[K1ngston]

On Dec 2nd last year I unfortunately was in an accident on my bicycle here in Phuket and I was thrown from the saddle and sustained 4 fractures to my vertebrae, fracture of the eye socket, fracture of my hand, hairline fracture of the neck and cracked and lost 3 teeth, I am lucky to be here telling you all this and its due to one thing, I was wearing a helmet luckily as it seems I landed on my head…

Anyway after nearly 2.5 weeks in hospital ( a special call out to the International Hospital here in Phuket) I was able to go home under strict instructions not to fly and when I could only in Business Class, which is easy in theory but not win practice when the company you work for has a strict Economy Only policy, but nonetheless I had to fly to Dubai for business meetings a full week before my Dr suggested.

Because I left it as late as I could to book the tickets I was unable to get on an Emirates flight directly to Dubai I had to book Etihad and take a taxi at the other end. I did suggest I would need extra help as part of my booking which I discussed at check in and very kindly the check in agent allowed me through the VIP immigration line ( I have no status with Etihad) and I thought that was it.

When I got to the check in gate the agent took my boarding pass and told me that the Airline had upgraded me due to my back problems and I was helped onto the plane and my luggage taken from me and put into the overhead locker. The care and service was impeccable and I cannot speak highly enough of them and thanked them profusely on arrival where I was escorted through immigration and helped into a taxi. I didn’t even think that I would get the same service on the way back but low and behold as I checked in in Abu Dhabi I was informed that there was a note against my name and I would be contacted at the gate, where I was helped onto the plane at first to my Y seat, but once the CSD heard about my predicament he spoke to the Captain who upgraded me once the doors were closed! I have never flown Etihad before and I have to say they were brilliant and attentive and sometimes you just have to let people know the good stories…

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ASK1945, IanFromHKG, PatJordan, rferguson, FinnKZ229, AllOverTheGaff, capetonianm, canucklad, w8ster, biguli76, BA789, CathayLoyalist2, MarkCymru, BAGoldcard, fatbear, Woodpecker, DerekVH, esselle, first_class_please, Jacob

[CathayLoyalist2]

It is a pleasant change to hear that great service can be delivered

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K1ngston

[colin]

Well done to Etihad- I would expect nothing less ! They are my favourite airline

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K1ngston

[canucklad]

Sorry to hear about your accident K1ngston, good to hear your on the mend ….

And thanks for sharing the good !
I’m a great believer in the ethos that praise both encourages and is a motivator for good !

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K1ngston

[AllOverTheGaff]

Glad to hear you are on the mend, and delighted to hear of such attentive service.

I’ve honestly never had many issues with the ME carriers, they seem to have much more autonomy and common sense when you ask them for help. I was due to fly from Oz to Dublin then Dublin to GLA on a separate ticket (much cheaper fare) but they changed for me to GLA when my daughter was involved in a minor car accident. She was 100% fine but in a bit of a state, as you are after an accident.

Anyway, well done Etihad and thanks for sharing.

Rgds.
AOTG.

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K1ngston

[alistairNicoll]

Having been massively critical of Etihad over the last few years as their service has gone down and down and down and from a previous loyal gold status user have given up on them it is nice to see such a positive report.

Hopefully I will not find myself in your predicament

[SAS]

Etihad Airways is a great airline but the experience one has with any airline, no matter the quality of its reputation, depends in large part to one’s luck and one’s perception. I am glad you liked Etihad, I have never flown with them but would not mind doing so some day.

[alistairNicoll]

Etihad WAS a great airline unfortunately it no longer is. Their lounge at Manchester was by far the best lounge I have experienced at any non hub airport with service that could not be faulted and the on board experience in business very good but after the Alitalia debacle they have cut back. I certainly agree that the crew on any airline can make a huge difference and I have had some outstanding crews on my trips with Etihad in the past and it is sad now when you speak with the staff about how the airline has gone downhill.

This was a rare post praising the airline when most have been the opposite over the last few years.

I do wonder about OPs company however forcing him to travel against the doctor’s advice and not being willing to pay for him to travel in business class – rules are rules but good management know when to break the rules and one would have thought after such a nasty accident they might have done so in this case.

