Etihad guest competition - 100 pax to Abu Dhabi, expenses paid

[ozstamps]

Sent it about 24 hours back. Also had a missed call from that strange overseas +972 number, and my phone does not show caller for missed calls, just the number used.

Why they chose not to leave a voice message, or text or email, only Etihad knows!

 

[ozstamps]

The 787 seat is tight but it's not that bad. Maybe they'll let you pay for the extra legroom seats in the front? HEAPS of room in those.

I'm 6'5 and done many AU-EU trips in them.

SeatGuru users do not appear to agree with you on the 787 - WHICH seats are preferred?



14 hours 40 minutes, in the 2 class 787-900 it seems most likely - which has 271 coach seats - bad reviews (below) for the tiny seats, which are quite appalling comments really, for any 14.5 hours flights - and wearing a mask all the way I assume still?

Rules seem clear they cannot even be gifted to others, which is a bit sad.

SeatGuru Seat Map Etihad​

For your next Etihad flight, use this seating chart to get the most comfortable seats, legroom, and recline on .

www.seatguru.com

 

[justinm]

Did anyone end up getting a call? Just wondering as I got the email but not a call

I recieved a call just to congratulate and confirm email. Not further details as yet

 

[justinm]

Has anyone been able to contact the email or an organiser? I wanted to ask about how flying from Abu Dhabi and getting the return flight back would work. Would we have to leave after the 4 days? Is there flexibility for the return flight date? As it’s hard to know what date you’ll return with not enough planning time hahah

The terms and conditions state you must fly over on the second, but can return anytime (at your own costs for accommodation etc). ie. you can continue onto Europe etc. You can put this in the form. They also allow one change, so depending on what flights we are out on coming back, could still change.

 

[Must...Fly!]

SeatGuru

Seatguru is not an accurate resource. I've flown countless hours in them and my opinion is my opinion. I am not a whinger.

It's called economy space.

https://www.etihad.com/en/fly-etihad/our-cabins/economy-class/choose-your-seat


Perhaps if you were unwilling to fly in economy you shouldn't have entered the competition and allowed someone else who actually wants to go to win.

 

[jase05]

Seatguru is not an accurate resource. I've flown countless hours in them and my opinion is my opinion. I am not a whinger.

It's called economy space.

https://www.etihad.com/en/fly-etihad/our-cabins/economy-class/choose-your-seat


Perhaps if you were unwilling to fly in economy you shouldn't have entered the competition and allowed someone else who actually wants to go to win.

Precisely why I didn’t enter.
If it was a shortish hop of 5-6hrs I might have been interested but nearly 15hrs is just way too long in those seats. I’d rather let someone have a chance who appreciates it more

 

[Bazzi]

Still no call from Etihad. Should I be concerned
Submitted the forms early Tuesday evening and received a notice saying it was successful.

Just re reading the T&Cs -
Original letter with Award Certificate should be presented to Etihad Guest for ticket issuance and identification is required at the time of ticketing

Did anyone get an ‘award certificate’? I just received the notification and a link to completing the passport information.

 

[justinm]

Still no call from Etihad. Should I be concerned
Submitted the forms early Tuesday evening and received a notice saying it was successful.

Just re reading the T&Cs -
Original letter with Award Certificate should be presented to Etihad Guest for ticket issuance and identification is required at the time of ticketing

Did anyone get an ‘award certificate’? I just received the notification and a link to completing the passport information.

Post automatically merged: Mar 18, 2022

No need to be concerned yet, We are all in the same boat
Hopefully we get details soon

 

[Thibault]

Seatguru is not an accurate resource. I've flown countless hours in them and my opinion is my opinion. I am not a whinger.

It's called economy space.

https://www.etihad.com/en/fly-etihad/our-cabins/economy-class/choose-your-seat


Perhaps if you were unwilling to fly in economy you shouldn't have entered the competition and allowed someone else who actually wants to go to win.

Yes the Economy space are fantastic.
I get them all the time as a EY gold and now Platinum.

Unsure if an award ticket allows a passenger to choose those seats but they are definitely good for your legs.

 

[Smallfield]

Does anybody have any news about our lovely trip to Abu Dabhi?
I am afraid that I am a little bit concerned.

 

[Kangarucci]

Nothing here.

 

[Bazzi]

I emailed [email protected] this morning advising that apart from the congratulatory email, I had not had any further communication. I received a reply this afternoon thanking me for my patience and was told that the flight details, hotels, activities would be forwarded by the end of the week.

