Etihad Airways
Reviews and Complaints

Dear retro claims I sent you an email on Sunday 5th march regarding my missing points. I took an Alitalia return flight from London Heathrow to Sicily via Rome. I gave my Etihad membership number to the Alitalia booking dept and it showed on all my boarding passes. I have been back in the uk since Saturday 4th march and see that I have still not been credited with these points. This is very frustrating as I hoped to use them to put towards an upgrade on flights I'm taking with you on either 28th march or 19th April. There are currently award seats available on both flights but I'm not able to book as these missing points have not registered on my account. I'm extremely disappointed that you have not got back to me since you sent an automated email on Sunday. I feel that this is a very poor service. I am a silver member and a frequent customer of Etihad.

Here is my membership number.
[protected]

All the boarding passes for this flight where sent to you in my last email to the retro claims team on Sunday 5th march.

Regards

Richard Hargroves

Sent from my iPad

The flight was in Jan and upon return I realized one of the suitcase was broken.

I lodged a complain on 15th Jan 2017.

Followed up after couple of weeks and upon follow up I received an email to request more information on 31st Jan 2017. I forwarded details the next day.

After waiting for few more weeks, I posted on Complaints Board on 16th Feb 2017 and received a consolation response the next day but since then, no progress.

If this is what Etihad considers customer service, then sorry, this is very poor.

So officially, it's been 7 Weeks but no response.

RQID: 525853

Booking ref: 2se2dc
Airline booking ref: ey/zbneqh
Ticket:607-[protected]

[i sent the below message to [protected]@etihadguest. com on 27 feb, no reply as of now]

I took a flight from brussels to abu dhabi on 25 february on business class (booking class c). I was served by a male flight attendant whose name, I believe, is max (by the way his colleague called him).

Before the departure, he came to ask me which dish I liked to have for the main dish. he told me the pasta dish and the beef dishes were already taken, so I had to choose from fish or lamb. he also asked me when I liked to have the meal as etihad would prepare a meal anytime we like, so I asked him to bring the meal about 2 hours after the departure.

After more than 2 hours from the departure, no sign of dinner, so I asked him to prepare the meal for me. to my surprise, when he came with my meal, he brought the main dish without any starter. I ate my main dish (fish) and when he came to see if I had finished eating, I asked him if I could have some starter dish as I wanted to have more vegetables. he looked very surprised, but agreed to bring a mezze dish. when I finished the mezze, he came to my seat and without asking if I wanted to have a dessert, he cleaned my table and left. I was not even offered a cup of coffee or tea.

Then, when we were approaching abu dhabi, I learned from the announcement that business class passengers had received fast track tickets to go through the passport control. I never received one. when we landed, I asked another male flight attendant if I could have a fast track ticket. he looked very surprised, and asked max where the tickets were and told him that I was missing a ticket. max told his colleague that he would give me the ticket at the exit when I disembark. I looked around and everyone else on the business class had already received their fast track ticket. I was the only one without a ticket.

I fly regularly with mainly star alliance airlines and I have had some experiences on business class with several airlines, but this was by far the worst experience I had - although I was expecting a nice experience after seeing many positive reviews for etihad business class. I still have 3 more flights continuing after this (auh - nrt, nrt - auh, auh - bru) all on business class, and I really hope the experience won't be the same as the one I just had.

I expect I will have a full range of choice for my main course. even if I choose to eat after the regular serving time, I expect to be served a full meal - a proper starter, a main dish and a dessert - unless I ask them not to serve any. I also expect to have full drink menu offered to me - offering a cup of coffee / tea after a meal is something basic, in my opinion. finally, I expect all the service available for a business class customer will be offered equally to me - including fast track ticket - unless the service is excluded for my booking class (e. g. chauffeur service for my fight auh - bru).

