Etihad has initiated a full investigation into the incident.
A 23-year-old British woman, who was returning from a holiday in Abu Dhabi, was left shocked after receiving unsolicited WhatsApp messages from a contractor working for Etihad Airways.
Taking to Twitter, Hannah Smethurst shared a screenshot showing Whatsapp messages from a United Arab Emirates (UAE) number she did not recognise. The name displayed next to the number was Muhammed. According to The Guardian, she received the messages while waiting to board a flight from Abu Dhabi to Manchester, UK.
“A guy who works for the @etihad airline used my personal data which he found via the airline database after seeing my passport to get my phone number and proceeded to text me, terrifying experience travelling alone,” Ms Smethurst wrote while sharing the screenshot of the chat.
Take a look below:
A guy who works for the @etihad airline used my personal data which he found via the airline database after seeing my passport to get my phone number and proceeded to text me 🥲, terrifying experience travelling alone. pic.twitter.com/qPWdg1rJlN
— Hannah (@hansmeths) June 21, 2023
According to the screenshot the 23-year-old shared, the worker texted her saying, “Heyyy I have seen you from abudhabi,” with a smiley face emoji tacked on. When Ms Smethurst questioned how the sender got her number, the person replied, “I searched u in the system” and clarified they were referring to the airline’s system.
The messages continued, “If am disturbing u … Just block me”. Minutes after the first message, the sender added, “FYI (For your information) Ur flight is boarding”.
Ms Smethurst, who is a student paramedic, said that this incident left her feeling concerned about her safety. “I was alone, so I just felt really vulnerable because it stuck in my mind that he knows my number, knows my home address and my full name and email address and obviously everything you give the airline when you book,” she said as per The Guardian.
“I just felt vulnerable and scared. [It] made me feel like he knew what was going on and where I was going,” she added.
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The 23-year-old also stated that the airport staff did little to help her when she complained. She spoke to a manager who offered to take her off the flight so she could file a police report but also warned her that the next flight to Manchester would leave only after 24 hours.
In the end, Ms Smethurst decided to take her original flight out of Abu Dhabi. She said that it was actually the Manchester Etihad customer services who helped her upon landing. The airline reportedly said that the team had initiated a full investigation after speaking to the 23-year-old and establishing that there had been “inappropriate conduct by an employee of a third-party contractor”.
“As a result of the investigation, the relevant employee involved has been disciplined in accordance with the contractor’s disciplinary procedures. The privacy and safety of our guests is our No 1 priority and we sincerely apologise for the distress caused to our guest,” Etihad spokesperson said.