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

Pollycat

Rich2808 said:

Whatever the terms on booking were - clearly the OP was not aware - charging over £500 per bag (if not prebooked) at the airport is a complete scam.

Qatar only charge a maximum of £85 depending on the route for non prebooked luggage at check in - so why does Eithad charge more than six times as much.

https://www.qatarairways.com/en-gb/baggage/excess.html

I don't travel Etihad anyway - but this would put me right off them. Disgusting way to treat customers needing to check in bags last minute.

But in future I recommend you always book stand alone flights direct with the airline - it is then very clear what you are getting and if any issues you can deal direct with the airline, their website and their staff on the ground (e.g. refunds or compensation for delays etc).

It is not a scam.

It doesn't matter what another airline charges.
When you choose to book (either direct with the airline or via a 3rd party) you agree to the charges as stated by that airline.

The link you gave relates to  'additional baggage allowance can be purchased before your trip. Save when you purchase it online.'

This thread is about paying for baggage when you rock up at the airport with a booking that includes no hold luggage allowance at all - on Etihad flights.

I don't see why this would put you off.
It's not a disgusting way to treat customers.
It's up to the person booking flights to ensue they understand what they are paying for. It's called personal responsibility.

MeteredOut

Rich2808 said:

Whatever the terms on booking were - clearly the OP was not aware - charging over £500 per bag (if not prebooked) at the airport is a complete scam.

Qatar only charge a maximum of £85 depending on the route for non prebooked luggage at check in - so why does Eithad charge more than six times as much.

https://www.qatarairways.com/en-gb/baggage/excess.html

I don't travel Etihad anyway - but this would put me right off them. Disgusting way to treat customers needing to check in bags last minute.

But in future I recommend you always book stand alone flights direct with the airline - it is then very clear what you are getting and if any issues you can deal direct with the airline, their website and their staff on the ground (e.g. refunds or compensation for delays etc).

Not trying to justify the £500/bag, but the airline argument is that with pre-booked baggage, they know how much fuel to put on the plane (to minimise weight and therefore maximise profit). This will be done a number of hours in advance of the flight.

But when people turn up with additional baggage, they may have to change their fuelling order, which could incur additional costs for them.

saajan_12

Rich2808 said:

Whatever the terms on booking were - clearly the OP was not aware - charging over £500 per bag (if not prebooked) at the airport is a complete scam.

Qatar only charge a maximum of £85 depending on the route for non prebooked luggage at check in - so why does Eithad charge more than six times as much.

https://www.qatarairways.com/en-gb/baggage/excess.html

I don't travel Etihad anyway - but this would put me right off them. Disgusting way to treat customers needing to check in bags last minute.

But in future I recommend you always book stand alone flights direct with the airline - it is then very clear what you are getting and if any issues you can deal direct with the airline, their website and their staff on the ground (e.g. refunds or compensation for delays etc).

They're in no way required to only charge at cost or be competitive. Its intended to be a deterrent price. Bringing addiitional weight hours before the flight may throw off any planning the airline have done for fuel, cargo, etc. Changing plans can be costly or disruptive. 

Emily_Joy

Pollycat said:

Rich2808 said:

Whatever the terms on booking were - clearly the OP was not aware - charging over £500 per bag (if not prebooked) at the airport is a complete scam.

Qatar only charge a maximum of £85 depending on the route for non prebooked luggage at check in - so why does Eithad charge more than six times as much.

https://www.qatarairways.com/en-gb/baggage/excess.html

I don't travel Etihad anyway - but this would put me right off them. Disgusting way to treat customers needing to check in bags last minute.

But in future I recommend you always book stand alone flights direct with the airline - it is then very clear what you are getting and if any issues you can deal direct with the airline, their website and their staff on the ground (e.g. refunds or compensation for delays etc).

I don't see why this would put you off. It's not a disgusting way to treat customers. :It's up to the person booking flights to ensue they understand what they are paying for. It's called personal responsibility.