I request for a considerable compensation for the service which was way below what you promise on your website for a business class passenger on booking class c - I clearly did not receive the service you promise to offer. I also request none of these unpleasant experience will happen on my coming flights, and expect at least a "normal" business class experience will be offered to me.

I ask for your urgent action on this matter to avoid any future disappointment with etihad.

[i am adding a new complaint as of feb 28]

On 31 january I booked a chauffeur service which is a part of the service provided for my flight from abu dhabi to tokyo narita which leaves on 28 feb - in 21 hours. for my flight on 25 feb, I received the confirmation sms and email for the chauffeur service at least one day before, but I have not received anything for my flight today. I checked online at least 30 hours before the departure, but there was no way I could check the status of a chauffeur service.

I called the customer service about one hour ago from my hotel. to be able to speak to a customer service personnel, it took at least 4 minutes to just go through the recorded menu (which also took me to options which do not connect to a personnel). finally when I reached a person, I asked him to call back my hotel because my hotel was charging me 5 aed / min for the call. he did not agree to call back, instead, insisted I continue to speak to him.

I asked him about the chauffeur service status - and he said he would "email" the chauffeur service. I asked him to request the chauffeur service to give me a call asap at my hotel, and he said he would write this request in the email to the chauffeur service. he also told me I should have used internet site to contact and confirm the chauffeur service - which I tried this afternoon, and nothing worked.

More than 1 hour has passed since then, and I have no confirmation email nor call from the chauffeur service. the total call lasted for 9 minutes and my hotel charged me 45 aed.

I have a confirmation email from etihad to confirm my request for the chauffeur service - which was requested on 31 january. therefore, the request was made properly. however, for some reasons, as of now (21 hours before the flight) , I still don't know when the chauffeur service will pick me up.

I request etihad to take an immediate action as I will need to find a way to go to abu dhabi airport from dubai and if you are not sending the chauffeur service, I will have to find an alternative quickly. again, I am very disappointed after a terrible flight experience. I totally regret booking etihad for my business trip - which is already stressful enough and I don't need additional stress like this.

Please email me back or call me at my hotel in the morning of 28 feb for the chauffeur service confirmation. I also request for 45 aed to be paid by etihad as this was the cost which does not need to be spent at my side as I have booked the chauffeur service properly online (i can provide the email if you need a proof).

I really hope you will improve your service significantly. I did not pay a high price to get such a terrible service.

Dear Sir/Madam,
I was flying from Abu Dhabi to London on 26 Feb 2017. I checked in online and chose the aisle seat in the exit row. Shortly after settling, the stewardess asked the couple sitting on the exit seats to move to different ones at the end of the plane, and asked me to change my seat and move to the one beside the exit door because the couple sitting there paid for the exit seats (which were wrongly allocated to the other couple) but were senile and did not know how to operate the exit door. I chose my seat to be the one I initially selected. It was VERY cold where I was sitting and I hardly managed to sleep with two blankets during the 8 hours flight.

I do not find this professional. If there is a mistake by the airline's staff and the seats paid for have been allocated to someone else, a different action should be taken. It is not professional asking someone who has previously checked-in online to change his/her seat because of the mistake on behalf of airline's staff.

I have to highlight that I was not asked WHETHER i was willing to change my seat. Rather requested to do so, i.e. no other choice.

Regards,
Sara

Hi,

This is Swati Karande. I have forgot my wrist watch during the process of security checking while coming from Abu Dhabi to Mumbai on 19th Feb 2017.

Flight Details :

Flight No - EY212
Time - 01:55
Gate/Terminal - GATE-3
Confirmation Number - PACDBU

Watch Details :
E-Spirit, Rose gold color.

Could you please check and revert me for the same?
Please let me know if you need more information.

