Etihad Airways

✅ Trip Verified | Started at Washington Dulles. Before going to the airport spent a half hour getting the files uploaded for Verified to Fly program. Got the email saying it was inputted. Got to airport and was told that it was not reviewed and that I had to go to the check-in but not verified line. I feel that was a waste of a half hour because they had to go over all of the same information I had inputted in the line before I got to the counter and then again at the counter. That is a lot of saying and showing the same thing. Boarding was average. Efficient. Flight left early. Flight attendants were very good and attentive. Inflight entertainment was excellent and the in seat power and communications was very good. Comfortable 12hr flight. The food was average for airplane food on an international flight I liked the mid flight sandwich the best. In Abu Dhabi the first class lounge was very nice with showers and food and drinks. The second leg of the flight went well. A bit tighter on the smaller plane but still nice service. Arrival in Male was uneventful. The return trip I did not even try to do the verified to travel and I feel that was probably a good save of my time. The boarding was a bit confusing getting on the bus but the flight left early and was very nice. I left my phone on the plane in Abu Dhabi and it was completely my fault. I realized it on the bus on the way to the terminal. As soon as I arrived at the terminal I went to the transfer desk and asked them to see if they could have someone get it from the plane. The agent was very nice and called 3 different people to try to help and he was told that no one could help and the only thing to do was fill out an online form to report it. This was 10 minutes after I walked off the plane. I was on the first bus. The cleaners were probably not even on the plane yet. I have worked for 4 different airlines and I design airports. I am well aware of exactly how much effort it takes to retrieve something off of an aircraft. Every airline is expected to get me from point A to point B safely. Most airlines will try to do it with some comfort. If you are going to try to be one of the best it is your customer service that has to stand out and this is point where Etihad failed. This cannot be the first time someone has left something on a plane. Since it had only been minutes there should have been a way to quickly retrieve it. Since I was only transiting and I had a 9 hour layover there was no reason to not be able to get it to me. There was no customs to go through since I was transiting only normal security. There should be an agent that could walk on the plane and retrieve an item quickly and but it in their normal system for lost and found. If it had been 2 hours since I had landed before reporting it the plane would have been cleaned and reset for the next destination and the item was either found or not and then the form is the best answer. 10 min is very different. The AUH hotel in the in transit is very nice and worth the cost. The final leg went well getting back home.

✅ Trip Verified | Etihad has been the worst airline I have ever dealt with in my life. At the beginning of 2020, I purchased 2 business class return tickets that were then cancelled due to the Pandemic. After calling and trying to tirelessly get through to them, their best offer was to transfer credits into my "travel credit bank" to be used in the future. After using the travel credits, they told me that I was only able to get one single ticket (I originally paid for two). I was disheartened by this but understood the circumstances and agreed to it. When my flight was rebooked, the airline continuously cancelled the flight without letting me know that the flight was cancelled. I then had to make a very expensive international call to get in touch with them, where they told me that the flight has been cancelled yet again and they will get in touch with me when I was able to fly again. This never happened, I was never told that the flights had resumes (not even by email) which is when I had to once again make an expensive phone call to find out. Now attempting to rebook my flight (bear in mind I no longer needed to travel to my destination as I was attending an event that had already passed as the flights were cancelled). I made another international call where the operator was completely lost and unhelpful. She told me that I was able to stop over at Abu Dhabi and then 20 minutes later changed her mind, she was completely unaware of the system and the way the airline works and kept me on hold for a long time (again bear in mind this was an expensive international call). They asked me for additional fees any way I wanted to book my flight. I did not even need to go anywhere I just wanted to use up these credits as it was quite a bit of money. I was then fed up with this unreasonable system and asked for a full cash refund, the operator then told me that this was not possible because I was using my airline credits, the only reason I was using these credits in the first place was that they did not allow me to apply for a refund initially. She then explained that the policy has changed (again they did not make us aware of this at all). I had to tirelessly fight her to open a case with her superiors as I have been patient enough with them however with the flight cancellations they are now holding my money against me.

