Uphill battle to credit miles on Etihad Guest
 

I am a frequent flyer in a number of different programs. Whilst the Etihad Guest program seems relatively attractive for its family member program and the fact that it has a large number of partners which are non-mainstream alliance members, I have learnt that making a retroactive claim is an uphill battle to say the least!

I have had a lot of difficulty making a retroactive claim request for a set of flights which my parents took from Harbin to Shenzhen on airline partner Hainan Airlines.

Does anyone have any suggestion what to do?

Here is a chronicle of the correspondence
April 6 – emailed retroactive claims details to Etihad Guest with all flight details and boarding passes
June 9 – follow-up email to Etihad Guest attaching original email with all details and boarding passes (2nd time the information is sent)
June 15 – email response from Etihad Guest requesting boarding pass copies even though the same had been attached in the emails on April 6 and June 9
June 15 – email to Etihad Guest attaching the original email (3rd time the information is sent)
June 17, 18 – follow up calls to Etihad airlines to chase them on the status of the claims (response being given is that the call centre agent will send an email to help chase)
June 25 – email from Etihad Guest confirming that the claim is being processed but addressed to the wrong person (who is Mrs Keane?)
July 1 – response from Etihad Guest requesting me to provide the original flight details again and incorrectly stating that the partner airlines is STA Travel (!?)
July 6 – resending all details all over again including boarding pass copies (4th time the information is sent)

Thank you

Simon

Etihad ignore every request
 

Tried so many times for over 2 months to get my guest miles added to Etihad. Still waiting...such bad service.
This is just some of my communications! One acknowledgement of boarding pases sent..THEN NOTHING!!!:

From: CD
To: "retroclaims@etihadguest.com" <retroclaims@etihadguest.com>
Sent: Tuesday, 2 June 2015, 18:16
Subject: claim
CHRISTOPHER DOUGHTY 100106089112 Silver
As instructed, I enclose claim for Etihad miles for four flights last month with partner airline Asiana.
Thank you,

From: CD
To: "retroclaims@etihadguest.com" <retroclaims@etihadguest.com>
Sent: Thursday, 11 June 2015, 14.38
Subject: claim
CHRISTOPHER DOUGHTY 100106089112 Silver
I am AGAIN enclosing claim for Etihad miles for four flights last month with partner airline Asiana.
Thank you.


From: "RetroClaims@etihadguest.com" <RetroClaims@etihadguest.com>
To: wazz@btinternet.com
Sent: Wednesday, 1 July 2015, 7:06
Subject: MILES QUERY [ACCT:1716094]
Etihad Guest Number: 100106089112
Dear MR. Doughty,
Thank you for taking the time to contact the Etihad Guest Service Centre with your request for missing Etihad Guest Miles to be credited to your account.
We are in receipt of your email pertaining to below flight.
Tickets no:
988529237434104
988529237434103
988529237434101
988529237434102
Please be advised that we are looking into the concerns you have raised. Rest assured that your email has received our attention and we hope that in time, we would be able to correspond to you accordingly.
Your patience and understanding in this regard is much appreciated.
Should you require any further assistance, please do not hesitate to contact us.
Yours sincerely,
Latifa Salem
Etihad Guest Service Centre

From: CD
To: "retroclaims@etihadguest.com" <retroclaims@etihadguest.com>
Sent: Wednesday, 15July 2015, 11:21
Subject: claim
CHRISTOPHER DOUGHTY 100106089112 Silver
My miles have still not been added !
Please reply.

CD
To guest@etihadguest.com
Sent: Saturday 15July 2015, 08:32
PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS FOR ME
CHRISTOPHER DOUGHTY 100106089112 Silver
I have been contactng RetroClaims as follows SINCE EARLY JUNE
On the second attempt they eventually (July 1) confirmed receipt of my boarding passes....... but they have never been in touch again or acknowledged my emails!.

Dear Simont1985,

Thank you for your post.

We apologize for the delay encountered with our team processing our query.
Please allow us to help you get this processed for you.

May we have your Etihad Guest number, and the interaction number related to your latest email and we will look into it this for you.

Thank you.
*RM

Re Etihad ignore every request
 

Ok here are the details you need:
CHRISTOPHER DOUGHTY 100106089112 Silver
Subject: MILES QUERY [ACCT:1716094] Wednesday, 1 July 2015, 7:06

I HOPE THIS CAN BE DEALT WITH NOW PLEASE

Dear Ms. Daughty,

Thank you for sending your details through.

