ETIHAD - Flight Centre Ping Pong

[prozac]

In March 2020 my daughter (MsProzac) was caught in Europe due to the outbreak of covid. She held a return ticket with Etihad, purchased through Flight Centre online. Flight Centre do not have an international number so any contact with them must be on their Australian number. You can be on hold for around 2hrs so calling from Europe was out of the question. I got roped in to help with telephone calls.

Like most airlines Etihad offered all passengers an extension of the return tickets, but this was only carried so long. So for the past 18 months I have been calling every couple of months to try to get a resolution of the ticket.

I or MsProzac who was recently home briefly call Flight Centre who say it is not our issue call Etihad only to be told we need to call Flight Centre. Flight Centre also tell us they will email us after they have spoken with Etihad. They never do so it is back to calling Etihad. It is a nonsense and now has been going on so long we are told the ticket can only be refunded or if used then the difference between the return fare and the new exhorbitant fare must be paid. A ticket refund is less than around $200 and this is all that will be credited to any return $2,000 return ticket.

The upshot is that neither organisation will take responsibility or act in a proper manner in order to resolve this situation. They just keep playing the ball back to the other party. MsProzac is at the point she just wants to accept the miserable small refund offered but cannot even access it due to the game Etihad an Flight Centre are playing.

Absolutely disgraceful situation from a business perspective. Customer relations are well down the list of business ethics.

Perhaps we have an Etihad rep in AFF? If so please message me.
With neither business taking any responsibility this is about to escalate.

 

[Mattg]

FWIW, since she booked with Flight Centre I believe it is their responsibility to contact Etihad to get that resolved.

Clearly they haven't done that, which is frustrating.

 

[prozac]

FWIW, since she booked with Flight Centre I believe it is their responsibility to contact Etihad to get that resolved.

Clearly they haven't done that, which is frustrating.

Yes, very frustrating especially considering the time lapsed. FC repeatedly say they will contact Etihad and get back to MsProzac but they never do. I have not had any success getting them to follow up either. Incompetence at best.

I also believe the 2nd aspect is Etihad have entered a contract of a return ticket which they are not honouring without further payment.

 

[cambriamarsh]

FWIW, since she booked with Flight Centre I believe it is their responsibility to contact Etihad to get that resolved.

Clearly they haven't done that, which is frustrating.

Agree, Flight Centre sold the ticket, their responsibility to deliver or make good. Referral to Etihad is a fob off. Next stop Small Claims or your local equivalent. Enough mucking around!
Good luck.

 

[Mattg]

Agree, Flight Centre sold the ticket, their responsibility to deliver or make good. Referral to Etihad is a fob off. Next stop Small Claims or your local equivalent. Enough mucking around!
Good luck.

The OP might want to send a complaint about Flight Centre off to the ACCC too.

 

[prozac]

The OP might want to send a complain about Flight Centre off to the ACCC too.

Just hung up from Etihad who say the ticket has now expired and so they cannot do anything. I had pointed out to them that when we first started trying to get her on a flight none were available and since then either they or Flight Centre have kept delaying the request for a refund or return ticket until now the ticket has expired.

I could not recommend Etihad after this and certainly cannot say online what I really think about Flight Centre.
She booked this ticket with F.Centre without consulting her father so I never had the opportunity to tell her don't.