Etihad Airways

Customer Reviews

4 star Skytrax Rating
Food & Beverages 12345
Inflight Entertainment 12345
Seat Comfort 12345
Staff Service 12345
Value for Money 12345
Customer rating from 1759 reviews
4/10
4 star Skytrax Rating
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1/10

"a poor choice for travel"

(Bahrain)

Trip Verified | After from Bahrain to Barcelona on 25 December 2023, my suitcase (an American Tourister 28" worth about $250) was damaged by Etihad's handling team. Upon arrival, there was no Etihad help desk at Barcelona airport. The airport staff helped us file a damage report since Etihad wasn't there to assist. Normally, airlines provide a replacement right away, but we had to buy a new suitcase ourselves for €264 the next day, as shops were closed for Christmas. We sent all the paperwork to Etihad, asking for a refund. Three months later, they only offered $50 or a $75 travel voucher. They ignored our situation and showed no concern for the inconvenience caused. Etihad's customer service is terribly disappointing, making it a poor choice for travel.
Type Of TravellerCouple Leisure
Seat TypeEconomy Class
RouteBahrain to Barcelona via Abu Dhabi
Date FlownDecember 2023
Seat Comfort 12345
Cabin Staff Service 12345
Food & Beverages 12345
Inflight Entertainment 12345
Ground Service 12345
Value For Money 12345
no
7/10

"definitely not my airline of choice"

(Japan)

Trip Verified | Much better value for money when compared to competitors. The herringbone seat on their new A350 was fantastic (great privacy with screen door, comfortable lie flat bed, ergonomic storage options). Food was fine - nothing to write home about though. I was surprised that they policed what I could order after my first meal. They have an “all day menu” that one can theoretically order from throughout the flight (so no set meal times). They didn’t let me have anything else after I had a sandwich mid flight claiming they didn’t have enough to go around - this on a 12 hour flight! Entertainment options were pretty lacking too (just three episodes each of five US sitcoms for TV shows + a modest movie selection), and wifi was slow. Toilets did not seem to get cleaned very much. All in all, not bad for the price, but definitely not my airline of choice.
AircraftA350-1000
Type Of TravellerBusiness
Seat TypeBusiness Class
RouteTokyo to Abu Dhabi
Date FlownMarch 2024
Seat Comfort 12345
Cabin Staff Service 12345
Food & Beverages 12345
Inflight Entertainment 12345
Ground Service 12345
Wifi & Connectivity 12345
Value For Money 12345
yes
1/10

"worst airline I have traveled on"

(United Kingdom)

Trip Verified | You are better off paying a few hundred quids extra on BA and getting 50 kgs checked in allowance. No point wasting time with Etihad. Absolutely the worst airline I have traveled on. They expect you to carry 7 kgs in cabin baggage for a 14 hours international journey. The baggage allowance should include your laptop, charger, any electronics (as they anyway cannot be checked in) like ipad phone headphones etc. and no personal handbag allowed. If excess the cost is 4000 per kg. Which means I might as well abandon a bag at the airport with my underwear and other toiletries, as they are definitely not worth taking. Which idiotic airline has this “no personal baggage” rule for a 14 hours international flight? No point wasting time with Etihad it’s not worth it at all. Run in the opposite direction even if they give you a free flight
Type Of TravellerSolo Leisure
Seat TypeEconomy Class
RouteBangalore to London via Abu Dhabi
Date FlownMarch 2024
Seat Comfort 12345
Cabin Staff Service 12345
Food & Beverages 12345
Inflight Entertainment 12345
Ground Service 12345
Wifi & Connectivity 12345
Value For Money 12345
no
1/10

“lack of assistance and support”

(Bahrain)

Not Verified | My recent experience with Etihad Airlines was incredibly disappointing. The abrupt cancellation of our flight without clear explanations was frustrating. What made matters worse was the lack of assistance and support provided to all passengers during this ordeal, and with no guidance from the airline's staff, but this experience highlighted a significant failure in communication and customer service. I had expected better from Etihad but sadly today's experience was really very very bad.
Type Of TravellerSolo Leisure
Seat TypeEconomy Class
RouteBahrain to Philippines
Date FlownMarch 2024
Seat Comfort 12345
Cabin Staff Service 12345
Food & Beverages 12345
Inflight Entertainment 12345
Ground Service 12345
Wifi & Connectivity 12345
Value For Money 12345
no
1/10

"Very bad service"

(Philippines)

Trip Verified | Canceling our flight without prior notice to all passengers is very bad. We passengers leave in different places. And then they will tell you that it's cancel.. I have a lot of things to do and it's all arrange according to my plan. We're waiting long time and this assistance is not good. Very bad service. Not ever again
Type Of TravellerFamily Leisure
Seat TypeEconomy Class
RouteBahrain to Manila via Abu Dhabi
Date FlownMarch 2024
Ground Service 12345
Value For Money 12345
no
1/10

"Etihad is a con artist"

(South Africa)

Trip Verified | I have to fly from Johannesburg to Ahmedabad for business. I initially booked on another airline, which would have resulted in two stopovers with long connections. Etihad advertises a free one- or two-day stopover in Abu Dhabi, and I decided to take them up on the offer, as I would arrive in AUH early in the evening and depart late the next day. (18hrs 45min) I selected the free stopover box and made the booking. When I wanted to make a free hotel booking, I could not. Somewhere, hidden in the terms and conditions, three layers down, it says the offer only applies for layovers of over 24 hours. However, nowhere in the sophisticated booking process is a checksum saying, "If layover < 24 hrs, warn the guest". I called customer service to change my flight out to the next evening, which would give me a longer stay. I paid USD 30 to contact the call centre (rip-off) and paid the penalty for changing my flight. When I wanted to book the "free stopover", I could not because now they claim they had no rooms available. Now I would have to stay 28 hours at the airport. Naturally, the airline is protected by well-hidden terms and conditions. The problem is that it is not possible to verify if rooms are available unless you have a booking reference. Etihad is a con artist. They use predatory pricing, misleading advertising, and bogus offers to entrap passengers and extort additional payments. Eventually, my trip cost me nearly USD 300 more. Etihad is now blacklisted in my company,.
Type Of TravellerBusiness
Seat TypeEconomy Class
RouteJohannesburg to Ahmedabad via Abu Dhabi
Date FlownMarch 2024
Value For Money 12345
no
1/10

""scam if not worse"

(Italy)

Trip Verified | I booked flights to BKK in September 2023 with a stop over in Abu Dhabi on the return for 6 nights. To date, March 6, 2024, my flights have been changed 4 times. The days of my holiday no longer correspond to the program but I cannot change them except with a crazy penalty because "I have already changed the flights". They changed them for me and I was forced to restore them. I cannot cancel the flight without a penalty of 60% (sixty percent) of the total cost of the ticket and I cannot change the dates. Call center staff bouncing off responsibilities, no one tells me anything even though I booked directly on their site. I would define the unfairness of this company as "scam" if not worse. They told me that if they "make" me (so them, not me) another change then I can cancel without penalty. But what are the rules? And what's more, paying for 2 passengers in Business. Ho prenotato a settembre 2023 i voli per BKK con stop over ad Abu Dhabi al ritorno di 6 notti. Ad oggi, 6 marzo 2024, mi hanno cambiato i voli 4 volte. I giorni della mia vacanza non corrispondono più al programma ma, non posso cambiarli se non con una penale pazzesca perchè "ho già modificato i voli". NON è VERO, me li hanno cambiati loro e io sono stata costretta a ripristinarli. Non posso cancellare il volo se non con una penale del 60% (sessanta percento) del costo totale del biglietto e non posso modificare le date. Personale call center che rimbalza le responsabilità, nessuno mi dice niente anche se ho prenotato direttamente sul loro sito. La scorrettezza di questa compagnia la definirei "raggiro" se non peggio. Mi hanno detto che se mi "fanno" (quindi loro, non io) un altro cambio allora posso annullare senza penale. Ma che regole sono? E per di più pagando per2 passeggeri in Business.
Type Of TravellerCouple Leisure
Seat TypeBusiness Class
RouteMilan to Bangkok via Abu Dhabi
Date FlownSeptember 2023
Value For Money 12345
no
1/10

