Etihad Airways

I recently booked a flight with Etihad Airways through the third-party agency Go To Gate for a trip scheduled in April. However, due to changes in flight timings, I found myself in a predicament where I risked missing my connecting flight from Singapore to Doha via Abu Dhabi.

When I reached out to both Etihad Airways and Go To Gate to request a cancellation and refund, I was met with a frustrating runaround.

Each party redirected me to the other, leaving me trapped in a circle of unending frustration and feeling like a victim of continuous scamming and fraud.

Despite the clear risk of missing my connecting flight due to the multiple changes in flight timings, Etihad Airways refused to provide a refund for the booking. This lack of flexibility and understanding of the situation left me deeply disappointed and dissatisfied with their customer service.

Overall, my experience with Etihad Airways' refund policy has been extremely disappointing, and I would caution others against booking with them, especially through third-party agencies like Go To Gate, where the customer's concerns seem to fall on deaf ears.

On 15th January 2024 i Mamta Manger along with my aged disabled mother Bishnu Manger age 76 and daughter Swapna Chettriwas travelling from Brussles International Airport Belgium to New Delhi Indira Gandhi International Airport India through Abu Dhabi International. In Brussels Airport we three women underwent absolute terrible harassment for my disabled mother at the hands of the ground staff of Etihad Airways, and I have decided not to ever travel anymore by Etihad Airways and seek necessary compensation for the trauma and harassment that my daughter aged mother and myself had to undergo at the check-in counter of Etihad Airways Brussel International Airport.

Firstly, the wheelchair that I needed (previously informed)for my disabled mother was not provided for the simple reason that I was left severely and continuously arguing with the ground staff for my cabin baggage.I am made to understand that the cabin baggage limitation for Etihad Airways is 7 kg.What was infuriating and extremely harrowing and severely traumatic was our ladies' handbags with personal items were too weighed and i was forced to pay 350 euros (receipt embedded which is in my daughter's Name) We Have been an avid traveller, travelling internationally for years. Never has in the history of my travelling a lady's handbag been weighed. I tried desperately to make the ground staff see reason but it was fruitless and frustrating. Meanwhile, it was time to board the Aircraft.

Taking advantage of the situation, the staff refused to let us board unless i paid 350 euros as the weight of my handbag. The whole episode was extremely traumatic for us.

Left with no options I was bulldozed into paying 350 euros for the handbags. As no wheelchair was also provided for my mother i had to literally drag her to the aircraft.

I thereby seek compensation and shall be projecting my acute and severe harassment details on my Twitter account.

This is for your information and immediate action to look into the matter and provide all necessary compensation at the earliest

I am writing to express my wife & I extreme dissatisfaction and frustration regarding a recent experience with your airline that has caused significant stress, financial restrictions and inconvenience for my wife & I.

On February 25, 2024, we purchased 2 x airline tickets along with 2 x seat purchases totaling $5,468.36 AUD.

First leg from Melbourne to London and the 2nd leg from Brindisi to Melbourne. The payment was cleared from our Westpac account on February 26th or 27th 2024...however, to our dismay, on February 28th 2024, we discovered that another payment of the same amount ($5,468.36 AUD) was ILLEGALLY and WITHOUT ANY authority, deducted and pending a charge from our account by Etihad Airlines, leaving us in negative balance.

I have also after our first 2nd call with Etihad Customer Service on the phone (28th February 2024), emailed proof (screenshot as attached) along with what has transpired to ContactCentreDocs@***.ae as advised to do so which also we had been told would be escalated - still no call back or solution.

This unexpected and wrong doing deduction caused our bank card to be declined when attempting to make purchases in the morning of 28th February 2024, forcing us to take the day off work as we couldn't fulfill our daily needs.

We could not use our money to put petrol in our cars, buy food, a gift for my wife's grandmother that evening as well as not be able to attend to her home 15km away for her birthday as we could not fill up our car OR access Uber.

Despite contacting Etihad immediately at 9AM on the same day (28th February 2024), we were met with seriously unhelpful, and scripted responses and contradictory explanations. Each time we called (approx. 5 separate calls), we were provided with a different reason for the issue at hand, ranging from blaming our bank, Apple Pay, to then suggesting that this was a standard procedure for some customers who would fly economy or didn't have accounts with Etihad - which I in fact have signed up and am a guest.

