# Etihad to Introduce High-Density A321LR with First Class and Reduced Business Class

_Mar 31 09:33_

Tags: Etihad, Etihad Airways, Abu Dhabi, Middle East, loyalty program, policy change, airline, devaluation, program change

Etihad Airways plans to reconfigure its Airbus A321LR fleet by 2027, reducing business class seats from 14 to 6 and adding 42 economy seats, while retaining a two-seat first class cabin

## Summary

Etihad Airways is planning a significant cabin reconfiguration for its Airbus A321LR aircraft, with the new layout scheduled to begin in early 2027. The airline will transition from its current 160-seat configuration to a high-density 194-seat layout. Key changes include:
- **First Class:** Retained with 2 seats (reverse herringbone), described as a "business class plus" product with full soft service.
- **Business Class:** Reduced from 14 seats to 6 seats (reverse herringbone).
- **Economy:** Increased from 144 seats to 186 seats. The airline is eliminating 8 business class seats to accommodate the 42 additional economy seats. This configuration will initially be deployed on routes from Abu Dhabi (AUH) to Delhi (DEL) and Mumbai (BOM). This marks a notable shift for Etihad, which has previously maintained a more balanced premium-to-economy ratio on its narrow-bodies, and introduces first class to a high-density narrow-body jet, a rarity in the industry

## Why it matters

Affects 2 airline programs (Etihad, Etihad Airways).

## Sources cited

- [One Mile at a Time](https://onemileatatime.com/news/etihad-high-density-airbus-a321lr) — Etihad Plans Unique High Density Airbus A321LR… With First Class!

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