Etihad Airways compensation and refunds: who can claim
We have handled more than 450 Etihad Airways claims for over 600 passengers. Many started at London Heathrow, Paris, Dublin or Rome, and most involved a connection in Abu Dhabi towards Asia or Australia. Any flight from Europe to Abu Dhabi is longer than 3,500 km, so a long delay, a late cancellation or denied boarding is usually worth €600 per passenger.
The first thing to check is where your flight took off. Etihad is headquartered in Abu Dhabi, in the United Arab Emirates, so it is not a European airline. That means Regulation (EC) 261/2004 only binds it on flights departing from an airport in the EU, Iceland, Norway or Switzerland. Dublin–Abu Dhabi is covered; Abu Dhabi–Dublin is not. Departures from the UK fall under the British version of the rules.
Delayed flight
Having left Europe, you reach your destination, after any connection in Abu Dhabi, 3 hours or more behind schedule.
3-hour final delayCancelled flight
Etihad cancelled your departure from Europe and told you less than 14 days in advance, without an equivalent alternative.
Late noticeDenied boarding
You had a confirmed seat and turned up in time, but were left behind against your will.
ImmediateWhen you cannot claim
On flights from Abu Dhabi or other non-EU countries, and where Etihad proves an extraordinary event such as a sandstorm or closed airspace.
Outside the RegulationWant a definite answer? Enter the airports and date of your trip and you will have it in 2 minutes. Check your Etihad flight.
How much Etihad pays: €600 on most flights from Europe
Economy or Business makes no difference. Compensation is a fixed sum based on the distance from your departure airport to your final destination. These are the Etihad routes that appear most often in our claims.
| Etihad route | Covered by Reg. 261? | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Dublin–Abu Dhabi | Yes, departs from Ireland (over 3,500 km) | €600 |
| Paris–Abu Dhabi | Yes, departs from France (over 3,500 km) | €600 |
| Rome–Abu Dhabi | Yes, departs from Italy (over 3,500 km) | €600 |
| London–Abu Dhabi | Yes, under the UK rules | Set in pounds |
| Abu Dhabi–London, Abu Dhabi–Paris | No, departs from the UAE | Not payable |
Every traveller gets their own payment: two people on a Dublin–Abu Dhabi flight that lands 6 hours late can claim €1,200, a family of four €2,400. Children with their own seat receive the full amount too. In our form you enter the flight once and add everyone else.
Etihad flight delayed: what to do straight away
Around 7 in 10 of the Etihad claims we handle are about delays. Many passengers contact us after missing their connection in Abu Dhabi and spending a night in a hotel before flying on. To protect your claim:
- Save the boarding pass for every leg, from Europe to Abu Dhabi and onwards.
- Keep notifications and emails from the Etihad app showing new times and rebookings.
- Ask Etihad staff for the cause in writing, at the gate or at the transfer desk in Abu Dhabi.
- Note when the doors open at your final destination: that is the time that counts, not touchdown.
- Be wary of Etihad Guest miles offered as a gesture: the Regulation provides for payment in money.
Meals, drinks and a hotel
When your flight falls under the Regulation, Etihad must look after you while you wait, with meals and drinks, a way to communicate and, if needed, a night in a hotel with transport.
| Flight distance | Care due after |
|---|---|
| Up to 1,500 km | 2 hours |
| 1,500 to 3,500 km | 3 hours |
| Over 3,500 km, like Europe–Abu Dhabi flights | 4 hours |
| More than 5 hours late | Cancel the trip and get your fare refunded |
Missed connection in Abu Dhabi
Take a single Dublin–Abu Dhabi–Bangkok ticket: the journey starts in the EU and is assessed as a whole, so what matters is the delay on arrival in Bangkok and the total distance, even if the problem arose on the second flight. If you bought the onward flight from Abu Dhabi separately, that leg is not covered. More on our page about Etihad delay compensation.
Etihad flight cancelled: what you are owed
Cancellations make up about 1 in 5 of the Etihad claims we receive. After a cancellation you hold two separate rights and can use both.
Your choice: your money back, or a new flight to your final destination as soon as possible or on a later date that suits you.
On top of that, if the flight left from Europe and Etihad told you less than 14 days before departure.
| Etihad's notice | Compensation |
|---|---|
| 14 days or more | No, but refund or new flight still apply |
| 7 to 13 days | Yes, unless the replacement leaves no more than 2 hours early and arrives within 4 hours of the original time |
| Under 7 days | Yes, unless the replacement leaves no more than 1 hour early and arrives within 2 hours of the original time |
Rescheduled flight. When Etihad moves your departure by several hours just days before you travel, the change can count as a cancellation. Read our page on Etihad cancellation compensation or check your case.
