Re: Etihad Airways
The main point is that return tickets were purchased from Etihad airlines.
To fly return from Karachi to Abu Dhabi to Toronto. Therefore the passengers were Etihad’s responsibility.
Tickets were not purchased to fly Karachi to Abu Dhabi to London to Paris to Toronto, waiting aimlessly at airports, being bounced around from one airline to another and then after almost 2 entire days of traveling finally reaching their true destination.
Calling the Etihad 24hr Call Center was also useless. Every time they were called over the 2 days of traveling they had NO answers to give the families who were trying to track their relatives down.
The weather was the reason for not landing in Abu Dhabi and instead going on to Al Ain and then returning to Abu Dhabi. Up to this point everything is acceptable. No one can control weather conditions.
What was not outstanding service and totally unacceptable is how quickly Etihad dumped these 60 passengers. They got NO answers from the ground staff about what was going on or when they would get another flight. After several hours of waiting at Abu Dhabi airport the passengers began a journey of being bounced around from one airline to another. They endured the waiting game in London and in Paris before reaching Toronto.
For anyone who has experienced traveling through London, Heathrow airport will realize how impossible it is to find or make arrangements for transportation in a matter of minutes. Considering there was no plan to travel to Europe and there was little or lack of communication from Etihad to the passengers, no advance arrangements could be made. Every minute standing is a minute lost in travel time to the other gate. They basically had no choice but to endure the lengthy and speedy walks from one end of the airport to another to reach the various gates for different airlines. It is pointless even asking anyone to understand how difficult and lengthy the terminal walks are there unless you frequent this airport. Imagine your own parents in this situation.
Ultimately no one will truly understand the feelings that these passengers felt until they are in there 60’s being treated this way or have a serious health condition.