My complaint:
I would like to complain about a ticket I bought in July 2022 for departure from the UK in August, but for reasons I shall explain later I had to change it. I was given a 12 month open ticket so I could leave when I felt was right. When I cam to re-book the flight in September the girl on the phone told me that my open ticket had been deleted?
I had made 6 calls the the customer services number, each time a girl told me that this will be looked into? Each time they said they will get back to me as soon as they could. I even asked them to listen to the recordings of the conversation as proof of what the girl did? She deleted my open ticket and it feels like everyone is covering for her? This makes me feel sick that they would do something like this.
Here is my first email:
I would like to complain about the very bad way in which I feel I have been mistreated by your customer service team and how they have lied to me about certain things.
If you allow me to start at the beginning…
I came back to the UK in April 26th after spending 3 long years stuck in Thailand due to the pandemic. During this time my father developed cancer and had to undergo Chemotherapy for months. This was an awful time for me as I could not be there for both him and my mum.
So when I finally got back in April I took care of my father, who later in July was given the all clear and seemed to be getting back to normal. So, I booked a flight back to Thailand as I needed to be with my wife, so booked in July to fly on August 24th costing me GBP 431.76
(I have attached the first booking form from Etihad with the flight details for this flight)
But unfortunately, my father started to become ill again and after consulting with the doctor it was decided that it was better, I stay for a few more months.
So, I called your customer service team for the UK (The exact same number you gave to me( and spoke with a nice lady, I explained that I would need to cancel my booking and what options do I have?
She told me that I can either have a partial refund of just over 200 pounds, or I could opt for an open ticket? She continued that the open ticket can be used any time within the next 12 months and that I would also have to pay an admin charge of 200 pounds for re-booking and as long as there is availability of seats on the flight that I want.
So, I decided to go with the open ticket as it gives me flexibility. The lady told me to simply call this number again when I am ready to book and they will do the rest for me. How wrong she was!
Right now, my father is well, in fact well enough for me to return once again to Thailand. So, I called your customer service number as before and spoke with a very abrupt Indian girl whom I could barely understand. She immediately sounded like she didn’t want to help, like it wasn’t her job or something?
This is where the complaint comes in.
I had found on your site after I had logged in… a flight that was for GBP 427.16, cheaper than the one I booked in July. When I told her that I have found a flight, it has plenty of seats available and I would like to book it with my open ticket.
She said that I couldn’t use an open ticket on this flight because the price is different. I said yes, it’s cheaper?
The, when I asked if she could look for a flight on which I can travel with my 12 month open ticket her response was unimaginable! She said that ‘In fact sir, your open ticket has been terminated, cancelled, so you no longer have an open ticket? So you would be better to just book the flight that you have found online yourself.
What sort of service is that?
I asked her how can this be? It’s a 12-month open ticket and you have cancelled it after just 3 months? Why? How do I now get my money back GBP 431.76 from my first flight to pay for this second flight?
She told me there was nothing more she could do, and if I want to book that flight, I would be better booking it myself online and pay for it?
So I did book the flight myself costing me ANOTHER GBP427.16 and that eticket is also now attached with all the details on!
I was absolutely outraged, I have never experienced such despicable customer service from an airline before, especially one as reputable as Etihad. I’m actually shocked you allow individuals as unprofessional as that be a customer facing member of your organisation? I am disgusted she gets away with speaking to your customers that way.
NOW PLEASE READ CAREFULLY AS THIS IS MY COMPLAINT!
Now, I would like to know why you would issue me with a 12 month open ticket only to remove it, cancel it and terminate it after 3 short months, with no notice, no warning, no email or call from your company explaining why I have just lost my ticket and all the money it cost me?
Why would you do that? Why would you literally rob me of my paid for open ticket?
Like I haven’t been through enough, losing my business in Thailand due to the pandemic, taking care of my sick father, having to leave me wife for months alone in Thailand, and now you take away the only good thing I had, an open ticket for me to go back home.
It is absolutely unforgivable that I have lost all my money for my first flight, and so unsympathetic of Etihad, an airline I have used regularly since 2017, well before that actually, 2017 is when I became a member. But if this is how you treat your members then what is the point of having such a scheme, just treat everybody in the same uncaring way.
I would like an answer back to my complaint, I would like to see how seriously you take your customers, and how caring / uncaring you actually are as an airline?
Judging from your first attempt at a reply I really shouldn’t expect too much, shouldn’t be hopeful that you will indeed endeavour to assist your customer with their issue which has left him feeling deeply hurt and ignored, someone who is totally unimportant!
Is this really how an Elite airline such as yourselves have lowered your standards so you no longer care? If that is the case then I may as well use a low cost airline!
…Then I received this…
Etihad Guest Number: 105753014301
Dear Mr Bancroft,
Thank you for contacting Etihad Guest.
Apologies for the delayed response.
Kindly be informed that Etihad Guest deals with queries related to Etihad Guest accounts and loyalty programme only, due to the very limited access to the reservation and ticketing system we are unable to assist with bookings nor organize any callbacks for same.
Hence, all queries related to future or existing reservations, either for changes/refunds or any follow-ups regarding the same, are being handled by our colleagues from Global Contact Centre. You will have to get in touch with our colleagues, as they are in the best position to assist you.
Have a lovely rest of the day.
Should you require any further assistance, please contact us.
Kindest regards,
Nemanja Pantelic
Premium Member Services
So, I called again and again with absolutely no resolve!
I is almost a year and I have heard absolutely nothing from Etihad AT ALL about this! I am absolutely appalled to be treated this way, I pay for a ticket, have to change for seriously personal matters, change it for a 12 month open ticket, Etihad customer services delete that ticket, then they tell me to go online any buy another ticket?
I am furious that NOBODY has even bothered to sort this out?
I still have the tickets on file but you won’t allow me to upload pdf.s, so I tried changing them to PNG files but they wont upload either?
Let’s see if this email is even read let alone any action taken against it?
This is 4 emails now and 6 phone calls in total? Disgusting!
Suggested solution:
They should re-imburse me the money I am owed for the first ticket, the one the lady recommended I change to a 12 month open ticket? The one THEY deleted after only 2 months! Total cost GBP 431.76
