Ethiopian Airlines

Not Verified | Because of a very tight connection on our return we had a feeling we might struggle with our luggage arriving on time. None of our bags arrived in Chicago, three were returned to us within 2 days and the 3rd was lost for 3 weeks. While this was inconvenient and frustrating, I am incredibly grateful for the help of customer service agent Frew. He worked very closely with me for those three weeks keeping me posted as best he could on the whereabouts of my suitcase, which we learned had been misdirected. Just when I thought I'd lost my bag forever, Frew called to tell me it'd been found. I am appreciative of his persistence to my case and was overjoyed to reunite with my luggage. He remained optimistic and focused, which helped me to stay calm about this situation.

Not Verified | I started my trip at Antananarivo to Brussels, with a stop in Addis Ababa. At the airport of Antananarivo they could not give me a boarding card for the flight from Addis Ababa to Brussels. They told me to get a boarding card at Addis Ababa airport, but they checked in my luggage to Brussels. At Addis Ababa airport there were many people with problems as I had to wait for 2 hours at the customer service desk. They gave me a stand by ticket and said it would be no problem to get a seat, this was lie number 1. On the boarding card gate A10 was mentioned while on the screens B5 would be the gate to board for the flight ET730. I have asked customer service several times what the correct gate would be. They kept saying the correct gate was A10, even when boarding already started at B7, which was mentioned nowhere and was not on the screens, not even on the screen of gate B7, this was lie number 3. All customers with a stand by ticket, had to wait. Then they closed the door and the plane left without many standby by ticket travellers. Our seats were not secured, the plane was overbooked. After the plane left a supervisor promised us he would take care of an alternative flight, our luggage, compensation, and a place to sleep. Then he ran off and did nothing for us. According to the policy of Ethiopian Airlines they should offer us a hotel to stay. After a few hours I finally managed to get a boarding pass for a flight one day later. I had to spend the night and day at the airport, got no food or drinks, nothing. Ethiopian Airlines is by far the most terrible company I have had a flight with, or actually no flight with. The personnel are extremely rude and keep lying.

Not Verified | As disclaimer, I am a big fan of Ethiopian Airlines. They have such an amazing route network, and I just like the spirit onboard. On this trip, I once again was very happy with my choice. Here is why: The ticket fare was decent (and way cheaper than a major competitor), the flight times are just perfect (but I can easily sleep in planes), I liked the food and beverage service (incl. Habesha beer), the staff is very welcoming and supportive, and the coffee stop-over in Addis priceless. As an added (and very smart) bonus a free train ticket is included, so no need for silly short-distance flights to reach Frankfurt. OK, in-flight entertainment is just ok-ish, but I couldn't care less. I do look forward to my next trip with this airline.

Not Verified | This airline is NEVER on time. Sadly there is no other choice to fly within the country and why they do not care for keeping to schedules. I have had bags not loaded on another trip with 2 hours sitting on the runway in Addis. They never give passengers any information about what is happening. Really bad customer service and not a good airline. Thankfully the in staff are lovely but don't fly with them if you are help it

Not Verified | They did not load my luggage despite getting to the airport 3 hours before travel time. I got to Nairobi and my Luggage was on its way to Addis but only got it 3 days later.

✅ Trip Verified | On their website they claim excellent customer service, daily updates on lost luggage and USD 100 compensation. I have received none of the above. 76 hours after landing, nothing. Don't bother to email, they won't respond. On a much smaller note, don't bother to pay extra for a special meal, mine wasn't booked.

