Etihad Airways

✅ Trip Verified | Trivandrum to London via Abu Dhabi. Me and my son (9 years old) was travelling to TRV to visit my parents during the Easter vacation. I tried doing online check in and the airline didn't offer that option at all. On my way to India, we were allocated different seats in different rows on our transit flight from Abu Dhabi to TRV. I was very upset that to be seated separately so we tried to do the check in again so we can be seated together on our way back. I tried check in online and also tried to contact the customer services over phone but I couldn't do it, so we went to the airport very early and requested seats to be together and they passed the buck and requested to talk at the transit desk at Abu Dhabi Airport. The staff at the transit counter said the same thing that the flight is full and told me she would put a comment on system for the boarding staff and they may be able to offer seats together. At the boarding gate, staff mentioned that I will need to speak to the cabin crew. Cabin crew was very hesitant to speak to other passengers and finally I had to personally request passengers if they can swap seats so we can sit together. One of the passenger was so kind and he volunteered to change his aisle seat and took one of the other middle seats that was allocated to me. This is the worst airline I have travelled so far, although they had sufficient time to sort my request, they kept passing the buck and left me with passenger's mercy. The thought of what would have happened during an emergency situation if we were sitting separately still haunts me.

✅ Trip Verified | I have been flying on Etihad for the last five years. I used to enjoy the service that Etihad provided. However, on Tuesday March 20th, I found out my flight from Abu Dhabi to Los Angeles was overbooked when I arrived at the airport, and I was forced off of the flight I had purchased months before. Typically, airline companies will ask for volunteers to take another flight. In this case I had no choice in the matter. Secondly, airline companies will usually re-book customers on comparable flights. In this case I was re-booked on a connecting flight even though my purchase was on a non-stop to Los Angeles with minimal compensation. When I emailed Etihad’s customer service, their response was that they would do nothing more than what they already had “in the event of denied boarding.” If Etihad feels that denying people who have purchased tickets is their right, I will no longer be flying with them.

✅ Trip Verified | Sydney to Abu Dhabi. Excellent from beginning to end. Seats spacious with lots if room. Flight staff were incredible and could not do enough. In-flight entertainment was good and the food lovely. You can now adjust the hardness of your seat which is great when turning it into a flatbed.

✅ Trip Verified | Over-rated and disappointing. I routinely fly business class and have flown business class on Etihad on many occasions but this flight from Melbourne to Abu Dhabi was the worst ever. Dreamliner does not accurately describe the aircraft and the cabin crew seemed less than enthused to be on board. The seat was extremely hard and very uncomfortable, although there are apparently features which should allow a passenger to change the softness/lumbar support etc they failed to make any difference. Previous flights on other aircraft have been better thanks to passengers having the ability to alter cushioning etc to suit. The ergonomics for using the seating area are not good. Tray table extends sideways from the console and cannot be moved back or forward, you have to move your seat to gain access to the table, touch screen tv or handset. Etihad has also downgraded the service, no decent amenity pack, no mattress, no pyjamas and food listed in the menu was not available even immediately after take off. The reduction in cabin noise was minimal in my opinion and the cabin was rather cold throughout the 14hour journey. Cabin crew did ask when I wanted to eat but ignored my request to wait for two plus hours and my meal was presented shortly after take off! I have indicated that I would recommend Etihad because of numerous previous journeys but although I have been happy with Etihad in the past I’m no longer convinced that the passenger continues to be considered as important and am not sure that Etihad will be my airline of choice in future.

✅ Trip Verified | Shanghai to Dammam via Abu Dhabi. I have been flying Etihad for move than 5 years now (reaching gold and platinum status) and the service have been going down hill quick. I have three upgrades which I paid for and yet the system does not recognize this and does not credit me any miles (zero miles). I been calling Etihad and emailing them since January and even until today (end of March) there has been no resolution, just the run around and telling me to wait. Why does it take so long to credit miles to an account, the flight is already in my account but displaying zero miles. Poor service and poor management within Etihad. The flight attendants are rude and poorly managed. On one particular flight there was three Eastern European flight attendants who were best friends and spent most of their time in the galley chatting. So avoid the first and last row in business class due to this noise or just avoid Etihad all together.