Thanks,
Swati

I booked a flight on Etihad and tried to cancel within 24 hours. I was informed that no refund was possible as I had booked a non refundable flight.
I was not informed that I could have put a 24 hour hold on the flight but I assumed that I would get a full refund if I cancelled within 24 hours.
This, I am told is not the case with Etihad however most airlines will indeed refund if cancelled in 24 hours. In the USA this is always available even though my ticket was issued from the USA.
BE WARNED

Flight EY264 on 7th February from Bahrain to Abu Dhabi then connecting flight to Sri Lanka.

we were LIED to at Bahrain airport by Etihad staff member and told the system was down so he could not provide us with boarding cards for the second leg of our journey. How incredibly unprofessional not to be given pertinent information so we could have made an informed choice on our altered travel plans and merely stayed in Bahrain and took a later flight rather than being inconvenienced at Abu Dhabi and put in a hotel with no baggage.

On emailing customer service it was explained that etihad have a regular policy of reselling seats. So our seats were sold TWICE and we had to wait 7.5 hours before flying on later flight EY266. I really do not understand the below explanation from customer services:

'On most major airlines, a proportion of passengers book seats on flights and thendo not present themselves for the flight and do not telephone to cancel theseunwanted seats. In order to minimise the effect of thesepassengers, and to enable their seats to be used by passengers who would otherwisenot be able to travel on their chosen flight, airlines may overbook flights.

Whilstwe make every effort to provide seats for those guests who have confirmedreservations, seat availability is not guaranteed.'

But etihad - we had to prepay for our seats so above reads as nonsense. If the seat is paid for then etihad do not 'lose' out as the seat HAS BEEN PAID FOR!... and a reservation is VERY different to a BOOKED AND PAID FOR seat.

To add insult to injury we were not placed together on the flight to Colombo. We were offered an alternative flight via Singapore (not even a consideration) but not a direct flight with another carrier. The customer service representative was completely devoid of any sympathy and was certainly not of sufficient caliber to work on or even under a help desk in ANY capacity. The initial complaint email I sent was responded to and pertinent information was incorrect. (Flight destination and my title) plus condescending in tone.

We have been offered a token $200 compensation to be used for another flight OR excess baggage. Requested an upgrade on return flight and was told not Etihad policy. Still waiting for response from last email written On 12th feb (6 days before flight home) so NO chance of using said 'compensation' for excess baggage on that particular flight. I would also like a refund of first nights accommodation which we did not utilise.

To add insult to injury we had the worst seats on return journey... 8 seats that don't recline on the whole of the plane and Etihad placed us in 3 of them... and once again we weren't seated as a family.

EY265 -17th Feb
Reservation - ptr xbu
Nicholas Page
Michelle Page
Sylvia Smith

Worst experience. Ever.
So disappointed. I would also like your instruction on claiming for lost hotel accommodation.

Get Outlook for iOS

Hi,

First time I am using etihad airline and it's my worst experience is going on. Our flight is delay approx 30min (10:50pm 16th Feb 17schedule) Riyadh to Abu Dhabi. In Abu Dhabi we reached before 40min of connecting flight but (schedule connecting time is 1hour 10min). Ground staff refused to boarding that flight and mentioned this flight is not possible and you need to take next flight after 12hour. They give me lounge access for only 5hours and that lounge haven't sleeping facilities, after 5hours once again we go and meet with customers service they give me sleeping pods access. There we can sleep but they not provide blanket, pillows and none of food item.
My question is very simple why etihad team not allowed to boarding schedule flight. If it is not possible than why they not provide hotel with complete facilities.

As per my information etihad customers complain never take any action. But I would like to share you own worst experience and I promised you in future I will not travel again and never suggest anyone.

My name is gyan prakash
Booking Code: PVBKIQ
Email id :[protected]@gmail.com

On an Etihad flight, one of my suitcase was broken.

I lodged a complain and its been more than a month but there is no response. The only email I have received is to provide further details and that too after escalating the ticket using there phone line.

This has been one of the worst flying experience and customer service. Interestingly, Etihad doesn't have any phone number for their customer service department, the only way is email and no guarantee of response.

