Family Of 5 Ejected Of Etihad Airway After Etihad Made An Error On The Their Seating

[azam.d]

Re: Family Of 5 Ejected Of Etihad Airway After Etihad Made An Error On The Their Seat

That's the first thing I though of... also, I can understand that you were not allowed to speak with the captain. That's what the customer service managers are for.

The customer service manager just stood there as if nothing was going on and was happy for the flight attendant to continue taking control of the situation. Nobody got involved as if she was some kind of queen or something, I have heard many stories about Moroccan flight attendants but not to this extent no other member of the staff would even comment expect her???

 

[thewinchester]

Re: Family Of 5 Ejected Of Etihad Airway After Etihad Made An Error On The Their Seat

Given all of this and taking the OP at their word, this doesn't bode well for the new QF code share announced with them today.

I also don't understand why, when there is a major issue which reflects poorly on their customer service, that four senior executives of an airline haven't taken the appropriate care and attention when responding - particularly when it was alleged that one of their own front line staff referred to a customer as a dog.

 

[oz_mark]

Re: Family Of 5 Ejected Of Etihad Airway After Etihad Made An Error On The Their Seat

We made our way only to find that the seats were allocated to two other passengers and my wife was seated 13 isles away. I sat my two kids down aged 4 and 6 and made my way to the front of the plane to discus the problem. I raised the matter with one of the flight attendant only to be told that nothing can be done about it as the flight was full and return to my seat.

Just for my understanding, if the seats were allocated to someone else, where did you sit?

 

[straitman]

Re: Family Of 5 Ejected Of Etihad Airway After Etihad Made An Error On The Their Seat

Just for my understanding, if the seats were allocated to someone else, where did you sit?

Back in the terminal by the look of this :!: :shock:

 

[UP4014]

Re: Family Of 5 Ejected Of Etihad Airway After Etihad Made An Error On The Their Seat

I'm going to tread lightly and say there is always two sides to every story but I'm guessing that azam.d was given 1 x two seats and 1 x three seats. To me, it maybe an inconvenience or even a breach of a promise by the check-in staff to seat all five together, but IMO definitely not a big of a deal to warrant making a big fuss on both sides and be booted off the plane (and possibly the cancellation of all tickets).

If I knew for a fact that there were five adjacent empty seats - I'd might even considering scouring the plane for those seats given that it was only boarding (and when most people are in their assigned seat).

And demanding to see the pilot? I think I would have said No five times too!

Like a ship, the Captain has the final say and you should be able to request to see him, he would likely back his crew but that isn't the point.

 

[straitman]

Re: Family Of 5 Ejected Of Etihad Airway After Etihad Made An Error On The Their Seat

Like a ship, the Captain has the final say and you should be able to request to see him, he would likely back his crew but that isn't the point.

BAM1748,

Whilst I agree in principle, what you say is mostly impractical. Imagine if the Captain had to personally respond to every request. The aircraft would in all likely hood still be on the ground :!:

There is a cabin manager on the aircraft to manage the cabin and that is what occurred :!: The outcome may have been flawed but the procedure was correct.

 

[MelUser]

Re: Family Of 5 Ejected Of Etihad Airway After Etihad Made An Error On The Their Seat

I very much sympathise with the family in question. This has put me off the airline.

BUT - if you asked to see the captain on a United States Airline (and in the US) you would probably get arrested.

 

[FL360]

Re: Family Of 5 Ejected Of Etihad Airway After Etihad Made An Error On The Their Seat

[URL="http://www.frequentflyer.com.au/community/members/azam-d.html"]azam.d,

If you can substantiate your story I am sure some journalist from the travel
section of the media in Australia would like to hear from you,

try News.com.au Top stories | News from Australia and around the world online | News.com.au or Sydney Morning Herald - Business & World News Australia | smh.com.au and try to get in touch with them.

[/URL]

 

[ric_melb]

Re: Family Of 5 Ejected Of Etihad Airway After Etihad Made An Error On The Their Seat

There are aspects of this story that are confusing.
If you board a plane without checking your boarding passes, and then find you are not seated together, after an initial request for changing seats would you not wait for the plane to take off and then see what can be done. Especially if you knew a number of seats would then be unoccupied. Why would anyone make such a fuss that the plane is delayed 90 minutes, and end up being thrown off the flight.

