2nd trip, 2nd disappointment
Oct 7, 2014, 9:21 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Brisbane Australia
Programs: Singapore, Cathay, QANTAS, Delta, Velocity, Etihad
Posts: 429
2nd trip, 2nd disappointment
I first tried Etihad a bit over a year ago, MEL>AUH>IST and return and was a bit underwhelmed by them. They were okay but far from the business class experience I get with Cathay, Singapore & QANTAS.
Required schedule basically left me with Etihad no option but to give them another go on the same route with week. And they were dreadful.
The dinner (lamb) on the MEL>AUH leg was so dryed out it was inedible. Breakfast omelette was so over cooked it had turned green. Asparagus served with it was green mush. Coffee was undrinkable. I declined the lot. 14 hours and all I ate (all that was edible) was a croissant.
Get to AUH and the AUH Business lounge was so crowded I had to wait 15 mins for a seat. They when I went to board for IST there was no priority boarding (at their home airport). On board, 30mins into the flight the BC cabin was invaded by 3 kids from the economy cabin who helped themselves to vacant BC seats and spent the rest of the flight climbing over them, over each other, and backwards and forwards between the BC and economy cabin. They were not challenged once by the cabin crew that even offered them desert! Other BC class passengers were clearly not impressed.
Food on the 2nd leg also barely failed to ascend beyond the standards set on the first leg. I arrived in IST quite hungry.
I would also add that the choice of IFE was pretty dismal too.
Yeah...1st world problems I know, but I'll never fly with these guys again. They are not even close to the top Asia/Pac carriers. They have problems.
Required schedule basically left me with Etihad no option but to give them another go on the same route with week. And they were dreadful.
The dinner (lamb) on the MEL>AUH leg was so dryed out it was inedible. Breakfast omelette was so over cooked it had turned green. Asparagus served with it was green mush. Coffee was undrinkable. I declined the lot. 14 hours and all I ate (all that was edible) was a croissant.
Get to AUH and the AUH Business lounge was so crowded I had to wait 15 mins for a seat. They when I went to board for IST there was no priority boarding (at their home airport). On board, 30mins into the flight the BC cabin was invaded by 3 kids from the economy cabin who helped themselves to vacant BC seats and spent the rest of the flight climbing over them, over each other, and backwards and forwards between the BC and economy cabin. They were not challenged once by the cabin crew that even offered them desert! Other BC class passengers were clearly not impressed.
Food on the 2nd leg also barely failed to ascend beyond the standards set on the first leg. I arrived in IST quite hungry.
I would also add that the choice of IFE was pretty dismal too.
Yeah...1st world problems I know, but I'll never fly with these guys again. They are not even close to the top Asia/Pac carriers. They have problems.
Oct 7, 2014, 10:11 pm
#2
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: ZRH / SIN
Programs: FB Ulti, QR-Gold (OWS), TK *Gold, Bonvoy Ambassadort Elite, GHA Titanium, Accor Platinum
Posts: 530
sorry to hear, that your experience was not what you expected.
well, I had now more than a dozen flights with them, in all cabins, but mostly in Business and never had any bad experience with them. Only one time the IFE did not work in business, which resulted in a friendly letter which was handed to us personally at arrival on our way back and 10.000 EY-miles.
I always got a seat in the lounge, always had a massage in the spa when I wanted, food was the best airline food in my experience (in premium cabins) and the crew was in general helpful. Also IFE is in my experience state-of-the-art and I couldn´t complain about this, even when it did not work one time, hey, this also happens at home and at every other airline every now and then. I was also lucky that never any kids runned trough the BC-cabin, but I agree on this, that it´s the duty of the cabin crew to handle this situation professionally (not handing out left over desserts).
Looking forward to flying with them to MLE next week (now on the A332 instead of the usual A320).
well, I had now more than a dozen flights with them, in all cabins, but mostly in Business and never had any bad experience with them. Only one time the IFE did not work in business, which resulted in a friendly letter which was handed to us personally at arrival on our way back and 10.000 EY-miles.
I always got a seat in the lounge, always had a massage in the spa when I wanted, food was the best airline food in my experience (in premium cabins) and the crew was in general helpful. Also IFE is in my experience state-of-the-art and I couldn´t complain about this, even when it did not work one time, hey, this also happens at home and at every other airline every now and then. I was also lucky that never any kids runned trough the BC-cabin, but I agree on this, that it´s the duty of the cabin crew to handle this situation professionally (not handing out left over desserts).
Looking forward to flying with them to MLE next week (now on the A332 instead of the usual A320).