RQID:525853

I flew from Manchester - Abu Dhabi and then Abu Dhabi to Sydney on flights EY016 and EY454 on Monday 13th February - Tuesday 14th February and, after months of looking forward to my trip to Australia, was extremely disappointed with the flight - which completely ruined the start of my holiday.

I suffer with anxiety, and being a solo traveler, was already nervous about such a long flight. Towards the end of the flight, I spoke to a member of cabin crew to advise them that I was not feeling very well, sick, dizzy and very panicky - to be greeted with a look of disgust, made feel like I was an inconvenience, and treated like I was just in their way. I was made to stand in the galley and given a glass of water, and them promptly ignored by every single member of cabin crew that passed by. In fact, I was repeatedly asked to move out of their way. Not once did I see a member of the crew smile. This, in turn, made me feel even more anxious so I returned to my seat to see if I could at least try to feel better. I was ignored, made to feel stupid, and felt so unwell arriving in Sydney. All I needed was to be reassured, perhaps offered somewhere quiet to breathe, and to know that somebody was there if I needed help.

Moreover, any request for a drink on board was met with an attitude, and the direction to serve myself from a bottle of water sat on the galley, to which I had to find my own plastic cup as there were none available.

The crew seemed stressed, agitated, pissed off and I felt as though my anxiety was just an inconvenience to them. I would never have asked for help unless I was feeling VERY unwell, as I can mostly manage this myself - but to be dealt with in the way I was made me feel belittled and angry.

I am now VERY anxious and worried about my return flight on the 13th March, as a very nervous solo traveler - the experience I have had on my outbound flight has filled me with dread for what I may need to endure on my home.

I would like this complaint to be taken seriously and would expect a very prompt reply as to how Etihad will make sure that my mental health and comfort is supported on my return flight. I find it very difficult to understand how your airline has received a 5* rating for customer service - it was 2* at best. I couldn't even get so much as a smile from any of your staff.

I was travelling on 10 feb from delhi to dubai (pnr :eykdqs)
There were no blankets provided in economy class so I asked the crew for the blanket (15 times atleast). your arrogant staff provided the blanket only when half an hour was left for landing. if its a 5 star service may I know why the blankets were not provided earlier only
Then I boarded the etihad plane for frankfurt. while serving snacks they simply told that they donot have vegetarian option. then came breakfast. they gave us prior saying the veg will finish soon. I was happy but soon it faded away as the food was stale. it was smelling. moreover in the menu there was vanilla bread but they gave us something else.

I wonder how you guys got a 5 star rating with such arrogant staff and bad food service.
Shame on you guys

Hi,
I travelled with Etihad with my wife and kid on 23-December from Dublin to New Delhi. I have a guest account ([protected]), my wife's ([protected]). I did web-checkin before travel and provided these guest numbers while check in. Still miles have not been credited to my account.

Also post travel, I waited for few weeks then wrote to Retro miles email ID - [protected]@etihadguest.com and also to [protected]@etihadguest.com for claiming the missing miles and sent multiple follow up emails.

There is hardly 1-2 responses yet to the emails which says - its under processing. There is no good response and resolution of the matter.

Also your online miles claiming portal doesn't work anytime. I had complaint about it 1 year back and they told, it will be corrected soon which has not yet done.

I hope my missing miles will be credited soon.

BR// Hemant

My luggage was lost by etihad six months ago. I have dozens of emails documenting the incompetence of baggage claims staff, namely igor sopanja ever since.

