Is Etihad Airways good or bad?

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Recluse_WY@reddit

I was on EY10 (Chicago → Abu Dhabi), arriving late due to operational delay. Missed my connection EY715 (AUH → Cairo). Etihad rebooked me to EgyptAir MS915, then cancelled that too, and finally to EY711 the next day — total arrival delay of ~12.5 hours.

At Abu Dhabi, the transfer desk agent said I get one meal only and that my boarding pass is my voucher. When I couldn’t find it, he refused to reprint. Later found it — it had a one-use barcode, so reprinting wouldn’t have mattered.

Waited 1.5 hours for a hotel voucher, another 1.5 hours at hotel reception before it activated. No extra meal, no real assistance.

Etihad later offered $200 travel credit, but I refused and escalated to UAE GCAA and U.S. DOT

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AlysRhy@reddit

Etihad lost the bags for the entire business class for two hours after landing after a 14 hour flight. I had an Airtag in my bag, so I knew it was in Boston, and it just sat on the tarmac. There were no Etihad people to talk to, no one who would bring the bags the final 100 yards to the baggage claim, no one to say they were sorry. After traveling for 20 hours and paying for a business class ticket that includes priority baggage, this was ridiculous. Etihad refused to offer even a discount on a future flight. Other passengers missed connecting flights.

Take your business to an airline that takes pride in it's customer service.

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Fluffy_Baseball_5259@reddit

Very bad

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ironmagnesiumzinc@reddit

If you book economy, they won’t let you change your flight even if you pay or have a genuine emergency. Customer support is slow. I’d book almost any other airline

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qrczakk@reddit

Not anymore. Connections are huge issues now. They change your flight schedule couple of hours before departure or move your connection flight couple of hours onwards even during your initial flight. Happened to me too many times lately. And also confirmed other people.

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GargSamir@reddit

Etihad is a FRAUD Airlines & they are CHEATING their customers.

I had booked a flight for my wife from Mumbai to London on Etihad Airways for the 3rd of October & return on 13th of October. The fair booked did not have a check-in luggage included & nowhere on their website were we able to add the check-in luggage. On contacting the airlines, we were told that the check-in luggage cannot be added in advance & we will need to do the same at the counter. On enquiring about the cost, we were told that the cost for the luggage would be max. 200$. We found this price very high & we could have booked an AirIndia or British Airways DIRECT flight for this extra, but did not have much choice as the travel date was only few days away.

On reaching the counter for the Check-In, we were informed by the staff that it will cost us Rs. 55,000/- (USD 650$) for check-in bag weighing 20 Kgs. This was ridiculous, but even after arguing with their manager for an hour, they did not even budge & as my wife was travelling alone & had a schedule ahead, we had to pay that amount.

Next day I talked to Yatra & my travel agent to cancel the return flight so that I can book another flight, but was informed that the cancellation fees is 100% & I will not get any refund, nor can I upgrade the ticket to a higher class which will include the luggage.

This means that the Etihad Airways wants me to pay a total cost of Rs. 1,70,000/- (USD 2000$) for an Economy class return flight from Mumbai to London. I can easily get a BUSINESS CLASS ticket on any reputed airlines for that price.

I have travelled the world to more that 70 countries, but have never experienced this type of shameless THEFT. This is absolute FRAUD being committed by ETIHAD AIRWAYS on unsuspecting customers.

All flyers kindly beware of ETIHAD & use it only if you want to be CHEATED. We will never use this airlines again as they are absolute FRAUDS.

SAMIR GARG (M: +91-9820127458)

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GargSamir@reddit

Etihad is a FRAUD Airlines & they are CHEATING their customers.

I had booked a flight for my wife from Mumbai to London on Etihad Airways for the 3rd of October & return on 13th of October. The fair booked did not have a check-in luggage included & nowhere on their website were we able to add the check-in luggage. On contacting the airlines, we were told that the check-in luggage cannot be added in advance & we will need to do the same at the counter. On enquiring about the cost, we were told that the cost for the luggage would be max. 200$. We found this price very high & we could have booked an AirIndia or British Airways DIRECT flight for this extra, but did not have much choice as the travel date was only few days away.