Not Verified | Disadvantaged as an Australian Prior to the COVID outbreak we had booked flights to Italy and unfortunately due to the travel ban had to postpone our flight. When we contacted Etihad they encouraged us to postpone the trip rather than cancel, using what they call 'travel bank'. At the time we were told that the travel bank was valid for a period of 2 years depending on the circumstances surrounding COVID. With the Australian government putting a travel ban on Australians since March 2020 with no information around when the borders will reopen, we have been unable to make any plans to try and arrange our travel. A few weeks back we decided to call Etihad to get information on our options, as the 2 years in which the travel bank has been valid we have not been able to make use of the credit. Etihad has communicated that regardless of the Australian travel ban that the period the travel bank is valid is still for 2 years. What I don't understand is how can I have a credit that is ticking over when I did not have the opportunity to make use of it? What is also disappointing is that we have since been informed that if an airline cancels a flight that all passengers will be reimbursed in full. The flight we had booked was cancelled due to COVID. So if we had not done the right thing and contacted Etihad for their advice we more thank likely would not be in this position and out of pocket for 2 years.

✅ Trip Verified | Worst customer service I have ever seen. The UAE government lifted restrictions on travel on August 5th from Pakistan but they still cancelled my ticket for August 8th. The customer service was providing wrong information and did not want to help me. They were offering an alternate ticket a month later which was not acceptable for us because of schools and job. I requested them to connect me to supervisor and they denied my request saying they are not available. At one point they stopped picking my phone. I had to let go and book a return flight with another airline.

Not Verified | I am writing this with full of disappointment. I had a wonderful vacation but the ending was poor and Etihad service was the only reason. I had paid extra for front seat and later i got an email for BID approved for upgrade. My bank account was having limits per day and it rejected the amount and the email had an option to update new bank card details. I tried to update the details and it was not getting clicked for the update of Bank Card. Inefficient website and not able to click the button and move forward. I contacted your call center and the lady was very helpful and she had to off load my seats and requested me to contact back for the upgrade amount information. The next lady was straight forward and wont help with regards to the BID part and have me the rates. I went to website again since i already paid 69 omr per seat to check in and confirm but the seats where costing again 69 omr. Call center had no clarity in communication and my seats where lost. I thought its better to reach the Airport JFK early so that i can pay for the upgrade. I waited till the queue was open by 5:35 pm. Staff and a lady Supervisor, was informed about my problem and said we cant do anything so wait in the queue. No clear communication. I was the first and went to the staff in the counter for 45 minutes to check in. She said system problem, covid protocol issue and etc etc. in fact for each matter she was consulting her colleague sitting next to her who had taken almost 6 customers and i am still without any answer. She kept telling me system issue. I went to supervisor and said i am looking for upgrade and ready to pay. The lady supervisor thankfully listened and entered the counter and asked the staff to move. Inefficient staff and not knowing what and how to use the system. Doesn't even know how to enter the Etihad Guest No. The lady supervisor sat and looked into the system and saw i had paid for front seats. And told me she can give me 2 upgrades and third incase there is seat she will let me know at counter. Remember i am ready to pay as i was aware there were seats in Business class and my upgrade did go through due to my bank card limitations. The staff was not explaining anything and the supervisor was allowing only 2 seats. I was at the gate and the ground staff was informed about the supervisor information about available seat upgrade and they were rude especially the same staff who was checking me and another old staff by ignoring and rejecting to talk. I send my wife and daughter but they gave 2 Free upgrades to other passengers and i was denied and made to sit in economy class. The crew was helpless. I was away from my family even when i was ready to pay and they have free upgrades to people who was there friends as i saw them very close at checking counte. I was asking the staff at JFK to make sure we get the close seats from Abu Dhabi to Muscat. Even though the flight was empty. She made it in two different places. The staff was not knowing how to check in and had all the confusions and kept on asking how to Tag the bags. Each entry in the system was done in discussion with others. Inefficiency at best. Total disappointment with ground staff.

