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Etihad Airways Flug von Abu Dhabi nach Jakarta

Travel with EY1 from Frankfurt to Abu Dhabi on 3.1.2015, supposed to connect to EY474 from Abu Dhabi to Jakarta.

- Planes were not allowed to start from Abu Dhabi airport starting on 3rd but still planes were allowed to come in. Why? Even though I am not a aviation expert, I would assume that landing in fog is just as dangerous as starting in foggy conditions? Maybe cost saving was the main driver here regardless of the risk for lives here?

- there was no information on our cancelled flight EY474 on any of the boards. We only found out using the website flight status tracker.

- after we had found out, I spent several hours trying to get more information on substitute flights or at least an accommodation in an hotel. Despite all my efforts, the Etihad staff was clueless, over challenged and could not provide any help. Their request to “bear with them a little longer” seemed like a taunt after we were sent in circles between the Transfer Desk and the Gate (which was located on the other side of Terminal 3 (coincidence?!)).

Overall, the strategy of Etihad became clear as they knew all along that no flights would leave in the next 12 hours but yet still prevented people from leaving the airport and staying in a hotel. Instead, people were advised to go in circles between Gates and Transfer Desks and spent the night (3rd to 4th) in cues on the airport, desperately waiting for information that was not given. The only information given was, that no accommodation could be offered as long as no substitute flight was issued. For my partner, the additional trouble of going through the Visa application also existed.

- At the morning of the 4th, passengers broke out in tears of despair at the Gate 53 when they were informed that the agents who were supposed to staff the gates had just left their shifts without substitute. Obviously, that was a lie because there were no planes to board anyway. The whole play was just to gain more time at the expense of customers desperation, without granting them some the courtesy of a proper accommodation for the wait or even truthful information.

- At 1pm on the 4.1.2015 we finally got a boarding pass for the substitute flight (EY472) on the next day at 11.30am. Because we did not want to spend another night on the floor or in cues, we applied for Visa immediately in order to have the process done by the night. The expected time for this of 4-5 hours later turned out to be 11 hours which I am sure Etihad will blame on the immigration authorities.

- Be that as it may, we got the Visa for my partner as well as a hotel voucher from Etihad (finally!) by 23.00 on 4.1.2015 and for the first time I felt like things were improving. How wrong I was!

- On our way to the “chauffeur’s desk” we were still in high spirit with the promise of some fresh air, a shower and a good night’s sleep. At the chauffeur’s desk, we were told to wait until the vehicle had been readied. The “limousine” sadly turned out to be a 50-seater rented bus in very poor condition. Even worse though, we had to wait for 1,5 hours until enough passengers in similar situation had arrived and then the vehicle departed over-crowded. I would also like to point out, that several limousines in perfect condition were idling in front of the desk but again, cost saving seemed to be the main concern rather than customer satisfaction.

After 1,5 hours, the junk on wheels arrived and we were specifically assigned to board the bus by an Etihad officer. After driving around the city for well in advance of 1,5 hours (it was 2am by then!), dropping off passengers at different hotels and finally finding ourselves as the last passengers on board, I kindly asked the driver, when he intended to deliver us to our hotel. He was very surprised, didn’t know our hotel but promised to bring us there swiftly.

After another 20 minute drive, he dropped us in front of the *wrong* hotel. Fortunately, I noticed early enough to stop him and with the help of my smartphone he was able to find the correct hotel by 3am. We then checked in, had a shower and 5 hours of sleep. The hotel, again, was budget but who would complain about this after that night?

- The next morning, we were picked up and brought to the airport, everything went smooth and I almost could not believe that the flight would really depart this time. We boarded the plane at 11am and my hopes went high to finally leave this hell. Of course, it would not happen just like that. We were informed of a “slight delay due to waiting for other passengers”. The estimated waiting time was “half an hour” after an hour, another “half an hour” was added. All in all, the flight departed with 2 hours delay, all of which we spent inside the plane. But, after the above experience, who would care about another 2 hours and additional lies on top of a 40+ hours delay and misinformation all the way?

Nobody would have gotten me out of that plane, that much is for sure. Oh, funny side story: Of the 3 meals only “tofu” was available. I complained, stating that I’ve had enough of the lies and would go on a hunger strike now (I know, quite ridiculous but what options did I have left?). Interestingly enough, when I went to the bathroom I noticed that all cabin crew were enjoying the chicken/fish dishes behind the closed curtains. Please help me to understand. Is there an Etihad policy to smile to customers while lying to them and not taking them for full?

- Upon delayed arrival in Jakarta, I firmly expected that our luggage must have been lost along the way, so my surprise was even bigger when we learned, that the luggage had in fact been delivered early to CKG airport and had been waiting there for us all day (very good for the Swiss cheese I packed inside but I guess after 2 days on some runway in Abu Dhabi, the cheese was probably beyond saving anyway).