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Traveling by Etihad Airways - terrible experience

The rock's picture

I am traveling by Etihad airways. Flight was scheduled to take off from doha at 2245 hrs but took off about two hours late because a connecting flight coming in from UK was late and they had to take in a few passengers from that flight. As a result, i along with about 20 other passengers on the flight missed our connecting flight abu dhabi to karachi.

When we reached the abu dhabi airport, Etihad staff misguided us and made us stand in queue of people flying to dhaka and manila. We asked 3 different etihad staff and they said we were in the right line. Even told them that there is no notification for a flight to karachi on the notice board but they said its ok. After an hour in this queue, we found out that the flight to karachi had already left before we arrived in abu dhabi.

It took them a couple of hours more to issue us boarding passes for the next flight to karachi which was after 22 hrs. However, no hotel stay has been provided. Etihad staff has made me run from one counter to another atleast a dozen times each saying that hotel transfer would be provided soon. In the morning, their stance has changed and now they say that no room is going to be provided and i just have to sit anywhere in the airport.

I told them that airlines regulations require hotel transfer to be provided to passengers if there is a delay of more than 8 hours but they say, quote "Etihad is not following any rules".

Now my question: Is there any governing body that enforces the implementation of such rules? Is there any action i can take against the airline for this?
And if someone answers within this day (11th), any advise on if and how i can get them to provide me a hotel room.

thanks

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excellfriend's picture

excellfriend said atrocious is the word ...

all these airlines takes many things for granted. as per the international rules they have to provide you with hotel and mean vouchers. it is due to their fault and there cannot be any exceptions. i think you can also complain to the airlines association or something like that.

as many of us just leave these things without taking it forward and that makes these airlines to behave in such an atrocious manner.

 

The rock's picture

The rock said Hi, can you recommend any ...

Hi,

can you recommend any official association to which i can complain about this? Etihad has given me plenty of time (20 hours) to do this. Already done so on www.airsafe.com

thanks

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Quidquid latine dictum sit, altum sonatur.

 

herne's picture

herne said Etihad ...

Huhh, I will make sure never travel with that airline. But the same happened with some Manila passengers also. Their flight had been changed, so there were only 5 minutes for them to change flight in Abu Dhabi, so I'm pretty sure they missed it.
But anyway, this case is unaccaptable, they should have provided a hotel room for you, and not handle like that. :(

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knoxcollege's picture

knoxcollege said IATA ...

Put your complaint in writing, get some others passengers to side with you, send the boarding cards.

If the flight waas delayed you will get compensation, if you missed the flight bcoz of your action then it is a totally different story

www.iata.org

 

The rock's picture

The rock said for sure, etihad's fault ...

Nopes, it was totally etihad's fault. Delay in take off from Doha resulted in us reaching Abu Dhabi 'after' our connecting flight had left.

Another cheap shot by Etihad, they gave us coupons for breakfast at 3AM and told us to go to the restaurant where we were told that breakfast is served after 6:30. Not having any real solution, Etihad was just trying to get their customers off their back. In the morning, they said, don't worry, we'l also give you a meal coupon. Made me laugh, but this is so darn cheap. A 20 hour delay definitely warrants hotel stay (even if it just has a mattress and a blanket).

Btw, i did feel the staff to be well intentioned (but helpless nevertheless), I guess it's the management that is totally screwed.

Even a remotely well managed company would have standard policies and would try to communicate with its customers rather than saying we don't know.

Herne, thanks for the sympathies.

Well, i still have to keep my fingers crossed, hope it dosen't turn into something like The Terminal :-P

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Quidquid latine dictum sit, altum sonatur.

 

scorpio1979's picture

scorpio1979 said thanks for the update. i was ...

thanks for the update. i was planning to travel to cochin via abudhabi as i could only get seats on etihad.

now i know the reason for getting seats on a tightly packed sector at this time..

Conclusion: I am cancelling my etihad "confirmed" booking..

 

stealth's picture

stealth said There has been complaints ...

