Etihad Delayed Our Flight 7+ Hours, Offered Only One Meal — Seeking €600 Compensation

On May 15, 2025, my spouse and I traveled on Etihad Airways flight reservation PDN6HH, from Kuala Lumpur (KUL) to Istanbul (IST) with a layover in Abu Dhabi. During the first leg of our journey (Kuala Lumpur–Abu Dhabi), the flight was significantly delayed due to the airline’s fault, which caused our total arrival delay in Istanbul to exceed seven hours.

We were kept waiting at Abu Dhabi Airport for about seven hours. Although there were earlier connecting flights to Istanbul available with other airlines, Etihad insisted on rebooking us on their own aircraft. During the delay, we were only offered one hot meal and a single soft drink. According to SHY–Passenger regulations and the relevant EU air passenger rights, passengers experiencing delays over four hours are entitled to at least two hot meals, beverages, and free communication services (such as phone or email)—none of which were adequately provided.

As a result of the delay, we also missed our pre-booked Turkish Airlines (THY) domestic flight from Istanbul to Izmir, which caused additional financial loss and major inconvenience. When we finally arrived in Istanbul, it was during a public holiday and peak travel period, forcing us to wait another nine hours before continuing our journey.

Despite filing an official complaint with the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (SHGM) on June 17, 2025, Etihad Airways has not responded.

We are formally requesting compensation of €600 per person, as stipulated by international aviation conventions and Turkish Civil Aviation Law, due to the 7-hour delay, inadequate passenger assistance, and the financial losses we suffered as a direct consequence of the airline’s mishandling of our flight.