“forced to be separated on-board”

(United Kingdom)

Trip Verified | Appalling customer service for business class passengers Flight 1 LHR-AUH Although we had paid a premium to select our seats together as a family of 5 (including 3 small children aged 6 and under) - we were forced to be separated on-board. We paid extra ($160USD per p) This caused the children to be extremely distressed when they were disorientated in Abu Dhabi. It also created safety concerns around leaving the children to go to the bathroom themselves on a flight of strangers. When we raised the issue with a flight attendant, they said we should have raised this with ground staff even though there is no Etihad ground staff at either Heathrow or Sydney. They simply advised we should make a “complaint” on your website showing no empathy for the situation. Flight 3 SYD-AUH 1. No fast track through security and customs was offered even though we were priority with children flying business. There was also no priority lane when checking in to our flight at the bag drop off 2. The lounge was at capacity in Sydney and no food or drinks were available. We were declined access. 3. One TV screen did not work the entire time. A wifi code was offered that did not work. A glaring light was coming from the screen making it difficult to sleep to which the staff put a blanket over it. 4. The staff ran out of basic snacks such as crisps which is not what you expect from a business class flight. Flight 4 AUH-LHR 1. No priority to people with children or business class when going through security 2. Again we faced the same issue when we were boarding the flight due to a lack of communication from ground staff. There was no priority for business passengers or those with children (nothing we were both) 3. Again one seat did not have a working screen, this time it was a seat that was an individual one, not a part of a pair meaning a 6 year old and 5 year old were sitting by themselves with no adult supervision or help during meal time. We spent significant money ensuring the children were supported throughout the flight and it is appalling that for BOTH flights one screen did not work. 4. The three children were not offered meals on the 14 hour flight. No one spoke to the parents/ guardians and we needed to question the staff on the orders. By the time this was done, they did not have any meals available. I am not sure how you can board a flight without enough food for all passengers. Avoid this airline at all costs. I have submitted a complaint and asked for a refund for the $800 we spent to sit as a family and simply been ignored. There is no complaints process or escalation process. This airline is completely unregulated and have no customer service even if you are a silver member.
Type Of TravellerFamily Leisure
Seat TypeBusiness Class
RouteSydney to London
Date FlownDecember 2023
Seat Comfort 12345
Cabin Staff Service 12345
Food & Beverages 12345
Inflight Entertainment 12345
Ground Service 12345
Wifi & Connectivity 12345
Value For Money 12345
no
2/10

"it is now pointless being loyal"

(United Arab Emirates)

Not Verified | As general feedback the new airport is a huge step forward than the older terminal. But this appears to have impacted not only the ground service but the flight service. Staff are all clearly new or either have taken on an air of supremacy - service is cold - snappy - arrogant. Gold and platinum members are now never recognised and it is now pointless being loyal as they have trebled the miles needed and never have upgrade seats available on any routes for months. Keep it up - the reviews speak from themselves. I’ll move to Qatar Airways with better service and which appreciate loyalty. This new CEO arrogance is evident with the attitude and miserable personalities and attitude of the staff - after 14 years as a gold member - good bye !
AircraftA321
Type Of TravellerBusiness
Seat TypeBusiness Class
RouteMale to Abu Dhabi
Date FlownJanuary 2024
Seat Comfort 12345
Cabin Staff Service 12345
Food & Beverages 12345
Inflight Entertainment 12345
Ground Service 12345
Wifi & Connectivity 12345
Value For Money 12345
no
1/10

"much less then unprofessional"

(Italy)

Not Verified | Review is for a flight due February 14, 2024. The service of call center is much less then unprofessional and should need a - (minus) before the stars. Call to Italy and 2 from Abu Dhabi to get apologies but none is interested in solving their own problems or give a kind of compensation. I am a gold member of this airline and give you an advise, stay away because if you have any kind of problem, (caused by yourself or by them), none will be willing to help, unless you pay of course!
Type Of TravellerBusiness
Seat TypeBusiness Class
RouteMilan to Abu dhabi
Date FlownFebruary 2024
Seat Comfort 12345
Cabin Staff Service 12345
Food & Beverages 12345
Inflight Entertainment 12345
Ground Service 12345
Value For Money 12345
no
1/10

"Service was horrible"

(Australia)

Trip Verified |  I am commenting only Abu Dhabi to Sydney route EY454 17 Jan 2024. Me, my wife and my daughter travelled business class. Service was horrible. Ordered meals and some drinks to a tall bearded steward. Meals came drinks forgotten. This guy seemed to be ashamed of his job and thinks too big for himself. Later I ordered some drinks and a girl promptly delivered it but not even a packet of peanut. Similarly my daughter ordered some water from this same guy and it never came till such time she asked him if there is a water shortage.
Type Of TravellerFamily Leisure
Seat TypeBusiness Class
RouteAbu Dhabi to Sydney
Date FlownJanuary 2024
Seat Comfort 12345
Cabin Staff Service 12345
Ground Service 12345
Value For Money 12345
no
4/10

"service is really sub-par"

(United Kingdom)

Trip Verified | The service is really sub-par and the dietary options in 2024 are ten years behind other airlines. I had no working entertainment console for a 14.5 hour flight and no meal options due to a shortage of vegetarian options. In total I paid 1.7K to fly with them and felt really short-changed!
Type Of TravellerSolo Leisure
Seat TypeEconomy Class
RouteLondon to Sydney via Abu Dhabi
Date FlownJanuary 2024
Seat Comfort 12345
Cabin Staff Service 12345
Food & Beverages 12345
Inflight Entertainment 12345
Ground Service 12345
Wifi & Connectivity 12345
Value For Money 12345
no
5/10

"given three different seats"

(India)

Trip Verified |   I want to express my thanks to the wonderful crew on the Abu Dhabi to Kolkata flight, especially Nadia, Maryam, Makbool, and Sahid. I had talked to Etihad Airways customer care earlier and booked my daughter's ticket through them. I asked to link her ticket with my wife's, and they assured me. I also booked wheelchair assistance for my wife, and it was provided. When I inquired about special assistance at the airport, they said the ground staff would be helpful. However, when I reached the airport today and requested special assistance for check-in due to my wife's inability to stand in queues, there were challenges. I was told to wait in a chair, but others who arrived later were checked in before me. Despite my efforts to seek assistance from ground staff, it wasn't provided until Maria intervened. A supervisor named Pathini then rudely insisted I go back to the end of the regular line. After a brief argument, I was allowed through a different line near the business class. At the counter, I encountered staff who was unprofessional and insisted all luggage be separate. This was contrary to my previous experiences, where our family's luggage was accepted together. Despite explaining my situation, she refused to accept my wife and daughter's hand luggage in the total weight, causing confusion and frustration. I eventually had to give a 14 kg bag to someone else, and then requested seats together for my wife and daughter. Despite prior assurances from customer care, I was given three different seats. I am currently facing the issue of my luggage being stuck in Doha
Type Of TravellerFamily Leisure
Seat TypeEconomy Class
RouteDoha to Kolkata via Abu Dhabi
Date FlownDecember 2023
Seat Comfort 12345
Cabin Staff Service 12345
Food & Beverages 12345
Inflight Entertainment 12345
Ground Service 12345
Value For Money 12345
no
1/10