I have been emailed with igor sopanja from baggage department in abu dhabi for 6 months. I have lodged my case on the etihad website and emailed all necessary documents to igor sopanja from the baggage department three times.
Igor sopanja is completely incompetent. For example he insisted my luggage had been delivered to an address I had no association with four days before I even departed. He then copy pasted an excerpt from international laws and regulations saying -
Persuant to transport regulations the final carrier airline is responsible for the damaged or lost luggage.
He tried to tell me turkish airlines was responsible while my boarding pass clearly says etihad. I transferred from turkish airlines to etihad in istanbul so the luggage tag is a turkish airlines number but the final carrier is etihad.
This battle has been going on for six months.
I have called the abu dhabi office four times to speak igor sopanja in person but I can never get through to him. The phone line cuts or he is unable to take the call.
I have called the sydney offices but no one will connect me to senior management as per my request.

I had travelled to Trivandrum from Zurich on 16 December ref
EY/ETKT [protected], I arrived at trivandrum and one baggage is missing which is still not recovered. The staff has written PIR and given interim amount ans said they will deliver the item next day. I would like to reclaim the cost as well as difficulties caused.

On the return back the JET airways connection to Abu Dhabi from Trivandrum would not check in my baggage saying it is overweight. I agreed to pay the fine which they accepted and checked in only till Mumbai. I had to collect the baggage and check in again at Mumbai. This is too much of inconvienience considering the fine I payed was almost equal to a ne time fine for over weight from Trivandrum to Zurich.

Respected Sir, Madam
I submit the follwing few lines for your kind consideration and necessary action please.
On 29 jan 2017 I had checked in online and presented at airport Chennai well in advance .
After checking the weight of my hand luggage and my dropin baggages he was issuing all of sudden one person belonging to your company stoped him and told me that I can not board the aircraft. After a big altercation he said he is the manager of the company and started behaving rudly saying that I am drunk. For your kind information that I was on my foot without any help. ofcourse I had taken few pegs of brandy with my Indian friends. He asked one of my friend WHO HAD ALREADY CHECKED-IN and was in possesstion of his boarding pass, to re-weigh his hand baggage. After a tug of war between him and this so called Manager of your company they issued me boarding pass. He and two of his collegues were following us. During security check he spoke with the CISF personnel to block me at the entry, which they refused.
After that I proceeded to boarding area and there was more than 70 minutes, I went to the smoking room to smoke his collegue came to me and said his manager is calling me for which I replied to leave me peacefully.
He requested me that his manager will scold him and so I quited smoking qnd proceeded for boarding.
After boarding, I was proceeding to my prescribed seat, one of the techinicien came to me and asked for boarding pass. I told him that I know where is my seat and went to my seat. Then this so called manager was instructing to air crew something which I least bothered. He called my friend and told him that due to him he has allowed me to travel.
You can verify with the aircrew of EY269 & EY37 OF 29 Jan 2017 if I or my friend misbehaved with them or disturbed them.
How these type of men you can put as manager who is behind harassement of foreigners/ passangers for the motive of MONEY.
I humbly request you to investigate this matter and please inform me through email please. ([protected]@yahoo.com)
My ticket details is Y89YFC.

In December, we were planning to visit India to meet family and friends. Having heard good things about Etihad, we decided to book tickets with a stopover in Abu Dhabi & Dubai on return. The flight to India was good (except food) without any drama.

While returning to Melbourne with family, we started our journey on 8 Jan 2017 from Jaipur airport by Etihad flight EY 207. At Jaipur airport, the check-in staff allowed us to check-in all 6 baggage without any issue.

As planned, we had a great time in AbuDhabi & Dubai for 5 days. At the end of it, we arrived at the Abu Dhabi airport with all the baggage to check-in for our next flight EY486 to Melbourne via Perth. The staff at the airport refused to check-in and demanded we pay for the access luggage referring to the tickets that allowed 4 baggage. The staff even threatened to call police if I didn't pay. In the middle of my journey, traveling with young family, I was left with no other option but to pay to safely leave UAE. It literally felt like extortion. It seems, the staff at Abu Dhabi airport didn't hold any respect for passengers. When I requested for some help, the person said, why should I let go the revenue. I think what they didn't understand is the importance of repeat business.

