I wanted to run my experience past the AFF community to get a second opinion. Its a long story, so I'll bullet point for everyone's ease.
Also, I do understand that the responsibility is the passengers, but in this case, it's more about their cuastomer service and the responsibility they assumed on my behalf.
1. Left a pair of headphones on a seat on a connecting Etihad flight Athens to Abu Dhabi
2. I realised on touching down in Oz, phoned immediately. Was advised by operator to expect an email in response
3. Email came through a day later saying item was found and they would arrange for it be sent free of cost and advise on ETA
4. Fortnight passes, nothing. I follow up and was told I would now need to pay for courier as their policy had JUST changed. I reminded them of the email that promised free of charge and they backed down, agreed to send free of charge. Would advise me of ETA
5. Nothing. Chased again. Told that it had been sent, no other details except the flight number and date. I asked where I should go to pick it up ...no response.
6. After calling Melb airport they advised me to try Dnata who then advised me to call the Eithad offices at the airport.
7. Called 7 times, left messages each time. No response.
8. Dropped into the office in person, forced myself in. The bloke I spoke to said he had my item and was expecting me (despite nobody telling me to head to the office). He handed over headphones. They weren't mine.
9. When I pointed that out, he said that another passenger from the same flight had come in to pick something up. He didn't finish the sentence...but he gave the impression that she might have taken the wrong item. He showed me some paperwork with my details and her details and said he would follow up and call me back after speaking to her.
10. He never called. I called a few times, again, left voice messages no call back.
11. My partner went into the offices and spoke to the same guy. He said he had been unable to contact the other passenger and would call us.
12. No prizes for guessing that he didn't
13. I went in for the final time, and spoke to another Etihad office worker. He said that he knew nothing about it and would chase it up with head office. He gave me his "direct line" which was the same number I had called a dozen times. After looking over some files, he also told me that the other passenger had since gone back to NZ and there was no way to contact her.
14. This guy did call me back. He said that this is what happened:
-2 passengers on the same flight lost the exact same item (myself and the other passenger)
- We both lodged a missing item claim at the same time. We both supplied our seat numbers
- Rather than take a photo of the item and try to ascertain whose it was, Etihad decided to "gamble" and bet the item was mine. So they sent it to Melbourne on that chance.
- Since it turned out not to be mine, they sent it back to Abu Dhabi. Abu Dhabi will now send it from there to NZ. Which makes no sense to me.
15. Basically, I've been told that it was all an error and my headphones were never found.
I can't help but wonder if they were found, and someone has stuffed up somewhere and the airline has had to cook up this overbaked story to cover for it.
Thoughts?
Also, I do understand that the responsibility is the passengers, but in this case, it's more about their cuastomer service and the responsibility they assumed on my behalf.
1. Left a pair of headphones on a seat on a connecting Etihad flight Athens to Abu Dhabi
2. I realised on touching down in Oz, phoned immediately. Was advised by operator to expect an email in response
3. Email came through a day later saying item was found and they would arrange for it be sent free of cost and advise on ETA
4. Fortnight passes, nothing. I follow up and was told I would now need to pay for courier as their policy had JUST changed. I reminded them of the email that promised free of charge and they backed down, agreed to send free of charge. Would advise me of ETA
5. Nothing. Chased again. Told that it had been sent, no other details except the flight number and date. I asked where I should go to pick it up ...no response.
6. After calling Melb airport they advised me to try Dnata who then advised me to call the Eithad offices at the airport.
7. Called 7 times, left messages each time. No response.
8. Dropped into the office in person, forced myself in. The bloke I spoke to said he had my item and was expecting me (despite nobody telling me to head to the office). He handed over headphones. They weren't mine.
9. When I pointed that out, he said that another passenger from the same flight had come in to pick something up. He didn't finish the sentence...but he gave the impression that she might have taken the wrong item. He showed me some paperwork with my details and her details and said he would follow up and call me back after speaking to her.
10. He never called. I called a few times, again, left voice messages no call back.
11. My partner went into the offices and spoke to the same guy. He said he had been unable to contact the other passenger and would call us.
12. No prizes for guessing that he didn't
13. I went in for the final time, and spoke to another Etihad office worker. He said that he knew nothing about it and would chase it up with head office. He gave me his "direct line" which was the same number I had called a dozen times. After looking over some files, he also told me that the other passenger had since gone back to NZ and there was no way to contact her.
14. This guy did call me back. He said that this is what happened:
-2 passengers on the same flight lost the exact same item (myself and the other passenger)
- We both lodged a missing item claim at the same time. We both supplied our seat numbers
- Rather than take a photo of the item and try to ascertain whose it was, Etihad decided to "gamble" and bet the item was mine. So they sent it to Melbourne on that chance.
- Since it turned out not to be mine, they sent it back to Abu Dhabi. Abu Dhabi will now send it from there to NZ. Which makes no sense to me.
15. Basically, I've been told that it was all an error and my headphones were never found.
I can't help but wonder if they were found, and someone has stuffed up somewhere and the airline has had to cook up this overbaked story to cover for it.
Thoughts?