"Very rude ground staff"

(India)

Trip Verified | Very rude ground staff of Etihad Airways at Ahmedabad Airport. Inflight staff was good. This staff humiliates to passengers. This feedback is latest when my Daughter was traveling this Airline on 29.12.2023 thru EV 285 Flight.
Type Of TravellerSolo Leisure
Seat TypeEconomy Class
RouteAhmedabad to Toronto via Abu Dhabi
Date FlownDecember 2023
Ground Service 12345
Value For Money 12345
no
2/10

"Terrible unfortunate experience"

(Italy)

Trip Verified | Terrible unfortunate experience. Never encountered such inexperienced and incompetent ground staff. But being inexperienced and incompetent is one thing and being curt and arrogant is another. That is uncalled for and simply unacceptable. Couldn’t wait to get away from the toxic environment. Firstly, for unknown reason when I arrived to check in my seat for unjustified reason was put on stand by. After the employee called the aircraft that issue was solved of course still no explanation and then followed one incompetence after the other. Having compassion for the lady I stayed patient and calm but when her colleague but as her colleague started becoming so rude and talking to me in an aggressive, rude and incomprehensible manner, that’s when I asked him his name as he wasn’t wearing a badge but of course he didn’t give his name. It’s so unfortunate and disappointing to be treated in such a curt and aggressive manner by an airline employee.
AircraftA320
Type Of TravellerBusiness
Seat TypeEconomy Class
RouteAbu Dhabi to Jeddah
Date FlownDecember 2023
Seat Comfort 12345
Cabin Staff Service 12345
Food & Beverages 12345
Ground Service 12345
Wifi & Connectivity 12345
Value For Money 12345
no
2/10

"exploitative baggage policies"

(Canada)

Trip Verified | While the in-flight service on Etihad Airways was quite decent, the service on the ground and the issues with the app/website, along with their exploitative baggage policies make this airline one that I would never fly with again. I had an economy class ticket but paid for an upgrade to Business Class for the second leg of the flight. I had attempted numerous times prior to this flight to add an extra checked bag via the airline's website as well as the Etihad app, and each time I tried to do so there was an error asking me to try again later. As a result, I ended up having to check the bag at the airport. When I got to the airport and tried to explain my situation, I was told that because I didn't book the bag online (keep in mind that I literally couldn't) the charge would be higher - I ended up having to pay 2,860 SAR ($1083.41 CAD) to check one 20kg bag. This was more than the cost of buying an entirely separate economy class ticket, and was the case despite me having paid to upgrade to Business Class for the second leg of the flight. In addition to this, the Etihad staff at Riyadh airport handwrote an additional fee onto the receipt and refused to provide me with baggage tags unless I also paid the extra fee, without any explanation for why they added it on. The check-in agent specifically noted that I "should have picked a different airline" if I wanted all of the fees to be actually printed on the receipt. When I spoke with Etihad staff in Abu Dhabi regarding the same issue, they told me that it was essentially my fault the website and app didn't work properly, and that I "didn't really have a choice but to pay all the fees which is too bad". I filed a complaint with Etihad Airways the same day as my flight (when I asked staff what the contact information was for the airline to do so, they told me that I "should know how to use Google"). They eventually wrote back two weeks later, with the following reply: -- "Please note that The excess baggage can only be issued on Etihad flights and where itineraries involve other airlines excess baggage can be purchased at the airport We appreciate your understanding regarding this matter." -- This reply is not applicable to my situation at all, given that all of my flights were flown by Etihad Airways (as can be confirmed on my attached boarding passes), and the ticket was booked directly with Etihad Airways and not with a third party. I replied to this message, and have had only radio silence since November 24, 2023. I therefore feel that I have given Etihad Airways more than a reasonable timeframe to reply to my concerns prior to posting this review. I should mention that the in-flight service by the crew on both flights was excellent, particularly in Business Class from AUH-DUB, where the crew was pleasant, attentive, and caring. The A350-1000 was also a very clean and quiet plane, although the A320 from RUH-AUH was a bit dated. Ultimately, if it wasn't for the incredibly rude and condescending way I was treated on the ground (both in Riyadh and Abu Dhabi), plus the lack of acknowledgement by the airline that the app and website have significant issues (ultimately I have penalized immensely for Etihad's technical problems), I would have rated the airline much better.
AircraftA320 / A350-1000
Type Of TravellerBusiness
Seat TypeEconomy Class
RouteRiyadh to Dublin via Abu Dhabi
Date FlownNovember 2023
Seat Comfort 12345
Cabin Staff Service 12345
Food & Beverages 12345
Inflight Entertainment 12345
Ground Service 12345
Wifi & Connectivity 12345
Value For Money 12345
no
1/10

"Will never fly Etihad again"

(Indonesia)

Not Verified | The worst business flight I had in 2023. Despite purchasing a business class ticket from Etihad for a full flat all aisle access we were downgraded to a Wamos aging A330 with broken seat, broken, IFE system, appalling IFE content and terrible food. Total disgrace. Will never fly Etihad again.
AircraftA330
Type Of TravellerCouple Leisure
Seat TypeBusiness Class
RouteJakarta to Abu Dhabi
Date FlownOctober 2023
Seat Comfort 12345
Cabin Staff Service 12345
Food & Beverages 12345
Inflight Entertainment 12345
Ground Service 12345
Value For Money 12345
no
1/10

"a shocking level of negligence"

(India)

Trip Verified | Having arrived on 17.09.2023 from Dallas Fort Worth to Ahmadabad, my ordeal began when I discovered my wheelchair missing. What ensued over the last 3 months has been a frustrating odyssey of failed attempts at resolution, highlighting a shocking level of negligence and insensitivity on the part of Etihad Airways. Despite my relentless efforts to communicate and seek a resolution, each attempt has been met with silence. As an individual with a disability, my wheelchair is not a mere convenience; it is a fundamental necessity for my mobility. The loss of this crucial aid has disrupted my daily life in ways beyond comprehension. My presentation of an option to Etihad Airways suggesting the expedited purchase of a replacement wheelchair has yielded no tangible results. I extend a cautionary note to potential travelers, urging them to exercise careful consideration before choosing Etihad Airways. The evident lack of concern for my predicament is not just an isolated incident; it reflects a broader pattern of neglect and apathy towards customer service.
Type Of TravellerCouple Leisure
Seat TypeEconomy Class
RouteChicago to Ahmedabad via Abu Dhabi
Date FlownSeptember 2023
Seat Comfort 12345
Cabin Staff Service 12345
Food & Beverages 12345
Ground Service 12345
Value For Money 12345
no
1/10

"I have not received my refund"

(United Arab Emirates)

Trip Verified | I purchased Etihad return ticket through cleartrip for departure date 25 June 2023. A few days prior to travel, I randomly checked online on Etihad website and couldn’t find my ticket. Thinking it may be temporary error and tried checking again after one or two days and it returned same – that my ticket wasn’t getting displayed on Etihad website. Finally I called the airline to check what was the issue and they said the flight is cancelled. I was shocked as nobody informed me (either email or sms) about cancellation. Immediately I applied for full refund of the ticket value and till now I have not received my refund. I have made dozens of calls and they give so lame excuses. Today they came with another excuse – that my refund was rejected. The reason they say that my ticket is still showing active on their website. I am more than frustrated with this airline’s pity state of affair. I will never ever travel with this airline even if they offer free ticket, but also I will urge other people to exercise extreme caution if you happen to chose this airline.
Type Of TravellerSolo Leisure
Seat TypeEconomy Class
RouteDubai to Mumbai via Abu Dhabi
Date FlownJune 2023
Value For Money 12345
no
1/10