The experience was traumatic and unprofessional. Had that been pointed out at Jaipur airport where we begin our return journey, we would have made alternative arrangements but at Abu Dhabi airport, we were left with no option. We wish we had left UAE with good memories.

I sincerely request a full refund. Thank you for your consideration.

RQID:521188

Hi!
Just like to complaint and inform you about my Worst horrible Experience ever with your Staff in your Etihad Airways Counter in Abu dhabi Mall.

As i always wanted to have a very convenient flight going back home, I always choose Etihad Airways compare to other leading Airlines.

I just got home from the mall and purchased the ticket today, Feb. 1, 2017 at around 7 o'clock in the evening.

Have a discussion with your Staff named "Waqas/Waqar" about the flight that I wanted to purchase. He is about to arrange the details in your system. But I remember that I just renewed my Passport and will gonna have it soon before my flight. I am just asking and explaining to the Staff about the correction of my name to avoid problems during my flight. And He started to speak loudly and rudely that seems like "I owe him a lot so I should keep listen and follow Him for whatever He's saying". I keep informing Him about my concern so I can avoid the problem incase.

He still sounds very rudely and Impolite... So I told him to "SHUT UP!" And just do his job, because He is already arrogant and doesn't like to accept my explanation about my Passport. So He stand up and shouted at me infront of my friend and other Indian customers ( at my back ) while slightly pointing me at my face and keeps telling me that He will not book my ticket instead, HE WILL BLOCK ME in Etihad Airways and I should also "SHUT MY BLOODY MOUTH"...

He keeps on yelling at me, moved my bag from the counter and FORCE ME TO LEAVE! I took his photo and told Him that I will complaint Him. He told me that I cannot do anything about it because He is in the Service for more than a decade. So I told him that He should not be acting like that because He is working in a Customer Service and very prominent Airline so He should be polite. We keep on yelling to each other and Im about to call a Police because of His behaviour. He talked to the Indians at my back and said that He has witnessed, I told Him that I have my friend as a witness too who saw and hears everything. He took the copy of my passport and make a copy and returned the copy to me and still told me that He will block me and cannot fly from Etihad anymore..

He started to calm down because I noticed that He saw Locals beside me. So i started to calm down too and asked Him what now...? So, He took the copy of my passport again and started to asked me my details again in a very low tone of voice and finished the transaction.

I know my right as a Customer, I also tried to control my temper from the beginning where He acted and sounds so rudely. This is the first and worst experience that I encountered with your Staff. I FEEL SO BAD, DISAPPOINTED THREATHENED and VERY DISRESPECTFUL.

Hope to hear a DA/ Displinary Action from your side.
Thank you!

-Francine Ubaldo
[protected]@yahoo.com

I have already complained directly to Etihad but since the initial acknowledgement over a week ago, I've heard nothing, even after sending a follow up email 5 days later to see if they had completed their 'investigation'! I find this shocking in this day and age. No company can survive with this significant lack of customer service. I forgot to mention in my original email how awful the food was, I've not eaten worse food on a flight, it was appalling - again a complete contrast to the food on the flight from London to Abu Dhabi, seemed like two airlines. This is my original email to Etihad ... This refers to the second flight from Abu Dhabi to Melbourne. I brought to the flight attendants attention that there was a piece of plastic in the berry compote that came with the vanilla bread breakfast meal! The attendant apologised but that was the end of it and I really feel it should have been handled with more seriousnes. This is a significant safety concern! Secondly, the tray tables weren't fit for purpose and my husband spilled a little hot tea on his lap as his tray slid towards his lap - the tables are the split ones that fold on themselves and the middle hinge was no longer keeping the tray in a level position and we both were unable to keep the trays from sliding into our laps without pushing our pillows underneath, again another safety concerned. We haven't flown Etihad to date but were excited to as we'd heard good things and were absolutely delighted with the first flight from London to Abu Dhabi where it was clear why you're a premium airline but the second flight was very sub par, the aircraft was old and needed fixing - the trays, the entertainment screen (several options worked intermittently) and the flight attendants weren't near the standard of the first flight. It was a shame really and we are definitely disappointed in the lack of consistency. My husband had tweeted back and forth with Etihad after the first flight and it was full of compliments and praise as we were very pleased. It's my 50th birthday trip and our first trip to Australia but one of many we hope to take. We have very much been looking forward to this for months now and we are sad that one part of the trip will stand out as very disappointing and it's this flight. We are just hoping that the other three flights we are booked on won't have the same safety hazards! I look forward to your prompt response.

