UAE-based airline Etihad begins flying its two-class variant of the next generation Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft to Seoul (ICN).

The aircraft features 28 Business Studios and 271 Economy Smart seats, and for premium travelers, this means the loss of the airline’s first-class option on the daily route. Etihad’s Airbus 340-600 that previously flew between Abu Dhabi (AUH) and Seoul included eight first-class seats in addition to 32 business-class seats.

“There has been a steady increase in the number of business and leisure travelers flying to South Korea from Abu Dhabi and the GCC region, and vice versa,” said Mohammad Al Bulooki, executive vice president of commercial, Etihad. “The UAE government’s initiatives to develop the already strong trade ties between our two countries has allowed many Korean companies to operate successfully here, contributing to the success of Etihad Airways’ Seoul Incheon service. Furthermore, many of our customers on the route transit onwards through Abu Dhabi to major destinations on the Etihad network across Europe, the Middle East and Africa.”

Business-class suites offer several perks including fully lie-flat leather seats with direct aisle access, offering up to 80.5 inches in length and feature in-seat massage and cushion-control settings. Business class on the route features the assistance of a dedicated food and beverage manager, and mobile and WiFi connectivity.

The schedule for Etihad’s daily Abu Dhabi–Seoul service is as follows: Flight EY876 departs Abu Dhabi at 10:15 p.m., and arrives in Seoul at 11:55 a.m., the following day; and flight EY873 departs Seoul at 12:55 a.m., and arrives in Abu Dhabi at 5:50 a.m.

Currently the Etihad fleet includes 16 Dreamliners with more than 50 on order.