The concept also reiterated to us the last call was of a "soft hold" being introduced to us, which supposedly would take varying amounts of time to resolve, from 2 days to as long as 40 days. This inconsistency in information and the inability to rectify the situation promptly has caused immense stress and disappointment for us, particularly as this was supposed to be a joyous occasion - our honeymoon.

Along with the INABILITY to live and STILL having these ongoing issues financially and mentally.

We find it perplexing that Etihad Airlines, as a reputed airline, would resort to such tactics, especially considering our previous experiences with other airlines in 2023, such as ITA Airways, who promptly released a similar "soft hold" without causing any inconvenience to their customers.

We are deeply disappointed by the lack of accountability and the shifting of blame during our interactions with Etihad's customer service team. This experience has left us extremely nervous about the reliability of your services moving forward.

We are now at a struggling loss financially, being charged overdraft fees in our account, having to borrow money, inconveniencing friends for transportation needs and grocery shopping as we cannot function due to Etihad Airways illegal and misconduct with OUR MONEY AND ACCOUNT.

We trust that you will address this matter with the urgency and seriousness it deserves and restore our faith in Etihad Airlines as a reputable service provider.

I called Etihad and asked them if they can fly us and our Psychiatric Service Dog from JFK to Abu Dhabi and back and was told YES and that we should buy the ticket and send in the required docs. I spent $2,238 for tickets and $500 for Vet and certifications and permits only to be told that they can take our Service Dog to Abu Dhabi but we cant bring her back to JFK.

Who in the right mind would take their Service Dog to Abu Dhabi and just leave her behind? When I asked for a refund, the supervisor was rude and would not refund me knowing that it was their error. She said that I can use the tickets later but I have to pay a hefty penalty. But I cant even use the tickets because we have always traveled and have to fly with our Psychiatric Service Dog.

So this means that we cannot fly with Etihad and I have to take the $2,400 loss for the tickets. That is just not right. I work very hard to save for vacations and this is totally unfair. To make the matters worse, I called Etihad again to see if they continue to ask their customers to buy the tickets first and not informing them about not being able to bring the service dog back.

Guess what? I was given the same incorrect information. The reason they provided was also incorrect. They said that there is no CDC station at JFK that is not true.

They did that they fly to local airports and JFK is an International Airport with CDC station. But what is more interesting is that Etihad does not know the CDC and USDA rules. I contacted both departments and they confirmed that Etihads reasons were incorrect. As a matter of fact, I was told that when a Psychiatric dog has Vet health certificate that is approved by USDA, there is no need to get checked upon return to US.

I know this is true because we go to London every year and upon our return, no one at the Heathrow or US airport asks for anything. The only times documents are reviewed are when we get to the US airport for our first departure to the destination (airline review) and when we first arrive at our destination (local authority review).

The only fair action to take is to reimburse me with a full refund.

NOT REALLY LISTENING!

a trillion dollar company that doesn't have a working email address but links you to a page that does NOT allow you to PRESS CONTINUE!

Is IATA an independent body or an airlines sponsored self policing organization with the foxes in charge of the hens?

----- Forwarded message -----

Date: Mon, Oct 2, 2023 at 2:35PM

Subject: Booking reference: TZFHXM COMPLIMENTARY TRANSIT CONNECT URGENT

To:

Booked four tickets on your website.

We also booked a wheelchair for my wife, Rehana :artificial knee. Is it confirmed?

WOULD NOT ALLOW US TO BOOK COMPLIMENTARY TRANSIT HOTELS!

PLEASE BOOK IT FOR US and confirm,

OR CONFIRM IN WRITING THAT WE ARE NOT ELIGIBLE

and correct Google :

If you're connecting in Abu Dhabi for 1024 hours with Etihad, you can book a Transit Connect package.

This entitles you to a free stay at near the airport at one of these three hotels: Premier Inn Abu Dhabi International Airport Hotel, Premier Inn Abu Dhabi Capital Centre Hotel, or Aloft Abu Dhabi.

So that I can update my newsletter accordingly,

and refer to the proper authorities ===================

Lest your upcoming Black Friday turn into a bleak Friday

Let me give you my tale of woe, as forewarned is forearmed.

