Etihad Details New Chauffeur Service Partnership With Mercedes-Benz
Etihad is adding an exclusive partner for its chauffeur service. Effective Wednesday, eligible Etihad passengers traveling in a premium cabin will have access to a complimentary Mercedes-operated chauffeur service when you're arriving at or departing from Abu Dhabi (AUH).
In June 2017, the carrier announced that it was eliminating its complimentary chauffeur service with the exception of destinations within the UAE. That policy will continue, but with Mercedes vehicles. In addition, this new Mercedes chauffeur service will take eligible passengers between AUH and anywhere in the UAE. With this announcement, Etihad is unfortunately getting rid of the option to pay extra for a chauffeur when you're not traveling somewhere other than AUH.
As for who qualifies for this Mercedes chauffeur service, all first and business-class tickets (with the exception of business saver tickets) are eligible. Passengers who are traveling in The Residence will continue to get free chauffeur service in New York, London, Melbourne, Abu Dhabi, Paris and Sydney. Check out TPG's experience when flying in The Residence, including the chauffeur service — at that time, he was given the choice of a Cadillac Escalade or BMW 7 series.
According to the terms and conditions, the chauffeur service is available for passengers traveling on award tickets, as long as the ticket meets the other requirements. The chauffeur is only available for passengers on Etihad-operated flights.
If you're interested in booking, head to the chauffeur page on Etihad's site and enter your booking reference number and last name. Also keep in mind that if you're eligible, you must book the service at least 24 hours prior to departure.
Feature photo by Ruslan ShamukovTASS via Getty Images.
