The boarding was fine and the flight did not feel unreasonably crowded as some international flights can feel.
The food was really quite bad. Also, the entertainment devices are out of date (double-pronged headphone jack, slow-functioning controls), but function decently enough.
Boarding was easy. clean plane, crew was very friendly. I was very concerned though, when we banked left and did a complete circle in the air. An explanation from the captain would have been terrific. I made sure I was the last one to leave the plane and asked him about it when I saw him at the exit. He told me what happened but I would have liked to know while it was happening. Besides that, the coke and pretzels were divine. :)
Ethiopian Airlines check in staff made a pigs-ear of my check in process. First they claimed I'd missed the flight (my ticket said 2335 on 15 Dec, they changed flight to 0010 on 16 Dec, but claimed that as my ticket was for 15 Dec my booking was invalid). They proceeded to re-issue me with a new ticket a (for the 0010 fight on 16 Dec), but then also tried to change my connecting flights by one day - even though they should remain the same (in effect the flight was only put back by 35 minutes, so why change a booking for connecting flight by 24 hours?). Fortunately on arrival in Shanghai, air china check me onto the correct flight. However, to compound matters, my luggage has gone missing and, bizarrely, Ethiopian airlines issued all foreign passengers with landing cards for Japan - not China!
The Crew woke everyone up in the middle of the night with 5 hours to go to serve breakfast. Should have let people sleep and served breakfast with 1.5 hours to go.
I liked everything about the flight except how the layover was handled. The original aircraft for the leg of the flight from Doha to L.A. had to be changed, and it seemed like confusion descended, and 2 hours later, we were finally boarded on the new aircraft.
The added time to my layover was hard because it was unexpected, and was handled poorly, in my opinion.
Crew was friendly, about as expected for the cheap price
No vegetarian option, in flight headphones were useless, can't use phone AT ALL during flight, gate was changed without warning (no announcements over the PA or notices posted that it was changed)
Flown with Delta, AA, United and a lot of other carriers, but Etihad felt a little more special. Was a little skeptical never having flown them before but was pleasantly surprised.
The service was just better, the seats were just better, the food was just better. Overall, everything was just a bit better than what I was accustomed to.
I will be definitely recommending Etihad to F&F.
The food gets a little monotonous. We got served rice on 4/4 of our meals... lol. It;s better than not getting any food but it;s the only thing that was a little off.
Entertainment system doesn't have a touch screen like other airlines. They give you ear but buds instead of head phones. Alright they gave us headphones for our young son you had to put the foam covers on yourself and they kept coming off. Not a very good selection of movies. Good is bland and not very good options.
The gate agent helped half a dozen people (not including those described below) understand they were boarding with the wrong group.
Fully one-quarter of the passengers boarded as disability or premium. This included a party of eight that boarded with one person in a wheelchair because "We're all together."
Online was very strict in not discounting anything. There was room in Business class and I paid full price. Most airlines have a deep discount when searched a few days before the flight. So, that might fill the vacancies in business and make me a faithful passenger.
The disability assistance was very good in Bangkok and Taipei.
Disability assistance was horrible(wheelchair) assistance in SFO. I had NO assistance for 90 minutes to obtain a wheelchair while .d
waiting to board my departure from SFO . The same was true but worse on the return to SFO. I was let off the plane LAST and the wheelchair was not there and I waited. The wheelchair person parked me outside the gate and said NOTHING and walked away. After 15 minutes waiting for his return, I went on my own and nearly passed out waiting in the horrible immigration line. It took 120 minutes from leaving the plane to getting in my car at the airport. Ridiculoius and a violation of Americans with Disabilities ACT.
They put many American airlines to shame, as they are so efficient and pleasant. Flights were very on-time, with only small delays. Very good at de-planing passengers quickly.
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