kelix

I love flying Etihad now that I'm based in AUH however I find they lack somewhat with welcoming/rewarding higher loyalty program status PAX. With almost every other airline I fly they greet from silver members (or equivalent second lowest loyalty status) onboard and yes, for the more frequent travellers with higher status this can become a little OTT however it serves a purpose.

On a recent J class flight I missed a meal preference as the 6 other PAX ahead of me (from the last row in J moving forward) had their meal preferences taken and must have ordered the same meal. Now while this is a ridiculous "first world problem" I'd have thought the simplest and most sincere way to reward loyalty would be to do what other airlines seem to and ask higher status PAX for their meal preferences upon the in-seat greeting from the cabin manager (which EY also don't do).

Not greeting PAX with status or taking their meal preferences is such a simple fix and i often find the smaller details often appear to have the largest impact to an overall experience... it seems like a huge oversight and really lagging behind other carriers. It's a small gesture that goes a very long way and keeps PAX loyal.

anyone else find this?

flying_fozzy

Complete mixed bag with EY.

Sometimes in longhaul Y I will have the CSL come and say hello, offer a champagne and nuts from J and make generally make sure all is well. This has not happened for quite some time now though.

The norm, for me lately, has been a fairly scripted hello, but with zero follow up. Even asking for some potato chips is normally rebuffed.

A bit like EK, I feel like EY is a full service LCC. The vast majority of passengers are once/twice a year to Thailand/Australia/Japan etc. Dealing with people that come back several times per week doesn't seem to be within the EY model at times. I think that this is reflected in the fact that crew appear to have very little information about status passengers. When you compare this to BA (as an example), the crew are let down by poor tools from the company.

csdf

For a couple of years I was flying Etihad twice a week every week. Never once did I receive any preferential treatment, let alone a greeting.

NoY

I have read some incredible things on FT over the last 12 years or so that I have been around here, but referring to EK & EY as remotely like a LCC is, frankly, just plain baffling.

sabdhabi

I flew AUH MCT today in Y. Zero recognition upon boarding, however before take off the cabin manager (?) came by my aisle seat, introduced herself to me, welcomed me on board, asked me if I would like anything bringing, for example a newspaper and wished me a good flight. She didn't have to do that and I thought it was a nice gesture.

irishguy28

What other airlines are these?

Last time I flew EY (as a Gold, in business class, with my Etihad Guest number in the reservation) the cabin service manager (or whatever EY calls them) invited me to join Etihad Guest...

irishguy28

Fozzie is renowned for his sense of humour!

NoY

I never really liked the muppets.......

kelix

Qantas, Singapore, Qatar...

CheckInPeach

I also believe the crew has no information about status or just don't look at it. Happened to me too once that they offered me the membership even though I was Gold.

LX normally takes good care of their top tier clients, always being greeted on short and long haul, also in Y.

Prince77

well, not too difficult to find an answwr to your query: as long as you are no frequent flyer with a status, EY has to care to make you one. Once you are a Gold guest, why should they bother? It is no easy decision to drop a status you have with one airline and leave for another one if there is no status match.

Think about it - absolutely true with EY which give away a hard earned Gold Status for Peanuts to a competitor's frequent Flyer.

Good news: other Airline also offer Status matches if you qualify and ask nicely.

signed: a former EY Gold guest

h1ghfly3r

They have access. They do receive a list with all pax, special requests and status.

Jiukouer

I am an etihad gold member, and I used to get greetings, and champaign on some flights. But this week I took etihad flight to Belgrade, and there was no greetings, and NO fast track card was offered on the return trip until I asked because I saw a guy in my front row was given one.

im.daniel

No greeting for me, but towards the end of the flight, I always get a fast track card and a generic 'how has your flight been' - as VA plat.