"did not have extra legroom"

(Canada)

Trip Verified | My wife, 2 kids (4 years and 3 months old) were flying with me from Toronto to Doha. They were on a separate booking than me, so I paid extra money to have seats next to them. I paid for extra legroom seats at 23C aisle seat. The staff had moved my wife and kids away from row 23 and moved them to row 43. When I asked them to put them back on the seats we had selected in row 23 by calling Etihad airways customer service, they refused. As such they changed my seat to row 45 which did not have extra legroom and was a middle seat. Etihad went about boarding in Toronto with business first zone 1, 2, 3 and then came to us. I asked a few times that with children long lines are difficult for them, is there a family line and I was told there was none. We had four carry on for all four of us and had put it in the seats above us. While re-arranging others bags, the flight attendant whose bag is this to which I said it was mine. She took it out and gave it to me and said we have to put other peoples bags even though it was right above our seat. I said the leg space is already less and we have just put one carry on and not multiple like some other people, but she just left. For the 13 hr flight, not only did I get my extra leg space, I had my one carry on forced onto me to put under the seat in front of me. When we landed in Abu Dhabi we waited for the stroller to be given at the airline gate, we were told the we can only get the stroller in Doha and to ask for a stroller at the Abu Dhabi airport. We asked around waited for 30 minutes and no stroller was found at the Abu Dhabi airport. When it came time to board the Abu Dhabi flight, the same issue of not having a specified line was prevalent. When our boarding pass was scanned, I reached the bus gate and it was packed, so I asked the Etihad personnel to open the bus behind us which was empty. He instead led us to the same bus to the third bus door asking people to make space for us. There was no space to be made. The passengers in the bus were kind enough to see my wife holding a 3 month old baby and gave up their seats for her. The touchscreen for your entertainment screen from the Toronto to Abu Dhabi was extremely error prone and we mostly had to use handsets to manouvre the options around. I fly Qatar airways and they board people who need assistance and families sometimes even before business class. Doubtful anything will change after this post, I wish you luck in trying to be a fair and inclusive airline.
Type Of TravellerBusiness
Seat TypeEconomy Class
RouteToronto to Doha via Abu Dhabi
Date FlownNovember 2023
Seat Comfort 12345
Cabin Staff Service 12345
Food & Beverages 12345
Inflight Entertainment 12345
Ground Service 12345
Value For Money 12345
no
1/10

“left a lasting negative impression”

(Switzerland)

Not Verified | My experience with Etihad Airways, particularly at the check-in counter with Imran, was regrettably disappointing. Imran exhibited a concerning lack of flexibility and subjected me to the unnecessary inconvenience of weighing my handbag, an unusual and unwarranted practice in my extensive flying history. Moreover, the ordeal continued as he insisted on charging more for baggage fees than seemed justified, consistently rejecting the option to pay for an extra piece of luggage and instead emphasizing additional kilos. As a frequent flyer, my first encounter with Etihad left a lasting negative impression. Imran's meticulous scrutiny of grams, seemingly aimed at extracting every possible fee, was both frustrating and unprecedented in my travels. Unfortunately, this experience has left me with a strong reluctance to choose Etihad Airways for future flights. The emphasis on financial gains over customer service has significantly diminished my confidence in the airline.
AircraftA320
Type Of TravellerFamily Leisure
Seat TypeEconomy Class
RouteMuscat to Abu Dhabi
Date FlownNovember 2023
Seat Comfort 12345
Cabin Staff Service 12345
Food & Beverages 12345
Inflight Entertainment 12345
Ground Service 12345
Wifi & Connectivity 12345
Value For Money 12345
no
5/10

"Unexpected fees and lack of clarity"

(Portugal)

Trip Verified | When I bought a business class ticket from Lisbon to Bangkok, I expected comfort and all the perks of expensive tariffs. However, when I wanted to change the date of my return flight, I was surprised: instead of $30, they charged me $700 euros. Explanations about "fare rules" left a lot of questions. Even the support couldn’t clearly say where the fee comes from. All they said was “the website calculates it like this”. Unexpected fees and lack of clarity is something you don't expect from business class. I recommend weighing your choices before flying business with Etihad.
Type Of TravellerSolo Leisure
Seat TypeBusiness Class
RouteLisbon to Bangkok
Date FlownNovember 2023
Seat Comfort 12345
Cabin Staff Service 12345
Food & Beverages 12345
Inflight Entertainment 12345
Ground Service 12345
Wifi & Connectivity 12345
Value For Money 12345
no
2/10

"can only be described as chaotic"

(United States)

Trip Verified | The cabin experience was fine and on par with other airlines. Consequently, this review is primarily regarding Ground/Back Office Operations. It has taken the Airlines more than 2 months and multiple contacts and misdirection to inform me that I need to contact American Airlines to claim Frequent Flier miles, in spite my having specified my AA number on the reservation! There appears to be very little coordination between Etihad and Abu Dhabi Customs in terms of disallowed items et al and I was detained for carrying clearly labelled medications, threatened with imprisonment and fined. Needing my medication, I visited a medical institution in Abu Dhabi, and paid for a doctors's consultation and a prescription! My subsequent flight to JFK was delayed by a whole day but the way the Airline handled Hotel and transport for the delayed passengers can only be described as chaotic.
Type Of TravellerBusiness
Seat TypeBusiness Class
RouteBangalore to New York via Abu Dhabi
Date FlownAugust 2023
Seat Comfort 12345
Cabin Staff Service 12345
Food & Beverages 12345
Inflight Entertainment 12345
Ground Service 12345
Value For Money 12345
no
1/10

"the worst customer service"

(United Kingdom)

Trip Verified | The return flight from Athens to Singapore had a 9+ hours layover in Abu Dhabi, Etihad unilaterally changed the time of departure twice and since the last move exceeded the 10 hours, by airline policy I was supposed to be entitled to a complimentary hotel night stay. Of course, the airline never informed me that I was entitled to this, but I was able to contact the live chat service and ask whether I was entitled to it indeed they answered and gave me a set of instructions on how to complete the reservation prepaid by Etihad. The process was way harder than it should have, but I finally manage to get the confirmation email of the hotel. Etihad is already struggling to meet expectations at this point. On the night of the flight, I land in Abu Dhabi after a 7 hours flight, catch the taxi to the hotel at midnight and to my horror I am told that I have a reservation, but it has been cancelled by Etihad - I remain in disbelief but the hotel confirms this, I fire up my laptop and look for the Etihad chat service, it takes a lot of hurdles to speak with a human but I finally manage. It may as well been a robot: "HI my name is XXX XXX, how can I help you?" and from there it proceeds to tell me that the reservation was cancelled as the company later realized that I didn't meet new criteria that they never mentioned before for the free hotel booking, and that a different department decided to cancel it after it was already booked, except I was never notified. The staff at the hotel was super kind and understanding, even offered me the same preferential conditions as Etihad, but the price for the night would have been 3X the normal price at this point. I told the Etihad operator that I would be spending the rest of the night shaming their bad practices on this like this one if they had not done anything at all to make up for the mistake, which was clearly their fault, and I'm here to keep that promise. They used to have good quality service and planes, but the airline has turned into trash post covid under all aspects - this was no doubt the worst customer service experience of my life.
Type Of TravellerSolo Leisure
Seat TypeEconomy Class
RouteSingapore to Athens via Abu Dhabi
Date FlownOctober 2023
Seat Comfort 12345
Cabin Staff Service 12345
Food & Beverages 12345
Inflight Entertainment 12345
Ground Service 12345
Wifi & Connectivity 12345
Value For Money 12345
no
1/10