✅ Trip Verified | Bangkok to Manchester via Abu Dhabi. Never again! On all 4 flights we found the staff to be unfriendly and ignorant. Upon asking the stewardess if she could find a seat next to my partner (which we had been assured was sorted on checking in), she just said “ flight is full”. They are very mean with the drinks, no miniature bottles, just a bottle on the trolley which was sparingly measured (I got nasty looks when I asked for a “ large” one) unlike Emirates who were very obliging with anything you requested. Toilets and aircraft overall seemed grubby. There were no menus to check what was on offer and what was on offer inedible unless you were starving due to queuing for hours to check in (even after online check in). The in flight entertainment was very poor compared to Emirates, mostly geared towards Arabic travellers, esp the music. Very limited selection of films and the “news” was about Etihad, what a joke! Feel sorry for those who payed top whack for their ticket.

✅ Trip Verified | Flew Etihad on a business trip to Australia in March. All in all an excellent experience from start to finish. Got an upgrade on the AUH to SYD (A380) leg which was an amazing experience. Cabin crew on all flights were excellent, attention to detail is great and they were really engaged. The free style dining service on Etihad Business and First really works as your body clock can differ on each flight. Abu Dhabi airport is a bit dated, the new airport will be very welcome when open next year. Excellent experience!

✅ Trip Verified | Frankfurt to Colombo via Abu Dhabi (B787 and A320), returning Colombo to Rome via Abu Dhabi (A320 and A330-200) with Etihad. Food was excellent, design, easy check-in through the app and good information in general. Clean aircraft, nicely equipped. In-flight entertainment had its bugs, had to restart it a couple of times during the flight. So everything quite good, but why do you seem to have only unfriendly cabin crew members? On each of the four flights the stuff seemed to be annoyed right from the beginning of the flight; only their grumpy faces made our flights less enjoyable!

✅ Trip Verified | We were flying Washington DC to Bangkok return via Abu Dhabi. The first flights to Bangkok everything was smooth and perfect then the last leg of the return flight was terrible! We had paid for extra leg room seats as it said on the check in and when we boarded the plane we were sat in regular seats. The flight attendant told us that we paid to sit closer to the front of the plane - I explained to her multiple times that, that’s not what it said on the website but I will take it up with customer service because obviously she couldn’t do anything about it. Once getting back to DC I called the Etihad customer service and was put on hold for 20 mins - when someone finally picked up the phone she was extremely rude! Was no help and then once i asked for a manager she said there wasn’t one. She referred me to an email address and hang up. So I send the email and still get no response! Today i call the airline back and get somebody else who also tells me there is no manager and that the lady gave me the wrong email. And there is nothing he can do.

✅ Trip Verified | Flew Bangkok to Abu Dhabi. Pot luck with a successful low bid for an upgrade. Check in slowed by difficult passengers intent on shipping luggage far in excess of their allowance with consequential prolonged debate with the local agent. Etihad use a generic lounge at Bangkok which is adequate and no more. Early boarding so ample time to settle into my seat and a prompt departure. Although only six years old the more traditional seating arrangements on the 777 appear dated compared to the 787s, for example, but actually to my personal preference, more private and ample room to stretch out. Cost cutting evident, no amenity kits distributed with only basic eye-pad / ear plugs / flight socks available on request. Food and drink menu limited compared to what was available in the past - no offer of food on demand, the vegetarian fettuccine dry and tasteless. Staff attentive though not proactive with the distribution of water or other soft drinks during the flight. Entertained myself watching live English football and an early James Bond film. No free wifi. On time arrival on an air bridge at Abu Dhabi, which is exceptionally rare for Etihad. Unfortunately a one hour delay recovering baggage due to, as I subsequently discovered, intervention by Customs. Beyond Etihad's control but I was not the only business class customer left scratching their heads as to why their baggage had failed to appear. A little information smooths the feathers.