A friend sent me to link to Etihad airlines

As they were have a super sale.

If you are lucky you can pick up some real bargains.

When Saudia had their birthday sale we picked up some great bus class tickets.

Etihad has some of the best and newest planes and an enviable safety record

The second safest airline, just behind air new zealand; but if you factor in the number of passengers and trips

They are easily the best. Emirates, my favourite, werent even in the Top 5!

So I logged on, and saw some absolute bargains for England, though the hotels there crucify you.

Switched to Turkey, also some great prices, but an AI so smart that if your outward journey is keen,

Your return journey is premium.

After wasting 2+ hours fine tuning my booking (loyalty club, wheelchair few nights free in UAE etc)

I tried to process payment;

Everything went through on my side, but on their site All I got was the infernal and eternal wheel of a failed connection.

Surely, If you expect heavy traffic your IT should prepare for it.

After all this is a hi-tech airline, not a barbershop! If their planes are equally susceptible people would finish all their complimentary drinks

Lost my booking! Pulled out my few remaining hairs.

Next day I tried again, Finally got another booking on a different date, but each ticket was 2K more.

Still a good deal.

EXCEPT only Hand luggage. Luggage is charged extra!

Whereas Emirates, Qatar & Turkish allow you 2 x 23 & 2 x 30!

Offer beginning to pall.; but after wasting 4 hours, it was a case of in for a pennypound.

Then I had to pay an extra 1k to an agent to organise our Visas. Free if you book through them.

And they shoulder the burden of all these pitfalls. Then had to pay for Durban-Jhb leg,

whereas If I'd just booked through an agent, I could have booked Turkish airlines direct,

without 3 wasted days in transit, at a premium of 2k.

(though Turkish really skimp on legroom)

But the real pounding was still to come!

After getting my tickets I tried to book the complimentary transit hotels.

Again the wheel of misfortune. No go over several days.

Till finally on Sunday : THIS BOOKING IS NOT ELIGIBLE FOR TRANSIT CONNECT!

Seriously! This is criminal. It should be mandatory for 8 hour plus.

A 14 and 13 hr transit wait at their airport and no complementary hotel!

If I was forewarned I would never have booked.

Dont make the same mistake.

This is absolute torture. Who do I complain to? Which Consumer Columnist?

They used to offer 2 free nights! So much for the famed Arab hospitality!

In the 1001 nights, a guest merely remarked on the accomplishment of the hosts wife,

And the host immediately divorced her to avail her to the guest!

Now that the Jews own UAE the Arab hospitality is shrinking exponentially.

a few tips.

Become a loyalty member. Sometimes you get perks. you have 2 chances of a free upgrade : no chance & a dog's chance.

Yet I got upgrades with Emirates (twice) & even Saudia. The first time with Emirates froze my blood.

I roll up to the gate - the 2nd last passenger.

proffer my boarding card, and the lady promptly tears it in two.

Jaw drops to the floor till she hands me another boarding card : upgrade to Business.

I could hardly eat my deluxe meal as my smile seemed a rictus painted on.

For take-off and landing please switch devices off. No it probably won't affect the shielded electronics,

but as it is the most dangerous time, they prefer you conscious of going ons and ready for emergencies {God forbid}

The window shades need to be Open, not just to allow your eyes acclimatize to outside light,

but so rescuers can see in and not slice you during rescues.

t b c

I can easily skip the UAE whose new religion seems to be the cult of excess, some of their stables are far better than my home.

But their miracle garden is really a supreme delight & I could spend a half day there again and again.

We flew with Etihad from Dublin to Abu Dhabi and from there on to Bangkok. The flights were in economy, so I purchased extra leg-room for myself and paid for the luxury that the rest of the family were seated together.

A day before departure, I realised, despite the booking having being paid for place, the seating had changed. I contacted their customer service via chat, and they made me pay again as the guy said there was nothing he could do but I should be able to claim the refund at a later stage (I'm surer the details of the chat are available so happy to discuss this with Etihad). The flight was OK, nothing special, at best mediocre.

On our return leg, the same issues. Flight from Bangkok to Abu Dhabi was OK but from there to Dublin, they downgraded me to a regular seat./ This is in in spite of us paying 500 euro for the luxury of one of us having paid for extra leg-room and the rest of the family just sitting together.

