Etihad - poor service, no re imbursement. What more can we do?

[tassietiger]

hello anyone - as I have clearly shown - ALL flights were marked as etihad (ey) - what more do i have to do to prove their error - especially as they never even advised us the flight from Melbourne to Hobart was cancelled. Why would you bother to book direct with an airline when they screw you like this - then blow you off & offer you nothing

 

[mannej]

I also made this journey (by using Velocity Frequent Flyer points from Melbourne to Dublin return and paying cash on the Melbourne to Hobart leg)

Your ticket, as you posted were two seperate tickets. If you had booked from Hobart to Dublin return, that is a different situation.

Like others have stated, you are out of luck. However the tickets your wife and mother in law purchased that is worth chasing.

 

[lovestotravel]

I don't think you will get very far at all..

Virgin hasn't worked out the relationship between itself and partner airlines properly yet

It took me more than 7 emails to get a small credit for an error that Air NZ made from a ticket booked through Virgin

As a platinum member, it was close to impossible to get anyone to take the blame/provide a credit. They simply kept passing the buck between Air NZ and Virgin. In the end I sent a very very stern email to the Velocity team, threatening to cancel about 30 forward bookings, unless someone could provide a credit. Eventually I received a credit!

BACK to the topic as it's not clear at all

Basically Virgin Australia cancelled the flight and you were stuck in Melbourne ?

My advice is to ALWAYS check flight time weekly before departure and of course a day or two before departure. That would be the time to ring Etihad and say book me a hotel room etc etc

Virgin Australia seem to have a habit of cutting flights when they don't have the numbers

Many MEL-OOL-MEL flights have been cancelled
The evening CBR-MEL flight has been cancelled

Then your MEL-HBA flight

They seem to do this at least 1 month in advance

 

[tassietiger]

r, this is what I have stated all the time - not my ticket, but that of my wife's & her mums

 

[tassietiger]

hi lovestotravel,

I did ring etihad as soon as i found this out - they didn't want to know me. I will never book direct again. travel Agents, here I come!!

 

[mannej]

hi lovestotravel,

I did ring etihad as soon as i found this out - they didn't want to know me. I will never book direct again. travel Agents, here I come!!

Beware the travel agent, a good one is worth their weight in gold, however good luck finding one.

 

[Mwenenzi]

My advice is to ALWAYS check flight time weekly before departure and of course a day or two before departure. That would be the time to ring Etihad and say book me a hotel room etc etc..

TT wife / MIL found out about the cancellation indirectly 10 days before.

Arh: TT did phone Eithaid about his wife MIL ticket. With such a long notification of a cancellation/ rebooking/schedule change Eitihad will not pay any accommodation - consequential costs. Such costs will be far more than the profit margin on these flights

 

[tassietiger]

beats booking a direct flight with an airline & being screwed

 

[tassietiger]

yes, why etihad did nothing is a mystery. maybe individuals get nowhere any more, so I'll book with a travel agent in the future

 

[Bolthead]

It is Eitihad problem for your wife & MIL
If your name is on the hotel invoice etc your wife has less chance getting any money back
If you trying to claim on Eitihad any costs you had they will fail
Best to claim on your wife's MIL's travel insurance

Your additional costs are nothing to do with Eithad.
Know one accepts consequential losses

So, what most people are telling me is that - you book direct with an airline from Hobart - they use a partner on the domestic section - the domestic partner cancels a flight, yet you have to pay for the overnight delay on the way home?

Interesting thread..... I understand your gripe.

The thing I am not understanding is that you knew before you left AUS that the flight from MEL to HBA was cancelled. When VA offered you (for your ticket) the 7:30pm flight did you reject it? If you rejected it which flight were you booked on?

For you wife and MIL: Etihad changed the flights to the next day. (I am assuming the same flight as you). So even though you knew that you were all on a flight the following day I am also assuming that at that time you didn't ask Etihad for some form of compensation. Maybe you should have brought up that topic then. As said by others Etihad is not as fault. I am assuming you have insurance however knowing insurance companies they will find a loop hole (not to pay you) or the excess is not worth the claim. (that one I learnt the hard way)

I would keep pushing Etihad and also try insurance claim.... either way I don't like your chances

 

[Bolthead]

yes, why etihad did nothing is a mystery. maybe individuals get nowhere any more, so I'll book with a travel agent in the future

beats booking a direct flight with an airline & being screwed

I don't think booking through a travel agent increases your chance of compensation. (I might be wrong) ...... I don't think you mentioned, but did you have insurance? (or is that none of my business)

 

[tassietiger]

thanks Bolthead- 100% honestly, I had to reject VA on the 7.30pm flight, as there was not the sufficient allowed time between this domestic flight & the arrival of my international flight - allowing for customs, collecting baggage, checking baggage in on domestic flight. i was told "if you take this option & miss the flight, not only will your overnight accomodation be on you, but the flights on the next day be at your expense."

I asked ehihad foe compensation - they said no.

i will keep trying with them - my reward for booking direct with them & nor getting some commission for a travel agent

 

[tassietiger]

yes Bolthead - travel insurance was taken, I'll have to follow that up. etihad - never again

 

[Bolthead]

thanks Bolthead- 100% honestly, I had to reject VA on the 7.30pm flight, as there was not the sufficient allowed time between this domestic flight & the arrival of my international flight - allowing for customs, collecting baggage, checking baggage in on domestic flight. i was told "if you take this option & miss the flight, not only will your overnight accomodation be on you, but the flights on the next day be at your expense."

I asked ehihad foe compensation - they said no.

i will keep trying with them - my reward for booking direct with them & nor getting some commission for a travel agent

Good luck

 

[tassietiger]

bolthead - thank you!

 

[oz_mark]

It may be complicated by the codeshare thing, but ordinarily the carrier that makes the change is the one that has to help you out.

 

[Mwenenzi]

.. etihad - never again

The problem was not of Eitihad doing or responsibility. You just happen to live in Tassie
Same the world over: In economy you pay for accommodation and other costs due to schedule changes (expect its in the fine print). Hoping for the last domestic flight of the day after a long international flight is a risk. Anyway did EY460 land at 18:05 ?

If it was First class tickets they may have paid.

 

[travel]

When my Ethiad flight was delayed 24 hours in Abu Dahbi because of a dust storm thus arriving in Athens a day later than planned I was able to claim the night's accomodation I had prepaid in Athens through my travel insurance. I rang somebody at Ethiad Sydney and they provided me with a letter confirming the delay. No
hassle

 

[tassietiger]

Thank you - I'll contact etihad again (they haven't replied to us on anything - this could be a 1st) and ask them for a letter - brings me to the point - how many years will the travel insurer keep a file open?

When my Ethiad flight was delayed 24 hours in Abu Dahbi because of a dust storm thus arriving in Athens a day later than planned I was able to claim the night's accomodation I had prepaid in Athens through my travel insurance. I rang somebody at Ethiad Sydney and they provided me with a letter confirming the delay. No
hassle

 

[tassietiger]

hi Mwenenzi - sorry to disagree with you - 100% etihad's fault - certainly not mine. In this link I have previously posted the return ticket section, showing this is what etihad allowed. It's not my fault I live in tassie (very fortunate actually) - if etihad didn't want to offer the connection as an option, they didn't have to - but they did, so the money was paid to them - they used a partner for the domestic route - again not my problem - it's theirs. c'mon - they took my money - and didn't deliver. If you try to hide behind a partners fault - it's not good business