"Worst experience ever"

(New Zealand)

Not Verified | Worst experience ever. Old aircraft, many personal screens not working properly, usb plug in for charging phones etc not working, service not great. But the worst of all: luggage was delayed. Was easy to put in a claim for money spent for urgent needed items until the luggage arrived, then the tedious work started: links they sent re the claim weren’t working and emails didn’t have clear instruction. I was forced to sign up as a guest member to go ahead with the claim. Difficult to find phone numbers to contact them directly, then no one answered, even not the option to leave a voice mail. They sent emails from email accounts which were no longer valid when sending an answer a few hours later, no indication which email to use for them so ended up having a minimum of 4 different email addresses and none of them seem to have been the correct one. All in all, many emails had to be sent, weren't answered detailed, but in a standard way. The whole process took 3 months. I will never fly with them again!
Type Of TravellerSolo Leisure
Seat TypeEconomy Class
RouteAuckland to Frankfurt via Abu Dhabi
Date FlownJuly 2023
Seat Comfort 12345
Cabin Staff Service 12345
Food & Beverages 12345
Inflight Entertainment 12345
Ground Service 12345
Wifi & Connectivity 12345
Value For Money 12345
no
1/10

"forced to check my small hand luggage"

(Singapore)

Trip Verified | Ridiculous rude staff. I would not recommend this airline. The ground staff was the worst. I was forced to check my small hand luggage as it was just over 7kg.
Type Of TravellerBusiness
Seat TypeEconomy Class
RouteSingapore to Abu Dhabi
Date FlownOctober 2023
Seat Comfort 12345
Cabin Staff Service 12345
Food & Beverages 12345
Inflight Entertainment 12345
Ground Service 12345
Wifi & Connectivity 12345
Value For Money 12345
no
1/10

"not recommended at all"

(United Arab Emirates)

Not Verified | The worst airline company I have ever seen, they lost my luggage after my flight from Istanbul to Abu Dhabi on the 20th August, and now it is the 26th of October still with no answer. I followed all the procedures that needed to be followed, I called their useless customer/ luggage center on a daily basis, but nothing much has changed. The only thing they can say is that we email the officer and they are going to contact you as soon as possible. After 21 days of waiting for the luggage to be located or traced, you will need to start a new long journey of 28 days waiting for them scratching their heads to think about the reimbursement amount. Once they decide to reimburse you( a set of money that doesn't cover even one-third the value of your luggage), you have to fill out a PDF full of abbreviations. Here, the journey of replying to their emails and spending decades waiting for their reply starts. Once you decide to call them, they will reply in a disrespectful way saying that the process takes 30 days for the money transfer to be reflected on your account. Overall, I will never travel on that airline and it is not recommended at all.
Type Of TravellerSolo Leisure
Seat TypeEconomy Class
RouteIstanbul to Abu Dhabi
Date FlownAugust 2023
Seat Comfort 12345
Cabin Staff Service 12345
Food & Beverages 12345
Inflight Entertainment 12345
Ground Service 12345
Wifi & Connectivity 12345
Value For Money 12345
no
8/10

"the service was excellent"

(United Kingdom)

Trip Verified | Having recently enjoyed a great time on Etihad's A380, I was looking forward to the flight on the newly refurbished Boeing 787 . However, at Bangkok Airport, the check-in desks were probably the worst I've encountered. The two business class desks looked plain and unwelcoming. There were two dirty worn-out pieces of carpet, bearing the word 'business', that were a sorry sight. The woman at the check-in desk would not smile or even utter a word of greeting. Instead, simply went through the process of passport check and handed me the boarding pass. I had to ask for a voucher for the lounge, to which she replied 'OK' and proceeded to find one and hand it to me. I was disappointed, as a few rows back the Thai Airlines counters were all gorgeous looking, with floral decorations and clean. The business class cabin looked beautiful, and the colours soothing. The cabin crew were smiling and welcomed me, I was served with champagne and hot towel and wished a good flight. The seat design is the same as in the A380. Wide and comfortable, with options to adjust for a harder or softer feel. Also provided was a large pillow, soft mattress and duvet. On the side table was an Acqua di Parma amenity kit. The storage compartment on the side of the seat contained the headphones, water bottle and space for storing smaller items. The IFE was very easy to use. Though not a great number of new movies, there was enough I think to satisfy everyone. The flight to Abu Dhabi was with a stop in Phuket to pick up more passengers. Therefore during the short one hour flight, I was served with drinks and a selection of tiny morsels of finger food. Asked whether I enjoyed it, I replied 'I don't know what it all was, but it tasted damn good'. Once the rest of the passengers boarded at Phuket and hot towels were given, pre-departure drinks were served. I opted for a delicious mint drink, and soon we were on our way, on time, to Abu Dhabi. Mohammed, the Cabin Manager, was exceptionally obliging and engaging with passengers in the nearly full 28-seat cabin. Other crew members were taking dinner orders. With the 'dine on demand' service, I decided to have my dinner as soon as possible, to get some sleep. I omitted any starters and went for the main course of braised rib steak, followed by a cheese board. A turndown service was offered. However, I managed to set up the mattress myself and, following a coffee and cognac, I settled for a two hour sleep and was woken up as requested two-hours before arrival. The cabin crew came around speaking to awake passengers, and checking if they needed anything. Overall the service was excellent. My only wee complaint is, as in night flights, providing pyjamas would have added that extra comfort to an otherwise perfect flight experience.
AircraftBoeing 787
Type Of TravellerBusiness
Seat TypeBusiness Class
RouteBangkok to Abu Dhabi via Phuket
Date FlownOctober 2023
Seat Comfort 12345
Cabin Staff Service 12345
Food & Beverages 12345
Inflight Entertainment 12345
Ground Service 12345
Value For Money 12345
yes
10/10

"I was on a memorable flight"

(United Kingdom)

Trip Verified | It was good to see Etihad had brought back its A380 fleet especially on the London to Abu Dhabi route. I built up much anticipation for my upcoming flights. From the speedy and friendly check-in to the comfortable lounge, and being addressed by name on boarding, I felt I was on a memorable flight. The upper deck has both forward and rear-facing seating referred to as business studios. I had selected a forward-facing window seat, which also has additional storage bins by the windows. The seat felt very comfortable with options to adjust for a harder or softer feel. Also provided was a large pillow, soft mattress and duvet. On the side table was an Acqua di Parma amenity kit. The storage compartment on the side of the seat contained the headphones, water bottle and space for smaller items. Following the usual pre-flight champagne and hot towels, the cabin crew came around to take orders for lunch. I found the 'dine on demand' concept especially useful. In addition, an à la carte 'all day menu' enables you to order quite a tempting selection of items like a steak sandwich, salads, cheeses and crackers and ice cream. Soon after take off, the bar service began, and I settled for a JD on ice which was served with warm nuts. One crew member invited me to the small lounge, (which can seat up to six passengers), and have a light snack and more drinks before my late lunch. And it was served on time, with a delicious Arabic Meze for starters, and stone sea bass for the main course. The Chardonnay served, followed the etiquette of showing the bottle, and tasting before pouring, which I appreciated. The IFE was very easy to use. Though not a great number of first-run movies, there was something to satisfy everyone. What I did come across was that you could order drinks from the bar through your IFE - something I had not come across before. On the return red-eye flight, I did manage to get some sleep. My one slight disappointment was no pyjamas were provided. The cabin crew were excellent, checking up on me, engaging in short chats, and offering to top up my drinks. While the hard product on most airlines' long-haul business class is good, what makes a good flight a great flight is the onboard service. And here, Etihad are on the top of their game.
AircraftA380
Type Of TravellerBusiness
Seat TypeBusiness Class
RouteLondon Heathrow to Abu Dhabi
Date FlownOctober 2023
Seat Comfort 12345
Cabin Staff Service 12345
Food & Beverages 12345
Inflight Entertainment 12345
Ground Service 12345
Value For Money 12345
yes
8/10

