V-Flyer

So I got off the VS19 a few hours ago.
Everything was fine as far as check-in, CH, flight etc. Thought I did have to wait over 35 min for my car at SFO. City very busy due to lots of events this weekend.
As I sat in my seat after take off the FSM was walking around, not introductions but handing our menus!! I was expecting the "Welcome back Mr xx" but nothing.
UC was full, completely from what I could see. I decided to have a wonder to the galley to have a peek at the list of customers they always have stuck to the galley list meals etc. As I looked at each list (one on each side of the galley) I was shocked to only see two pax listed as Gold. Lots of reds, a few silvers and some blanks so I assume they do not even have FC accounts.
Is it me or with only two Gold FC accounts on-board it wouldn't take much to say "Welcome back" - Sure I read something on this site a while back that a dictate had gone out to put part of the service to be back in "fashion"??

Consistency, consistency, consistency

My last flight saw not only the FSM at the door welcoming me back as Mr Buns, but also every member of crew acknowledging my status throughout the flight

All comes to to the calibre of the FSM

buns

Welcome to San Francisco! Yes, over 2 million people expected in the city over the weekend.

I've only ever got a welcome back by name at the CH door, never in the plane. No champagne offered whenever I'm not in UC. I guess, some FSMs don't think it's necessary

"Is it me or with only two Gold FC accounts on-board it wouldn't take much to say "Welcome back" -"

Oh, what a horrendous experiance for you, I would immediately have demanded Richards personal mobile phone number and rung him and requested he sent all the crew round to your house to appologise for not bowing and curtseying to you.

At no point did you not trot out the old chestnut " Do you know who I am?"

LovingGold wrote:So I got off the VS19 a few hours ago.
Everything was fine as far as check-in, CH, flight etc. Thought I did have to wait over 35 min for my car at SFO. City very busy due to lots of events this weekend.
As I sat in my seat after take off the FSM was walking around, not introductions but handing our menus!! I was expecting the "Welcome back Mr xx" but nothing.
UC was full, completely from what I could see. I decided to have a wonder to the galley to have a peek at the list of customers they always have stuck to the galley list meals etc. As I looked at each list (one on each side of the galley) I was shocked to only see two pax listed as Gold. Lots of reds, a few silvers and some blanks so I assume they do not even have FC accounts.
Is it me or with only two Gold FC accounts on-board it wouldn't take much to say "Welcome back" - Sure I read something on this site a while back that a dictate had gone out to put part of the service to be back in "fashion"??

OMG, I consider this to be an invasion of other passengers' privacy.

Perhaps you feel that as you've achieved that perceived wonderful (so what!) Gold card status, you now have the right to poke around in the gallery reading passenger lists. Shame the FSM didn't see you and then he/she could have firmly spoken to you by name as you were ordered back to you seat.

Maybe there was Royalty or celebrities on board to deal with oo) and therefore they didn't have time for that all important "welcome back" conversation with you. Perhaps you'll be lucky on the return flight

The passenger list is quite clearly displayed on the side of the UC galley. It's not the manifest for the flight but a list of drink and meal options requested. FC status is on it in case meal options run low, Au's should receive their preference.

Now when an airline says you've got it or you ain't, this is something that should be consistently done.

Definitely consistency!

I felt odd yesterday - like I'd been upgraded to Gold without knowing it. At the UC check in, I was welcomed back, I was told specifically that my FC number had been put on the boarding card. Welcome at the lounge was also very friendly. And the goodbye too!

On board, got a nice welcome from the FSM (not by name but in every other way possible). The cabin supervisor when she came around also specifically said welcome back - and she was looking at seat numbers on the way down so I know she must have been referring to a list that had been shown to her.

I almost said, 'I'm only a lowly red!' But everywhere it could possibly have been - I was welcomed back. Felt very, very nice.

I've been flying on VA for over 20 years. I have to say consistency is a word I would certainly use.