It is a disgusting way to treat customers because the cost of a relatively small mistake is way too high, especially taking into account that there is no way to add checked in luggage after the booking is made - even weeks before the flight. 

This practice is just as ethical as ever increasing insurance cost for everyone who is auto-renewing. 

Pollycat

Emily_Joy said:

Pollycat said:

Rich2808 said:

Whatever the terms on booking were - clearly the OP was not aware - charging over £500 per bag (if not prebooked) at the airport is a complete scam.

Qatar only charge a maximum of £85 depending on the route for non prebooked luggage at check in - so why does Eithad charge more than six times as much.

https://www.qatarairways.com/en-gb/baggage/excess.html

I don't travel Etihad anyway - but this would put me right off them. Disgusting way to treat customers needing to check in bags last minute.

But in future I recommend you always book stand alone flights direct with the airline - it is then very clear what you are getting and if any issues you can deal direct with the airline, their website and their staff on the ground (e.g. refunds or compensation for delays etc).

I don't see why this would put you off. It's not a disgusting way to treat customers. :It's up to the person booking flights to ensue they understand what they are paying for. It's called personal responsibility.

It is a disgusting way to treat customers because the cost of a relatively small mistake is way too high, especially taking into account that there is no way to add checked in luggage after the booking is made - even weeks before the flight. 

This practice is just as ethical as ever increasing insurance cost for everyone who is auto-renewing. 

Anyone booking a flight - especially an expensive one - should ensure they don't make any mistakes, regardless of how small.
It's called personal responsibility.
And can turn into an expensive lesson.

If you think you might need to add luggage, book with an airline that allows you to do that.
Don't bleat about how other airlines do things differently.
It's time people stared to be savvy about booking flights instead of being drawn in by headline prices.

But why do you say?:
"especially taking into account that there is no way to add checked in luggage after the booking is made - even weeks before the flight."

This is taken directly from Etihad website:
You can always add checked baggage in Manage Your Booking if you need to, and you’ll save upto 65% by booking your extra bags online up to 30 hours before you fly.

Baggage Allowance - Calculator, Policy | Etihad Airways

Not a disgusting way to treat a customer at all.

Ayr_Rage

The issues raised also show the complexities introduced by booking through a third party where an additional layer of Ts and Cs is introduced and the tickets may be at special fares not available directly with the airline.

Caveat emptor.

k12479

Emily_Joy said:

It is a disgusting way to treat customers....This practice is just as ethical as.... 

Talking about how people are treated and ethics in the context of two middle-eastern state owned enterprises?! Bizarre.

Emily_Joy

Pollycat said:

Emily_Joy said:

Pollycat said:

Rich2808 said:

Whatever the terms on booking were - clearly the OP was not aware - charging over £500 per bag (if not prebooked) at the airport is a complete scam.

Qatar only charge a maximum of £85 depending on the route for non prebooked luggage at check in - so why does Eithad charge more than six times as much.

https://www.qatarairways.com/en-gb/baggage/excess.html

I don't travel Etihad anyway - but this would put me right off them. Disgusting way to treat customers needing to check in bags last minute.

But in future I recommend you always book stand alone flights direct with the airline - it is then very clear what you are getting and if any issues you can deal direct with the airline, their website and their staff on the ground (e.g. refunds or compensation for delays etc).

I don't see why this would put you off. It's not a disgusting way to treat customers. :It's up to the person booking flights to ensue they understand what they are paying for. It's called personal responsibility.

It is a disgusting way to treat customers because the cost of a relatively small mistake is way too high, especially taking into account that there is no way to add checked in luggage after the booking is made - even weeks before the flight. 

This practice is just as ethical as ever increasing insurance cost for everyone who is auto-renewing. 

Anyone booking a flight - especially an expensive one - should ensure they don't make any mistakes, regardless of how small.
It's called personal responsibility.
And can turn into an expensive lesson.

