# Etihad Airlines



## Celt07 (15 Nov 2007)

Travelling to Australia in December and we are flying with Etihad via Abu Dhabi. Anyone any experience with this airline? We also have an overnight stay in Abu Dhabi so any comments or advice on the place would also be accpreciated. Thanks.


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## emmt (15 Nov 2007)

See


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## tinkerbell (15 Nov 2007)

I posted a similar thread here a few weeks ago   but can't find it now!  Both Ethihad and Abu Dhabi seemed promising.  We are going there for Easter for a week!


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## Cligereen (22 Nov 2007)

Hi,
We flew Etihad to Abu Dhabi in July. It was an excellent flying experience. Good legroom, excellent (and free) entertainment system, good food & drinks, crew very professional and friendly, flights on time - can't fault them at all actually. Enjoy!


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## z105 (23 Nov 2007)

Doh ! 

http://airlineworld.wordpress.com/2007/11/16/etihad-airbus-slams-into-wall-while-engine-testing/


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## r2d2 (24 Nov 2007)

Celt07 said:


> Travelling to Australia in December and we are flying with Etihad via Abu Dhabi. Anyone any experience with this airline? We also have an overnight stay in Abu Dhabi so any comments or advice on the place would also be accpreciated. Thanks.


 
A friend of mine lives in Dubai and comes home regularly.....He tried Etihad recently and even if Aer Lingus weren't pulling out of the Dubai run he'd be an Etihad convert. It means he has a 50 min drive (I think) back to Dubai but he reckons it's worth it.....I'll check with him tomorrow to see if he can point you in the right direction for staying over!

r2d2


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## z104 (24 Nov 2007)

Flew to Thailand with Etihad. Had to change in abu dhabi so had 2 flights with them. Thought they were the best airline i've ever flown with.


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## Starbuck (4 Dec 2007)

I travelled with them last month through LHR to Abu Dhabi and on to Kuala Lumpur.

On the return flight Abu Dhabi airport got socked in by fog.

We were left sitting in the tiny windowless terminal for 12 hours. No information. No hotel offerred. Total disorganisation. 
The terminal building is tiny and was swamped by thousands of people with no flights. The one small coffee shop was soon overwhelmed by the throng. No seating in the airport for half the number there. We slept on the floor.

One of their few staff who could be found told me he didn't know anything because the Operations Department had stopped answering the telephones!

This company has grown too fast and doesn't have the experience to cope with disruptions like this. Any other airline would've provided us with hotel accom.

I won't be using them again.


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## DublinTexas (4 Dec 2007)

Have you complained to their customer service afterwards? I know that some people in the same situation have received goodwill offers.

I have used them (not in cattle class) a number of times since Gulf Air pulled out of Dublin and in the one point where I had problems I found them helpfull and competent.


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## Starbuck (4 Dec 2007)

I've been meaning to write a complaint, but haven't had time yet.

If I never see Abu Dhabi airport again it'll be too soon.

Did I mention that they kept us waiting in LHR for 1hr30mins for bags? No staff to unload the aircraft! We ended up missing the last connecting flight to Dublin as a result - so another nights hotel expenses in London were the added bonus. Nothing from Etihad of course. They all hid from us.


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## Yachtie (17 Dec 2007)

Celt07 said:


> Travelling to Australia in December and we are flying with Etihad via Abu Dhabi. Anyone any experience with this airline? We also have an overnight stay in Abu Dhabi so any comments or advice on the place would also be accpreciated. Thanks.


 
We're doing the same thing on Christmas Eve!!! I have spoken to some friends who flew with Ethiad and they were full of praise.


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## Yachtie (17 Jan 2008)

Just got back and thought I'd recommend Etihad for Dublin - Sydney. I thought that the connection was great with overnight stop over on the way to Sydney and a short stopover in Abu Dhabi on the way back. Meals were ok, hotel in Abu Dhabi was ok too and the selection of entertainment on board was great.


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## Celt07 (17 Jan 2008)

Wll folks, just thought I'd report back on our trip. I found Etihad (Dublin-Abu Dhabi-Sydney) to be excellent. The in-flight entertainment, food and general level of service was superb. The flight cost was cheaper than other airlines when we booked too. We stopped over in Abu Dhabi and the hotel accomodation, meals and transfers were all complementary. The only minor complaint was that there was a delay in being transferred from the airport to our hotel when we arrived that night, but as I say this was a minor issue really considering it was all free. The hotel too was fine. We stayed in the Al Jazira Sports Hotel [broken link removed]. It's actually part of a football stadium about half an hour from the airport. I agree that the airport is fairly small and was a bit chaotic when we were there but then again, it was the start of the Hajj period when the pilgramage to Mecca takes place so the volume of travellers was higher than normal. In terms of the stop over, for some it might be a bit daunting to be in such a predominately muslim country but the people are extremely friendly and we had no problems. As far as the airline are concerned, I would definitely recommend Etihad and would fly with them again.


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