✅ Trip Verified | Our flight ET629 was delayed by over 5 hours owing to bad weather, resulting in our missed connection to Kigali. To cut a long story short, it was a nightmare to get ourselves on the next available flight. They had inexplicably put us on the following morning’s flight which would have meant that we missed 2 days of our tour instead of 1. They had the audacity initially to ask for additional payment of USD250 each for the earlier flight when we were prepared to downgrade from business to economy!. It was only with the intervention of 1 kind staff in ADD airport, that we managed ultimately to get on the next flight to Kigali. Arriving well past mid-night, we had a rude shock when we realised our luggage did not make it. This despite our conscientious checks at every leg of the travel with the ET staff. Every single one claimed that our luggage was loaded. It turned out that either every single one lied or the system was wrong. Through Star Alliance, we subsequently realised the luggage was never loaded in the first place from Bangkok. Adding insult to injury, not once did ET apologize for the ordeal or contact us. We only learnt that our luggage arrived the next morning when the Rwanda Lost Luggage personnel called our agent to inform him. We requested ET to provide us with official confirmation of the various delays (in support of our insurance claims) and was again sent on a “not so merry go round” with again “sympathetic noises made” but no action or follow up. On the return flight, they refused to check in our luggage to the final destination in Singapore, claiming that they could not do so as our final leg was with Singapore Airlines. This despite the fact that Singapore Airlines is part of Star Alliance. It should be noted that Singapore Airlines was able to check our luggage in from Singapore to Kigali. In a separate call with Singapore Airlines, the staff confirmed that ET should have checked the luggage in all the way to Singapore. So again, we were severely stressed as we had to clear customs in Bangkok, collect our bags and check in again for our flight to Singapore. All to be done within 2 hours. Lo and behold, we ran to the luggage belt only wait and subsequently see “Delayed Baggage” - no explanation, no apology. It was nothing short of a miracle for us to eventually make it on our Singapore Airline flight. To be fair, the service from the crew on board was good, the food was fair and the beverages good. But the rest of the ground staff (other than the one solitary gem - Amen) are a disgrace. I will not recommend anyone to take this airline.

Not Verified | I lost part of luggage from the duty free shop from Bole to Buq, got into contact with the Doha office. The gentlemen promised to look into my issue and said it would take time. Nothing has been said about that. Recently I requested to change my travel dates and to my surprise I was charged QR 150 yet there were still 7 days before departure. The attendant called it a penalty. I thought I had come in early but alas. Luggage is never on schedule and yet there are no concessions. If you are paying by card there is a 10.0% surcharge they actually want cash. We cannot be forced to give them cash through shady rules. I await a day when there will be more flights on the African routes and we will see who will be stuck to blood suckers.

✅ Trip Verified | I travel almost every weekend between Addis and Joburg. I have no choice but to use ET airlines as they have the only direct flights between these locations. First concern is that they use the Boeing 737 MAX 8 which is not ideal for international flights. No entertainment for economy class for 5 hours, the lavatories malfunction. On some occasions, ET will place us on the big Boeing with screens and entertainment, but my screen wouldn't work ... the flight attendant offered me the worst seat (next to the toilet). I declined, and she wasn't even bothered, no apology. The final stroke is when they wanted to take our hand luggage because there was no space in the plane. I don't think they respect the passengers going to South Africa.

✅ Trip Verified | I communicated with the airline in advance that I would not be able to leave the airport because I was traveling with an emergency travel document If I bought the 10-hour layover in Addis Ababa from New York's final destination Namibia. The airline as per their policy offered me an in-terminal hotel. On check-in at JFK New York, the agent offered me a voucher for a Presidential hotel. I reiterated that I would not be able to leave the airport. She then said I could change my voucher on arrival in Addis Ababa at the customer service desk. My first experience in flight started with my screen being damaged with lines across the screen, seat 24H. I stayed in the same seat during our layover in Abidjan. On arrival in Addis, I was referred to the Interlink office. I have never been so belittled by a Customer service agent who had the nerve to tell me it was not his fault my passport was not valid. He went on to dismiss me and walked away as I was trying to get answers. His final response was that the Skyline hotel in the terminal was for business class travelers only. Two days ago, I looked at this hotel, and it would have cost me $75 for 5 hours. He offered me dinner and a public bench for 10 hours. I walked back to the customer service desk who offered me access to the gold lounge. He took me to a quiet room I could use, and as a woman, he allowed me to sleep in a darkened room with 4 strange men. I am sitting and writing this in the lounge trying to stay awake for the next 6 hours before my last leg to Windhoek. The food in the lounge is dry, The bar that's supposedly open 24 hours is closed.