Oct 8, 2014, 9:01 am
#3
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Happily living in Frenaros Cyprus having escaped the near-death experience called Sofia Bulgaria
Programs: Etihad Guest Gold, DL FO and 1MM, and a bunch of others at a low level
Posts: 2,052
Sorry to hear you didn't enjoy your experience. All of my flights with Etihad in J have been fabulous and the meals have been good to excellent. Though I do have to agree with you on the crowded lounges at AUH at certain times.
Oct 9, 2014, 9:50 pm
#4
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Brisbane Australia
Programs: Singapore, Cathay, QANTAS, Delta, Velocity, Etihad
Posts: 429
GKL - I agree there is nothing wrong with the functionality of the IFE, just the movie selection was very limited compared with other carriers (eg Cathay, Singapore & QANTAS).
I think the problem with the food was the fact that it was all well an truly overcooked and completely dried out. The problem was in the final step of preparation. It was however, undoubtedly the worst food I've ever been served in a business class cabin (and I've spent a lot of time in business class cabins).
They have one more chance to redeem themselves later this month!
I think the problem with the food was the fact that it was all well an truly overcooked and completely dried out. The problem was in the final step of preparation. It was however, undoubtedly the worst food I've ever been served in a business class cabin (and I've spent a lot of time in business class cabins).
They have one more chance to redeem themselves later this month!
Oct 10, 2014, 8:53 am
#5
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: lincs, uk
Programs: EK Silver, , ba exec club gold. Thai Air Silver, SPG - Gold.Etihad gold
Posts: 201
I agree - food can be messed up by the onboard crew
Almost without fail, any food that is mainly cooked and prepared by the on board chef or the food person in business class is overcooked or in some way messed up.
In my recent 3 return flights from london to sydney 50% in F and 50% in J,
I have only had well prepared food on a quarter of the legs.
my problems include inedible steak sandwich, inedible toasted bagel, filet beef which I could not cut with the knife provided. On my latest flight, yesterday, I had a lamb dish and the lamb was hard, solid lumps.
I also find that food that is served cold is often far too cold including the cheese selection, some bread and the rock hard icecream.
in spite of the above, I still enjoy flying with etihad. my experience tells me that every airline has faults and I can cope with food problems. I just wish the onboard crew wouldn't mess it up.
In my recent 3 return flights from london to sydney 50% in F and 50% in J,
I have only had well prepared food on a quarter of the legs.
my problems include inedible steak sandwich, inedible toasted bagel, filet beef which I could not cut with the knife provided. On my latest flight, yesterday, I had a lamb dish and the lamb was hard, solid lumps.
I also find that food that is served cold is often far too cold including the cheese selection, some bread and the rock hard icecream.
in spite of the above, I still enjoy flying with etihad. my experience tells me that every airline has faults and I can cope with food problems. I just wish the onboard crew wouldn't mess it up.
Oct 11, 2014, 8:03 am
#6
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: USA/UAE
Programs: DL-SM Silver, EY-Gold, HH
Posts: 120
RBH58 - interesting observations, have experienced some similar ones as well.
I often find that they focus their best efforts on big destinations served by wide-bodies, of course your experience with the food shows that may not always be true. I have usually had good experiences traveling to/from the US and London. Others served by the 320's frequently get shoddy treatment - often no separate boarding for biz, delays and at times no apologies by the staff for delayed flights.
The lounge experience is really dependent on time of day - challenging during peak times. Last weekend we flew out of AUH on Friday afternoon, it was virtually empty. No issues with service.
Seems that as they grow their consistency of service is suffering.
Hope your next experience is better!
I often find that they focus their best efforts on big destinations served by wide-bodies, of course your experience with the food shows that may not always be true. I have usually had good experiences traveling to/from the US and London. Others served by the 320's frequently get shoddy treatment - often no separate boarding for biz, delays and at times no apologies by the staff for delayed flights.
The lounge experience is really dependent on time of day - challenging during peak times. Last weekend we flew out of AUH on Friday afternoon, it was virtually empty. No issues with service.
Seems that as they grow their consistency of service is suffering.
Hope your next experience is better!
Oct 11, 2014, 10:22 am
#8
Company Representative, Etihad
Join Date: Sep 2013
Posts: 1,813
Hi RBH58,
We're very sorry to hear you didn't enjoy your first experience with us. We hope to have a chance to change your mind in the near future. Should you ever need to send your feedback through to us as well, our address is [email protected]
Thank you.
*AZ
We're very sorry to hear you didn't enjoy your first experience with us. We hope to have a chance to change your mind in the near future. Should you ever need to send your feedback through to us as well, our address is [email protected]
Thank you.
*AZ
Dec 1, 2014, 2:59 pm
#9
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Brisbane Australia
Programs: Singapore, Cathay, QANTAS, Delta, Velocity, Etihad
Posts: 429
Just did MEL>IST and return again. This time on QR. And they were on a whole different level with respect to F&B and service. Sorry EY....you lost me.