On reaching the counter for the Check-In, we were informed by the staff that it will cost us Rs. 55,000/- (USD 650$) for check-in bag weighing 20 Kgs. This was ridiculous, but even after arguing with their manager for an hour, they did not even budge & as my wife was travelling alone & had a schedule ahead, we had to pay that amount.

Next day I talked to Yatra & my travel agent to cancel the return flight so that I can book another flight, but was informed that the cancellation fees is 100% & I will not get any refund, nor can I upgrade the ticket to a higher class which will include the luggage.

This means that the Etihad Airways wants me to pay a total cost of Rs. 1,70,000/- (USD 2000$) for an Economy class return flight from Mumbai to London. I can easily get a BUSINESS CLASS ticket on any reputed airlines for that price.

I have travelled the world to more that 70 countries, but have never experienced this type of shameless THEFT. This is absolute FRAUD being committed by ETIHAD AIRWAYS on unsuspecting customers.

All flyers kindly beware of ETIHAD & use it only if you want to be CHEATED. We will never use this airlines again as they are absolute FRAUDS.

SAMIR GARG (M: +91-9820127458)

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nomad_ivc@reddit

Stay away. They used to be good around Covid time but the quality has gone down the drain in the last 1-2 years.

If something goes wrong, it is impossible to get hold of someone who can solve it end-to-end and rather you'll get an array of canned responses with clear attempt to stonewall and get rid of you from bothering them anymore.

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deleted_by_reddit@reddit

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charilla@reddit

So I was denied boarding on our flight from JFK to AUH to AMD. The agents name was SM on his name tag. This was on February 21, 2025. Initially, the agent took a picture of my Pio Card and passport and sent it to somebody through message to get validation on if I would be allowed entry into on it India he got confirmation saying yes. They issued us our boarding tickets, and they also issued bag Tags. Around 15 minutes later, the agent pulled us from security check in and told me that I cannot board the flight While my wife and kids Could. He said he got a message again stating only I was not allowed to board the flight due to a invalid documents. I asked the agent to show me the message which he refused and said it privileged information. I did some research and showed him on Indian embassy website Stating the validation of the card and passport were authorized to travel to India. https://www.indianembassyusa.gov.in/pages/Mjc, which you can also look up here. I request a full refund of my tickets that I purchased through their website. I also requested Proof of the messages the agent sent to whomever in Indian immigration, proving that I was not allowed to board that flight. The agent named SM said he was the supervisor and I also spoke with a person in a brown jacket slick back hair did not get his name and he was the manager. There were multiple agents there. There were also cameras there that can show you I did not create any kind of incident and respected their decisionand not create any hassle for them. In addition, had to rebook a flight back home to Tampa and we also had to book a hotel for the overnight till the flight.

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deleted_by_reddit@reddit

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Wild-Economics4229@reddit

Do you think they wanted to extort a new ticket from you. I heard the fees are exorbitant.

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charilla@reddit

I really think thats what they wanted. I ended up booking tickets with Qatar Airways, a few days later. Took the same credentials I had without any issue when I got to India. I just got back this Monday.

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Necessary-Scholar-16@reddit

Yes, what happened. That’s crazy! Qatar are a great airline.

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best_jerky@reddit

did you get justice?

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travelersharma@reddit

Hello! If Etihad is your best option financially, then you should definitely consider it. It’s one of the top airlines in the Middle East, known for great service, comfortable seating, and solid in-flight entertainment. Their business and first-class options are pretty luxurious, but even in the economy, the experience is generally smooth. One unique perk that they offer is the flying nanny service, which is a lifesaver for parents traveling with kids. They also have some cool stopover programs if you’re interested in exploring Abu Dhabi during a long layover.