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IanFromHKG

[K1ngston]

[postquote quote=987919][/postquote]

Alistair thanks for your message, and your comments about the company policy regarding travel, apparently they took it under advisement (corporate lawyers etc) and decided if they broke protocol for one person they would have to break for others, am I happy about it of course not, I felt let down by them but the accident did not happen in work hours and they deemed it such… Would I like to go up and shove my resignation right up their noses of course I would, but as I am sure most know its not that easy and therefore I was very happy with Etihads service and for that trip! I know it won’t happen every time but was thankful in particular for that particular gesture…….

[alistairNicoll]

[postquote quote=987920][/postquote]

Well the main thing is you are mended.

I can think of numerous times in my working life where management exercised discretion and broke the rules without consulting the lawyers and for things far less serious than being forced to travel against doctors advise. Worrying, how often do they expect to ask staff to travel against a doctor’s advise if they are worried about creating a precedent? It does not matter when or where the accident happened. I dread to think what staff morale is like in your company

[K1ngston]

[postquote quote=987923][/postquote]
Yes well on the way to being mended thank you albeit I still have 12 pins in my back which will need to come out in September! As for moral in the company its poor with lots of leavers and defections to competitors, but again at my age with the health issues I have sometimes its rather the devil you know!

My husband who is a Cardio Thoracic ICU Nurse and who has basically nursed me back to almost fitness agreed it was ok to travel and to be fair with the help of the amazing Etihad was easy, it will be the other trips that will start to happen in the coming weeks that will be the issue but as always will overcome with grace and good humour! Thanks for your thoughts however they are greatly appreciated

[MartynSinclair]

Whilst I know you are not the kind of person who will ‘play’ on your medical conditions, it will be interesting to learn how the other airlines and airports will assist, voluntarily or otherwise, over the next few weeks of travel, during your recovery process.

Safe and pain free travels K1ngston

[K1ngston]

[postquote quote=987929][/postquote]

Thanks Martyn, we will find out on Sunday when I have to fly to Stockholm with QR who I have status with as “Lifetime Gold” with BA… I have mentioned it again as I do need help as I cannot lift much currently and I will report back the differences in service and attitude after the trip…

After this trip most of the flights will be in region with the exception of AKL in Feb, and that’s with SQ notorious for “not upgrading” whatever your status .. got to get on with it and will let you know 🙂

[K1ngston]

Hi all I said I would follow up my Etihad experience with that of QR flying Phuket-Doha-Stockholm, and compare the two experiences having flown Etihad without status and how brilliant they were with me.

Check in at Phuket Airport on a Sunday through high season is a complete pain and can take ages, however I checked into the Business Class Queue with QR and within seconds I was escorted through the VIP section of immigration and was in the lounge within 5 minutes a big plus to QR and then walked down to the gate and we all got on the flight quickly and efficiently to my Y seat (there was no upgrade not that I expected but no mention) I was greeted by the CSD as a Emerald which was nice and I was given first choice of a pretty bland menu (nice touch) and I was looked after for the whole flight.

Upon arrival in Doha the place was busy but was able to go through the Priority Lane for security and then quite a long walk to the lounges where QR have a Business and First Class lounge that is used for Frequent Fliers as opposed to QR J and F passengers. The lounge was quite there were showers and the food selection was very good and plenty of refreshments to keep even Martyn happy!

Had to then trek back to the D gates to get on my flight to Stockholm which wasn’t busy and because of Status I had a row to myself in Y which was fine and immigration the other end is quick and easy.

On the return check in at Stockholm was easy the agent was super helpful and moved me around on the first leg so that I had a row to myself again, welcomed on board which is a nice touch and was able to go through Priority security line on arriving at Doha and straight to the lounge to get some dinner before the overnight flight back to Phuket.

The Phuket flight at this time of the year is like a zoo full of Russians and other Europeans fighting to get away from the cold and directly to the sun, sea and CoronaVirus epicentre! I was welcomed on board and singled out for attention albeit with a heaving flight there was no space, I didn’t eat on the flight and we landed ahead of schedule into Phuket just behind 2 other large planes full of Russians and Europeans and the immigration area was like a zoo so flight didn’t end well but overall I like QR they certainly treated my status well and I cant really compare as I was upgraded on both legs with Etihad so difficult for direct comparison, however I will definitely travel both again and unfortunately in the next couple of weeks with meetings in Dubai I will experience the Emirates experience in Y I will update then …… in the meantime keep wearing those masks

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PatJordan

[Author]

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