[Gwennix]

I flew with Etihad Airways for a return trip Sydney-Paris last August.
I had to extend my stay in France and called Etihad Call Centre as soon as I knew my new return date in order to modify it.
The operator I talked to changed my return flight (as well as my daughter’s) without any issues. However she explained to me that she could not advise me of the cost of this modification as she first needed to contact Etihad Sydney Office and therefore asked me to call back 2 hours later to get the pricing.
I then called back as per her advice but she was still unable to provide me with the cost of this date modification.
For the next 24 hours, I called Etihad every 2 hours (as advised each time by the operator), I talked to numerous operators including 3 different managers but no one could give me the pricing of the date modification which had been, however, confirmed and recorded in the system (according to the operators).
I was even advised to call my Travel Agent (based in Sydney, Australia) meaning that I had to get up in the middle of the night (as there were then 8 hours time difference between France and Australia).
At each call to Etihad Call Centre, I was advised that Etihad Sydney Office had yet to confirm the pricing.
However each manager (from Etihad Call Centre) I talked to tried to give me an estimate of the cost: this estimate varied several times from AU$870 to AU$1600!
This non sense lasted for a few days: it seemed impossible to get official information from Etihad regardless whom I was talking to.
After a week I was told that I had to go to Etihad Paris Office to sort it out as Etihad could only do this type of operation (we are talking here about a simple flight date modification) face to face!
This was not only unbelievable but also impossible as, although in France, I was at that time at 800km from Paris.
Eventually while calling Etihad Call Centre for the n<SUP>th</SUP> time, I contacted (by mistake) Etihad Paris Office and the agent I talked to agreed to look at my case, although “it was not the normal process” (so far the “normal process” had not got me anywhere).
For the next 3 weeks, I called Etihad Paris Office every day or every second day in order to check on the progress and hopefully finally get this pricing (as well as a written confirmation of my new return itinerary).
Eventually , 3.5 weeks after my initial phone call to Etihad Call Centre, I got a verbal confirmation, from Etihad Paris Office, of the pricing and received an email with my new itinerary.
However the agent advised me that both tickets (my daughter’s and mine) were still to be issued: but she guaranteed me that everything will be done and sorted before my flight (scheduled 4 days later).
4 days later (i.e. 4 full weeks after my initial phone call to Etihad), I arrived at Paris CDG Airport and proceeded to Etihad Ticketing Office to pay the outstanding amount (for the date my modification) and get the new tickets.
Nothing had been done: the tickets were not issued and it took 3.5 hours before I could get the boarding passes Paris-Abu Dhabi.
It took so long that I had to be escorted to the gate in order to get on time to boarding!
I waited some more at the gate as Etihad ground agents could not issue the boarding passes Abu Dhabi –Sydney. Eventually I had to board the plane without the boarding passes Abu Dhabi –Sydney and was advised that they will be ready for me at Abu Dhabi Transfer Desk.
Etihad had not been able to provide me with tickets in 4 weeks, so I was not very confident, to say the least, they could provide boarding passes in 7 hours!
I did get the boarding passes Abu Dhabi –Sydney at Abu Dhabi Transfer Desk and could finally fly home with my daughter.
To summarise, it took 4 weeks to Etihad Airways to modify 2 return tickets and they could not even get it all sorted before the flight!!!
It took countless of phone calls and discussions to both Etihad Call Centre and Etihad Paris Office. I even had to contact Sydney myself.
This situation was not only grotesque but also stressful, as, honestly, it did look like I would not be able to fly home with Etihad.
4 weeks of transactions and we still boarded the flight without all the required boarding passes to reach our final destination!
And I will not even mention the stress and inconvenience to wait 3.5 hours at Paris CDG Airport, run through Abu Dhabi Airport to get the boarding passes (note that we only had one hour stop over) with a 16 month old baby!
I travel regularly internationally and have been for years.
Yet I could never imagine such poor service and disorganisation. How can it take 4 weeks to modify a ticket? How is it even possible?
What if I had delayed my return flight by a week (instead of 4)?
Overall, the service I received from Etihad Airways has been appalling and highly incompetent. Not only in regards with the ticket issuing but also on board.
I was travelling on my own with a 16 month old baby and received no support whatsoever from the crew not even when my daughter was seriously sick on the plane (Sydney-Abu Dhabi).
On another flight (Abu Dhabi- Sydney), although the plane was not full, the crew refused to organise a seat for my daughter. We eventually managed to get her a seat next to me thanks to helpful passengers who accepted to swap seats.
My seat was disgusting as someone had been sick and obviously the plane had not been cleaned up.
I had to clean it myself and received no help from the crew.
This whole story is highly disappointing. I don’t know what “Customer Service” means for Etihad Airways but in my own experience, it was non existent.
Note that upon my return in Australia, I posted a formal complaint to Etihad: the only compenstation they were willing to offer was a few airpoints with their Frequet Flyer scheme ... nothing more. As if I was planning to fly with them again!
I obviously refused the offer as I have no intention to fly Etihad again.
To date, they have not provided me with any other type of compensation.