Now, every airline has mixed reviews, and Etihad is no exception. Some passengers love it, while others have had less-than-ideal experiences, often related to customer service or transit issues. Let’s suppose someone is traveling to the US from UAE or India, one huge advantage would be their immigration pre-clearance in Abu Dhabi, which lets you skip long lines upon arrival in the United States. But since you're flying from Schiphol to Phuket, that won’t be relevant for you. Etihad is generally a reliable choice, and if the price is right, I’d say go for it!

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Troppicfail@reddit

Flying nanny is not anymore a thing since a few years ago in etihad.

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MathematicianLife151@reddit (OP)

Thanks! Really good to hear since we booked the flight recently!

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YeltoThorpy@reddit

Flew with them to Australia from Manchester and they were great. Only down side was coming back and having a long transfer at Abu Dhabi. Not long enough to leave the airport and there's not much to do at the airport itself. Having said that this was 15 years ago so things might have changed.

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Anxious-Charge6280@reddit

They have a deal now that when you have a layover in Abu Dhabi you can extend it (69$) and get 2 free hotel nights at some pretty nice stays.

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deleted_by_reddit@reddit

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Affectionate_Sea8012@reddit

Yeah don’t do this, it’s pretty much a scam. Did this so called “stopover program” and the Terms and Conditions says “based on availability” but they don’t tell you if anything is available until after you’ve paid your ticket and have a ridiculous long layover. All in all, got to the airport spent hours talking to just about every agent and were not given a hotel due to “no availability”. We would have just gone home instead of the scam stopover.

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thenameofwind@reddit

Thank you for this. Was searching for a review of this stay at hotel free free blah blah.

Will instead have a small stopover and go back home.

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deleted_by_reddit@reddit

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Necessary-Scholar-16@reddit

I was just about to thank you as I am deciding whether they are acceptable for the long haul flights from UK to Aus. It really made BW giggle when you said it was 15 years ago. 😂

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dillpickle_rick@reddit

They have a new airport now at AUH so all flights connect from the same terminal. Have flown Etihad quite a lot, and never had a negative experience yet.

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MathematicianLife151@reddit (OP)

I have heard people having problems with payments staying pending and not receiving tickets, kind of a risk if true

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dillpickle_rick@reddit

I went the expedia route. Same prices, still get miles.

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Mnkyd090@reddit

I was unfortunate to not have reviewed their baggage policy. They only provide 1 free carry-on weighing 7kg. Any additional bag costs about 87 Euros per 5kg... PER 5KG! I ended up paying an additional 350 Euros just for an additional bag (20 kg). Absolutely f**k this airline

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deleted_by_reddit@reddit

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mrhell-official@reddit

Etihad is catastrophic in any regard, AVOID them at all costs. Old airplanes, shit maintenance, big delays and zero(!) service. And the most rude staff you will ever encounter at an airline.

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Affectionate_Island8@reddit

Just on an etihad aircraft right now. I dont think I've witnessed a poorer product in all my 30 years of flying.

I am average built 5ft 10 inch high male. I barely fit in the seat, by width, legs touching the seats ahead.

No wifi, sluggish infotainment system, and I am being generous.

Zero cleanliness, this aircraft must have not been cleaned since before covid by the looks of it.

I dont even feel like touching the remote control.

Ps, I'm in economy.... having a quick look into business and things arnt much better. I definitely fell content in my decision in not paying 400 EUR to upgrade, it would not have been worth it.

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StayInternational108@reddit

It is An excellent company to fly with

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Joohnw@reddit

Sadly no.

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EqualCarpenter5180@reddit

I certainly don’t rate them anything other than average, found the 777-300er seats super narrow and also the 787 Dreamliner , and the cabin crew are not the happiest folk around. Give me any airline with an airbus 350 over them !!

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VenomRiderUSA@reddit

bad do not fly this airline. always late.