I flew back yesterday 27th jan. From abu dhabi flight number ey11 my seat number was 14f. Business class.
I asked for my breakfast to be served at 5 am the steward woke me at 5am abu dhabi time what I wanted was 5 am uk time. He had already started my breakfast I asked if he could make it 5am uk time to which he replied no problem. I had the brioche with scrambled egg and smoked salmon.
When I arrived home I decided to have a sleep at 1 pm for three hours upon awaking I had terrible diarrhoea and sickness which lasted up to 11 o'clock at night. The breakfast was the last thing I ate I am wondering seeing that he started to heat it at 5am abu dhabi time whether in fact he reheated it when I eventually had it. I was very ill and indeed this morning feel very weak.
Your sincerely
Pauline barrow

Dear sir,

Subject: claim for missing baggage, visa fees, inconvenience & trauma casued to us on etihad airways.
Reference: pnr numbers: jzfboi ; mlyjic.

I with my family flew on your flight number ey97 on 09-january-2017 from abu dhabi to ataturk, turkey. We were 7 passengers including 3 adult and 4 children between the ages of 2 years to 10 years. Detail of the passengers is given at the bottom of this letter.

All was going fine till the time we flew from abu dhabi, but when the time reached close to landing time at ataturk-turkey airport, the flight kept hovering in the air for a very long time and later we were taken to another airport named burgas for re-fuelling as the flight was getting low on fuel. After waiting in flight again for a very long time at burgas airport the flight took off for turkey. To our surprise and dismay there was an in-flight announcement that the flight destination was changed to ankara airport instead of ataturk airport in istanbul, turkey.

We were told to disembark the flight at ankara airport and no one was ready to answer us. All we were told was that the flight cannot go to ataturk, istanbul as there is a lot of traffic and they are not getting permission to land there, so everyone should get down here only. There was no one at the airport to guide us or take care of us from the airline. We tried asking the immigration and other officers for some help and assistance so that we could find out what to do next, but most of them could not understand english, and those few officers who could understand english told us that they also do not know why we were brought here. All our efforts to find an airline representative were in vein. No one was there for almost 2 hours after landing. We were told to take our baggage from the carousel and were told to go out from the airport and look for etihad airline city office the next day as it was almost 6pm and everywhere was closing down. After 2 hours we saw an airline staff coming in, and we went to him to know what was happening, why we were here instead of istanbul and what next as we were to fly to lagos from ataturk, istanbul and we did not know what would happen next as our flight time from istanbul to lagos had already passed. Eventually we missed our connecting flight from ataturk, istanbul to lagos scheduled for 09-january-2017 and had to stay in istanbul for the next 2 days from 10-january-2017 to 11-january-2017.

