Ethiopian Airlines Accepts My Compromise…Sort Of

For those who followed along my denied boarding saga on Ethiopian Airlines, you’ll recall that the issue has never been resolved.

While Ethiopian Airlines did agree to honor the ticket, their initial offer — come back to BKK and fly it — that was quite unsatisfactory because of the cost and time to re-position myself back to Bangkok. The ticket was purchased in the first place because I needed a way home from Bangkok and Ethiopian Airlines had the best price.

My first thought was to offer a compromise: modify the ticket from a Bangkok to Toronto round-trip to a Los Angeles to Bangkok round-trip. That would provide six flights on Ethiopian since the LAX-ADD and ADD-LAX flights stops in Dublin, Ireland.

Perhaps Ethiopian would have accepted that, perhaps not, but I figured that was probably pushing my luck (and in all honesty, I don’t need six flights on Ethiopian in order to properly review it for this blog). So the reservation sat in limbo for a few weeks as I through through a workable solution.

Then it dawned me: I had a trip to the Middle East the week before last and needed a way home. Why not try to book just the Dublin to Los Angeles flight as my revised “outbound”? I figured that was a win-win situation because it meant one less flight Ethiopian would have to accommodate me on it actually was a practical and helpful solution.

I made the proposal and asked to be rebooked on a specific date.

Three days went by and I heard nothing. Figuring the answer was no, I made alternate plans home. But on the day of the proposed flight I received a note back.

Ethiopian Writes Back

The note was short and to the point:

Dear Mr. Klint,

Thank you for your message.

Please kindly take the attached approved document to the nearest Ethiopian Airlines office so that they will issue you a ticket according to the below proposed solution.

Looking forward to welcoming you aboard Ethiopian.

Problem: I was already on my way home. Bigger problem: the DUB-LAX flight had already left!

I wrote back–

Thank you. Unfortunately, since I did not hear back from you until
after the Dublin to Los Angeles flight left, I was unable to use this
solution, but I will try to schedule Dublin to LA within the coming
week and give you notice before the proposed new travel date.

Thank you for your assistance.

Kind Regards,
Matthew

No response to that note–now I just need to find a new travel date! All this time, since March, Ethiopian has been holding my money. Hopefully we can work out a solution soon.

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