Etihad Airways

Not Verified | Very bad experience. Was under the impression that this was a premium airline. But this was worse than a budget airline. No screens or entertainment systems Horrible horrible food Shortage of food. Most people didn't get what they wanted. No direct exit to the terminal even for their flagship airport in Abu Dhabi. Dont care attitude of staff.

✅ Trip Verified | We flew back for Paris back to Bangkok after our wonderful trip in Europe, this time with very good impression. The B787 of flight EY32 on August 23, 2023 was quite new, the boarding was quite efficient and fast. The flight attendants (both female and male) greeted us with big smile. We were served by two female flight attendants, Leena and Sayaka who were very friendly, helpful and excellent service mind. Both of them had to deal with a number of babies (who were very naughty and moving around and of course some of them crying almost all the time) and they did perfectly. Leena and Sayaka always asked us about the drinks and also told us to keep seatbelt fasten for safety. The food was quite delicious and serve well. Although flight EY408 from Abu Dhabi to Bangkok the cabin staff were quite good but the attention and service cannot be compared with the previous flight mentioned above.

✅ Trip Verified | We took a trip to Europe by flying Etihad Airways which is second time in many years. The EY 409 flight for Bangkok to Abu Dhabi by Boeing 787 was uneventful. The plane is quite new and the flight attendants (female) is OK and quite friendly. We did not have food served due to our rest. The plane arrived on time. However, the next flight EY85 from Abu Dhabi to Rome was different. The flight attendant (male) was quite unresponsive and not quite friendly. He served passengers with no smile just as he was doing his job. The food was OK and the flight was smooth and arrived a little ahead of schedule. We expected more for a premium airline like Etihad Airways but quite disappointed (my friends who travel with us share the same feeling).

Not Verified | Worst experience ever. Etihad is worse than Air Arabia Flight Air conditioning was off till we were in air about 1 and half hour. We had to take bus to reach the aircraft, and due to that we were made to board early. It was really suffocating. Seats were highly uncomfortable, no leg space, no proper backrest. Would definitely not suggest or prefer to travel with Etihad again

Not Verified | Will never fly with Etihad again. It is a budget experience with a price tag. You have to pay for your seats, will get randomly allocated on check in if you don’t. The staff seemed meek and inexperienced on board. There was one toilet out of order which meant two different parts of the plane on the same side had to use one toilet. Lines of 7-10 at one point and the cleanliness was horrific. Abu Dhabi airport is also a terrible stop over. Gates don’t get announced until close to your time and not much sitting room. Will never fly Etihad again.

✅ Trip Verified | We booked a holiday through a tour-operator who chose Etihad. I hadn't flown with this airline before so didn't know what to expect. Our crew (my wife, 2 teenagers and myself) opted to pay some 510 euro so we could sit together. Since the aircraft configuration is 3-3-3, we decided the 3 of my family would sit behind me and since I am 193 cm tall, I chose extra legroom seat. 1 day before departure (19 July 2023), we realised the seating was changed and no prior notice received. I spent 1 hour in the online chat and the agent managed to fix their blunder but only after I paid again (I was told: trust me, I would help you if I could). I purchased it and said to myself I'll sort it later. On our return, the same was noticed when checking in online. Close to 2 hours of our holiday spent chatting to someone who assured me he finally fixed the issue and asked me to save transcript of chat as evidence. Flight from Koh Samui to BKK with Bangkok airlines who couldn't issue boarding passes for the entire trip so in BKK had to go to transfer desk to get these issued and the agent there told us that the issue was not resolved and he 'fixed' it then and there. Flight from Bangkok to Abu Dhabi was OK. In Abu Dhabi when getting ready to board, a rude ground staff agent tore my boarding pass and issued me a new one which wasn't extra leg room which was paid for. When I asked, she simply said: 'all seats on the aircraft are fee-paying'. Absolutely shocking. Back for 2 weeks and emailed them using the appropriate form to try get an apology and a refund (out of principle). This is their response: "Thank you for your email. We are sorry we were unable to contact you by telephone to discuss your case.  We have reviewed your booking and conclude that your reservation of seats does not qualify for a refund. There may be last-minute operational changes that mean we need to allocate you a different seat. If this happens, we will always try to choose a similar seat for you". The aircraft was 787 so no real issues with it. Felt old, seats hard and uncomfortable butt hat is subjective. Flight attendants were OK and the plane was clean. Purchased wifi on the flight from Dublin to Abu Dhabi and then to BKK but it was extremely patchy and unreliable. Attitude of support team even the social media team was appalling. I will never ever fly Etihad. Why bother when they do not care about customers. At the end of the day, Qatar and Emirates are better rated and appear to care about the passengers and their experience

✅ Trip Verified | Unable to print first leg Boarding Pass i have to go to desk. Boarding in MXP was fast and smooth. Have some dirt in table from previous passenger. Cabin crew were outstanding. Second leg boarding via bus. I have to mention something related to catering, the food is 2/5 and needs attention.

✅ Trip Verified | This review is about the ground staff at JFK airport who are relentless and extremely rude. I had a personal injury and arrived 1 hour prior to departure time instead of 3 hours and they wouldn’t even listen to me although I kept saying I’m pregnant and to add to that I had a personal injury when getting into the car en route to the airport. He wouldn’t even hear out and kept saying check in closed. Other airlines wait for the passengers even after boarding is completed. This is ridiculous behavior and it’s sad that they call themselves a family airline when they hire supervisors who are nasty.

✅ Trip Verified | During my recent journey from London Heathrow to Manila with a layover at Abu Dhabi, I experienced several issues that significantly impacted my travel experience. The primary concern arose at the boarding gate of my connecting flight from AUH to MNL. Upon my initial inquiry at LHR, I was informed that a paid upgrade at the boarding gate is possible. With this understanding, my sister and I, both flying due to a family bereavement, were looking forward to a comfortable experience in business class. However, when I approached the ground staff at the AUH boarding gate, I was informed that the upgrade was possible however, I need to have it processed at the transfer desk, despite my understanding that it could be arranged and paid at the boarding gate. The transfer desk staff at AUH had previously affirmed the possibility of an upgrade at the boarding gate, I noted a discrepancy in the level of service provided by the cabin crew during my flight from LHR to AUH. My journey could have been notably positive with a minor additional assistance, and I believe such small gestures can greatly impact passenger perception.

Not Verified | Would avoid if possible. Although not a horrible aircraft the ground crew and brand made the experience deplorable, the airline assigned seats randomly in the aircraft for our honey moon, one leg of our flight was overbooked, and some passengers had to stay. Airport at Abu Dhabi is not a place for a long connection, bathrooms were not sanitary. When demanding our claim airport staff refused to attend our plea and asked us to go through the website. Overall feels like a company that once wanted to compete with Emirates, but stopped trying and just gets leftover traffic in the middle east.