The flight was on 28/2/09, the first posting on this site was 11 March,
and no mention was made by the OP of contacting Etihad management after the flight. Today, 12/3/09, OP advises that he has already received replies from 4 people at Etihad, including James Hogan, the CEO, and a man well experienced in the arline industry, with roles at Gulf Air, and Ansett to name two. That is a pretty quick response time.
Why was no mention made of this before?

One would think that the CEO of the airline would have checked out the facts before responding. Presumably he also responded with apologies and any offer that he thought appropriate in the circumstances.

 

[Flashback]

Re: Family Of 5 Ejected Of Etihad Airway After Etihad Made An Error On The Their Seat

Call me skeptical .. but I still don't buy the whole situation.

 

[JohnK]

Re: Family Of 5 Ejected Of Etihad Airway After Etihad Made An Error On The Their Seat

Call me skeptical .. but I still don't buy the whole situation.

I think you are right. There is something missing....

 

[Keith009]

Re: Family Of 5 Ejected Of Etihad Airway After Etihad Made An Error On The Their Seat

The flight was on 28/2/09, the first posting on this site was 11 March,
and no mention was made by the OP of contacting Etihad management after the flight. Today, 12/3/09, OP advises that he has already received replies from 4 people at Etihad, including James Hogan, the CEO, and a man well experienced in the arline industry, with roles at Gulf Air, and Ansett to name two. That is a pretty quick response time.
Why was no mention made of this before?

Hmm I agree with you there. That bit seems a bit suspect, that the complaint was escalated to senior management AND been responded to in such a short time frame.

 

[azam.d]

Re: Family Of 5 Ejected Of Etihad Airway After Etihad Made An Error On The Their Seat

I think you are right. There is something missing....

What you read is exactly what took place if I were you I would proberly think the same, I found out that James Hogan was the CEO from a frend of mine that lives in Abu dhabi he also told me that he is also an Australian. I contacted his office on the day of the incident. They ensured me that they will have someone to talk to us, when i arrived to Abu dhabi airport. We arrived to meet Mohamed Abubaker Al Farea Vice President Corporate Safety, Security and Quality, Also Boutros Zouki Manager Aviation Security. They took us in a lounge area and offered us an upgrade, why would they if they weren’t in the wrong. Once we arrived to Australia they started with any excuses. Obviasl, because we were out of there jurisdiction and we couldn’t do anything but it but send e-mails.
Once again What you read is exactly what took place, and Excuse me for any spelling mistakes.

 

[ozbeachbabe]

Re: Family Of 5 Ejected Of Etihad Airway After Etihad Made An Error On The Their Seat

Which flight are we talking about here?

My understanding is that there would be one flight number from Casablanca to Abu Dhabi connecting with another one Abu Dhabi to Australia.

All up you would have received 10 boarding passes at check-in. Could it be possible that someone else was in your seats in error ie they had boarding passes for another seat but just sat down in yours? Probably a good idea to board the flight asap to avoid anyone else sitting in your seats thinking they will be empty.

I agree that whilst the Captain is responsible for the aircraft, crew and passengers in the air (or once plane has pushed back from the aerobridge) it would be the Etihad Duty Manager on the ground that would be responsible for sorting out the seating mix up with the Cabin Manager. The Captain has enough to do with regard to the operation of the flight without distracting them with this kind of situation.

Perhaps next time regardless of the airline you fly with, call the airline immediately after making the booking and ask if you can get seating allocation for all your flights.

It helps to be familiar with the the layout of the aircraft so once you have found out the type of aircraft operating your flight check out either the website of the airline involved or Seat Guru (see link below) that way you know exactly what you are getting when you receive your boarding passes.

SeatGuru Seat Map Etihad Airways Airbus A330-200 Vers. 1 (332)

Do not leave the checkin counter until you are absolutely sure you have the correct boarding passes and you are positive you are seated together. Much easier to sort out then than onboard the flight.

Don't forget to arrive at the airport in plenty of time eg 2 hours prior unless the airlines advise you any different.

OBB

 

[medhead]

Re: Family Of 5 Ejected Of Etihad Airway After Etihad Made An Error On The Their Seat

Which flight are we talking about here?

My understanding is that there would be one flight number from Casablanca to Abu Dhabi connecting with another one Abu Dhabi to Australia.