There has been complaints about Etihad Airways from a number of passengers. One way would be for you to file a consumer greivance in your country and claim compensation.

 

jasonglades's picture

jasonglades said This is a good example for ...

This is a good example for writing an essay on experience.

 

Bluemountain's picture

Bluemountain said I will never forget my ...

I will never forget my experience of waiting 4 hours from 11 PM and 3 AM at Abu Dhabi Airport

 

skywalkerrss's picture

skywalkerrss said If the flight waas delayed ...

If the flight waas delayed you will get compensation, if you missed the flight bcoz of your action then it is a totally different story
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Amoud's picture

Amoud said I dont think I would judge ...

I dont think I would judge an entire airline based on one experience.

People complain, it is in their nature. Qatar Airways sucks, Ethihad sucks, British airways sucks.

I thought the groundstaff in the airports in these parts are employed by the airport and not the airline?

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The rock's picture

The rock said Well, long closed story ...

Well, long closed story :)
But nevertheless, Amoud, the objective of my topic was to ask other forum members for advise. It was actually posted while i was stranded and needed advise on how to get out of a situation. Some people on this forum and also other forums did reply and i followed their suggestions. Unfortunately, in that particular instance, all paths were dead-ends. Result: I have never travelled on the same airline again and a lot of people on other forums have also attested to have done the same.

Now, your point of 'people complain, its in their nature'. Actually, the fact is that 'Shit happens' its natural. Allow me to use a more politically correct quote for it: Murphy's law: 'If anything can go wrong, it will go wrong'. So knowing this and respecting this, i had not focussed my complain on what went wrong (ground staff coordination mistake). I had focussed it on the 'Reaction' to what went wrong.

The reaction of the staff was 'ok, we know there has been a mistake, now go to hell'. I would have expected more customer oriented company staff to make some effort to correct what's gone wrong or if it is no longer practical to reverse the mistake then offer some other facilitation to the customer.

About it not being the company staff and staff employed by the airport.... Are you defending the airline or just making a point ? In either case, again, i would say if I were the company, and i outsource to a 3rd party some of the service i provide to MY customers, i would make sure MY customer gets quality service. But that's just me, others may choose not to have customer oriented thinking and approach. That's their choice isn't it :)

all the best.
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Quidquid latine dictum sit, altum sonatur.

 

Arien's picture

Arien said Etihad operates turn around ...

Etihad operates turn around flights to doha from their Abidhabi hub.

I wonder how they will have connecting flight from London..LOL No airline would wait for an inetrline carrier which is delayed.. hard to believe.
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paulwilliams's picture

paulwilliams said Airlines ...

Well, I guess I will never use this airlines in the future. Thanks for the information, even thought it is negative feedback.
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movie download links's picture

movie download links said Comment ...

I don't think this is the proper forum for this type of complaint because your issue is with the hotel you stayed not the airline you flew. But I don't see this being a "great case study" for anything, you're just a guy who simply had one bad night at a hotel. Most hotel rooms are not soundproof. having stayed in many, many hotels I've been in rooms where stuff is going on in the next room or just outside that's maddening, but it's beyond what the hotel employees can do, nor would I blame them. dirty roo, bad food, awful ammenities, yea those things I can blame the hotel. The guy singing in the room next door? Blame the guy that's singing when he should have respected his neighbors. This complaint also sounds like you want "more" than just an apology as your not satisfied with an apology from the airline. I'm assuming you want something monetary, but I don't think it's going to happen. Good luck with the case study, I simply don't see anyone taking up the cause. movie download links

 

oasiscars's picture

oasiscars said why chosed to fly with them ...

you chosed to fly with itihad airways coz its more cheaper than others airlines and u know they r cheaper simply coz they have no good service and with many faults , and inspite of this u chosed to fly with them .so this the result of save money ....

 

4insure's picture

4insure said There has been complaints ...

There has been complaints about Etihad Airways from a number of passengers. One way would be for you to file a consumer greivance in your country and claim compensation.

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