We've forwarded them to our Etihad Guest team who will be back to us during normal business hours from Sunday onwards, as it's week end here in the UAE.

We thank you for your patience.
*RM

Worst customer service i have ever known
 

08-07-2015 09:52 PM
Etihad Representative Dear Ms. Daughty,
Thank you for sending your details through.
We've forwarded them to our Etihad Guest team who will be back to us during normal business hours from Sunday onwards, as it's week end here in the UAE.
We thank you for your patience.
*RM

RE YOUR REPLY
you will see in attached emails that I have been trying to get these miles added SINCE JUNE !!

2 months ago I was promised it was being dealt with................Again nothing done. I have 8 further flights to add after these are credited. But nobody there seems to care about loyal customers.

Worst customer service I have ever known
 

08-07-2015 09:52 PM
Etihad Representative Dear Ms. Daughty,
Thank you for sending your details through.
We've forwarded them to our Etihad Guest team who will be back to us during normal business hours from Sunday onwards, as it's week end here in the UAE.
We thank you for your patience.
*RM

RE YOUR REPLY
you will see in attached emails that I have been trying to get these miles added SINCE JUNE !!

2 months ago I was promised it was being dealt with................Again nothing done. I have 8 further flights to add after these are credited. But nobody there seems to care about loyal customers.

Please stat in touch
 

Hi Mr.Doughty,
I've been waiting a long time too with only a standard form response. I'd be pleased if you could let us all know if you gey any joy out of escalating your complaint.
So far I am not at all hopeful, despite have flown first class!
Chris

will update IF any progress...
 

OK. Happy to pool my experiences but don't hold your breath!
I don't think they have the slightest interest in their customers.
If anyone has any success please let us know how you did it!

Hi there,

We are so sorry this hasn't been dealt with for such a long time. We would like to apologize for keeping you waiting and we'll make sure we'll get an answer for you as soon as possible.

Thank you for reaching out again.
*JP

Hi Chris,

we're happy to help with your missing miles. You can best send us an email to ********************** with your ticket number(s) and your Etihad Guest number and we'll look into this for you shortly.

Thank you for getting in touch.
*JP

Agree, no interest shown
 

Wilco!
As consumers of airline services we really need to make sure they operate fairly.

Obviously too many cooks at socialmedia@etihad
 

Hello JP,
I have already contacted your social media pr section and received a nonsense response.
You have my details, and I doubt you have lost the details of the account I asked you to transfer my mileage from to my new account: 103288846102 established November last year after returning First Class from Manchester to Abu Dhabi. You have that, and my May 2014 on file in the TAP.
So JP please follow up, this is just not good customer relations treating some people the way Etihad seems to.

From: Me
To : "**********************" <**********************>
Subject : My missing miles
Date : Sat, Oct 10 03:03:27 GST 2015


I am sick and tired of not being responded to.
I have made several requests to have my mileage credited and my old account mileage transferred to my new guest account member number 103288846102.
I explained last year when I submitted my claim to retroclaims@ that I had lost my old account details, including my old email address, I received no response except a new account without any of my valid mileage claims included.
This is honestly crap service.
You have all my details on your "Tap" and I expect to be credited for my flights otherwise I'll be going Emirates in the future.
Please treat me correctly.
I have spoken with a customer service rep, Basha, today who has informed me he is passing my complaint up to " a higher authority", whatever that means!
I look forward to actually hearing back from a real person about this rather than being totally ignored
Sincerely
Chris

Hi Chris,

Thanks for getting in touch and letting us know about this. We will look into this issue with our Etihad Guest team for you and have already sent them an email regarding this. We will keep you in the loop and let you know about any updates/developments. This shouldn't be a difficult matter and we intend to solve this for you as soon as possible.

Thanks.

*JP

I agree
 

JP,
As you say, "this shouldn't be a difficult matter".
Unfortunately it leaves a very sour taste for me that i have had to resort to shaming the inadequacy of the Guest program publicly.
I say unfortunately because this experience goes so far against the good ones I have had with Etihad over the years, which makes it all the worse.
I await your solution, which should reflect my 2013 flights as well as an apology.
The apology may take the form of a bottle of quality single malt Scotch to sweeten the lingering sour taste of this awful experience.
Regards
Chris

Hi Chris,

Noted, we'll make sure our Etihad Guest team is aware of this. We can't promise your last request unfortunately, but we will let our team know of your message. *JP