✅ Trip Verified | It's been more than 20 days since I transferred money to their account, but they just send me a refund request instead of a confirmation of a flight without explaining anything. The flights included a third party airline, so they couldn't confirm, but they still hold my money and haven't done anything after I called almost 17 times spending more than 15 hours. They have a customer support center, but I felt only some of customer support representatives try to help me, but the most of them are not worth being there since they are just like parrots repeats same words and phrases again and again without thinking anything.

✅ Trip Verified | I can never recommend Etihad airline now. As other customers already mentioned, they lost credibilities and totally changed as they used to be before. I've booked a ticket and paid through a bank transfer within 24 hours following their instructions. I've waited for confirmation for almost a week, but I haven't heard anything from them. I've emailed them, asked them to check the status of payment and send me confirmation. But they sent me an email saying "in regard to your refund request," which I've never requested. They even didn't explain the status of my booking and why it was refund request instead of a confirmation. They don't answer our calls soon, and sometimes we have to hold for almost one hour or average about over 30 minutes. If you are lucky, you can catch a representative after holding for 7 minutes. But if any problem occurs to you, you would be suffered and frutrated for sure because they never call you back and you have to keep calling many times. After reaching a representative, they explained the reason of refund request. It was because a connected airline (their group airline) hasn't confirmed a part of my route, which should have been explained on an email before sending me a refund request. They were reluctant to do anything for me and didn't give me any alternatives saying "Your ticket has not been issued, and we are not able to do anything for you" even though I followed their instructions and sent them payment within their required time frame. They have not treated me as a customer since the ticket has not been issued, but they keep holding my money. The refund would take 7 to 40 days to credit to your account. I asked the representatives to let me talk to a manager, but they were still reluctant to let me get through to a manager saying "Managers would say the same things." I could talk to their supervisor in the end, but he or she also would not treat you as a customer unless your ticket has officially issued.

Not Verified | Unbelievably disappointing service with this airline. Decided to try them, instead of the usual Emirates flight I book. They offered free transfers to the airport which made me consider them. Booking system didn't work, advised to call them up. Called three times with 1.5hr wait times on each call. Went round in circles between different departments with the final Chauffeur booking team only accessible by email, who would reply they cant do it and need to call the airline. So disappointing compared to the other competition in the region (Emirates). I will not fly with this airline again and would not suggest anyone fly with Etihad. Even if you are in Abu Dhabi, it would be worth travelling to Dubai to fly with an established airline.

✅ Trip Verified | I needed to cancel my flight from Zürich to Sydney via Abu Dhabi because Australia has been completely locked down and hardly lets anybody in and out of the country. Expedia sent me a message saying that I could use my airline credit within 12 months at the very least, if not longer, because of the pandemic. A couple of weeks ago I wanted to check the status of my airline credit. It had expired already. As opposed to Expedia, Etihad Airways decided to give me 6 months to use that credit during a time when hardly anybody can fly anywhere, much less to Australia. I wrote to Ethiad Airways directly but there are only chat robots who send you in circles, so I never heard from customer service.

✅ Trip Verified | Extreme dissatisfied service and support during and post flight. Booked flight from US to UAE from Charlotte to Abu Dhabi via Chicago. Everything seemed good and fine to officials at Charlotte to continue with the itinerary. Things changed drastically on arriving at Chicago airport. The officials would not let me board the flight citing some false claims of invalid visa when this was not the actual case. These officials were rude and would not listen to a word I had to say. They perceived their notion to be true and barred me from entering the flight to Abu Dhabi. All Etihad counters were closed at the airport and the customer support agents were of no help. No agent had the right info and upon confirming with the UAE government, it was proven to me that the agents as well as staff of Etihad did not have the correct info regarding anything. Due to this mishap, I had incurred more charges to take new PCR tests, book hotels and another flight out. These were not simple things and were not hassle free. Post flight, I am on continuous calls with the service agents and I have now seen that they closed this case without actually finding a proper resolution.