[Manzrek]

Please anyone help me figure out what should I do? Where do I need to file complaints that serious actions can be taken against Etihad Airways? Also, how can I be compensated and by whom?

I am informing you that I had the worst travel experience when traveling with Etihad Airways. Firstly, when I was boarding my flight from Kathmandu, Nepal coming towards Washington DC, USA my confirmed ticket was denied seating and they flew me the next day. However, they were nice enough to accommodate me to a five star hotel. Also, they provided me with a small compensation for my troubles.

Secondly, on the same ticket I was supposed to fly out from Washington Dulles on Oct. 8th 2008 to JFK with Delta Airlines and from JFK to Kathmandu, Nepal with Etihad Airways. Upon reaching Delta's check-in counter in Washington Dulles they had checked my luggage all the way to Kathmandu and issued me my boarding pass. However, Delta's JFK flight was canceled and they bumped me with United Airlines flight for JFK. I reached JFK airport just as Etihad Airway's counter was closing. I asked the gentlemen in the counter to help me out but they were very unwilling. They directed me to talk to a lady in a different counter who had no authority and no knowledge. And she informed me that my reservation had been changed by Kathmandu's office. I was shocked to find out that without my consent and knowledge somebody had changed my reservation. And she could do nothing about it.

I have authorized no such changes in my travel plans. I had ONLY inquired about changes to my plans with the Etihad Airway's office in Nepal and have evidence that can support my statements.

However, I was stranded left for alone in New York by Etihad Airways. And Etihad's employees not offering to help I called Etihad's office in New York who basically were of no help at all because they did not have any authoritative power and lacked proper judgment. They informed me that it was Delta's fault and I should deal with Delta which I did. However, my point is that I my round trip tickets to Washington DC, USA and back to Kathmandu, Nepal were issued from Etihad's main office in Kathmandu.

After being ignored by Etihad's Office in New York, I decided to return back to Washington Dulles which I did. After all the trouble, stress and expenses incurred I returned back to Washington DC with my own effort.

Now I request you guys to help me out. On how should I approach this matter, where should I file this complaint seeking retributive justice? Also, I have spent my own money and a whole lot of time and stress running around caused by this carelessness and disrespect to its consumers. I have sent emails to feedback@etihad.ae their main office but haven't heard from them.

[Silent Bob]

hey Manzrek, it looks like the bulk of your troubles began with Delta, which is where you should have started since their plane was cancelled, putting you on a United flight, which caused you to be late and miss your connection. I know with a lot of airlines, if its not their fault you missed your connecting flight they will wash their hands of you, or make you pay more in change fees, or send you back to the airline that misconnected you and have them rebook the flight. (Not all airlines, most I've dealt with, especially on United, are usually most helpful). Delta also should have provided you with lodging and such since it was there cancelled flight that cause you to miss your connection. (If they provide at all).

As per the changes made in Kathmandu, what kind of changes are we talking here? Was it done due to the missed connection? or something entirely different? You have to clarify.

Other than changing your flight, I don't see any further fault from Etihad. You chose to buy a ticket back to washington, when you could have used the money to pay the change fee for a return trip to nepal. (if they were gonna charge you). But good luck.

[Jetliner]

You need to give more details here. You've stated how changes were made, but no info about what changes.

On the flight to Washington, why were you denied boarding?

On the return - while you were switched from Delta to United, that appears to be irrelevant, as you have stated that they said the change was made in Kathmandu, which would have been done by Etihad, not Delta or United.

Other than returning to Washington (which you did on your own), what expenses did you incur?

[Jetliner]

Oh, - one more thing - why is this under Air Canada???? They were not involved.

[Manzrek]

My confirmed ticket to Kathmandu was on the 8th October from IAD-JFK-AUH-KTM.

However, on Oct. 1st I had inquired Etihad's office in Kathmandu if they could provide me an alternative date to fly out. I has simply asked them to check if Oct. 19th was available. Etihad Airways sent me an email saying that Oct. 22nd was a possibility and a total of $125 was required to change the date. I did not want to pay for any changes so I simply did not reply to their email remaining my status quo. Instead I asked Etihad via another email for my confirmation before they made any changes to my itenary.


I reach IAD on Oct. 8th where they checked my luggage all the way to KTM. I felt that everything was straight. As I am waiting for my Delta flight out of IAD to JFK, Delta personnel informed me that the morning flight (6:40am) to JFK had been canceled and they moved me to a UA flight to New York. I felt that I was running a little late because the time I reached Etihad'd counter in JFK, it was around 9:50am. Etihad's flight left around 10:50am so they almost had their counter closed. The gentleman in the counter tried to help me get boarded but later informed me that someone had changed my reservation. I was shocked at that moment. He however told me that since seats were available from JFK-AUH it was okay. But flights were fully booked from AUH-KTM and he could do nothing because my reservation had changed.

So there I was. Helpless. No idea on how to move forward. The best thing I thought was once I get back to Washington DC I could call up and figure out want happened with my Etihad's reservation. So I go to Delta's ticketing counter and ask the gentleman to help me out by providing me a roundtrip ticket JFK-IAD-JFK. He helps me out by providing me a ticket back to JFK-IAD. Also, they were fooding expenses incurred, along with transportation charges from IAD to Maryland, telephone expenses.

After I arrived I called Etihad and they informed me on Oct. 10th that I could fly out from JFK-AUH-KTM on Oct. 11th. They did not mention anything from flying out of Washington DC to JFK and when I asked them, they told me to purchase my own tickets. I declined their offer because ticket price from IAD-JFK was costing me $170 whereas I had initially paid $1950 for a roundtrip ticket from KTM-AUH-JFK-IAD and back IAD-JFK-AUH-KTM. And also, there was a time constraint since I was already back in Washington DC.

What should be my course of action? Etihad has asked me what date I wanted to fly to KTM and I have given them a date. However, they have not emphasized my ticket from IAD-JFK. I am in a dilemma. So please I ask you to help me out.

[Jetliner]

OK - from all of this it is clear the Etihad screwed up. They should not have changed the dates, especially after telling you it was not available in the first place.

However all of the rest of this is on you. They did not have anything to do with you going back to Washington from New York. Taht was a choice you made seperatly from them. The other thing is, did you call within 24 hours to reconfirm your reservation? The answer is no. So to that end you are partially responsible. Yes, the root cause is with Etihad, but you should always reconfirm you flights, and this is one good example why. It's also probably stated in the contract of carriage that you need to do so.

[Silent Bob]

Also Jet if you read his last post, he states that he did not reply to the email from etihad, after he inquired about a change, but never replied back. They probably sat there wondering what to do, and so they made the change. Manzrek, you shouldn't have ignored it, responded to them stating don't make the change, that you're not interested, and then reconfirm to make sure no changes to your itinerary had occured. Actually it sounds like you should have made the change as it would have been less of a hassle, plus cheaper on your wallet (since you used the money to go back to washington, among other added expenses, as i stated above you should have used that money to pay the change)

[Jetliner]

I'm not so sure. If he only inquired about new times, but never actually confirmed anything new, then they should not have made the change.

[Etihad Representative]

I agree Jetliner, Etihad should have never made that change without confirmation. If all airlines went around changing all bookings that they had not had email confirmation from, then alot more people would be in this situation right now.

But travelling all the way back to Washington? Etihad have an obligation to get you from point to point as stated on your ticket. Travelling back to your origin of your own choce is not covered by any airlines terms and conditions. The Etihad staff in JFk should have assisted and helped you out with an alternate routing due to their negligence, or an overnight stay (If needed) until the situation was resolved.