“excellent service”

(Germany)

Trip Verified | Our two flights with Etihad were smooth and reasonably enjoyable for a 27-hour journey. Etihad check-in staff were friendly and made an effort to resolve problems. However, we did not appreciate the moneygrubbing attitude of the airline in restricting carry-on to a single piece: difficult with anyone with a laptop. Cabin staff were efficient, welcoming and gave excellent service. Meals were tasty, with ample portions available. We appreciated it that they were served in a timely manner: no waiting for hours after take-off. The airline provided a kit for the first overnight flight, with eye-mask, earplugs, sanitisers and toothbrush: this was very much appreciated. Entertainment channel was good, with a fairly wide selection, although short on European movies and music. Transit through Abu Dhabi was a negative, with long queues in compulsory screening. The Al-Dhabi lounge at Abu Dhabi is not to be recommended: more like a student mensa, with crowds of passengers and limited seating. Disembarkation and luggage collection went smoothly.
Type Of TravellerCouple Leisure
Seat TypeEconomy Class
RouteMelbourne to Düsseldorf via Abu Dhabi
Date FlownOctober 2023
Seat Comfort 12345
Cabin Staff Service 12345
Food & Beverages 12345
Inflight Entertainment 12345
Ground Service 12345
Value For Money 12345
yes
1/10

“extremely unhappy with the service”

(South Africa)

Trip Verified | I am extremely unhappy with the service I received today. I was unaware as I booked through a travel agent that I was not allowed a handbag and a carry on. What airline does not allow this? I’ve never heard of this before. I was a solo student traveling and the manager at Manchester airport was extremely rude and unhelpful to me. Her words when I was crying of stress was “either you throw your belongings away, pay £600 or miss you flight but you better hurry up because check in closes in 5 minutes”. That is the same price as my entire flight. I eventually threw whatever I could away (this being school books) as that’s all I could and got it down to 9kgs which then cost me £480. I am furious. That was my entire holiday spending money spent on a carry on bag. Please tell me how this is ok? A friend told me they flew Lufthansa last week and paid £100 for an entire 23kg extra back. I paid x5 that for a small 9kgs bag that could fit in the overhead. I will never fly Etihad again and I will make sure everyone I know does not either. This is daylight robbery and just completely unacceptable.
Type Of TravellerSolo Leisure
Seat TypeEconomy Class
RouteManchester to Abu Dhabi via Bangkok
Date FlownOctober 2023
Seat Comfort 12345
Cabin Staff Service 12345
Food & Beverages 12345
Inflight Entertainment 12345
Ground Service 12345
Wifi & Connectivity 12345
Value For Money 12345
no
3/10

“try any of the other carriers first”

(United Kingdom)

Trip Verified | Etihad continue to fly the old 777 ancient and uncomfortable aircraft. You'll get an A380 with a proper screen seats and meal on a 7 hour flight from London and then have to endure one of the worst seats with no screens attached and worst food you can find for 5 hours. Don't do it, try any of the other carriers first.
Type Of TravellerSolo Leisure
Seat TypeEconomy Class
RouteLondon to Kolkata via Abu Dhabi
Date FlownOctober 2023
Seat Comfort 12345
Cabin Staff Service 12345
Food & Beverages 12345
Inflight Entertainment 12345
Ground Service 12345
Wifi & Connectivity 12345
Value For Money 12345
no
2/10

"I’m really disappointed"

(United Kingdom)

Trip Verified |   I booked with Etihad so i could experience Etihad. Instead on my flight to Jakarta i got a service on par with a low cost airline. To begin with at online checkin you try selling me a business class product that you knew you could not provide. You also try to sell me an empty seat/row that you also knew you could not provide. I was only able to partially do online check in. The checkin agent could not move me to a window seat, even though when i boarded there was one available two rows behind. When i arrived to Abu Dhabi had to use the transfer service desk. The person who printed off my boarding passed lied to me telling i had a window seat. The boarding process at Abu Dhabi, no speaker system, and no zoning system. Once onboard i found my seat, in the middle of the aircraft in front of the toilets, it was extremely warm and uncomfortable. The row either side of the toilets are known to be the worst seats on any airline, due to the queues and the noise from the flush. I asked to change seats but apparently they’re was a 100% load factor on the flight. Was provided an extremely small snack as the first meal. On both flights the trolley for the drinks only came pass twice These been no explanation in the change of equipment and I’m really disappointed.
AircraftA380 / A330-200
Type Of TravellerSolo Leisure
Seat TypeEconomy Class
RouteLondon to Jakarta via Abu Dhabi
Date FlownOctober 2023
Seat Comfort 12345
Cabin Staff Service 12345
Food & Beverages 12345
Inflight Entertainment 12345
Ground Service 12345
Value For Money 12345
no
3/10

"really poor and disappointing experience"

(Singapore)

Trip Verified | I just traveled from Singapore to Abu Dhabi on an Etihad B787, row 15. I was excited to fly Etihad as online and through their marketing it looked like a great airline but my experience was far from it, and the sad thing is the staff didn't care. First we took off 75m late. We boarded on time and only 30mins after take off time did the pilot say we had a problem that was fixed and we would be leaving soon, we taxied towards the runway and the pilot stopped the plane and said the fault re appeared so we were stopping. We stopped for 20 or so mins then started moving back the same direction we came from with no further announcement by the pilot until another 25 mins later after a very slow taxi to the most remote runway in Singapore he announced to the cabin crew to prepare for takeoff. The pilot didn't make the normal post take off announcement and we only heard from the flight crew when we were landing so the care and attention about their passengers was poor with no info what was happening. On board the plane felt like it was falling apart, tray tables were dirty, all the pockets containing things like the safety on board card were all falling apart (see photo), the seats wouldnt recline properly the crew didn't care. We were with our baby and were not offered a basinett even though we were in a basinett seat and the staff refused to help us collect rubbish from the floor to throw away when they came around to collect rubbish and we were trying to deal with 2 children. They said quite rudely to give them the rubbish and then just walked off leaving it there because they didn't want to reach down to collect it. I gave feedback to one staff member who just looked at me blankly. We had to deplane via stairs and a bus, Etihad deplaned all business class first leaving us stood outside in the heat with a baby waiting for a bus as they wouldn't put us on a half empty business class bus. Overall a really poor and disappointing experience, certainly not customer first.
AircraftBoeing 787-10
Type Of TravellerFamily Leisure
Seat TypeEconomy Class
RouteSingapore to Abu Dhabi
Date FlownOctober 2023
Seat Comfort 12345
Cabin Staff Service 12345
Food & Beverages 12345
Inflight Entertainment 12345
Ground Service 12345
Wifi & Connectivity 12345
Value For Money 12345
no
5/10

"never book flights with Etihad again"

(Austria)

