Etihad charged me £1600 at the desk to take 3 suitcases to Australia! How can I get my money back?

BaggageBetrayal

I recently booked a flight with Etihad through Expedia for my Australian wife and children to visit family in Australia for Easter (I didn't go because we couldn't afford it!). Upon arriving at the airport, I was hit with with a £1600 charge for 3 checked bags because I unknowingly booked one of Etihads new pricing tiers which doesn't include bags. I was charged the excess baggage penalty fee of £1600 for 3 bags totaling 50kg. I ended up having to send my family with 2 bags and shipping the 3rd to reduce the cost.. though it still set me back £1124.90 which had to go on credit card because I didn't have the cash. Our only options were pay the fee or not go and lose out on £4000 worth of flight fares. 

Expedia argued that not mentioning baggage means none is included, but to me, a lack of information isn’t the same as clear communication. Especially when booking long-haul international flights, something we’ve done many times before for 20 yrs. You expect checked baggage to be included unless told otherwise. 

This is especially frustrating because:

• Etihad’s fare class names (e.g., "Economy basic", "Economy value" etc) don’t match up with anything shown on the ticket. The booking just says "Economy", so even if I tried to figure it out after the fact, there’s no easy way to cross-reference.

• This is a recent change. Etihad recently introduced baggage-excluded fares for long-haul travel. For frequent travelers used to bags being included, this change feels like a trap.

• Expedia and Etihad both had multiple opportunities to warn me: at booking, on confirmation emails, during online check-in — but at no point was this mentioned.

• The charges at the airport were based on excess baggage fees, not a standard baggage add-on. The difference in price between a fare with and without bags is nowhere near what I was charged. 

To make matters worse, Expedia has shrugged responsibility. They told me compensation wasn’t possible and to contact Etihad. Etihad hasn't even replied. 

I won't start on the emotionally stress this has also added to the trip, but that's also a big factor. 

I’d love advice on where to go next. I’ve kept a paper trail, and I’m considering escalating this publicly and/or through a consumer ombudsman. Has anyone had success disputing similar charges, especially when the booking site failed to flag such a major change?

This whole situation has left me feeling scammed, powerless, and out of pocket. 

Ayr_Rage

No chance of getting anything back, the lack of checked baggage on the cheapest fare is obvious.

Edit : Screenshot is from Expedia, where you select the flights, the very first step.

oldernonethewiser

As above the price shows what is, and what isn't included.  Nothing hidden.

This fare structure appears to have been introduced in 2020.

BaggageBetrayal

Something I should have mentioned, the page on Expedia today as per the screen shot is VERY clear that it's not included. This was not the page I was presented with. Unfortunately I have zero chance of proving a page I looked at months ago when booking has changed.   

The date the new scheme came into place is not clear online. I was told by the desk staff that this was a new pricing tier introduced a few months ago

oldernonethewiser

BaggageBetrayal said:

Something I should have mentioned, the page on Expedia today as per the screen shot is VERY clear that it's not included. This was not the page I was presented with. Unfortunately I have zero chance of proving a page I looked at months ago when booking has changed.   

The date the new scheme came into place is not clear online. I was told by the desk staff that this was a new pricing tier introduced a few months ago

The press release for their pricing structure was from Nov 2020.

Any booking made with an airline will indicate what is included.

MeteredOut

BaggageBetrayal said:

Something I should have mentioned, the page on Expedia today as per the screen shot is VERY clear that it's not included. This was not the page I was presented with. Unfortunately I have zero chance of proving a page I looked at months ago when booking has changed.   

The date the new scheme came into place is not clear online. I was told by the desk staff that this was a new pricing tier introduced a few months ago

What does your booking confirmation say?

BaggageBetrayal

MeteredOut said:

BaggageBetrayal said:

Something I should have mentioned, the page on Expedia today as per the screen shot is VERY clear that it's not included. This was not the page I was presented with. Unfortunately I have zero chance of proving a page I looked at months ago when booking has changed.   

The date the new scheme came into place is not clear online. I was told by the desk staff that this was a new pricing tier introduced a few months ago

What does your booking confirmation say?

With regards to baggage. Nothing. Not even what hand baggage allowance is even though this is included. 
With regards to seat type "Economy" (not what level of Economy) 

BaggageBetrayal

oldernonethewiser said:

Any booking made with an airline will indicate what is included.

The ticket had hand baggage allowance but isn't stated either. 

oldernonethewiser

BaggageBetrayal said:

oldernonethewiser said:

Any booking made with an airline will indicate what is included.

The ticket had hand baggage allowance but isn't stated either. 

How were you aware that it had hand baggage allowance if it isn't stated anywhere?

Voyager2002

You could try a complaint against Expedia, but it would be quite a stretch. The airline is not at fault in any way.

BaggageBetrayal

oldernonethewiser said:

How were you aware that it had hand baggage allowance if it isn't stated anywhere?

I just saw it in the post from Ayr_Rage which shows it.
I also wasn't fined for that.
It's not stated in any of the booking documentation emailed to me.