All up you would have received 10 boarding passes at check-in. Could it be possible that someone else was in your seats in error ie they had boarding passes for another seat but just sat down in yours? Probably a good idea to board the flight asap to avoid anyone else sitting in your seats thinking they will be empty.

Interesting point about the boarding passes. I re-read the OP to see some mention of being given the wrong broading pass, a pass from Abu Dhabi to Au. Sounds to me like the Caseblance to Ahu Dhabi boarding passes maybe got mislaid somewhere. Of maybe even mixed up which would explain the some people being seating 13 rows away, in the correct seats (as per Casablanca BP) and some people sitting in the other seats, which could be the seats that they would have from Abu dhabi to AU?

Anyway, to Azam.d, it is a really terrible thing that has happened. But I don't get it. You got an upgrade on the long leg, those higher management people apologised to you. This apology has to include the insult. I don't know that you can expect anything more. You seem to what someone to be sacked. But you are never going to get that, it is an internal company thing. For all you know that person might eb sacked, or they have been given a warning and put on lower duties. Really, as the public and a customer, you have no right to know that. The company as a whole has apologised and given you and upgrade and personally, I would take whatever points they are offering you. The company needs to deal with their people and systems in house.

 

[azam.d]

Re: Family Of 5 Ejected Of Etihad Airway After Etihad Made An Error On The Their Seat

Interesting point about the boarding passes. I re-read the OP to see some mention of being given the wrong broading pass, a pass from Abu Dhabi to Au. Sounds to me like the Caseblance to Ahu Dhabi boarding passes maybe got mislaid somewhere. Of maybe even mixed up which would explain the some people being seating 13 rows away, in the correct seats (as per Casablanca BP) and some people sitting in the other seats, which could be the seats that they would have from Abu dhabi to AU?

Anyway, to Azam.d, it is a really terrible thing that has happened. But I don't get it. You got an upgrade on the long leg, those higher management people apologised to you. This apology has to include the insult. I don't know that you can expect anything more. You seem to what someone to be sacked. But you are never going to get that, it is an internal company thing. For all you know that person might eb sacked, or they have been given a warning and put on lower duties. Really, as the public and a customer, you have no right to know that. The company as a whole has apologised and given you and upgrade and personally, I would take whatever points they are offering you. The company needs to deal with their people and systems in house.

Good point

 

[medhead]

Re: Family Of 5 Ejected Of Etihad Airway After Etihad Made An Error On The Their Seat

Good point

Maybe a good point, but it is also very unsatisifying not knowing if the company has actually dealt with there person or if they have done something. I can really feel your pain, but unfortunately, I don't think your going to get much satisfaction.

 

[ozbeachbabe]

Re: Family Of 5 Ejected Of Etihad Airway After Etihad Made An Error On The Their Seat

Okay so you go to board a flight Casablanca to Abu Dhabi and you have boarding passes Abu Dhabi to Oz. If there are gate readers at the boarding gate why don't the boarding passes reject when crew or ground staff attempt to board pax?

If they just manually check the boarding passes why don't airline staff realise you are giving them boarding passes for your next flight not the first one? All they needed to do was reprint boarding passes for the CAS/AUH sector.

Then even onboard the flight attendants don't realise they are the wrong boarding passes either, so you go to the seat numbers you have been assigned on the next flight but of course people are legitimately in them because that's what has been allocated to them on this sector.

I'm at a loss to understand why no-one from Etihad at any stage got on the radio to someone in front of a computer that could verify the correct seats you should have been in on the first flight from CAS to AUH. Surely the flight despatcher could do a reprint of the boarding passes then run them down to the aircraft.

 

[straitman]

Re: Family Of 5 Ejected Of Etihad Airway After Etihad Made An Error On The Their Seat

A bit OT here.

Leaving AKL for SYD the other week we had a family of 5 managed to get on the a/c and be seated before anyone realised they were on the wrong a/c.

How :?:

 

[thegurio]

Re: Family Of 5 Ejected Of Etihad Airway After Etihad Made An Error On The Their Seat

I myself have gotten onto the wrong flights on both QF and DJ. The boarding pass was clearly not accepted at the gate but as they were already running late they let me through and the only was they found out was that someone was sitting in "my" seat. In all cases i chose the wrong gate and tried to mistakenly get on the earlier flight...


I was thinking the same thing that in this day and age all i had to do was take a spare seat and no-one would've known a thing really...