Etihad loses 5-star Skytrax rating

[Mattg]

According to One Mile at a Time, Etihad has lost its 5-star Skytrax rating and is now a 4-star airline. The massive cost-cutting of late seems to have come back to bite them.

I know many here will question the methods used by Skytrax, but this is still a blow for Etihad.

 

[RooFlyer]

I thought Turkish going down to 3 star was more of an issue. Wonder if it had anything to do with Turkish pulling out of Skytrax last year Sort of like the EU and Brexit - leave us and we'll punish you!

 

[pauly7]

I’m sure they are devastated....

I rate Skytrax about as highly as I rate the Freddie frequent flyer ‘awards’ - marginally above ‘completely useless’ and just below ‘waste of space’.

 

[andy2015]

The cheque didn't clear.

 

[GoldCanyon340]

The cheque didn't clear.

Was that the excuse for Air Berlin as well?

 

[juddles]

I think that the fact that Qantas is not top-rated shows the flaws in the Skytrax assesments.

 

[GoldCanyon340]

I think that the fact that Qantas is not top-rated shows the flaws in the Skytrax assesments.

Skytrax obviously not swayed by the NP inspired salad.

 

[boomy]

I think that the fact that Qantas is not top-rated shows the flaws in the Skytrax assesments.

Flaws in Skytrax?! Don’t be crazy. Their assessments are very clear, the more airlines pay them the better their ratings are, simples.

 

[pauly7]

I think that the fact that Qantas is not top-rated shows the flaws in the Skytrax assesments.

Alison Webster’s corporate card was cancelled suddenly, the Qantas payment didn’t go through

 

[henleybeach]

Etihad would hate it, these ratings are for the once a year flyers and not true frequent flyers who know what airline to fly regardless.
My in laws last year, who fly overseas once a year on holiday, flew Cathay pacific to JFK in Y+ kept saying before the flight “apparently they are a 5 star airline” !
Which they got that from the marketing.
I’ve just flew Asiana Airlines in J and if they are a 5 star airline then VA & QF are 6 stars

 

[Denali]

The cheque didn't clear.

It's Etihad, they've been cost cutting for almost two years. There is no cheque.

 

[Daver6]

Skytrax obviously not swayed by the NP inspired salad.

I prefer to call it "Neil's lawn clippings"

 

[boomy]

Etihad would hate it, these ratings are for the once a year flyers and not true frequent flyers who know what airline to fly regardless.
My in laws last year, who fly overseas once a year on holiday, flew Cathay pacific to JFK in Y+ kept saying before the flight “apparently they are a 5 star airline” !
Which they got that from the marketing.
I’ve just flew Asiana Airlines in J and if they are a 5 star airline then VA & QF are 6 stars

What was the issue with Asiana? Their J seat varies between aircrafts but service and catering levels are consistent and miles ahead what we get in Australia.

 

[henleybeach]

What was the issue with Asiana? Their J seat varies between aircrafts but service and catering levels are consistent and miles ahead what we get in Australia.

I was on a A330 and the hard product is woeful. Outdated seats, old , Carpet worn. No champagne or sparking in their Seoul lounge. I’ve got another flight tonight and tomorrow on their a330 from Almaty -Seoul-Hong kong . Their soft product was good, more like a solid 4 star rather then 5 but that’s just what I’ve experienced

 

[boomy]

I was on a A330 and the hard product is woeful. Outdated seats, old , Carpet worn. No champagne or sparking in their Seoul lounge. I’ve got another flight tonight and tomorrow on their a330 from Almaty -Seoul-Hong kong . Their soft product was good, more like a solid 4 star rather then 5 but that’s just what I’ve experienced

Yep A330 still has recliners so best avoided. When flying OZ I’m trying to make sure it’s on B777 or A380 which are the aircrafts currently served to SYD. OZ J lounge is crowded and very meh (I do like their branded beer). To be fair QF J lounge also doesn’t serve champagne but the cheap Aussie knockoff which will give you headache. Overall I agree OZ should be 4*, as QF and VA. None deserve to be 5* but OZ paid more so...

 

[RooFlyer]

. I’ve got another flight tonight and tomorrow on their a330 from Almaty -Seoul-Hong kong .

I’m doing the Almaty-Seoul leg in a few months - be sure to write it up in the TR

 

[lacuska1]

too many airlines on the arabian peninsula-some must take the cough-how can they compete with emirates anyway???

 

[dajop]

A review of Etihad’s new economy service ...

Reviewer was not impressed with service or catering. A drop in rating is probably well deserved. After all 80% of pax in the real world travel in economy class, not the Apartments or Residences.

 

[Springtime]

@dajop , I absolutely agree with you. Catering is awful on Etihad. My husband & I flew Etihad from Abu dhabi To Sydney in April 2019. It was a 14 hr flight. of those 14 hrs, we were served 1meal ( dinner ) comprising of a very small serve of rice & vegs with rubber tough meat, still frozen bread bun, no appetizer or butter or dessert . 3 pancakes the size of a 20c coin with some red stuff which they considered as breakfast. I asked one attendant for some water, she told me wait 20mins till service comes around...it was for my husband who is on daibetes meds!.
Another thing that really bothered me was out of the 14 hrs, 10 were in darkness, the cabin light was only switched on when meals were being served. I've never stepped off a flight before feeling as hungry or sorry that we flew Etihad.

 

[Ains]

I have recently flown Etihad and I must say they've definitely gone down in service.
I had to pay to guarantee seats on the flights. I had a look back at my receipt for these 'extras' which I booked on the 31st of July 2019. The receipt showed that the aircraft we would be flying on from Abu Dhabi to Melbourne would be a Boeing 787. When in fact the aircraft we were on as an old Boeing 777-300. The aircraft are old, uncomfortable and daggy. So disappointed. From Athens to Abu Dhabi, we were on the 787 and it was so much more comfortable.
On the 777, my partners screen didn't work. They rebooted it a couple of times to no avail. But they didn't come and tell us they had tried that. I had to keep asking them. Then finally, after 4 hours into the 13 hour flight, they provided my partner with an iPad to watch Etihad content.
Also, the way they did the food and beverage service from Abu Dhabi to Melbourne incensed me. On the way over to Abu Dhabi from Melbourne (EY461), we had row 29, which is at the front of the middle Economy Class cabin and is classed as an Economy Comfort seat. They started the food and beverage service from this row. On the Abu Dhabi to Melbourne (EY460) leg, we were seated in row 30. And for some reason they started the food and beverage service from row 31. So we were being served last as our service was coming from the cabin in front. As a result, our food choice became unavailable. I picked the seats because I thought we would be served sooner rather than later.

Also, they're very light on, with their drinks service. I've flown Singapore many times and they offer hot towel and water in economy before flight takes off. They offer top up coffees or other beverages after meal service.
And they used to also provide a pack with eye mask, socks and toothbrush/paste - Singapore provide this. Heck even Virgin Australia provided this on the way to LAX (April 2019).

So it has been 2 years since I'd last flown Etihad and, they charge just as much as Singapore for Economy but provide far less.

The only thing Etihad has going for it, is their lounges in Abu Dhabi are awesome, the one in Melbourne is pretty good too. But the actual flight experience is nothing like a Singapore, or Emirates etc. So I'm taking my points and status credits, thanks, but next time I fly to Europe, I am hoping for better options as Virgin Australia platinum member. Or I just stick to Singapore as the option for Europe.