Welcome to another installment of our amenity kit review series! Just like in previous reviews, I will be reviewing this amenity kit on a scale from 1 to 5 (being the best) and I will rate it based on five categories:
- Bag/container: design, quality and reusability/collectibility of the bag.
- Product: quality, size and variety of the facial and body products.
- Comfort items: eye masks, ear plugs, etc.
- Miscellaneous: pens, tissues and everything else.
- Extras: additional items that make your flight just a tad more comfortable including pajamas, slippers, etc.
Today, I will be reviewing Etihad’s LUXE branded business class amenity kit from my A380 flight from New York to Abu Dhabi. Introduced in late 2015, these limited edition kits come in 6 different designs, each inspired by one of the world’s most iconic cities: Abu Dhabi, Hong Kong, Los Angeles, London, Madrid, and Sydney. And coming soon, Etihad will be debuting five new cities: Bangkok, Melbourne, New York, Sao Paulo and Rome.
Each kit is represented by a different city design element and comes with a LUXE City Guide for that showcased city. These amenity kits are unisex and will offer the same products for men and women. They are limited edition and collectible but fortunately, are randomly scattered throughout the cabin so if you don’t want your specific city kit, feel free to trade with one of your fellow Etihad business class travelers. This one featured below is for Hong Kong.
Bag/Container – These soft polyester cases are very bright and colorful and there is nothing subtle about them. The LUXE branded cases have a top zipper and are large enough to hold a small tablet such as an Amazon Kindle or iPad mini. These cases are lined on the inside to ensure that your tablet stays scratch-free and are slightly padded to protect it from minor bumps and drops. Though functional for reuse, I can’t see these cases having a wide appeal to a variety of people. Maye women will reuse them as small makeup bags? Score: 3.5
Product – Inside, you’ll find facial products by UK based, men’s grooming specialists, Scaramouche + Fandango. The kits include a full-size tube of lip balm and a sample size tube of facial hydrator (moisturizer). The facial hydrator is perfect for long-haul flights with paraben-free ingredients such as vitamin E, essential oils and anti-oxidants to keep your face fresh and hydrated and the lip balm moisturizes your dry lips with Shea butter and honey. Though Scaramouche + Fandango specializes in men’s grooming, women will have no complaints using these high quality products. Score: 4
Comfort items – These kits include an oversize eye mask, pair of socks and standard ear plugs. The oversize eye masks are great because they block out a lot of light but the comfort items are just plain black and boring. Nothing special here. Score: 3.5
Miscellaneous items – Additional items include a LUXE City Guide, dental hygiene kit with a reusable toothbrush and a small tube of toothpaste and a care pack with cotton pads, cotton swabs and an emery board. Additionally, full-size bottles of Scaramouche + Fandango facial mist and lotion are provided in the lavatories for business class passengers to use throughout the flight. Score: 4
Extras: Like EVA Air, Qantas, Virgin Atlantic and Virgin Australia, Etihad business class really shines in this department by providing both pajamas and slippers for their ultra-long-haul, business class passengers. The long sleeve tops have a zippered front and a high neck and the drawstring bottoms are loose and comfortable. The pajamas are soft and comfortable and can be re-used later for lounging around the house on cool nights. Score: 5
Overall, this Etihad business class amenity kit is great and scores an impressive 4 on our scale (5 being the highest). I must admit the actual amenity kit itself is nothing special but the addition of the pajamas really make Etihad’s business class remarkable and stand out from the rest. The Scaramouche + Fandango products are a positive note for the kit but everything else from the LUXE branding and boring comfort items to the over the top design of the case make the amenity kit less appealing and gimmicky.
What are your thoughts? Do you have one of Etihad’s new business class amenity kits? If so, please share your thoughts in the comments section below.
Other Amenity Kit Reviews
- Japan Airlines First Class
- ANA First Class
- British Airways First Class
- Virgin Atlantic Upper Class
- Qantas First Class
- Thai Airways First Class (Rimowa 2014)
- Japan Airlines Business Class
- Lufthansa First Class (Escada)
- Cathay Pacific Business Class (new Seventy-Eight Percent)
- United Airlines BusinessFirst (Cowshed Kit)
- United Airlines BusinessFirst
- American Airlines Transcon First Class (Reno Air Heritage Series)
- United Airlines BusinessFirst (new TEAM USA kit)
- Lufthansa Business Class (Bree)
- Etihad Business Class (LUXE)
- Qatar Airways Economy Class
- American Airlines Business Class (Cole Haan 2016)