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Disastrous_Quiet_219@reddit

Did you buy the tickets? Sorry if you already have and you’re now reading this. They are horrendous. I do quite a bit of international travel and I had four flights with them last year, all of them were memorably the worst flights I have ever experienced

The reason I saw this thread was I was laughing with an acquaintance about how bad they were (they recently did an overseas trip)

All freely avail on google: essentially their exec decided to buy a heap of small and mid sized airlines in the last 12-18 months and most ended up going bust. Since then they have been posting record losses. I assume this is why their planes are about 30 years old, have broken features and worn out seats, and their staff seem like they are ready to end it

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ek60cvl@reddit

they posted recored profit last year?

https://www.thenationalnews.com/business/aviation/2025/02/19/etihad-airways-record-profit/

Etihad Airways posted a record after-tax profit of Dh1.75 billion ($476 million) last year, more than three times that of 2023, driven by strong passenger and cargo revenue, as the Abu Dhabi airline continues to expand its route network.

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AllHailTheWinslow@reddit

Flown with them a number of times between Australia and Germany.

Solid performance, good prices (booked through Flightscanner).

Bonus: a chance to go on an A380. Extra bonus: no B787s

Also they retrofitted their fleet recently, check out their website.

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w8w8@reddit

Are their 787s bad?

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Adolf_Einstein_007@reddit

for me personally, a350, a380, 787

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AllHailTheWinslow@reddit

Each flight, there's something wrong with those bloody electronic windows. 8 hours and no shade...

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BroccoliNarrow4379@reddit

Scammers. I should have been more careful. They mentioned that only carry-on baggage was included, but it was written in a very small area, and I didn’t notice it. I ended up having to pay the same price as the ticket just for a 20kg bag. Scammers.

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ado_niss@reddit

After changing their carry on luggage policy, I think they are one of the worst. 7kg without a personal item, forces people to check in bags, which is such a waste of time for summer destinations, or to fly business

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Brilliant-Entry2518@reddit

They are ok. Individual experiences may vary.

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Important-Performer2@reddit

Economy is Economy. It doesn't matter where or with who. Only poor rifftaft fly in Economy.

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scottay91@reddit

Or people who don’t need to splurge every time they fly. If this isn’t the biggest trust fund baby statement I’ve seen 😂

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CautiousSilver9@reddit

There is absolutely nothing luxury about them. Probably one of the worst airlines I’ve flown with. Just came back from Japan. Gutted I paid the extra few hundred quid

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WagwanKenobi@reddit

Etihad isn't an airline that anyone pays extra for. It usually comes out as the cheapest non-low-cost option.

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Money_Ad_6000@reddit

I really don’t have anything positive to say about Etihad! Awful experience flying them multiple times. The staff working there are not smartest bunch and their customer service is almost non-existent. Tickets and guest seats booked are non-flexible and they are very stingy on carry on.

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Adjutant_Reflex_@reddit

Generally economy is economy regardless of who you’re flying on. Flew them to Thailand about a decade ago and we got there and back safely so…sure?

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Important-Performer2@reddit

Of course you got there and back safely. That is not an issue(generally), but economy are for poor people with no life

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Ash_kingz@reddit

This has to be rage bait imo

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on3day@reddit

Yes true. Fly TUI/Ryan air/easyJet economy and compare it to Emirates economy. Same product.

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_WillOfFire_@reddit

Flew recently with them, highly disappointing

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MathematicianLife151@reddit (OP)

Why?

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_WillOfFire_@reddit

Well i flew on their economy A320. Firstly their luggage policy is terrible and very inconvenient, Only allowing 7kg small bags. People are gonna need more than that for international flights. Plane had no entertainment system. Food was straight up terrible, had pasta with a tomato sauce tasting like freaking ketchup and the English Breakfast wasn't good at all either, couldn't finish it even though i was hungry. Seats aren't comfortable. I was surprised because Etihad is supposedly a reputable airline and some people even compare it to Emirates. Never flying with them again.

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