From mint · Sneha Biswas · · 1m
Etihad downgrades passenger from business to economy despite full payment
Passengers paid full price for business class but were downgraded to economy by Etihad despite full payment.
In brief
Passengers paid full price for business class but were downgraded to economy by Etihad despite full payment. Etihad downgraded passengers from business to economy after full payment due to overbooking, offering 75% refunds. Originally reported by mint.
Passenger downgrade incident
Etihad downgraded passengers from business to economy despite full payment due to high demand.
“Nice to know you can pay full price for a business class seat on @etihad, and when you show up at the airport they can simply “downgrade”
Refund offer details
The airline offered 75% refunds to affected passengers according to an apology letter on X.
Overbooking explanation
Airlines sell more tickets than seats to maximize revenue, leading to involuntary downgrades.
Passenger compensation steps
Document downgrade reasons, keep seat images, boarding passes, and communication records for claims.
Refund eligibility
Passengers get 30-75% of ticket cost including taxes, depending on flight distance and type.
Escalation process
Passengers can escalate disputes via airsewa.gov.in if airlines refuse or offer only vouchers.
The takeaway
Etihad downgraded passengers from business to economy after full payment due to overbooking, offering 75% refunds.