[The_Judge]

What are you looking to receive?

[Gwennix]

I asked for financial compensation, with no success.

[The_Judge]

In the way of phone calls made or what? Why would you be entitled to cash? I can see vouchers as good will or mileage like they offered but why are they going to cut you a check?

[Gwennix]

They should "cut me a check" like you said because by buying a full fare with them I also paid for a service.
Customer Service is included in the fare, it is not just Transport from A to B.
This is one of the reasons some airlines are more expansive than others: the transport is the same, the difference is in the service.

I did get the transport from A to B but not the customer service. Therefore I overpaid the fare as I only got part of the deal (i.e. the transport without the service).

Hence I claimed compensation for:

• the lack of customer service I received and for the stress it caused me and my family
• the hours I had to spend on the phone (day or night), time which I should have spent enjoying my annual holiday instead of having to do THEIR job

"Compensation" = something given or received as an equivalent for services, debt, loss, injury, suffering, lack, etc...

We both know that their mileage offer was not a proof of good will from Etihad's part.
"Good will" = friendly disposition; benevolence; kindness

There was nothing friendly or kind in their offer: after an experience like mine, it is obvious to anyone, in particular to Etihad, that I would not take any other chance with them, hence would never choose their company again (considering that there are many other airlines offering the same route).
By offering me airpoints knowing full well that these airpoints will not be accepted, it was just a matter of covering themselves, certainly not a matter of "good will".

[The_Judge]

I would say if you asked for reimbursement of phone calls, that wouldn't be expecting too much. But if you're asking for cash compensation for stress and lack of customer service, I would say it won't happen unless a court orders it. Small claims court, if possible, might be your only resolution as I strongly believe Etihad (or any airline) will not willingly part with cash as compensation for this type of incident.

[Gwennix]

I agree with you and I have wasted enough time with them.
I am not taking this any further, I just want to share the experience I had with Etihad and inform future travellers of the type of service (should I say lack of) they provided.

Maybe with this type of website, the authorities will realise the urgent need of a Travel Ombudsman.

Thank you for your feedback.

[The_Judge]

Check back here later.....there are other posters who will have more advice. Particularily, one who will probably be online within a couple hours who is knowledgable about consumer rights. You know who you are, don't you, you Delta hater.

[Silent Bob]

I don't know what Jim would say, but if we can get compensated by the airlines "cutting a check" for everytime we recieved bad customer service, everyone would be rich and most if not all airlines would be out of business. but 4 weeks and they couldn't figure out an issue of changing a flight date, I would have given up after 2 weeks.

[The_Judge]

Agreed but I'm trying to be nice and change. Passenger was put out, definitely but I don't think any airline is just gonna offer up cash. They're gonna have to be told be higher authority than a passenger, imo.

[jimworcs]

The customer has no legal rights to compensation in this case, because Etihad will argue that they fulfilled the contract. The issue of what constitues good customer service is subjective.

The poster however has been treated very badly and this type of stress can ruin a holiday. The will be no cash compensation.. and it is not worth pursuing legally. The only remedy is the one they have adopted. Publicise how incompetent they are. It would certainly put me off using them.

[ExecFreqFlyer]

I recently flew from Chicago to Abu Dhabi. I have never experienced more appalling, despecable service at any transfer desk at their T3 terminal ever. An ordeal that lasted 3.5 hours upon Arrival. The service I received was despicable, the threats alarming! I have so few words left to describe the way the the service staff handled my customer service complaint. Unbelivable incompetence of staff, lieing, threats, and intimidation! In the end had to file a police report, they never offered a helping hand - instead had to get a sympathtic police man to aid me in the end. Complaint made to duty manager, fell on deaf ears. Complaints made on their website were never responded to. PATHETIC. I hope you never have to deal with their ground staff on your arrival! You will be appaled by their complete incompetence and intransigence. I WANT TO EXPRESS MY DEEP DISAPPOINTMENT WITH HOW MY CUSTOMER COMPLAINT WAS HANDLED. All I can say is shame on them and their staff.

[mars6423]

and what exactly happened?
what were the threats made?
etc...