Etihad Airways Etihad Guest - Bad reports Etihad First Class check in?

I am a newbie to flyertalk, but I have a huge worry. I have booked a F class return ticket SYD-LHR with Etihad for mid March this year. I have flown with them before, and whilst they do not offer the best F class experience, the ticket price v price for other carriers makes it a sensible option for me.

Now to get to my concern. I have read in the last two weeks on another 'forum dedicated to flyer opinions' that F class Etihad passengers have been 'quizzed on their First Class status - and the ticket has been tried to be downgraded by the check in staff at the airport - both in Sydney and the lounge in ADH.

I do not need this hassle! My ticket is fully paid up, not using any FF miles this time. (Last year I managed to get a completely free return flight with Virgin Atlantic SYD-LHR return in upper class using miles) so I just want your collective thoughts on this one.

v many thanks

did you buy a mistake fare?

No, a totally letgitimate fare, at many $'s, through a very legit travel agent, that always gets me as good as or even better fares than internet prices - have not let me down this past 15 plus yrs.

Then I've got no idea what your "huge worry" is about. To even have the slightest concern that Etihad will "downgrade" your paid 1st class ticket is absurd.

Who exactly is spreading this type of nonsense and at which "other website"?

Booked a AUH-SYD trip using miles in F, was never quizzed or asked how/why. Quite the opposite, I was well treated both at BEY (where I had my bp issued despite the check in counters were already closed) and at AUH (where I was escorted with a genuine smile into the F lounge).

You have nothing to fear. My family and I fly BA, QF and EY F out of SYD. Apart from missing out on the QF host and seating area the EY check in swift. When there was another pax checking in, I was immediately served by the J class check in.

You will not be downgraded, I actually don't believe the report tht you refer to. The pax who said 45mins to check in at SYD sounds absurd.

EY will treat you as a F pax accordingly at all ports. The EY F lounge is stunning, and the food impeccable.

Relax and get excited! The suites beat QF/BA F hands down. Just don't expect the exemplary service.

Thank you all for your replies and reassurance. I suspected that the trip reports I had read might have been 'invented or massivly exaggerated'. I am happy to name the particular web site - if I am allowed to do so. I refrained initially as I am new here, and did not want to break any rules - not a good way to start in any forum.

I know the website you're referring to. Trust in FT, and the elite frequent flyers here than other websites.

Flying F is ALWAYS a special experience. Don't let that excitement be taken from you!

EY has some great touches, but I don't want to spoil the experience for you :)

Thanks m0hamed! I will enjoy my trip. Have flown EH F before, but not in suites. Last time the only really bad moment was the UK chauffer return to LHR, who was so 'fat', that he had to undo and unzip his trousers before he sat behind the wheel. Luckily my husband was with me, he said a few sharp words to him once we arrived, and we reported it to the hostess of the EH lounge, who apologised profusely, and did take immediate action - we saw her making a phone call - and she returned to apologise again and tell us that she had reported the matter. Part of Life's Rich Experience.

I'd be worried. Sydney Etihad staff are some of the most unprofessional people around. I've made many complaints regarding how incompetent they are in terms of serving first class customers. I also have had really bad experiences in JFK where they made me wait in a line for an hour while they set-up check-in which they started an hour late (you are supposed to check in 4 hours before the flight, it took them nearly an hour to set up the poles that corral people into queues). Later, after waiting in this line standing for an hour, other first class passengers, who arrived much later than I did, were served before me and it took me nearly an hour to check-in. I complained to the check-in agent and he was very apologetic, and noted my Gold Elite status (unlike Sydney staff), but got no voucher to their pathetic contracted lounge "The Lounge" and when I finally arrived at the lounge after a very long week of intense work they quizzed me for about 20 minutes why I didn't have a voucher to enter the lounge (even though my ticket was first class) and when they tried to call the check-in area to see what the story was all the phones weren't answering. Etihad ground staff are appalling except maybe in AUH and LHR. I believe every word those other reviewers say on those other websites.

I've flown many first class segments on many airlines and Etihad is probably one of the worst in terms of treating you like a first class customer. I pay for all my first class tickets, and they are never upgrades, or incorrect fares.

As for the inflight experience if the first class cabin is full, don't expect great service. They simply don't emply enough staff in the first class section to actually proactively treat you like other airline's first class. If you are travelling in a fairly empty cabin service is excellent, but they are still very reactive and the onboard chef concept imho is really quite a failure.


The reason I still fly with them? Their hard product is one of the best at the moment, I have status with them and tons of miles, I like AUH airport to transit out of, and when they do offer good service it is great. Its just such a shame they really are let down especially with their ground operations outside of their main hub of AUH. They simply are saving money and contracting out ground staff at those peripheral airports instead of having actual Etihad employees.

(you are supposed to check in 4 hours before the flight.

Sorry to hear about your bad experiences. I don't understand one thing. You're an experienced (Gold Elite) traveler, flying in F. Did you really think you need to check in 4 hours in advance, especially for somebody flying F?

I wouldn't expect EY to open up their counter 4 hours early.

As a FC pax, I'd show up no more than 1.5 hours before the flight. As you quickly summized, The Lounge is an OK lounge, but is not worth spending any more time in than you have to...

At SYD almost all airlines except QF contract ground staff. The counter to the left of the First class check in desk has at least 2, if not 3 EY ground staff, including their airport manager. To be frank, I don't understand why you wouldn't approach these staff members, noticeable by their EY uniforms if you were treated so poorly?

Why on Earth would you check in 4 hours early? Especially in a port without a decent lounge?

At SYD almost all airlines except QF contract ground staff. The counter to the left of the First class check in desk has at least 2, if not 3 EY ground staff, including their airport manager. To be frank, I don't understand why you wouldn't approach these staff members, noticeable by their EY uniforms if you were treated so poorly?

Why on Earth would you check in 4 hours early? Especially in a port without a decent lounge?

I had to connect from MSP-JFK on a separate ticket, as Etihad's booking system won't allow me to fly first class AUH-MSP, it makes me route through ORD which is just business class. As it was winter I usually allow 4 hours in-between connections especially as they weren't on the same ticket. I normally would never check-in that early, but they should accommodate passengers who have those kind of connection times instead of putting up check-in 3 hours before.

In terms of the Sydney check-in I've flown from SYD so many times on Etihad, and there are always different female attendants. Usually there is one person greeting people, but they don't do anything other than that. The other first class ticketing agent was taking 20 minutes trying to sort out some business class passenger who wanted to upgrade to first class, and another economy passenger was trying to pay for an upgrade to business at the ticketing counter. I've had consistently poor service on the ground by Etihad except in AUH and LHR.

And don't get me started on their phone customer service. I cringe when I have to call them.

The Lounge in JFK is hideous for first class customers, and when I tried to access before the check-in areas opened at the Etihad ticketing counter I was told I couldn't have access.

I'm sorry but I'm being honest here, and Etihad's ground staff are unusually bad, and I've been travelling with many airlines in first class for about 15 years now.