Advice please - Etihad refusing compensation for involuntary downgrade

[Caversham04]

That's very disappointing, @EtihadAirways.

They have ALSO taken nearly 6 weeks (and counting) to pay reimbursement for expenses incurred when my luggage was delayed for seven days on the outbound ADL-MEL-AUH-LHR leg of the same journey (arriving in the UK in the middle of winter with just hand luggage!). The signed agreement (Release and Indemnity Form) was returned to them on 22nd Jan, and they have not responded to three requests for an update (Read Receipts confirm that the e-mail arrived at Etihad Guest Services and has been seen).

A written offer of compensation, to be paid once the Indemnity Form is signed and returned (which it has been), probably counts as a form of contract under Australian Consumer Law???

 

[Danger]

@EtihadAirways: Formerly a great airline.

 

[odysseus]

Why do airlines sell biz class for 50-minute flights? There is demand and some folks simply don't want to fly in economy class.

Etihad will want to fix the case as it will mean they don't need to pay VA for the biz seat.

Small things matter the most...

In this context its other inclusions though, as it wasn't bought solely on its own, and I suspect wouldn't have been.

i.e. the lounge access, which was provided; the extra luggage allowance, which doesn't sound to be at issue and was included; the points, which were provided, in fact at a higher level due to the change.

 

[SOPOOR]

That is F'ing disgusting,
that sort of behaviour id expect from Qantas

 

[SOPOOR]

Etihad have just insisted via PM that the case is closed. I have requested that they re-consider and suggested that 20,000 Velocity points would be appropriate as this would cover a one-way upgrade on my next east-coast domestic flight, directly replacing the flight on which I was downgraded......

typical terrible customer service organisation,

Reach out to you via PM to make it look like they are helping you out to tell you, its closed

 

[odysseus]

Etihad have just insisted via PM that the case is closed. I have requested that they re-consider and suggested that 20,000 Velocity points would be appropriate as this would cover a one-way upgrade on my next east-coast domestic flight, directly replacing the flight on which I was downgraded......

Given you were rebooked in Flexi economy, it would be 4900 points in difference between what you got and the cost of upgrade, so that's the truer points difference.

 

[odysseus]

They have ALSO taken nearly 6 weeks (and counting) to pay reimbursement for expenses incurred when my luggage was delayed for seven days on the outbound ADL-MEL-AUH-LHR leg of the same journey (arriving in the UK in the middle of winter with just hand luggage!). The signed agreement (Release and Indemnity Form) was returned to them on 22nd Jan, and they have not responded to three requests for an update (Read Receipts confirm that the e-mail arrived at Etihad Guest Services and has been seen).

A written offer of compensation, to be paid once the Indemnity Form is signed and returned (which it has been), probably counts as a form of contract under Australian Consumer Law???

If you're not getting any reply after this time, raise it with Fair Trading.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

While this isn't a shining example of airline customer service it comes down to communication.

There is likely no fare difference for the downgrade of such a tiny segment. This was also outside Etihad's control (it was a VA operated flight).

That issue has to be unlinked from the baggage which is a separate issue and the responsibility lies with EY.

Your claim seems reasonable for £200. You could ring consumer affairs in your state to ask for advice (free service). Or you could claim from your travel insurance.

 

[Mr H]

I have requested that they re-consider and suggested that 20,000 Velocity points would be appropriate

That sounds high. I would have thought 5,000-10,000 points would be more like it, depending on how much they love you (and expect the lower end of the range).

By the bye, OZ does not have a business class lounge in TAS. They offer 2,000 points as compensation. I would have thought access to a J Lounge in TAS was worth way more than the difference between Y and J cabins on the MEL-ADL route, especially if you had lounge access.

 

[Blinky]

I’ve flown Etihad to Europe in J and F before, but after this display of pettiness I’ll be flying SIA in future.

 

[SOPOOR]

My opinion,, I think they should be trying harder to keep you happy, sure the difference in price from Y to J on a short flight may not be huge? but I think a difference in fare price would be a bare minimum,
also, what about inconvenience?
sure he got from A to B but there is expectations, disappointment, he would have had to pay for food

im personally in the service industry, so when we make a mistake or inconvenience a customer we try go out of our way to make them feel good, even if it means making less profit or even making no profit (depending on the situation and the scale)


eg if I was on my honey moon and got down graded from F to Y, even if they gave me 100k points for example, id be pretty peeved

 

[ozfflyer]

Etihad probably won't exist in a few months, if that long. They will probably be sold to Emirates for $1, as they keep posting billion dollars loses. 3rd in 3 years I think it was. On that basis, why would they compensate anyone?

 

[Caversham04]

Given you were rebooked in Flexi economy, it would be 4900 points in difference between what you got and the cost of upgrade, so that's the truer points difference.

If I'd wanted to travel solely ADL-MEL in economy, I would have bought a Getaway ticket, not a Flexi Economy, given that the ticket was purchased 9 month in advance......... I didn't re-book in Flexi Economy, it's just what I got given (and is therefore presumably the VA standard procedure) for a flight-change / downgrade scenario that occurs in the lounge after the scheduled departure-time of the cancelled flight......

 

[Caversham04]

While this isn't a shining example of airline customer service it comes down to communication.