Trip Verified | Our luggage was damaged during the flight from Singapore to Vienna. One suitcase had a rubber band covering the zip torn and the second suitcase had a support foot broken off. At the airport in Vienna, there were no Etihad counters where this could be reported. You can only make an online report. We reported the incident and sent a photo of the damage. Etihad replied that the damage was only minor and that they would not cover the costs (repair or new purchase). This means that we have to pay for the repair ourselves, which is simply an impertinence. Regarding the flight itself, it has to be said that the seating comfort in economy class is miserable. I have never felt so cramped on any other flight. The airport in Abu Dhabi is the next point of criticism. The flight was operated with a Boeing 787-9 and was handled at a gate where there were seats for a maximum of 100 people. The remaining 200 people had to stand until boarding started. The transfer to the aircraft was done by bus, which led to a lengthy check-in process. We will never book flights with Etihad again.
AircraftBoeing 787-9
Type Of TravellerBusiness
Seat TypeEconomy Class
RouteSingapure to Vienna via Abu Dhabi
Date FlownSeptember 2023
Seat Comfort 12345
Cabin Staff Service 12345
Food & Beverages 12345
Inflight Entertainment 12345
Ground Service 12345
Value For Money 12345
no
1/10

"Worst experience with Etihad"

(United States)

Trip Verified | Worst experience with Etihad today. I got multiple emails saying that I upgraded to Business Class. In fact, I was at HYD airport they informed me that my ticket was upgraded to Business Class, after seconds they waited for 2 hours and they said its canceled again. What a stupid company these guys are running. What the hell they are doing until the last minute. I was prepared from home that I upgraded to Business Class and what a disappointment. I ended up paying more for my luggage and ended up sitting in Economy class.
Type Of TravellerBusiness
Seat TypeEconomy Class
RouteHyderabad to Chicago via Ab Dhabi
Date FlownOctober 2023
Seat Comfort 12345
Cabin Staff Service 12345
Food & Beverages 12345
Inflight Entertainment 12345
Ground Service 12345
Wifi & Connectivity 12345
Value For Money 12345
no
8/10

"thought they were pretty good"

(United Kingdom)

Not Verified | I actually thought they were pretty good. Friendly crew on both flights and they didn't get irritated with me when I got onto the second flight and immediately asked for water before they'd even boarded the plane. Nice staff. Unfortunately one of my bags didn't arrive and I was told it didn't leave London so that's probably the fault of Heathrow baggage handlers. It's supposed to arrive at my hotel today, fingers crossed!
Type Of TravellerSolo Leisure
Seat TypeEconomy Class
RouteLondon to Bangkok via Abu Dhabi
Date FlownSeptember 2023
Seat Comfort 12345
Cabin Staff Service 12345
Food & Beverages 12345
Inflight Entertainment 12345
Ground Service 12345
Wifi & Connectivity 12345
Value For Money 12345
yes
1/10

"Worse than budget airlines"

(United Arab Emirates)

Trip Verified | Worst service. Flight time is 2pm midday, but no A/C either in passenger bus or in flight. All passengers are sitting in hot conditions. Worse than budget airlines!
Type Of TravellerFamily Leisure
Seat TypeEconomy Class
RouteAbu Dhabi to Chennai
Date FlownSeptember 2023
Seat Comfort 12345
Cabin Staff Service 12345
Food & Beverages 12345
Ground Service 12345
Value For Money 12345
no
1/10

Etihad Airways customer review

(Australia)

Trip Verified | I have now been fighting with Etihad for a refund on my return ticket from Athens to Melbourne on 15/08/22 for more than one year. Despite the ticket being fully refundable and receiving email correspondence from the airline that the refund will be deposited within my account within 7 to 45 days, this has not happened. I have made countless phone calls which last more than one hour due to staff incompetence, placed on hold endlessly and many promises that the refund will be made verbally and in writing via email and on your chat support site, and this still has not occurred. I will never fly with Etihad again. Customer Service is an absolute disgrace and eventually customers like me just give up because it becomes not worth the fight.
Type Of TravellerSolo Leisure
Seat TypeEconomy Class
RouteAthens to Melbourne via Abu Dhabi
Date FlownOctober 2022
Ground Service 12345
Value For Money 12345
yes
10/10

"exceptional experience"

(Kuwait)

Trip Verified | I recently had the pleasure of flying with Etihad Airways and must say it was an exceptional experience from start to finish. One of the key reason for this was the outstanding service provided. From the moment I boarded the plane, I was greeted with a warm smile and made me feel instantly at ease. Throughout the flight, their professionalism and dedication to passenger comfort were truly remarkable. Their friendly and courteous demeanor created a positive atmosphere on board, making the journey exceptionally enjoyable. I am grateful for their outstanding efforts.
Type Of TravellerSolo Leisure
Seat TypeEconomy Class
RouteKuwait to Delhi via Abu Dhabi
Date FlownSeptember 2023
Seat Comfort 12345
Cabin Staff Service 12345
Food & Beverages 12345
Inflight Entertainment 12345
Ground Service 12345
Value For Money 12345
yes
2/10

"were hoping to get at least service with a smile"

(United Kingdom)

Not Verified | Flight EY16 on 12 Sep. Tickets were not cheap, £1500 Manchester to Doha for 2 people in the heat season. Seats were narrow with no legroom to give a reasonable comfort. We were hoping to get at least a nice service with a smile. Forget that. Flight attendants were murdy, some were not even looking straight at passengers, some during disembarkment looked like they were involved in solving a psychological problem of their own. The only bright star was a Moroccan female flight attendant Khadija, who was smiling on board. (I hope the airline will not punish her for that.) On my flight back to Manchester via Abu Dhabi (from Doha) we missed the first leg of the trip due to my wife’s illness and the Dubai Etihad headquarters offered to reschedule for £824 (an hour long flight!) while at the same the available ticket on skyscanner.net went for £86. Our hotel manager had to shout at them in a rude manner to make them realise they were so wrong and unprofessional in their attitude and eventually offer a free rebooking for a later flight. So, in conclusion, where am I with my dealings with Etihad? I feel badly serviced for a price and successful in escaping a rip-off in an emergency situation.
AircraftBoeing 787
Type Of TravellerCouple Leisure
Seat TypeEconomy Class
RouteManchester to Doha via Abu Dhabi
Date FlownSeptember 2023
Seat Comfort 12345
Cabin Staff Service 12345
Food & Beverages 12345
Inflight Entertainment 12345
Ground Service 12345
Value For Money 12345
no
3/10

"they don’t have any consistency"

(United States)

Trip Verified | My flight from JFK to Abu Dhabi on, August 4th 2023 was outstanding, flying first time in business class with this airline, was a great experience. But coming back on September 4th from Abu Dhabi to JFK, was a bizarre experience, it felt that 13 hours journey like never ending, as everything with this airline in business class was completely upside down, even to ask a drink was a crime, food was worst and upon checking with the crew, found out it was a new menu. Please do not spend your hard earned money on this Airline, as they don’t have any consistency.
Type Of TravellerBusiness
Seat TypeBusiness Class
RouteAbu Dhabi to New York JFK
Date FlownSeptember 2023
Seat Comfort 12345
Cabin Staff Service 12345
Food & Beverages 12345
Inflight Entertainment 12345
Ground Service 12345
Value For Money 12345
no
1/10

"Worst airline I have ever used"

(South Africa)

Trip Verified | Etihad staff member lost my husbands passport at check in. We handed our passports to the Etihad staff member at the check in desk. She checked in our luggage and gave us boarding passes. When she gave us our passports one passport was missing. We immediately told her this and called the manager and airport police. We told them to check the airport cameras so we could find out where the passport had been misplaced. They refused to help us and did not allow my husband to fly. I had to fly back home alone and he had to stay in transit and go through unbelievable measures to apply for a temporary passport. After this they found his passport but have not offered to pay for damages or even apologise for being so irresponsible and unprofessional with such an important document. Worst airline I have ever used.
Type Of TravellerCouple Leisure
Seat TypeEconomy Class
RouteAbu Dhabi to Johannesburg
Date FlownSeptember 2023
Seat Comfort 12345
Cabin Staff Service 12345
Ground Service 12345
Value For Money 12345
no
2/10

