Etihad - Reviews and experiences

keep pushing and keep your records. They'll respond eventually, just be patient.

some crew were fine, others seemed rushed. The real disappointment was after: customer support felt completely outsourced and not interested, lots of scripted answers and long waits. On the bright side the flight itself landed on time and booking was easy, so it’s not a total loss. Still, they didn’t really deliver what was promised.

I wouldn’t trust them with a straightforward refund or a compensation claim. I’ve been chasing a tax refund related to a flight for about three years now and it’s still unresolved — the case was apparently closed and the money never showed up. On top of that, I can’t submit the delay-compensation form online because it errors out every time. I’ve sent multiple emails (five, at least) and asked for help via their support address but got no useful replies. It’s frustrating because I had a smooth experience getting compensation from another carrier in a month, so I know it can be done. Also, I got sick from the in-flight meal on two legs of the trip, which didn’t help. They keep saying my bank info is wrong — it isn’t — so it feels like I’m being stonewalled. My advice to others: document everything, try alternate contact methods early, and be ready to escalate legally if needed. I’d like them to be more responsive and clear; that would change everything.

Funny thing — I booked what I thought would be a simple trip, and it turned into this slow-motion mess. The delivery updates were vague (if even there), and trying to get a human who could actually help before the flight was exhausting. I tried the chatbot, live chat, social posts — all polite dead ends. Phone calls promised a supervisor callback in 24 hours; nine days later, after three more calls, a supervisor did call and basically said they couldn't help or point me to anyone who could. There was no way to file a formal complaint before travel — only a bland 'feedback' option after the fact — which felt useless when I needed an answer now. Compared to other carriers I've dealt with, the lack of clear policy or even a T&C reference was surprising. They kept saying it's "policy" but never showed it. I get companies have rules, but the runaround and radio silence on delivery and customer service was frustrating. Not hostile, just disappointed — and I won't be rushing back.

I almost didn’t book the flight because I was nervous about taking my cat along. A friend in Toronto had told me Etihad was usually okay with pets, and their written note confirming my cat on specific flights convinced me — that’s why I paid. After that, though, things got messy. Etihad Pet Services kept sending vague, copy-paste replies. Every message said they’d look into it, and then nothing concrete came back. I kept asking who would pay any fees, and what would happen if the cat was refused at the airport. Crickets, or contradictory answers depending who answered. It left me and my partner scrambling and stressed, and honestly upset that our travel plans were hostage to their paperwork. I did appreciate that the initial confirmation existed — that’s why I risked booking — but the follow-up was a joke. If you’re thinking of doing this, be prepared to chase them, keep screenshots, and don’t expect clear timelines. I still hope it’ll be smoother next time, but for now my confidence is low. Small thumbs up for having any written confirmation at all, but the customer side needs serious work.

I gotta tell you about this airline I flew with for my solo trip to Thailand over Christmas. So, the flight centre suggested them and I thought, hey, they must know what they're talking about, right? But man, the online check-in was a disaster! It said I needed a visa when I didn't, and I almost lost it. I had to make countless phone calls just to get through check-in at Heathrow and Abu Dhabi.

The whole thing was a mess, let me tell you. It totally ruined the end of my holiday. And get this - on the way back, they put me on standby without even telling me why or if I'd get a seat! The lack of communication and all these booking mistakes just added to my stress.

To top it off, it took them four months to respond to my email - and it was just a generic apology! That's just terrible customer service. I'll never forget this awful experience.