The service offered by their cabin crew has been exemplary. I have had all the different coloured cards over the years but their service has been wonderful whether my account was red or gold.

An efficient and friendly service is all I need. I certainly would not book any airline ticket because the blurb says that once I reach a particular account level then they'll call me by name. However I'll acknowledge that some folk find it important they're called by name.

When I came back from LA a few years back, I was stretching my legs and came face to face to a particular self opinionated spice girl. She asked me if I wanted her to sign the paper I was holding. "whatever for" I replied, smiled and walked on. The FSM was nearby and winked as I passed her. By this time I bet she had probably had her fill of saying "yes Mrs x or no Mrs x" but bless them they carry on doing their duty.

Personally I like people to be nice and friendly to me because they want to, not because they have to

And yet on my flight the other week I was given a 'welcome back sir' by the holding pen attendant and I'm only a red!

Although even if I was a gold I cant say i'd be overly bothered if I had a welcome back or not - I expect to get what I pay for - a seat and meal. Nothing more, nothing less.

atkinson wrote:"Is it me or with only two Gold FC accounts on-board it wouldn't take much to say "Welcome back" -"

Oh, what a horrendous experiance for you, I would immediately have demanded Richards personal mobile phone number and rung him and requested he sent all the crew round to your house to appologise for not bowing and curtseying to you.

At no point did you not trot out the old chestnut " Do you know who I am?"

I agree with Atkinson, this must have been such a horrible experience for you. I do hope it has not scarred you for life.
It is unforgiveable for the FSM not to know your name, did she not realise how important you are?
And what are they thinking of hiding the customer list away, so sneaky. It should be clearly on display so that everyone know who the important Gold members are, and just as importantly who the bottom feeding vermin are (red card holders).

In my opinion I think you probably have cause to seek legal advice here.

I am immediately switching to BA just based on the OP's feedback.


Thank you for alerting us to these devastating problems.

To be fair when giving out the menus the fsm and CSS are supposed to welcome each pax by name and welcome back if ff on day flights. If they don't then they're not doing their job as they all know they are supposed to

The main point is that using someone's name is incredibly powerful and is a totally free marketing tool.

A Ryanair steward looked at my boarding card on my last flight with them and said "Thank you Mr Sealink" when he handed it back. How easy was that? And I felt really happy!

My personal take on it is that everyone in the cabin should be welcomed by name, or no one at all, but frequent fliers welcomed back.

I am frankly amazed by the few negative comments on this, perhaps my post came across wrong?? ?|

I'm not asking for anything special from what I can see, or wanting to be treaded like Royalty. When I am working I take pride in the service we provide, when we publish certain "standards" we work to them. I'm happy to concede that others don't buy in to that principle.

As for the "Privacy" and "scared for life" comments. If the FSM's want to keep them private then don't post them on the outside of the galley on the wall for everyone to see!! "Scared for life" - Really???. :0

I'm not going to turn this personal as we don't do that on this site. I guess you either have standards in the product being offered or not. I fall in to the "have" category, especially when we are talking a premium product.
Now, if I can get a few hours more sleep I will be enjoying what San Francisco has to offer this weekend.

I'm not quite sure why some posters in this topic find the concept of Welcome Back so hilarious. It's not a case of Do You Know Who I Am, but rather of the company making a very small gesture to show their appreciation of loyal/regular customers. Market research carried out on behalf on the company to which I am enslaved indicated that customers appreciate a Welcome Back and being referred to by name. It has now become one of the service standards that my team members are expected to carry out. In the same way, Virgin Atlantic's FSM/Crew are expected to offer a Welcome Back because it is part of the service standards of their job.

I think, apart from anything else that the op was pointing out that this service step had been missed rather than trying to say "I'm a big important Gold and nobody bothered recognising it".

I might be rambling now...
Time for a cuppa.

The hostility in this thread is astonishing! LovingGold was asking a legitimate question about the service routine. He didn't have a DYKWIA rant.

