change seats. I didn’t pick my seat to begin with, but didn’t mind sitting in the last row.
The seat on the A320 was oddly more comfortable than the newer flatbed on the Dreamliner. It had plenty of padding and no tailbones were broken while sitting down.
The light fixture on the seat sagged, which was annoying because I was trying to adjust the lighting for better pictures during meal times. The lights were turned off immediately and didn’t get turned on again until about an hour before we landed.
When it came time to sleep, the seat didn’t go as far back and the footrest didn’t come up as high as I would have liked. It was still fine for a 3-hour nap.
The flight attendant offered me a drink and brought me headphones and socks. No full amenity kit, which was fine for a 4.5-hour flight. The headphones were pretty flimsy and didn’t work, so the FA brought me another pair.
She also took my meal order before take-off and informed me we wouldn’t be able to land before at 6:40, as planned, since the airport wasn’t open. We would stall a little until it did. That was a first.
Etihad business class meal service MLE – AUH
The flight attendant brought out nuts and hot towels before takeoff and then again before meal service. I passed both times because while I don’t have a full-on allergy, peanuts and cashews do agitate my skin.
During the flight, I asked my social media followers for input on what to order. The overwhelming majority voted on the eggs masala for breakfast, so that’s what I ended up ordering. The lamb sausage was a little off (as lamb tends to be). The egg mixture was a little runny, but the masala flavor saved the dish.
After breakfast, I ordered a cup of coffee, which was served with cookies. I don’t care that the water on planes comes out of toxic pipes. That coffee tastes infinitely better than Starbucks.
I don’t know this for a fact, but the coffee cups and bowls felt like they were magnets. If that’s the case, it’s genius because how many times have you had a drink spilled on you during turbulence?
Landing in Male
I ended up sleeping for three hours on this flight. I woke up an hour before landing and headed to the bathroom to freshen up. The flight attendant came around with a hot towel, asking if I needed anything. I asked her for water and she came by 15 minutes later to bring me the arrival form, fast track pass and offer me a refill.
I declined and she responded with, “I hope you got some rest on this flight. Let me know if you need anything else.”
The arrival form also contained information about items that passengers were banned from bringing into the country. The Maldives is visited by tourists from around the world, yet a lot of people don’t realize it’s an Islamic country that imposes religious laws on its citizens.
Things are much more relaxed at the resorts, where alcohol is served and people dress and behave as they please.
But it’s worth noting that the following items are not allowed into the country:
- Narcotics, illicit drugs and psychotropic substances.
- Pornographic materials.
- Materials contrary to Islam.
- Idols for worship.
- Pork & Pork products.
- Alcohol.
- Dogs.
- Dangerous animals.
- Gun powder and explosives.
- Weapons, firearms, and ammunition.
- Spearguns.
Final thoughts
Overall, this was a great flight. I caught up on sleep and enjoyed some incredible views as we approached Male.
Since the airport had just opened, I ended up being the first person at immigration. I sped through and quickly spotted the Waldorf Astoria rep in the arrivals hall, who was holding a sign with my name on it. That’s when the adventure really began.
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