Retro claims time frame

[Daver6]

I flew a paid J JNB to AUH on a EY code share flight on SAA.

For various reasons I couldn't add my VA FF details to the booking prior to departure and figured I'd put in a retro claim. I did so with VA but the claim was denied as no VA points awarded on EY code share flights. Fair enough.

I attempted to submit a claim with EY online but ran into issues. I called them up to discuss. Turns out their system shows the flight as already been claimed by VA, even though that claim wasn't successful. The guy on the phone who explained it to me had little interest in dealing with it himself but said to email [email protected] explaining the situation and they should be able to sort it out.

I've emailed and received a reply with what looks like a tracking number but no further information. No indication of time frame or suggestion on how to follow this up. Has anyone had any experience with this? Is the EY rep on here able to assist perhaps?

I'm a little disappointed with how this has been handled so far, especially given how thoroughly impressed I was with EY J on the next sector from AUH to PER.

Thanks

 

[ywwol]

You'll have to get in line I'm afraid. The retro claims team are absolutely horrible. 10 months to get their own flights credited, 7 months to get partner stuff credited. I have another 2 retro claims that are now 3 months old. If it doesn't credit automatically, then they are just ****. (Can I say that?) The only thing that is effective is shaming them publicly on social media. I don't think it should be like that, but that's how it is. Etihad's good up in the air if everything goes well, but if you got a problem, their ground/customer service staff are terrible. Their stupid textbook responses only serve to make me angry too.

 

[Daver6]

Thanks for the response.

That is so disappointing to hear. They well and truly won be over in the air that I'd love to make them my international airline of choice. Hearing things like this makes me reconsider. If this is how paid J customers are treated, I don't think I want to know about Y.

 

[EtihadAirways]

Hi Daver6,

That sounds like you could use some help. In order for us to look into your retroclaim we would need your Etihad Guest card number and your ticket numbers. If you send these to us in a DM, we will have a look with our Etihad Guest team and see how we can make this a fast and smooth process for you. What do you think? Waiting for your DM. *JP

 

[EtihadAirways]

Hi Ywwol,

If you ever need a hand with your retro claims, let us know in a DM here or on our Social Media channels. No need to 'shame' us, we'll look into everyone's claims regardless of whether they are public or in a private message We, the Social Media Team are here 24/7, so anytime you need help or have a question, just give us a shout and we'll do our best to help you out. *JP
'

 

[Daver6]

Hi Daver6,

That sounds like you could use some help. In order for us to look into your retroclaim we would need your Etihad Guest card number and your ticket numbers. If you send these to us in a DM, we will have a look with our Etihad Guest team and see how we can make this a fast and smooth process for you. What do you think? Waiting for your DM. *JP

Thanks. A PM has been sent.

 

[ywwol]

Why does the Social Media Team even need to look into claims? Why can't the Retro Claims Team just do their job? I have access to Etihad's Premium Member Services Team and I don't find them anymore useful.

Hi Ywwol,

If you ever need a hand with your retro claims, let us know in a DM here or on our Social Media channels. No need to 'shame' us, we'll look into everyone's claims regardless of whether they are public or in a private message We, the Social Media Team are here 24/7, so anytime you need help or have a question, just give us a shout and we'll do our best to help you out. *JP
'

 

[Neapoli Kozani]

I would have to agree. Etihad Guest retro claims and Etihad Guest in general both have abysmal customer service. I sent an email 3 weeks ago about not being credited with miles and have had no response. This is not the 1st time I have had this issue. If I supply them with all the information they need surely it is a 5 minute job on the computer to credit someone their miles when they are entitled. The most astonishing thing is that there are several forums around where poor Etihad customer service is discussed but management does nothing to fix it.

 

[Daver6]

Just received an email response.

Dear Mr Daver6,
Thank you for taking the time to contact the Etihad Guest Service Centre with your request for missing Etihad Guest Miles to be credited to
We are happy to confirm that your request has been successfully processed and the below flights have been credited to your account.
SA77 D 11JUN WDH JNB
Further to your email with regards to your ticket number xx_xx_xx_XX, please be informed that your frequent flyer number xx_xx_xx_ of some other airline has been updated for the below travel.
EY6298 D 12JUN JNB AUH
EY0486 D 12JUN AUH PER
Terms and conditions:
6.1.20. Members are not entitled to request for miles to be deducted from their Etihad Guest Account and transferred to another partner airline account. It is the member’s responsibility to ensure that the correct membership number is quoted from the onset to ensure mileage earning on the desired programme.
In light of the above, since you have already quoted some other airline's membership number, we regret to inform that we will be unable to update miles for the same to your Etihad Guest Number as well.
In order for us to look into your claims, kindly provide a confirmation from that airline that the above flights are not credited to that airline's membership account.
You can also visit our website www.etihadguest.com where you will find our terms and conditions on earning miles when you fly with us or one of our partners.
We look forward to welcoming you again as our guest in the future.
Yours sincerely,
Suhaila Saif
Etihad Guest Services Team

Not sure why they are crediting SA77 as I made no mention of that sector in my original email. Even though I clearly explained what that other FF number was about (VA), they seem to have just stated the obvious back to me. Anyway, have sent them the email I received from VA denying the claim for EY6298. Hopefully this will be sufficient to get things moving along.