Etihad overbooking: denied boarding in Europe
This accounts for around 9 in 100 of our Etihad claims. If you were refused boarding at Dublin, Paris or another European airport because the flight was full, and you had not agreed to give up your seat, compensation is due straight away alongside a new flight or a refund. It does not apply if boarding was refused over documents or visas. See our guide to Etihad overbooking and denied boarding.
Strikes and Etihad flights
A strike by Etihad's own employees does not release the airline from paying, because the EU Court of Justice treats it as one of the risks of its business (case C-28/20). More often, travellers from Europe are hit by walkouts of air traffic controllers or airport services: then compensation is not due, but care and a refund or rerouting are.
Etihad rejected your claim? How to read the reply
A handful of reasons come up again and again in Etihad's answers. Here is what each is really worth.
Faults that appear in service or during maintenance are the airline's risk and do not excuse it. Check your flight.
EU Court of Justice, case C-549/07Payable if Etihad staff strike, excluded if air traffic control or the airport strikes.
EU Court of Justice, case C-28/20Correct for a return flight or a separate ticket. If it was the second leg of a journey that began in Europe on one booking, you may still be owed compensation.
These count as extraordinary only if they actually affected your flight. We check the data for that day before giving you an answer.
Etihad flights from Abu Dhabi to Europe: why they are not covered
Many of the requests we receive concern the way home: Abu Dhabi–London, Abu Dhabi–Paris, Abu Dhabi–Dublin. With a non-EU airline such as Etihad these legs do not qualify for Regulation 261 compensation, even though they land in Europe and even if the return ticket was bought there. Flights between non-EU countries, such as Bangkok–Abu Dhabi, are also excluded unless they are part of a journey that began in Europe.
- Covered: Dublin–Abu Dhabi, and Dublin–Abu Dhabi–Bangkok on one booking
- Not covered: Abu Dhabi–Dublin and Bangkok–Abu Dhabi–Dublin
- Covered under UK rules: London or Manchester–Abu Dhabi, with amounts in pounds
Codeshares. If a flight sold by Etihad was operated by a European airline, that airline's status counts and the Regulation also applies to flights into Europe.
Abu Dhabi, Etihad Guest and connecting flights
Etihad's network is built around Zayed International Airport in Abu Dhabi, where connections fan out to Asia, Australia and Africa. The airline does not belong to any of the major alliances but has a number of codeshare agreements, so check your booking for who operates each leg. Its loyalty programme is Etihad Guest; miles may be offered as a goodwill gesture, but they do not replace cash compensation unless you agree in writing.
How to complain to Etihad: on your own or with us
Etihad asks passengers to send complaints through the feedback form on its website, with the booking reference, flight number and details of every passenger.
It costs nothing, but all the correspondence falls to you. If Etihad refuses or does not reply within a month, you can go to the national enforcement body of the country where the flight departed (the CAA in the UK) or to the civil courts.
It takes a few minutes to fill in the form and sign. We handle every step, including formal demands and court action with our own lawyers. You only pay if you win: 25% + VAT. We cover the legal costs, even if the case is lost.
Already had a no from Etihad?
Send us the reply: we compare it with the flight data and, if the reason is wrong, send the airline a formal demand.
What we need from you
- Ticket and boarding passesFor every leg, including the connection from Abu Dhabi.
- Passport or IDOne per passenger, children included.
- Etihad's messagesEmails, texts, app notifications and receipts for expenses.
How long you have to claim
The Regulation contains no deadline: the limit set by the law of the country where you bring the claim applies, as the EU Court of Justice made clear (case C-139/11). Many past Etihad flights can still be claimed: enter the date and we will check.
How long Etihad compensation takes
When Etihad accepts the claim, payment usually comes within a few weeks; if a formal demand or court action is needed, allow several months. We update you by email and transfer your share once the money arrives: from €600 you receive €417.
Lost or damaged luggage with Etihad
Baggage is governed by the Montreal Convention, not Regulation 261. If your suitcase does not turn up after the connection in Abu Dhabi or arrives damaged, fill in a PIR before leaving the airport and send Etihad a written claim within 7 days for damage or within 21 days of delivery for a delay.
Etihad contact details and flight status
- Head office
- Etihad Airways, Khalifa City, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
- Hub
- Zayed International Airport, Abu Dhabi
- Complaints
- Feedback form on etihad.com
- Flight status
- Etihad app or the official website
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