Hey, have you ever played a game of "telephone" as a kid? Well, my recent experience with Etihad Airways' customer support team felt like a never-ending game of "telephone on steroids!" I mean, I lost count of how many times I had to repeat my issue to different representatives, only to receive conflicting advice and no proof of issue resolution. It was like being stuck in a never-ending loop of confusion and frustration!

It all started when I tried booking a ticket with Etihad, only to end up with a wonky glitch that made me seek help from their support team. They suggested I use initials for my last name and call back later to fix it. But when I did call back, they wanted to charge me a whopping $100 for their mistake, or suggested I cancel and rebook, as if my name was some kind of shrinking potion! I mean, come on, I'm not a wizard like Harry Potter!

Eventually, I stumbled upon a fix by removing my daughter from the passenger list, which exposed a glitch in their system. But despite spending hours on the phone with their support team, I still don't have a ticket with my correct name, and no one at Etihad seems to be able to help me. It's like they're trying to make me pay for their mistakes, or maybe they're just playing a game of "hot potato" with my problem!

In the upcoming section, I'll share the transcript of my chats with Etihad's support team, where we'll dive into the dizzying world of contradictory advice and lack of resolution. So buckle up, grab some popcorn, and get ready for a wild ride!

Etihad Call log

Issue Description: When trying to book a ticket for my self and family I got the below error:

Total Length of first and last name is too long. Input includes adult and infant names. Please change your input and try again.

03.17.2023

07:29 PM ET (9 min: 26 sec) First call about name length issue

Issue discussed:

I am unable to book a ticket as I get a name too long error.

Action taken:
- The representative asked for my full last name
- I spelled out my whole last name
- The rep told me that I need to initial the last part of last name and use:
  - Prabha R instead of Prabha Ravindran
- This resolved the issue and I was able to go ahead with the booking
- She said once the booking is complete, I need to call Etihad support on the same number again and ask them to update my actual full name.

08:23 PM ET (23 min: 27 sec) followup call to update full name as per rep's suggestion

Issue discussed:
- I am calling up as suggested by the previous rep to correct my name after completing my booking with initials
Action taken:

Asks me to send a mail to ccdocs@etihad.ae with the following:
- Subject line: Name verification: Booking ref: XXXU2 (masked
- Copy of my passport page that shows my full name.
- I did as instructed.
- Said will call me back after one hour.

03.18.2023

1:37 AM ET (24 min:35 sec) received call from "Private Number"

Issue discussed:
- Turned out to be Etihad support person who was supposed to call me back after one hour
Action taken:
- She says I have only the following two options:
  1. Pay $100 to correct my names
  2. Cancel and rebook
- I explained that I was just following what the Etihad Rep told me to do and that shouldn't result in any additional charges.
- Then the rep told me that the earlier rep who advised me was wrong and what she is saying is the correct policy
- I explained that rebooking would not solve the issue and that ticket prices had increased since I initially booked.
- The new support person suggested that I enter the initial for my daughter's first name instead.
- In order to avoid being misled again, I requested a copy of the policy that stated this type of name change would not incur additional charges.
- However, the representative refused to provide any documentation or send an email.
- The call gets disconnected

02:14 AM ET - Reported the full issue to 'ccdocs@etihad.ae`

Send the following email:

Hello Etihad Team, 

 Booking ref: ****U2
 
 While attempting to book my ticket, I encountered an error (please see screenshot below) and contacted Etihad's support hotline for assistance. The representative advised me to use my initial for the second part of my second name, which enabled me to proceed with the booking. However, the representative also instructed me to call back after booking to correct my name to its full version.
 
 Upon contacting Etihad's support again to make the correction, I was informed that I would have to pay a $100 fee for the change or cancel the ticket and rebook. I explained that rebooking would not solve the issue and that ticket prices had increased since I initially booked. The new support person suggested that I enter the initial for my daughter's first name instead. In order to avoid being misled again, I requested a copy of the policy that stated this type of name change would not incur additional charges. However, the representative refused to provide any documentation or send an email.
 
 I find it unreasonable for Etihad to charge me for a website error and misinformation provided by their customer support. I would greatly appreciate it if you could investigate and resolve this matter promptly.
 
 
 Thank you,
 Regards,
 Praveen

Never receivd a reponse

02:44 AM ET - Raised complaint via Etihad Facebook page

Raised the following complaint via Etihad facebook page:

While attempting to book my ticket, I encountered an error (please see screenshot below) and contacted Etihad's support hotline for assistance. The representative advised me to use my initial for the second part of my second name, which enabled me to proceed with the booking. However, the representative also instructed me to call back after booking to correct my name to its full version.

   Upon contacting Etihad's support again to make the correction, I was informed that I would have to pay a $100 fee for the change or cancel the ticket and rebook. I explained that rebooking would not solve the issue and that ticket prices had increased since I initially booked. The new support person suggested that I enter the initial for my daughter's first name instead. In order to avoid being misled again, I requested a copy of the policy that stated this type of name change would not incur additional charges. However, the representative refused to provide any documentation or send an email.

   I find it unreasonable for Etihad to charge me for a website error and misinformation provided by their customer support. I would greatly appreciate it if you could investigate and resolve this matter promptly.

Got a reply as below some time later:

You need to call the contact centre team from your end, Praveen. You can find their contact numbers here 
https://www.etihad.com/en/help/contact-us. You just need to choose the country you're calling from to find the number. *Pika

02:50 AM ET - Meanwhile Raised complaint via Twitter

Raised the following complaint via twitter:

Tweet link
Here is the tweet:

Dear @EtihadAirways, I faced website error & was misinformed by customer support while booking my ticket. Still, you charged me $100 for correcting my name & refuse to provide policy documentation. Please resolve this issue. #Etihad #CustomerService #UnreasonableCharge

Didnot receive any response

12:55 PM: ET (11 mins: 18 sec) Call to (+1 877-690-0767) again as per facebook support

Issue discussed: - Explained the initial issue and told the rep that I need to change my name in ticket to the full Name as in passport
Action taken:
- Rep asks for passport to which I mentioned I had already sent to ccdocs@etihad.ae
- She was able to find it from her mail box with subject line: Name verification: Booking ref: XXXXU2 (masked)
- agent agress to all the change name without any additional charges
- Rep doesn't reissue ticket she says she has added a note.
- Again no document to prove any of this was actually done

And the saga drags on... Who knows if I'll ever get this mess sorted out, or if I'll be left stranded at the airport gates with my family because of @EtihadAirways' technical glitches and incompetent support team. Fingers crossed for a happy ending! #Etihad #CustomerService #UnreasonableCharge tweet

Blogger Boy

Saturday, March 18, 2023

My Costly Mistake: Trusting Etihad's Representative to Book My Ticket