Etihad removes Pyjamas

Forget the lie flat seats.

Forget the Luxe Guide themed Amenity Kit. Forget the Residence.

Etihad is removing my favourite amenity from their Business Class: Pyjamas! Reports from various sites confirm this, and any reference to Pyjamas has been removed from the Etihad website.

It’s a simple thing, but there is something about changing out of your clothes, on board an aircraft, and changing into lounging clothes for the flight, and then changing back into your day clothes on arrival. Other than having a shower on the plane, or on arrival – wearing pajamas on board is one of my favourite things.

I know it’s possible to take your own ‘lounge wear’ and change into it – or indeed as some do – wear it the whole flight – but being provided with a pair on board is a simple luxury that surely can’t cost an airline more than a few dollars. It has the added bonus of advertising the airline’s product post flight.

Cost Cutting at Etihad

The fall in oil prices has hit the Gulf hard, and all three major carriers (Etihad, Emirates, and Qatar) are in cost cutting mode. Sounds like the bean counters have been through Etihad, and found a ‘simple’ product to cut. Longer term, this is probably an error and affects their positioning. It’s a bit of a brand contradiction to boast of the ‘world’s most luxurious living space in the air’ with the Residence, and then penny pinch on the other perks of premium travel.

It’s a false economy to overvalue your hard product like seats and cabins and cut the recurring costs of your soft product like amenities service and fuel, but that seems to be the route they are traveling on. Recently they have eliminated their chauffeur drive outside the UAE, closed the Six Senses Spa at Heathrow and cut benefits of their frequent flyer program, Etihad Guest.

If you’re traveling in First – don’t worry, you will still get your Jim Jams.

We have sought confirmation of the removal of Pyjamas from Business Class from Etihad