In early October, I had to travel from Kuwait to Abu Dhabi. The only airline offering a direct flight was Etihad Airways. A friend had once told me about a bad experience with them, but I didn’t pay much attention. Since I had no other choice, I decided not to worry about it.
Etihad Airways is known as a premium airline. They often show off their luxury suites on TV and YouTube. Because of this, I expected a top-notch experience, especially since their tickets are expensive. My wife and I booked one-way business class tickets from Dubai. Having worked in the hospitality and luxury service industry for over 20 years, I always notice the little things—how services meet their promises, how staff handle feedback, and how well the customer experience is designed.
But my expectations were not met—far from it.
Business Class Disappointment
When you think of “business class” on a premium airline, you imagine comfort, convenience, and a special experience. The seats were okay, but not exceptional for business class. The biggest disappointment was the lack of Wi-Fi and a proper entertainment system. Etihad offers in-flight entertainment only through their Wi-Fi, which doesn’t connect to the internet. Instead, it gives you access to a small library of content that streams at a low quality of 256 pixels.
For an airline competing with Emirates—a global leader in premium travel—this is surprising. It’s hard to believe they expect business-class passengers, who pay a lot for better service, to be happy with such poor in-flight options. Emirates, their main competitor, offers some of the best in-flight entertainment and connectivity in the world. Etihad seems to have missed this important need, which is not acceptable in today’s premium market. In the three pictures below, notice the cloth folding points: the left picture shows Qatar Airways, the center shows Etihad Airways, and the right, with no crease, is Emirates Airlines. Small details do matter.
Great Airport, Poor Airplane Experience
One thing Etihad does well is their airport. Abu Dhabi International Airport is clean, spacious, and easy to get around—everything you’d expect from a top-class airport. However, the high standards at the airport only make the problems on the plane stand out more. It’s like the airline focused on everything around the flight but forgot about the flight itself.
I felt that their priorities were not in the right place. Having a beautiful airport is nice, but the experience on the plane is what passengers remember most. This is where we spend hours, and where comfort and convenience matter the most.
Ignored Feedback: A Lost Chance
During the flight, I wanted to share my concerns. The only way to do this was through the streaming website accessible via the plane’s Wi-Fi—the same one with the poor entertainment options. I sent my feedback there, explaining how disappointed I was with the in-flight service, especially the lack of proper entertainment and Wi-Fi connectivity, which are standard on most premium airlines today. While other airlines are improving their in-flight technology, Etihad seems to be cutting back in areas critical to customer satisfaction.
Despite sending my complaint during the flight and providing my seat number and contact details, I got no response. A few days later, I received a generic email asking for feedback on the flight, with no mention of my earlier complaint. It was clear that Etihad’s process for handling customer feedback lacks real engagement or follow-up—a big problem for any premium airline.
Final Thoughts: Where Etihad Needs Improvement
Etihad Airways has a strong brand and is known for luxury, but this experience showed me they are falling short in several areas. Charging premium prices and having a nice airport do not make up for a poor in-flight experience, especially when compared to their closest competitors. Moreover, failing to properly handle customer feedback points to a bigger issue: a gap between what they promise and what they deliver.
In the world of hospitality, especially luxury hospitality, customer experience is the most important thing. It’s not just about meeting expectations—it’s about going beyond them. For Etihad to truly be a leader in premium air travel, they need to focus not only on the look of their airports but also on what really matters: the in-flight experience and how they listen to their customers.
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