Your airline staff told us to take a visa and go out in the hotel being provided to us by the airline. We were surprised and amused to this statement of the airline staff. Was it us who told them to take us to ankara instead of ataturk, istanbul that they were asking us to get visa. We told him that it is airline’s responsibility to provide the visa, hotel and food if we have been disembarked at another location instead of our destination we were booked on. But all this was of no use, as they said that we should find our way to get visa, it is only hotel that they can provide.
• unwillingly we had to take visa on arrival at ankara airport which cost each of us u. S. $200, making it a total of u. S. $732 (U. S. Dollar seven hundred and thirty two only). We were forced to buy that visa over the counter so that we could go to hotel and spend our night along with children until an arrangement is made the next day to take us from ankara to ataturk airport. We were at the airport for good 8 hours before we could finally get on to the bus which would take us to the hotel from airport.
• also for the baggage there was a lot of problem. 04 of our baggage and 01 child stroller did not come. No one was ready to take our complaint for the missing baggage. Four of our baggage and one stroller went missing and we were just wondering what to do as no one took our complaint over there. We had so many of our personal belongings and valuable items in those luggage which went missing. And the stroller which was lost by the airline also did a great blow in causing more trauma to us as the two year child was so traumatised due to this long unwanted stay at the airport with no stroller in hand with us, and we had to carry him all along in lap for good 8 hours, making the mother’s hand so uncomfortable for the next 10 days.
• we were taken to ataturk, istanbul on 10-january-2017. Our connecting flight scheduled on 09-january-2017 from istanbul to lagos had missed and there was no connection flight available on 10th january 2017 when we reached there. After a lot of pleading and efforts we were able to get a connecting flight from istanbul to lagos for 11-january-2017. Since we had missed our flight and the next flight was the next day so we had to stay at a hotel in istanbul on the 10th january-2017 which also made a hole in our pocket to the tune of us$220, apart from the food and taxi.
• also we want you to take a look at the situation we were in at ankara airport where our children were just lying on the floor like refugees on the airport’s cold floor at ankara with temperatures running in minus, with confusion all around just to know what next is going to happen as no one was available to give us that information, neither from the airline nor from the ankara airport officials. We were just looking like refugees who did not had any food on them, no place with them to stay on to, no one to guide us on the next move, the children all cranky due to sleep, tiredness, hunger, frustration, the 2 year child crying for milk now and then but we are unable to give him milk as there is no warm water and no facility to boil bottles, in short totally confused, frustrated and traumatised. This was not what was expected when we started our journey. This is not what is expected of a reputed airline as yours. We agree that there was a situation on hand at that time and that’s why we were taken to another airport instead of the destined airport, but then there are some protocols, and responsibility of the carrier towards its passengers for their safety and comfort which we could not see at all, it went missing totally. The trauma we went through at that time is beyond expression in words. I cannot find words to express them, it can only be experienced, and I pray that no one should experience it.
With this traumatic experience of ours with your airline and the mental trauma & financial losses suffered by us we demand for compensation of u. S. $56, 622 (U. S. Dollar fifty six thousand six hundred and twenty-two only) from your airline against our financial losses and for the inconvenience and trauma caused to us. The detail of the claim is as below (All in u. S. Dollars) :
1. Turkey visa fee - $732
2. Four baggage missing - $5, 000
3. One stroller missing - $450
4. Istanbul hotel accommodation - $220
5. Istanbul airport to hotel to airport taxi – $430
6. Istanbul - food expenses– $790
7. Compensation for inconvenience and traumatisation we suffered due to not meeting up / fulfilling your responsibilities - $49, 000
Please find attached photocopy of the following documents and receipts for your reference:
1. Seven (07) boarding passes.
2. Five (05) baggage tags including baby stroller, which were missing hence remained with us.
3. Seven (07) visa purchase receipts.
4. Hotel payment receipt at istanbul.
Detail of the passengers as mentioned at the beginning of this letter is as below:
1. Mr. Vineet malpani – pnr no. Jzfboi
2. Mrs. Nidhi mohta – pnr no. Jzfboi
3. Mrs. Suruchi malpani – pnr no. Mlyjic
4. Master trinabh malpani – pnr no. Mlyjic
5. Miss anika malpani – pnr no. Mlyjic
6. Miss radhika mohta – pnr no. Mlyjic
7. Master raghav kumar mohta – pnr no. Mlyjic

We hope that you will look into the matter and resolve the matter on a priority basis.
Your’s truly,
Vineet malpani