 

[justinm]

Looks like everything is now being sorted.

I emailed asking for a specific flight home, which they responded to and confirmed detail itinerary will be provided this week.

I have now also received my 5pm Virgin flight confirmation from Melbourne, so looks like a night time flight.

 

[Bazzi]

Night time flight - that’s a shame. Given it was a charter flight, I was hoping we would be departing before lunch with an early evening arrival into AUH, a good night’s sleep and then hit the ground running. I wonder if we will be ferried onto buses for sightseeing - like the Blue Mts trips they used to do with the early morning arrivals into Sydney - until we can check into our hotel.

I interpreted the T&C’s - will be booked to return to Australia on the 7th April 2022 - as that we would be back on the 7th, seems it may be the 8th.

 

[Clover77]

Night time flight - that’s a shame. Given it was a charter flight, I was hoping we would be departing before lunch with an early evening arrival into AUH, a good night’s sleep and then hit the ground running. I wonder if we will be ferried onto buses for sightseeing - like the Blue Mts trips they used to do with the early morning arrivals into Sydney - until we can check into our hotel.

I interpreted the T&C’s - will be booked to return to Australia on the 7th April 2022 - as that we would be back on the 7th, seems it may be the 8th.

Looks like everything is now being sorted.

I emailed asking for a specific flight home, which they responded to and confirmed detail itinerary will be provided this week.

I have now also received my 5pm Virgin flight confirmation from Melbourne, so looks like a night time flight.

I also just received our flight tickets from Melbourne. I was also hoping for an evening arrival in Abu Dhabi as I know I will need to stretch out and sleep after the flight.

 

[Bazzi]

Received our e-tickets late this afternoon and jumped on to the website to secure our seats. The info attached does recommend that you complete the ‘Verfied to Fly’ prior to checking in - it’s not mandatory.

No hotel or activity info, just the tickets.

While there is no requirement to have any COVID test for entry into Abu Dhabi, it would seem that to visit galleries, restaurants, hotels, you require a ‘green ’ on their contact tracing app - Al Hosn - which requires a negative PCR result. However, there is other info that says that the COVID vax certificate of your resident country will be accepted. Anyone know more?

 

[Must...Fly!]

Abu Dhabi Entry Rules and Travel Restrictions | COVID Guidelines | Experience Abu Dhabi

We are ready to welcome you. Find out about the procedures in place to maintain your safety while traveling and during your visit to the Emirate of Abu Dhabi.

visitabudhabi.ae

The rules changed a few weeks ago. Basically as I understand it, you need to take a PCR test on arrival (at airport, it's only $15) and that gets you two weeks of a green tick in the Al Hosn app. Something may have changed since but I presume the info on Visit Abu Dhabi is still current. You don't need to test to fly in or enter Abu Dhabi but do for Al Hosn.

 

[justinm]

Great no test needed to come home now, so won’t be stranded

 

[ozstamps]

Great no test needed to come home now, so won’t be stranded

From mid April that is correct, for this flight it is needed.

 

[Bazzi]

Abu Dhabi Entry Rules and Travel Restrictions | COVID Guidelines | Experience Abu Dhabi

We are ready to welcome you. Find out about the procedures in place to maintain your safety while traveling and during your visit to the Emirate of Abu Dhabi.

visitabudhabi.ae

The rules changed a few weeks ago. Basically as I understand it, you need to take a PCR test on arrival (at airport, it's only $15) and that gets you two weeks of a green tick in the Al Hosn app. Something may have changed since but I presume the info on Visit Abu Dhabi is still current. You don't need to test to fly in or enter Abu Dhabi but do for Al Hosn.

Yes, that is what I understood. However, will we be given time to have the test at the airport on arrival? While some here on this forum are aware of the Al Hosn app and the requirements, will other winners be aware of the requirements for restaurants etc? You could argue ‘caveat emptor’ but as this is a marketing campaign for Etihad/the UAE, it would be disappointing if people were not able to go to a cafe or a restaurant simply because they didn’t know about the .

I’m a little surprised at the lack of detail this close to departure. My Plus 1 and I would like to maximise our time in Abu Dhabi but it’s impossible to plan anything without knowing what the Etihad schedule will be. We would both like our respective families to have the contact details of the hotel we are staying at before we leave.

The transfers from Melbourne seem a bit tight too.