Clubhouse guest invite exchange

Someone over on flyertalk wrote:

copy/paste removed as per site rules

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/virgin-f ... guest.html

I think this is a brilliant idea. Has it been done before? Can it be implemented? (figured it might be better here than there)

I'm flying UC from LHR in Sept and would be more than happy to give someone's name at the desk in the knowledge that when I'm back in PE or E another time, someone might do the same for me.

I saw that particular post on FT. In fact the 'request' was made twice in seperate posts (which really is not on!)

There is an 'itinerary' function on here where people can, if they wish log their flights and if someone flying UC wishes to offer an invite thats the place to look. However not everyone uses this function.

As to some sort of 'exchange' there is no way of actually enforcing any recriprical arrangements which are essentialy private. Plus what happens if no v-flyer is flying the day you are?

By signing in someone as a guest into the CH you are also taking on a degree of responsibilty as to their behaviour and many people will not want to do that for a total stranger.

Plus simply leaving someones name at the desk is not enough - you have to be in the CH when the guest arrives and once you leave for your flight the invite lapses. There have also been instances where the guest (travelling on a later flight) have been asked to leave the CH when their host has departed.

Yes I guess it would only really work if the majority were on board with the idea.

Maybe less practical than I thought then. Would have been nice!

[honey lamb]

There have been instances on here where people have posted requesting someone to bring them into the Clubhouse on the day they are flying and the consensus of the majority was that at best it was sublime cheek to expect such a thing and quite bad manners. I know that what you are suggesting is something more formalised than that, but invitations to the Clubhouse are not a right of those not flying in cabins other than that of Upper Class or Gold members. They are gifts in the hands of those who are in UC or are Gold. We choose those to whom we give gifts and so should it be when it comes to CH invites. As tonty says, here on VF we have the Itinerary Calendar and if someone has posted that they are flying on a certain date, then Gold and UC V-Flyers are free to extend an invitation if they so wish

Finally, bear in mind that if everybody brought a guest into the CH under your sponsorship proposal then the numbers in there would automatically double. At times, it can be bursting at the seams before you even start introducing guests on such a program.

Doesn't VS maintain an 'at discretion' policy for CH guests, i.e. when it's really busy they could turn people away?

[Darren Wheeler]

Doesn't VS maintain an 'at discretion' policy for CH guests, i.e. when it's really busy they could turn people away?

They would have to as the room has as American building have, a "Maximum Occupancy"

On a personal note, I find the whole concept of asking for an invite somewhat distasteful. Offering an entry as a guest is one thing, but actively hawking for one, no.

[buns]

Doesn't VS maintain an 'at discretion' policy for CH guests, i.e. when it's really busy they could turn people away?

They would have to as the room has as American building have, a "Maximum Occupancy"

On a personal note, I find the whole concept of asking for an invite somewhat distasteful. Offering an entry as a guest is one thing, but actively hawking for one, no.

I am with you all the way on this one Darren y)

buns

I have left a post in that thread noting our normal etiquette around lounge guesting. Hope this captures the general feeling.

Regards
R3dV

[Neil]

I have left a post in that thread noting our normal etiquette around lounge guesting. Hope this captures the general feeling.

Regards
R3dV

y)

I have left a post in that thread noting our normal etiquette around lounge guesting. Hope this captures the general feeling.

Regards
R3dV

Ah yes that was the person who posted their 'request' twice.

Nice succint response ! y) y)

(I drop in on FT occassionally but am not a member)

[Nottingham Nick]

V-Flyer was born out of Flyertalk. A lot of us, who have been around for longer than we care to think about, came over when Pete first started this site.

We have an excellent relationship with them, and several of us still actively post there. It is a great site for so many aspects of travel. There are some very knowledgeable and helpful posters there.

Some of the forums can be a bit daunting and dismissive of newbies, who don't search before asking a question, (BA ) but others (Marriott, SPG and Amex) are certainly brilliant resources.

I agree with Neil - RedVee's post is spot on, and sums our view up very succinctly. oo)

Nick

[honey lamb]

Well done, Red Vee. Excellent post. oo)

Thanks to those who supported the sentiment in the post. I agree with Nick, FT is a great resource and I am a regular contributor there as well as here - I even play in the dangerous waters of the BA forum too!

They have a lounge meet up thread which, IMHO, has lost its way. And there is the excellent ba97.com, where you can post your - and view other people's - itineraries.

But for me it should be more about meeting up with someone you feel you have some affinity with already through their regular postings - not some random person chancing their arm. And the former is more likely to lead to reciprocation.

Now I'm off to practice being grumpy somewhere else - I believe it is a privilege that comes with my age

Yes, well said RedVee, your post sums up the good etiquette I'm sure we all believe in.

(I say this from the cool environment of the JFK clubhouse, but I paid for UC tickets this trip and I have earned my AU status flying mostly in economy!)

Well said redvee my sentiments too.

cheers

alex

I know I haven't contributed much to the forum, but personally I don't see a problem with the type of exchange that exists on other FT airline forums. Getting into the lounge is indeed a privilege, but you don't need to extend an invitation if you don't want to....to me, an exchange seems like something that can't really do much harm since its purely voluntary!

