Etihad Airways Changed My Flight Without Consent, Delaying Arrival by 4 Hours
On April 15, 2024, I had a confirmed ticket for seat 17D on flight EY99. Upon arriving in Abu Dhabi, I was informed by Etihad ground staff that the gate for EY99 had closed and I was rebooked on a Kuwait layover flight to Istanbul without my consent. Despite the arriving plane being delayed by 50 minutes, I was told I could no longer board EY99.
When I questioned how the gate could close an hour before the boarding pass time (01:20 for Kuwait and 02:20 for Istanbul), staff refused to let me board EY99 and forced me onto the alternate flight. This change delayed my arrival in Istanbul from 06:20 to 10:20, stealing 4 hours of my time.
It’s unacceptable that my ticket was altered without my knowledge or approval. The lack of respect and responsibility from Etihad ground staff, even after I raised the issue, is appalling. Overbooking and rerouting passengers without consent shows disregard for customer experience. I will cancel my membership and avoid using Etihad Airways in the future. I demand an explanation and resolution for this unjust treatment.