 

[spudseamus]

I will have one coming up shortly for my son who is on my family account . I will follow the site rules and see how I go !

 

[Daver6]

Sadly, not exactly making much progress with this.

Seems that they are failing to grasp that VA rejected that claim even though proof has been sent through.

 

[EtihadAirways]

Sadly, not exactly making much progress with this.

Seems that they are failing to grasp that VA rejected that claim even though proof has been sent through.

Hi Daver6,

We can try to move things a little faster for you if you like. We would kindly need your INTR number or otherwise email address, so we can chase this up for you. You can send us your details in an inbox here or in an email to [email protected] *JP

 

[Daver6]

Hi Daver6,

We can try to move things a little faster for you if you like. We would kindly need your INTR number or otherwise email address, so we can chase this up for you. You can send us your details in an inbox here or in an email to [email protected] *JP

Than you. I responded by PM here with both the INTR and my email address.

Thanks for your assistance

 

[power71]

Than you. I responded by PM here with both the INTR and my email address.

Thanks for your assistance

I flew with VA in November 2014 and am STILL waiting for my Etihad Guest account to be credited with the BNE-PER, PER-BNE travel I completed. I have sent multiple emails to both Etihad and Virgin with both companies blaming each other. It's now August 2015 - 9 months later and still no points. I am very unhappy with the service Etihad has provided and really makes me reconsider whether to fly them in the future again. Don't get me started on the check-in issues I had at Dublin airport and AUH.....

 

[Daver6]

I think they really are a bunch of complete Muppets.

After the rep here asked me to message him with the details the response is along the lines of they didn't realise it was the same issue (seriously? I've not raised any other issues). Then to say there is nothing they can do as the booking didn't quote an Etihad Guest account. Well duh, of course it didn't. If it did, why would I need a retro claim?!? They really have not comprehended at all the situation and just totally wasting my time now.

Again. Paid for J flights. Thought their product was brilliant and living in PER QF aren't an option for international travel. I though to myself, EY way to go. This experience suggests no way! I cannot imagine how little they would care about pax in Y having issues if this is how paid J is treated.

 

[Daver6]

Could the Etihad rep please confirm or deny whether the following is correct.

You fly on EY, but at the time of flying, no frequent flier details are entered. Then, after the flight, you put in a retro claim with a partner airline which is reject due to the terms and conditions. No points or status credits are awarded from the partner airline. You have this in writing from the partner airline and provide it to Etihad. Under these circumstances, Etihad will NOT then allow you to credit to your Etihad account.

Again to the rep, can you please confirm or deny whether what I've written above is correct?

Thanks

 

[Daver6]

So after a few more emails where EY are clearly failing to grasp what happened, I went back to VA. VA have provided me with an official document stating that no points etc have been credited. I've sent this to EY.

It would seem my experience mirrors what others have experienced. EY are simply atrocious. The social media rep hasn't had the decency to respond to the question about and clearly has no authority to actually act on anything. I've asked both the rep here and via email for the contact details of someone slightly higher up, multiple times, only to have had all requests ignored.

I'm stunned and disappointed that something that should be so simple to sort out is causing me so much pain and time wastage. EY should hang their head in shame. The rep on here and clearly other forums is just a token front to make it seem like are doing something. They aren't. No one wants to take responsibility.

</rant>

 

[esseeeayeenn]

While agreeing that EY service on the ground is nowhere near the standard in the air, I would humbly suggest that a change in strategy might also assist.
When dealing with QF and VA and other airlines I tend to gently argue the merits of my case and avoid any DYKWIA posturing.
However in my experience the opposite strategy works with EY (and EK for that matter).
In my experience they respond better to "this is not what I expect as a business class passenger and Gold EY Guest member" than they do to rational arguments as to the merits of your situation.
And, if it is at all possible, take up the issue in person.
Phone calls in the UAE are totally ineffective in obtaining assistance. Whoever answers your call will focus only on how quickly they can offload you onto someone else.
That's not an EY thing, it's a UAE thing.

 

[Daver6]

While agreeing that EY service on the ground is nowhere near the standard in the air, I would humbly suggest that a change in strategy might also assist.
When dealing with QF and VA and other airlines I tend to gently argue the merits of my case and avoid any DYKWIA posturing.
However in my experience the opposite strategy works with EY (and EK for that matter).
In my experience they respond better to "this is not what I expect as a business class passenger and Gold EY Guest member" than they do to rational arguments as to the merits of your situation.
And, if it is at all possible, take up the issue in person.
Phone calls in the UAE are totally ineffective in obtaining assistance. Whoever answers your call will focus only on how quickly they can offload you onto someone else.
That's not an EY thing, it's a UAE thing.

Thanks for the suggestions. In my correspondence I have repeatedly mentioned a full fare paying J customer. Not made any difference.

In person? As in go to their local office? I wonder if they even have one in Perth?

 

[esseeeayeenn]

Thanks for the suggestions. In my correspondence I have repeatedly mentioned a full fare paying J customer. Not made any difference.

In person? As in go to their local office? I wonder if they even have one in Perth?

I don't know, but I'll find out.
That part of my suggestion was intended more generally.