There have been instances on here where people have posted requesting someone to bring them into the Clubhouse on the day they are flying and the consensus of the majority was that at best it was sublime cheek to expect such a thing and quite bad manners. I know that what you are suggesting is something more formalised than that, but invitations to the Clubhouse are not a right of those not flying in cabins other than that of Upper Class or Gold members. They are gifts in the hands of those who are in UC or are Gold. We choose those to whom we give gifts and so should it be when it comes to CH invites. As tonty says, here on VF we have the Itinerary Calendar and if someone has posted that they are flying on a certain date, then Gold and UC V-Flyers are free to extend an invitation if they so wish

And there-in lies one of the great differences between the two sides of the pond. Americans tend not to monitor the class differences re what you can buy and what I can buy in terms of sharing (well, not ALL Americans but...) so it never enters our minds that we would be breaking protocol to "Hawk" an invitation. Our sense of this would be—put out the request and if anyone is interested in meeting a V-Flyer friend and hosting him/her to the CH, they might do so. And if they don't they won't/
I had to smile I must say, at the admonishment towards the potential behavior of invited guests who might not be up to snuff in a CH environment. When I think how many times I have observed fully paid-up UC/Gold travelers in the CH take perhaps too much advantage of the bar offerings, it begs notice.
I stand by the concept that as a long-standing member of a collegial and one would think like-minded group of Virgin Atlantic enthusiasts, we might make room for each other when the opportunity presents.

Although I am never going to attain AG status as a Holiday flyer which means when I do have the chance to take someone into the clubhouse I firmly beleive in using that privlidge to give a taste of Virgin to like minded people flying Virgin.

I would say that on the item of say being bloshy havent we all done that sometime on our travels, say ask for an upgrade at the desk if not at Virgin say the hotel? I know I have.

I do offer the clubhouse when I have the opportunity and so far although never been asked outright for a pass I personally contacted fellow members flying out on the same day which have been gratefully accepted.

I certainly have had many items of help from fellow V-Flyers and any way I can return the help I will.

The issue is not necessarily that people ask for invites but that often these are quite blunt 'requests' and from people very new to the site and who are then never to be seen again.

I recall one from earlier this summer where someone asked for 2 invites (and not for him either) someone asked him for details and then later he posted something like 'so are you going to get them in?'.

Personally I am not going to be very responsive to 'requests' like that. Nor will I be responsive to people who make multiple requests. But if others do respond that is down to them.

As to the behaviour of some people in the CH. It is quite different for an AU/UC pax to get themselves totally bladdered and for them to be banned from the the CH by VS than it is for a guest to get bladdered and they get their 'innocent' host banned or into trouble.


As i have stated before, the issue of setting up some sort of formal exchange is not one I support. We have the itineray callendar and we should encourage people to use and look at that. Then IF a member wished to extend an invite they know who is flying and can make contact.

As a BMI silver cardholder (and occasional gold) for many years, I witnessed the removal of the guest benefit for Silver cardholders - a cost cutting measure.
I'm sure the benefit with the Virgin Ch's is based on the assumption that only a certain percentage will bring in guests. There is a danger that if the benefit is widely exploited, whether on a site such as this one or elsewhere, that the benefit would be removed.
I think the calendar facility provides an appropriate opportunity for AU/UC passengers to make occasional private arrangements where they see fit.
I wholehartedly concur with the comments about being personally responsible for the behaviour of any guests.

I'm kinda old fashioned and very unsocialmedia on this ... I am happy to invite somebody I know (as in really know, not exchange Facebook posts with) whereas I would be very reluctant to invite somebody I do not know.

V-Flyer is somewhere in the middle here, and I'm not sure where to draw a line ... the Dear Lady Dragon most probably (if Lady Dragon was not already a Honorary Lifetime Clubhouse member), but Honey Lamb's gin consumption might worry me :0 . I suppose it comes down to the responsibility thing ...

[honey lamb]

V-Flyer is somewhere in the middle here, and I'm not sure where to draw a line ... the Dear Lady Dragon most probably (if Lady Dragon was not already a Honorary Lifetime Clubhouse member), but Honey Lamb's gin consumption might worry me :0 . I suppose it comes down to the responsibility thing ...

Tsk, slinky! How little you know me!

My gin consumption in the Clubhouse is virtually nil. If you read my trip reports you will see that it is mostly champagne with the odd mojito thrown in. In fact the only G&T I ever had in the CH was ordered for me by my sister while I was having a treatment.

HL ha ha ha, of course I'd invite you ) I think I can keep pace with your consumption, we can sing along at the bar too!

HL ha ha ha, of course I'd invite you ) I think I can keep pace with your consumption, we can sing along at the bar too!

Oh could you imagine it?

All the 'tutting' at inappropriate behavour as all the 'I hope they aren't on MY flight' thoughts going around the CH.

V-Flyer is somewhere in the middle here, and I'm not sure where to draw a line ... the Dear Lady Dragon most probably (if Lady Dragon was not already a Honorary Lifetime Clubhouse member), but Honey Lamb's gin consumption might worry me :0 . I suppose it comes down to the responsibility thing ...

Thank you kind sir .
You'd be in more than safe hands with HL and myself. I'll leave the singing to her though - I can't hold a note :w .....
DL