If you think you might need to add luggage, book with an airline that allows you to do that.
Don't bleat about how other airlines do things differently.
It's time people stared to be savvy about booking flights instead of being drawn in by headline prices.

But why do you say?:
"especially taking into account that there is no way to add checked in luggage after the booking is made - even weeks before the flight."

This is taken directly from Etihad website:
You can always add checked baggage in Manage Your Booking if you need to, and you’ll save upto 65% by booking your extra bags online up to 30 hours before you fly.

Baggage Allowance - Calculator, Policy | Etihad Airways

Not a disgusting way to treat a customer at all.

Alas we humans make mistakes. To be honest, I am now quite puzzled as I have simply assumed that the OP and their family would have checked luggage allowance before packing. I simply don't know how to pack without knowing what you can take 

Pollycat

Emily_Joy said:

Pollycat said:

Emily_Joy said:

Pollycat said:

Rich2808 said:

Whatever the terms on booking were - clearly the OP was not aware - charging over £500 per bag (if not prebooked) at the airport is a complete scam.

Qatar only charge a maximum of £85 depending on the route for non prebooked luggage at check in - so why does Eithad charge more than six times as much.

https://www.qatarairways.com/en-gb/baggage/excess.html

I don't travel Etihad anyway - but this would put me right off them. Disgusting way to treat customers needing to check in bags last minute.

But in future I recommend you always book stand alone flights direct with the airline - it is then very clear what you are getting and if any issues you can deal direct with the airline, their website and their staff on the ground (e.g. refunds or compensation for delays etc).

I don't see why this would put you off. It's not a disgusting way to treat customers. :It's up to the person booking flights to ensue they understand what they are paying for. It's called personal responsibility.

It is a disgusting way to treat customers because the cost of a relatively small mistake is way too high, especially taking into account that there is no way to add checked in luggage after the booking is made - even weeks before the flight. 

This practice is just as ethical as ever increasing insurance cost for everyone who is auto-renewing. 

Anyone booking a flight - especially an expensive one - should ensure they don't make any mistakes, regardless of how small.
It's called personal responsibility.
And can turn into an expensive lesson.

If you think you might need to add luggage, book with an airline that allows you to do that.
Don't bleat about how other airlines do things differently.
It's time people stared to be savvy about booking flights instead of being drawn in by headline prices.

But why do you say?:
"especially taking into account that there is no way to add checked in luggage after the booking is made - even weeks before the flight."

This is taken directly from Etihad website:
You can always add checked baggage in Manage Your Booking if you need to, and you’ll save upto 65% by booking your extra bags online up to 30 hours before you fly.

Baggage Allowance - Calculator, Policy | Etihad Airways

Not a disgusting way to treat a customer at all.

Alas we humans make mistakes. To be honest, I am now quite puzzled as I have simply assumed that the OP and their family would have checked luggage allowance before packing. I simply don't know how to pack without knowing what you can take 

Yes, humans do make mistakes. 
But don't diss the airline or the 3rd party you booked with because you made a mistake.
Or assumed anything.
To assume anything is to compound your error. 

Yes, the OP should have checked the luggage allowance before packing. 
They didn't. 

So I agree.
I don't understand how they could pack without knowing their allowance.
But you made the assumption that they would have checked.

As for your analogy about out auto renewing insurance, the customer should be aware of that and research a better deal. 
It's called personal responsibility.

Your money - you look after it.

Emily_Joy

Pollycat said:

Yes, humans do make mistakes. But don't diss the airline or the 3rd party you booked with because you made a mistake. Or assumed anything. To assume anything is to compound your error. 
Yes, the OP should have checked the luggage allowance before packing. They didn't. 
So I agree. I don't understand how they could pack without knowing their allowance. But you made the assumption that they would have checked.
As for your analogy about out auto renewing insurance, the customer should be aware of that and research a better deal.  It's called personal responsibility. Your money - you look after it.

 I agree that it's on customer to ensure that the product they pay for suits their needs, but at the same time I cannot see how the practices that exploit small mistakes are fair.