Personally I think that making a fuss of status is undesirable, so I don't really care whether they do it or not. But I do care about consistency -- if it is in the service routine, then they shouldn't be skipping it.

Loving Gold

I appreciated the point you were making. We all know that in business it costs ten fold to get a new customer, whilst retaining customers can be relatively cheap

When I go to my local High Street on a Saturday morning, I know how hard those shopkeepers work to retain customers. Simple, but as we have said time and time again, it does not cost VS a bean to recognise repeat customers irrespective of what level they are

buns

at240 wrote:The hostility in this thread is astonishing! LovingGold was asking a legitimate question about the service routine. He didn't have a DYKWIA rant.

Personally I think that making a fuss of status is undesirable, so I don't really care whether they do it or not. But I do care about consistency -- if it is in the service routine, then they shouldn't be skipping it.

Fully agree at240 - have to confess I do enjoy a bit of sarcasm at times, this was a bit of an overload on a Saturday.

In my view it is always nice to be welcomed back and thanked for keeping it VS as it makes people feel part of what is going on and makes travel that much more relaxed as well as being common courtesy for someone (or someone's company ): ) that spends thousands in gaining AU or even AG in the first place.

That being said, when I get a welcome back, I enjoy it, breaks the ice with the crew and always leads to a bit of conversation which is what is missed out on if the FSM power walks past people as if they are yet just another head in a seat..

Whilst service consistency may very well be slated, I have had a conversation with the FSM on a flight a few months back and she informed me sometimes there are too many AUs or AGs on the whole plane to get round to.. a fair point I think. What would the packing order be then?? The east coast US runs are infamous for this and it is very much hit and miss with a personal welcome, although I never let it spoil my fun

UC is not the only cabin the FSM serves - he/she must wander from cabin to cabin to make sure all is running smoothly and if they were short staffed then a welcome back to each FF on board would affect the level of service offered, that is the true point to judge, in my view, which keeps me flying VS y) y)

joeyc wrote: have to confess I do enjoy a bit of sarcasm at times, this was a bit of an overload on a Saturday.

I agree, I too love a bit of sarcasm I found a few of these not sarcasm. I only have myself to blame. The post could have been constructed in a better way, though I have read it a few times and still can't see some of the replies.

Still we don't hold a grudge here. We all have a point of view - That's what makes, life, travel, getting a "Welcome back" or not so interesting ) ) )

As Greg or Kyle or Howard might say on FB

"We are sorry that we didn'twelcome you back and hope it didn't spoil your flight. We hope that you will give us another chance to not welcome you back on a future flight. love and kissess"

Oh come on, calm down, lot of over-reaction here.

Are you all really that straight and not able to take a bit of banter on the chin.

I must remember to bring the diet cokes and sweets to the next get-together!!

Gerrym wrote:Oh come on, calm down, lot of over-reaction here.
Are you all really that straight and not able to take a bit of banter on the chin.
I must remember to bring the diet cokes and sweets to the next get-together!!

Not at all. In fact I'm pleased - Your defection to BA over my post means there will be another seat available should I need it
I personally would have used have used that smiley or other icons bit more in my post to show banter from pure distaste in a post.
I'm hoping after VS read my post they have SRB to welcome me back on aircraft on my return, plus issue free passes to Necker Island for life I was treated so badly ) ) )

Tht's better LovingGold!!


Cheers

Like Hev60 I have flown for many years as a gold but was only was only ever once welcomed back, and I didn't even realize that this was a specific policy. I didn't feel any less valued and I believe it's the whole service from check in to stepping off the plane that matters. My last flight in UC to MBJ in July was superb with the crew going th extra mile. Only a other note I now fly red, although I have personally purchased eight UC flights this year so perhaps I shoud be a super red )

In my experience (like that of most other frequent flyers) VS service IS variable. It is especially variable when returning to the UK or when the FSM disappears to "do paperwork" all flight.

And I like being spoken to by my name not by "mate".