There is likely no fare difference for the downgrade of such a tiny segment. This was also outside Etihad's control (it was a VA operated flight).

That issue has to be unlinked from the baggage which is a separate issue and the responsibility lies with EY.

Your claim seems reasonable for £200. You could ring consumer affairs in your state to ask for advice (free service). Or you could claim from your travel insurance.

The luggage claim has (eventually) been paid - almost two months after the paperwork was finalised, hence my increasing levels of concern given the total lack of communication from Etihad.

I agree that it's totally a separate case, but wanted to wait until that was paid before pushing the downgrade issue further - given the way they've behaved to date, I wouldn't have put it past Etihad to cancel the luggage reimbursement....

 

[Caversham04]

In this context its other inclusions though, as it wasn't bought solely on its own, and I suspect wouldn't have been.

i.e. the lounge access, which was provided; the extra luggage allowance, which doesn't sound to be at issue and was included; the points, which were provided, in fact at a higher level due to the change.

Lounge access is available to me anyway as a Velocity Gold, additional luggage allowance wasn't an issue, and the minor difference in points doesn't concern me overmuch - my issue was (and remains) that I paid for Business Class on that leg, was involuntarily downgraded to economy, and am being told that no compensation is due because of the deceitful way that they deliberately skew the calculation in their favour by using the walk-up fully-flexible economy price to calculate that no compensation is due.........

 

[unclebobl]

I wish you luck, at least you got a reply.
I lost luggage coming back from Dublin, and although I reported it lodged a claim and had several phone calls with their so called "customer Service" I got nowhere. After 11 months I have given up

 

[SOPOOR]

Lounge access is available to me anyway as a Velocity Gold, additional luggage allowance wasn't an issue, and the minor difference in points doesn't concern me overmuch - my issue was (and remains) that I paid for Business Class on that leg, was involuntarily downgraded to economy, and am being told that no compensation is due because of the deceitful way that they deliberately skew the calculation in their favour by using the walk-up fully-flexible economy price to calculate that no compensation is due.........

for me, just because you have lounge access via your velocity gold, it doesnt mean their responsbiliy/obligations are reduced,
if you were a non status member, you would have not got lounge access,
I would expect them to assess the situation based on a passenger with no status

 

[Caversham04]

Lounge access is available to me anyway as a Velocity Gold, additional luggage allowance wasn't an issue, and the minor difference in points doesn't concern me overmuch - my issue was (and remains) that I paid for Business Class on that leg, was involuntarily downgraded to economy, and am being told that no compensation is due because of the deceitful way that they deliberately skew the calculation in their favour by using the walk-up fully-flexible economy price to calculate that no compensation is due.........

In summary - the overall responses have been

• VA - despite the lounge angel advising VA would definitely provide compensation, they have subsequently said "not our problem; contact Bestjet [as the ticket issuer]", knowing full-well that Bestjet are now in administration
• Bestjet Administrators - "cough* off - we're the Liquidators and we don't give a sh**"; I'm para-phrasing, but not by much.....
• Etihad - no compensation due as you were issued a new economy ticket for your involuntary downgrade at the fully-flexible rate, and this costs more than the business class ticket you bought, so no compensation is due

Looks like my primary option is probably a partial credit card charge-back on the basis that part of the service I paid for was not supplied..... Any thoughts or alternative advice would be appreciated. I realise that in the grand scheme of things it's not a massive deal, but the whole principle of everyone either (i) passing the buck and refusing to take responsibility, and / or (ii) using deliberately skewed procedures such as calculations based on walk-up prices, just really pi$$es me off to the point where I'm going to continue to pursue things......

 

[Caversham04]

I wish you luck, at least you got a reply.
I lost luggage coming back from Dublin, and although I reported it lodged a claim and had several phone calls with their so called "customer Service" I got nowhere. After 11 months I have given up

I'm sorry (but not overly surprised!) to hear that....... I won't ever be using them again and am advising the same thing to anyone who asks.......

 

[Mr H]

Lounge access is available to me anyway as a Velocity Gold, additional luggage allowance wasn't an issue, and the minor difference in points doesn't concern me overmuch - my issue was (and remains) that I paid for Business Class on that leg, was involuntarily downgraded to economy, and am being told that no compensation is due because of the deceitful way that they deliberately skew the calculation in their favour by using the walk-up fully-flexible economy price to calculate that no compensation is due.........

Etihad may be skewing the calculation in their favour, but it seems to me you are trying to make several skews the other way. First off: your contract was with Bestjet, not with the airline. Second, there simply was no business class on the flight you had booked - you were offered an alternative routing and presumably could have had your ticket refunded. Instead, you chose to fly on the metal available. Third, you are claiming some kind of hardship - but you would simply have had a slightly narrower seat and had to endure 50 minutes with only one drink to tide you over between lounges. Fourth, you are claiming that the lounge access is not relevant because you have status and could have accessed the lounge anyway, but this is nevertheless a significant element of the business class product.

We have all had to "endure" short connecting flights in economy on inter-continental itineraries and it isn't a deal breaker. When there is no J, there is no J.

Maybe you do have a moral entitlement to a small amount of compensation to make up for your disappointment, but your expectations are unrealistic. Think in terms of a bottle of wine or a very few thousand points. More than that sounds like DYKWIA.