Etihad Airways Etihad Guest - Not impressed, EY ...

... so I voluntarily downgrade a regional commuter flight from D to Y, catching an earlier plane. Arriving at AUH, I approach the limo desk and ask for my free limo to Dubai. I am informed that I am not eligible since I voluntarily downgraded from D to Y, it would have been a different story with an involuntary downgrade. "It is in the policies, sir!"

What rubbish is this? I paid an eligible fare, and Etihad screws me out of my free limo! If you cook up rules, make sure that they make intuitive sense. I fully understand if I am not entitled to a limo in case of an operational upgrade to C (well, I only paid economy in that case). But, symmetrically, I would always expect the limo to be delivered in case of a downgrade, for whatever reason. My fare includes it, and me surrendering a business class seat does not mean I surrender my limo!

Change your policies quickly, EY, this does not make any sense. I will obviously get my money back, one way or the other.

But this is the UAE. You surely do not expect logic, common sense, or intuitive customer service, do you? Sorry, but this is typical of the "but it's in the rules, sir..." mentality around here :D You have my sympathies though...clearly very silly of EY.

But this is the UAE. You surely do not expect logic, common sense, or intuitive customer service, do you? Sorry, but this is typical of the "but it's in the rules, sir..." mentality around here :D You have my sympathies though...clearly very silly of EY.

:-)

I think you very precisely pointed out the biggest challenge EY have for customer service...

common sense is at a premium here....it must be the oxygen:p

True. I will let you know what my complaint results in. For a compliment that I recently submitted I received a very quick reply. Let us see.

... so I voluntarily downgrade a regional commuter flight from D to Y, catching an earlier plane. Arriving at AUH, I approach the limo desk and ask for my free limo to Dubai. I am informed that I am not eligible since I voluntarily downgraded from D to Y, it would have been a different story with an involuntary downgrade. "It is in the policies, sir!"


I think that it is quite clear. If you voluntarily downgrade i.e. from first to business, you cannot expect to F amenities.

True. I will let you know what my complaint results in. For a compliment that I recently submitted I received a very quick reply. Let us see.

PM me if you dont get a quick reply. Ive got a very good contact in the UK Customer Service office.

I think that it is quite clear. If you voluntarily downgrade i.e. from first to business, you cannot expect to F amenities.

If the downgrade was merely to get a seat, and there was no fare refund, why should all the remaining F amenities other than the seat not remain in place?

If, say, I have a first class train ticket and decide for whatever reason to sit in second class with it, I still have a first class ticket that I could e.g. use a first class lounge with, I've just sat somewhere else.

Neil

If the downgrade was merely to get a seat, and there was no fare refund, why should all the remaining F amenities other than the seat not remain in place?

If, say, I have a first class train ticket and decide for whatever reason to sit in second class with it, I still have a first class ticket that I could e.g. use a first class lounge with, I've just sat somewhere else.

Neil

Exactly!

If the downgrade was merely to get a seat, and there was no fare refund, why should all the remaining F amenities other than the seat not remain in place?



With the airlines you can often have lower traveled class than the fare base allows.

OP should have find switched to another flight that would have had ticketed fare class available to ensure that he would gets the benefits associated with it.

With the airlines you can often have lower traveled class than the fare base allows.

OP should have find switched to another flight that would have had ticketed fare class available to ensure that he would gets the benefits associated with it.

The OP held a business class ticket. He did not go to the counter and say "Can you please refund my business ticket along with all the amenities that go with it and issue me an economy ticket." The OP simply sat in a Y seat with a business class ticket. EY is totally lame not to honor the other benefits associated with the fare paid.

I think it is rediculous.
but thats ME airlines for you
thankyou for pointing this out so another member who voluntarily downgrades knows the consequences.

And here an excerpt from the answer from Etihad:

Etihad provides complimentary chauffeur service to all eligible Diamond First and Pearl Business class Guests.

Therefore, whilst understandably disappointing, I regret to inform you that passengers who voluntarily downgrade their flights from Pearl Business class to Coral Economy class will no longer be eligible to the complimentary chauffeur service.

CalFlyer, I trust that this incident will not permanently mar your impression of Etihad Airways, and that we will have the pleasure of welcoming you again onboard our flights in the future.

Really stupid rule. How often does this happen, anyways? Why not give the guest what he paid for instead of inventing unfriendly policies?

Also, looks like this is some form of program "enhancement" (... no longer be eligible ...)

And here an excerpt from the answer from Etihad:

Etihad provides complimentary chauffeur service to all eligible Diamond First and Pearl Business class Guests.

Therefore, whilst understandably disappointing, I regret to inform you that passengers who voluntarily downgrade their flights from Pearl Business class to Coral Economy class will no longer be eligible to the complimentary chauffeur service.

CalFlyer, I trust that this incident will not permanently mar your impression of Etihad Airways, and that we will have the pleasure of welcoming you again onboard our flights in the future.

Really stupid rule. How often does this happen, anyways? Why not give the guest what he paid for instead of inventing unfriendly policies?

Also, looks like this is some form of program "enhancement" (... no longer be eligible ...)


Etihad have done a pretty good job of "Enhancing" their frequent flyer program lately, so these other cutbacks are probably just part of the effort to cheapen their product. Etihad always had awful customer service, so I am not at all surprised by the response that you received. I was always shocked that a product that was usually first rate in the air (F&J) could be so third-world on the ground. :td:

CalFlyer, I trust that this incident will not permanently mar your impression of Etihad Airways

It certainly would mar mine. Petty and inflexible treatment of premium passengers would not sit well with me, particularly if there might also have been the alternative option of refunding the business class ticket and purchasing an economy one and thus getting a chunk of the fare back.

Neil

Hey at this classic example of yet more EY stupidity. Do their customer service monkeys have even one brain cell between them?

If, say, I have a first class train ticket and decide for whatever reason to sit in second class with it, I still have a first class ticket that I could e.g. use a first class lounge with, I've just sat somewhere else.


An inexact analogy. In your example, you still actually have a first class ticket in your possession, and can therefore provide irrefutable evidence of your eligibility to access all services reserved for first class passengers.

In reality, the OP held an economy boarding pass (instead of the business boarding pass booked), which in your analogy would reduce you to holding a second class ticket, and thereby remove your access to the first class lounge and carriages.

An inexact analogy. In your example, you still actually have a first class ticket in your possession, and can therefore provide irrefutable evidence of your eligibility to access all services reserved for first class passengers.

A fair point, but presumably if the airline wanted to it could allow the business class fare paid to be verified by another means e.g. an e-ticket printout or a phone call to the check-in desks.

It still chose to remove the paid-for additional services on downgrading the seat, which to me is rather unfair.

Neil

I have given up on Etihad, because when I used them (business class) FF miles were allocated and upgraded to the next stage of their program then within a week I had no points, phoned them they told me I had 2 accounts and would correct then I found that I was back down to base when phoned (I gave them all info on my flight) they told me that this was correct and my upgrade had expired (it was only a month since I had the upgrade) and also could not get to my account online, So now I have booked with Emirates