Originally Posted by
DarrelT
It's quite simple really. For anyone not covered by national travel protection regulations, Etihad are not offering refunds and are only offering "travel bank" credits for flights that they have cancelled. This means that most people are taking this option as they are offered no alternative. But what many of them don't realise is that by putting most prices up Etihad may be obliging them to pay a lot more later as the travel bank credit is only for the amount of the original ticket, and will not include any later fare difference. For example, I bought my ticket in a sale but list prices now for the same trip next year are 50+% higher, and are much higher than other comparable airlines for the same dates. So I would have to pay that extra 50+% in order just to use my "credit", whereas a refund would cover the entire cost of a replacement business class ticket with another airline with similar service levels, even without looking for sale pricing.
Is this a massive calculated scam perpetrated by corporate thieves? It looks like it to me.
I will never buy another Etihad ticket again, regardless of the outcome of this. Their conduct is totally shameful.
Once the travel bans are lifted and some people start travelling again, airlines will have to up their game if they want to survive. It will take many years for pre coivd travel loads to return and airlines will need to be smart if they want business. Companies like EY will struggle if they are behaving in this way. Fortunately I live in the EU, so I am entitled to money back, none of this BS travel vouchers with expiry which need customers to spend more. I think its shocking that companies are treating once loyal customers in this way. Hopefully these companies will pay the price for such shoddy customer service when things get moving again (albeit to a much smaller industry)