Etihad used to have perhaps the most generous car service options for premium cabin passengers, and until recently even for most premium cabin passengers booked on award tickets.

We’ve seen cutbacks to Etihad’s car service before.

• A few years ago Etihad eliminated their chauffeur service on connections. So if you had a long layover or overnight in Abu Dhabi you wouldn’t get the car service. For over 24 hour connections using AAdvantage miles it became wise to book separate tickets so you’d get an extra two car service rides (since American charged extra miles anyway for the stopover).

• Then last summer Etihad eliminated the car service entirely on award tickets issued by partner airlines.

Chauffeur at Washington Dulles

Etihad is trimming across the board, with $45 oil and heavy losses in airline investments around the world (especially Alitalia, airberlin). And they’ve now eliminated their complimentary car service for premium cabin passengers outside the UAE for tickets issued July 3 and after.

Chauffeur New York JFK

The car service will still be available on departure and arrival in the UAE, and complimentary everywhere for A380 Residence passengers

Appropriately, here’s the car service at LAX ‘going away’

Presumably the car service remains in the UAE to compete against Emirates, and because they need to be able to make it as attractive and seamless as possible to attract passengers from outside Abu Dhabi itself given that world connecting hub Dubai is a mere hour away.

It’s still a strange decision to eliminate the car service even for full fare business and first class customers in markets where several of their competitors continue to offer the service. This could make Etihad less attractive to the highest revenue passengers.

Etihad’s new paid airport transfer option is just a referral relationship with another company, conxxe, but that earns miles.

Your worldwide airport journeys just got a lot easier.

We are now offering an airport transfer service across the global network to all our guests – even if you are travelling in economy class. There are a range of different vehicle choices available with options to suit your individual budget and requirements.

The service is easy to book and is available through our Airport Transfer website. Plus you can earn three Etihad Guest Miles for every $1 USD spent, on every journey.

To celebrate the launch of our new service, earn triple Etihad Guest Miles when you book your airport transfer by 31 July for travel before 31 December 2017.

I cannot imagine that I will ever use this even when flying Etihad.