Etihad Airways review: 2 cancelled flights and then etihad transferred my money back into an expired travel bank account

Etihad cancelled my family of 4 flights in 2020 due to travel restrictions with Covid. Received notification that my flight money was put into a travel bank account. Travel Bank A/C No [protected] to expire July 2022.

Booked another flight in June 2022 that was fully flexible/cancellable as I needed to use this credit by July 2022. We were not in a position to travel but chose this option so I could change ticket closer to the date if needed. I had booked a flight to travel in March 2023. This flight was then cancelled in July 2022.

My options in the email was to call the Call Centre to: Rebook a different flight or Request a Refund.

I called the Call Centre requesting a refund in July 2022. They advised I was unable to get a money refund as the form of payment for this flight was from a travel bank credit account.

The Call Centre advised they could only transfer this money back into the travel bank credit account as this was the method of payment or a ticket that was valid for 3 months. I pointed out that the Travel Bank account was expiring in July 2022 and a ticket being offered to me in July 2022 valid for 3 months when my flight was not until March 2023 was not a suitable resolution. (In later correspondence they said I declined this ticket which I did not, I was going on advice from the call centre that they were escalating my case as I was seeking a refund).

After months of calls to the Call Centre in Bangladesh trying to get assistance or a resolution and getting the same answer each time that my case was being ecalated. Finally, on the 10 December 2022 a call centre person advised I could try emailing “Feedback” to explain my case. While I was preparing my case for “Feedback” Etihad automatically transferred my flight money into the travel bank account on the 15/12/22.

The email states the amount credited was $3467.76AUD but when I open my account it is showing $0 as the account has expired.

I contacted the travel bank department and they advised for me to go back to the call centre.

Call centre advised for me to write another email to “Feedback”. Their response was:

"We regret to inform you that your ticket cannot be used as an open ticket since it has already been reimbursed on the initial form of payment".

After many calls to the Call Centre not once was I advised that there was a time frame that my ticket would be transferred back into the travel bank credit account.

I was advised in the last correspondence that there are recordings of conversations so if it is possible to hear these then it would prove that I was trying to seek a resolution.

If Etihad can at least provide me with an open ticket valid for 12 months which I should be entitled to when they have cancelled flights. Please note I did not decline an open ticket I was clearly trying to seek a refund or a ticket that was at least valid for 12 months.