I Faced Unfair Carry-On Policy and Rude Staff at Etihad Airways Istanbul Airport

While making my first connecting flight on a trip from Istanbul to Bali, I was told that my soft-sided carry-on bag, which fits perfectly within cabin size limits, had to be checked in. I explained I didn’t want to check it because my next connection had a short layover. They ignored my concerns and took my bag away. A male staff member said only with approval from Ms. Ö*** would the bag be allowed onboard—but no such approval came. The staff member even snidely remarked, “You should have flown Business Class then.” Yet, when boarding, I saw plenty of bags the same size fitting in the overhead bins. This treatment was unjust and disrespectful. After 7 years of traveling, I’ve never experienced such poor service. I hope this doesn’t make me miss my connection. Etihad must address this unfair policy and train staff to be more understanding and professional.