"brace yourself for being downgraded"

(Australia)

Trip Verified | If you think seat downgrading does not exist? It does exist with Etihad flights. Not only were our seats downgraded from Economy space to Economy, while obviously paying for economy space, we then received the only broken entertainment seats of the plane for a 14h flight. Etihad staff just passed us on from checkin staff to gate staff to transit staff without one person being interested in our matter. Pleasure now dealing with the phone customer service for a refund. If you can avoid flying with Etihad do it, otherwise brace yourself for being downgraded while paying the higher price.
Type Of TravellerCouple Leisure
Seat TypePremium Economy
RouteMunich to Melbourne via Abu Dhabi
Date FlownSeptember 2023
Seat Comfort 12345
Cabin Staff Service 12345
Food & Beverages 12345
Inflight Entertainment 12345
Ground Service 12345
Wifi & Connectivity 12345
Value For Money 12345
no
1/10

"The worst service"

(Australia)

Trip Verified | The worst service and horrific baggage handling practices! This was a round trip. It started well on the way to our holiday with a relatively good service. It all changed on the flight home to Melbourne. Our flight was delayed. We were forced to wait at an enclosed gate location without water nearby, after they forced us to throw out our water over 100 ml. By the time we boarded, we were dehydrated with a headache. The aircraft staff was busy and dismissive. Shortly after locating my seat, I discovered that it was wet smelling like urine. It took my fellow passenger going directly to one of the staff for them to actually address my wet seat and replace it. The troubles didn't stop there, as the crew seemed to neglect air conditioning and we flew for 13 hours in an approximately 30-35 degree Celsius cabin. The food was questionable. The cabin crew was mainly dismissive during the flight and I simply needed to go in person to the galley to get some water. The worst part was receiving my newly purchased suitcase (Samsonite) damaged. I approached the Etihad arrivals desk for help and was assured that they will cover the costs of repair or replacement. Pictures of the damages were taken and a damage report was issued. I went to repair my suitcase, and lodged a claim to get reimbursed. The baggage damage team till this day refuses to take any responsibility for the damages their airline personnel caused to my new suitcase, deeming the damages as "minor". Any request to clarify how a $110 repair is considered minor was met with "the case is closed, we are sorry you are not happy with this outcome". This is the airline I will definitely avoid at all cost!
Type Of TravellerCouple Leisure
Seat TypeEconomy Class
RouteTel Aviv to Melbourne via Abu Dhabi
Date FlownSeptember 2023
Seat Comfort 12345
Cabin Staff Service 12345
Food & Beverages 12345
Ground Service 12345
Value For Money 12345
no
1/10

"The airline has no morals"

(United Kingdom)

Not Verified | They take your money and do not offer the service you have paid for. We booked extra space seats and neighbour free seats, they were happy to take our money. They gave the neighbour free seat to another person and we have paperwork to prove this, when we got on the plane, the economy space seats were economy. This happened on both legs, the cabin managers, said it happens daily and Etihad do not care. We have tried contacting them and even sent a recorded delivery, which they signed for. It was only when we did a charge back through the bank that they disputed things. How, I have no idea, we have pictures of the seats being incorrect, we have invoices, e:mails, paperwork galore and till they deny doing anything wrong. The airline has no morals, they do not care about reviews, complaints or anything, they do not care how much they ruin your holiday, but trust me I tell everyone who I know wants to travel with them, and working in the travel industry, this is a lot of people never to fly with them.
Type Of TravellerCouple Leisure
Seat TypeEconomy Class
RouteLondon Heathrow to Abu Dhabi
Date FlownMay 2023
Seat Comfort 12345
Cabin Staff Service 12345
Food & Beverages 12345
Inflight Entertainment 12345
Ground Service 12345
Wifi & Connectivity 12345
Value For Money 12345
no
4/10

"standard of catering has really dropped"

(United Kingdom)

Trip Verified | Decided to try Etihad again after several years as they were offering a great business class deal to South Africa. A380 service to Abu Dhabi was rather disappointing given all the hype and advertising, seating in the upper deck is claustrophobic and cramped. The on board lounge falls significantly short of the Emirates product, it is dark, gloomy and rather depressing. The standard of the catering has really dropped too, even the champagne is almost undrinkable. Amenity kit is a waste of time too, the fancy leather pouch was the most useful thing about it. On board service was indifferent and quite rushed. Despite the attractive pricing I doubt that Etihad will see me again any time soon.
AircraftA380 and Boeing 787
Type Of TravellerSolo Leisure
Seat TypeBusiness Class
RouteLondon Heathrow to Johannesburg
Date FlownAugust 2023
Seat Comfort 12345
Cabin Staff Service 12345
Food & Beverages 12345
Ground Service 12345
Value For Money 12345
no
1/10

"return was a nightmare from hell"

(United Kingdom)

Trip Verified | I traveled from Heathrow to Chennai in India. The outbound trip was reasonably comfortable. The only fault I could find was the choice of food ran out by the time the food got to me on the second leg. The return was a nightmare from hell. For some unknown reason the airlines booked me with sister airline Air Arabia. The flight was late by 3 hours. I missed my connecting flight at Abu Dhabi. The put me in a sleeping lounge the size of a prison cell with bunk bed. I had to walk twice to the transit desk who was very rude to ask them to send a email to the sleeping lounge to get accommodation. No washroom was provided and one had to find it in the airport. Food voucher was provided. There was no choice and it was unpalatable I ended up buying my own and most travelling with me did the same.
Type Of TravellerSolo Leisure
Seat TypeEconomy Class
RouteLondon to Chennai via Abu Dhabi
Date FlownSeptember 2023
Seat Comfort 12345
Cabin Staff Service 12345
Food & Beverages 12345
Inflight Entertainment 12345
Ground Service 12345
Wifi & Connectivity 12345
Value For Money 12345
no
1/10

"Avoid this airline, if possible"

(Austria)

Trip Verified | The worst airline on earth. They lost my luggage and were not able to forward it to me within 2 weeks of time. Worst customer service ever. No one cares and no one is trying to help you. Very hard to reach or to get a respond. Now, I finally got my suitcase after my holiday is over and Etihad refuses to pay compensation for the stuff I had to buy on my holiday location. Avoid this airline, if possible.
Type Of TravellerSolo Leisure
Seat TypeEconomy Class
RouteVienna to Kuala Lumpur via Abu Dhabi
Date FlownAugust 2023
Seat Comfort 12345
Cabin Staff Service 12345
Food & Beverages 12345
Inflight Entertainment 12345
Ground Service 12345
Value For Money 12345
no
2/10

"will avoid Etihad in the future"

(Belgium)

Not Verified | I have lost my open tickets for roughly 3000 EUR as I faced issue in the rebooking process. Neither the app or the customer service is at the expected level to assist you properly before and after. I had similar situation with a lowfare company called Cebu Pacific and process was smooth and easy. Customer team responded within 24 hours and resolve my issue Fare from Etihad is 2 to 3 times higher but service is not. Very disappointed and will avoid Etihad in the future.
Type Of TravellerFamily Leisure
Seat TypeEconomy Class
RouteBrussels to Manila via Abu Dhabi
Date FlownApril 2023
Value For Money 12345
no