We had a worst experience in Ethihad from Sao Paulo to Chennai.
During our check-in at Sao Paulo, Etihad lady at check-in counter asked us for Yellow fever vaccination certificate which we didn’t have. As soon as I informed her about this she said, “sorry you cannot fly today”. After sometime she told you can fly but you need to change your destination to Delhi or Mumbai. She asked one of her colleague to guide us till Etihad office at Sao Paulo, Airport. Also, she said it is country requirement. Now, my question is, Is it not possible to mention along with ticket, documents required during check-in?
When we asked this question, she told, it’s not airline requirement its country requirement. If that's the case, why are you asking us during check-in? Because if it is country requirement, only once we arrive Bangalore Airport they should ask us.
Also lady told us we are not exception, everyday they have people facing same issues.. If that's the case why etihad is not informing passengers in Ticket? Is it business strategy that lower the air ticket and earn money from people like us?
If airline duty is just to carry passenger from one place to another, why should they ask during check-in? If it's country requirement, At Bangalore they should put fine on us right?
Now, coming back to check-in, lady told us to go to second floor @sao Paulo Etihad office and speak to call center for changing the destination to other place where they have yellow fever vaccination at airport.
When we spoke to call center, they didn't have much details about destination airports that has yellow fever vaccination and they were asking us. We are passengers, how will we know? Also, he told us to check with airport staff (there was one Etihad person in office), but he was busy. Don't customer care have complete information? Finally, airport staff gave us information and we changed our destination from Bangalore to Chennai, which costed us additional R$ 2509.42. Finally we were allowed to check-in on new tickets.
Is this the Etihad way of making money?
We also had VEGETARIAN JAIN MEAL ordered as part of our tickets. After boarding from São Paulo to Abu Dhabi flight, during dinner, we got food.
In every flight, vegetarian/special meal will be given first. But here, they gave us non-vegetarian food and after informing they provided us with left out food.. And they cabin crew gave excuse saying, it was not mentioned. But when I got my breakfast just 1 hour before landing I got a food plate which has my name slip on it and I asked the cabin crew about this name on my plate and they had no idea. This is what you guys care about customer. Telling lies to customer.
Now after landing at Abu Dhabi, we had wait for 16 hours just because our destination was changed. So I thought of check with customer service at Abu Dhabi airport that we did not get right food from Sao Paulo to Abu Dhabi, atleast from Abu Dhabi till Chennai we expect vegetating meal. Customer service person at Aub Dhabi said since its asianflight (Jet Airways), they will have extra vegetarian meals .. But after boarding in flight (Abu Dabi to Chennai ) air hostess was asking us weather are we okay for non-veg as they have shortage of veg food. My question is, don't Etihad provide details to air hostess / cabin crew ? If not, why passengers has to choose meals. If the person has already selected type of meal during his booking, is it not understood that particular passenger is strict on his/her meal?
We were frustrated with Etihad service and after wards, airhostess tried to do her job well. She provided us smoothie and few fruits. My question, as a passenger don't we deserve to have what we booked?
Should we need to fight with Etihad staff for our rights?
When we question poor service, if you can say "sorry for the inconvenience" are we not allowed to say "sorry we don't have yellow fever certificate".? we paid extra money for not right destination. This is the service we got from you guys!!!! After reaching Chennai we were not asked about any Yellow Fever certificate at all. We came out of Airport and took a bus till Bangalore which was extra 6 hours of Journey.
By opting Etihad we got frustration, waiting time of 12 hours at abudabi and from Chennai to Bangalore expense.
Was check-in a way of making sure we change the flight destination and pay more money? Is this some kind of fraud activity or corruption within Etihad itself?
We've written mail to
feedback@etihad.ae but till now, no response.
Good bye to Etihad. Its our first and last experience in Etihad.