This experience is from July 2023 and I am still chasing Etihad. They are responsive via Twitter but completely disorganized and don't appear to know what they're doing. Once they say they will escalate it then that my case was dealt with (while I have not being notified on the outcome).

I'm sure others have flown Etihad and may have had decent experiences, but our family will never fly with them again.

Qatar and Emirates have a much better service.

I've found the name of their head of Customer experience, so I'm going to write to him. This, in the grand scheme of things is a minor thing for him and for the company I guess but an important one for me

Etihad changed the carrier two weeks before the flight was due to depart, without contacting us. The first we knew is when the electronic tickets were sent showing that the flight was now operated by Wamus Air.

They would not answer the phone or engage with us in anyway.

Our Travel Agents said that apparently is would take weeks to refund the ticket price by which time we would not be able to book with another carrier.

The business class cabin on Wamus Air, offering, food and comfort fell way below what we expected or indeed experienced on other Etihad flights. We were due to fly business class from Manchester to Jakarta via Abu Dhabi, the fist leg was great, very comfortable, good seats, usual poor food though, however Wamus Air fell way below that experience. We also had to travel back from Jakarta to Abu Dhabi with Wamus, that plane was even older, poor seats, not enough room to fully recline, food was awful as was entertainment. A very bad experience.

I have tried to talk to Etihad, emails, feedback etc, but they really couldn't care less, they will take no responsibility, and no offer of compensation.

Why anyone would travel with this airline after our experience is beyond me. What a shadow of what they were, I really don't know what has happened to this airline, avoid at all costs!

I prepaid for a seat

They sent me confirmation

Then gave me a boarding pass with a different seat number. I didnt expect so didnt bother checking until after boarding

I complained after noticing

They did nothing about it

The other guy enjoyed my seat for free ( he confirmed he got it assigned to him automatically)

I got stuck in a bad seat.

I explained I pre-booked it for a medical reason and had the medical notes so they need to provide me a better seat.

All they said was complain to guest services when I get off.

It was a 15 hour long flight.

Never flying again with this piece of *** airline.

Garbage service from ceo office down.

I recently had an extremely disappointing experience with Etihaad Arilnes. From the moment I booked the ticket, it was clear that customer service was not a priority for them and stop over plan is a big scam.

I booked the ticket with booking reference number NFEH3P and tried to book free hotels on Etihaad website however I was not able to book as search always returned 0 hotels found.

I contacted the Etihaad Customer service and explained them my situation but the staff seemed indifferent and unresponsive, making the process unnecessarily cumbersome and flat out refused to book hotel for me stating some *** reason of blackout days.

It felt like they simply didn't care about their customers' comfort or satisfaction. I decided to cancel my tickets and to my surprise they charged me 400 euros cancellation fee though I cancelled it within few hours.

Overall, my experience with Etihaad Airlline was so poor that I would strongly advise against choosing them for future travel. It's disheartening to see such a disregard for customer service in an industry where it should be a top priority.

I m sharing my expierence i recently flew from etihad airway from Abu dhai to madrid but unfortunately when i got down one of my baggage was lost and on airport they did´nt reported as i lost one of my baggage tag, so i registered my complaint via online and on phone but so many days passed nobody is bothered about my luggage I do not care about my belongings but there are medications in my luggage which I bother and i m requesting everyday to airlines to find out my luggage they only say that they had sent mail to the respected airports and waithing for their reply in my even they are not givig the baggage tag ref. so that i can claim on my local airport, and they can see that i had submitted 2 bags so where is the problem why they cant give me the baggage tag number, very horrible services from this airlines and no doubt the aircrafts are good but these services are also considered today i was watching the review of customer service of etihad airways it was only 1,3 points given by people. In my opinion i do not recommend to fly with this airlines and in future i pay extra to competitive airlines but fly where persons are responsible.

Ethihad Canada call center staff was so rude to me. I booked four business class seats for my family.

I called Etihad canada call center to book kids meals but staff told me all kids are booked as adults & she could select the meals for them.

I told her that this not acceptable & I want to talk to head office. She told me she doesn't care I can speak to anyone I wish.

I called their head office they booked kids meal for me without asking any question.