VS022 IAD-LHR 28 OCT 12 (Economy)

This is a Trip Report from the Economy cabin

Ground Staff

Food & Drink

Entertainment

Seat

Cabin Crew

Considered ourselves lucky to be getting out before THE storm/hurricane.

To ensure chances on not getting bumped I checked in on line dead on 24 hours before and found I was already sequence 6,7 & 8.

Arrived at the IAD and was told by the man checking me in that they were already rebooking people for Wednesday.

Pleased to see still on the A330 Miss Sunshine and was looking forward to trying it.

Boarding was supposed to be 645pm but I knew when I saw the crew heading into the Duty Free shop by the gate at 620 that this was not going to happen.

Announcement then made that the catering truck was late so short delay of 20 minutes.

Not long after 7pm boarding started.

Nice looking plane inside. Not sure I agree with all the “extra leg room” seats as feel is just nickel and diming people.

Sat down and first thought was how hard the seat was. By the end of the flight my backside ached big time. Not impressed with that.

Sat again at the back as wanted 3 seats together. Having read the post about how to turn the 4th light off I felt pleased with myself to turn it off and to show the flight attendant how to do it when she was trying to figure it out for the row in front.

Take off time came and went and then pilot made an announcement that someone was sick and had decided not to fly so they had to find the bags and unload them. He assured us it would be 5 minutes and true to his words it was.

Hopefully the person wasn’t too sick and did selfishly think glad they chose to get off before we left so we didn’t have to detour to Gander or some such place.

So we took off.

In my opinion the flight then went down hill rapidly.

This is my 48th time visiting the states (my partner lives there) and have flown VS, UA, BA, AF, CO and US.

I also always say on a night flight all the carriers with the exception of VS seem to get the meal/drinks service done 1,2,3 and then dim the lights BUT it always seems VS fanny around for ages and seem to drag it out.

I always say when Virgin is good is knocks your socks off and when they are bad boy are they bad.

Well they were bad. I left it a few days to write this review as I didn’t want to fire off an angry review but don’t feel any mellower almost a week later.

The service sucked. One particular crew member was quite frankly an embarrassment to her profession and it is her sort that I think gives the internet rumblings about VS service going down hill etc

I shall call her MU – Miss Unfriendly.

The flight had numerous, and apologies if they weren’t, Asian & Indian passengers and a lot only spoke in unbroken English.

Across the aisle from me two old Indian ladies were sat and couldn’t understand MU request to put their handbags right under the seat or in the locker.

MU tutted and huffed and quite frankly spoke to the 2 ladies in a very rude manner.

An unconnected passenger tried to intervene and said “oh aren’t they all right like that” which of course they weren’t BUT MU simply snapped “NO they are not when they trip over it trying to get out the aisle in an emergency”.

MU then turned away and said loudly not even under her breath “oh do you want with your bags I don’t care”

She then stomped off. Not professional at all.

Plane took off and VERA was started. Rather than drag this review out the system needed rebooting at least 6 times over the next 1 ½ hours. I don’t think it ended up working completely in the end. Various individual reboots took place and various complete reboots as well.

After seatbelt light went out I went to the back and waited to use the bathroom. Nice Australian flight attendant passed me with a big smile and then said to MU “oh just thought I would mention to you that lots of the TVs aren’t working”.

MU snapped in front of the crew and other passengers stood there waiting for the bathroom” I cant be don’t with that now I’ve got a meal service to do”. Very unprofessional.

15 minutes went by and no one had come in or out of either bathroom. The guy waiting with me says maybe they hadn’t been unlocked. So I made the mistake of asking MU.

She snapped “YES they have” and turned around but Isaid quickly “oh in that case do you perhaps want to see if the person in there is okay as no one has com in..” at that point she snapped interrupting me “LOOK I just said they are unlocked as I did it myself” and she stopped off into the back of the galley.

I gave up and went and used the bathroom in the middle

Roll the clock on 1 hour and still no sign of dinner or even a drink.

Just after take off a garbled announcement was made that I think was if you want water you can go to the middle galley and use the fountain.

My parents are in their 70s and I don’t think heard/understood the announcement so after 1 ½ hours of still no drinks my father made the mistake of stopping MU and asking for some water as she tore down the plane explaining he needed to take some pills.

Now she was very pleasant got the water and returned with it. She then told him in quite a brusque manner here was the water BUT if he needed refills he need not wait for a crew member but he could go himself to the middle galley and get it.

Now I know what she said is right but the tone it was said made it clear she dint expect to be asked for any refills.

Now during this 1 and ½ hours the crew were serving special meals but why it was taking so long I don’t know.

I noticed the menu included curry and a lot of the special meals as they were being delivered the recipients were asking for the curry instead and the crew were explaining why they couldn’t, after ordering a special meal, then change their mind. As I said lots of broken English being spoken so each conversation about the meals was taking its time.

Man next to me mad the mistake of asking MU as she stomped by “we’ve been on the plane now for 1hour 45 minutes and no drinks or meals served what’s happening?”. She snapped “I have 25 special meals to sort out and then and only then will I begin the main cabin service”.

So upshot was 2 hours before the meal was given to me in row 62.

Meal was lousy. The beef was like a tin of dog food and I didn’t eat it. The bread roll was cold and as hard a brick.

Breakfast not much better.

Landed about 40 minutes late after 15 minutes of circling then had to wait for stand.

Was glad to get off the plane.

FSM not very visible in Y but making lots of announcements regarding VERA.

Did make a couple of jokey announcements but I wasn’t in the mood for them – he advised about “..dimming the cabin lights for take off…my crew look better in the dark…” and “..as you exit the plane hand you charity donation to XXX and you will recognise her as she is the lady with the moustache…”

So all in all I think it wasn’t the best VS flight I’ve been on. Maybe I let the one crew member colour my judgement or maybe the general slow service, poor meal and the crew member all added up made me think “pants”.

Flying with VS in April to IAD but that’s in PE so hopefully it will be better.

I did think of speaking to the FSM about MU but as she was also speaking to her colleagues like it I figured well they surely should report her? I did think if I could see her name badge I would write to VS but she had it hidden under her cardigan.

Classic example of how one bad staff member can completely ruin one's experience and overall impression of the brand. Sorry to hear you had such an awful time of it.

As for not getting a meal until two hours into the flight - I can't say it would have bothered me at all, but then I don't really sleep in Economy anyway so I wouldn't have seen it as delaying my sleep time.

Having said that, maybe you could have tolerated the wait if it had been accompanied by a friendly apology from a nice crew member. As it was, it just added to the annoyance and frustration of the poor service.

She sounds an absolute delight! She really does need reporting its not acceptable to speak to people like that. Was she the CSS for economy? Sorry you experienced such bad service

I did think of speaking to the FSM about MU but as she was also speaking to her colleagues like it I figured well they surely should report her? I did think if I could see her name badge I would write to VS but she had it hidden under her cardigan.

Due to (a) a possibly misplaced sense of understanding around the background to and reasons for somebody having "a bad day" and (b) only each seeing an occasional poor interaction with the passengers her colleagues may not see a reason to report her. She may also have some kind of status which may make it difficult.

You, on the other hand, as a passenger expect professional service and were in a place to be more aware than the other crew of the number of poor interactions and the impression they were giving. If I were in your shoes, I'd write a "how disappointed I am" letter.

It is just these kind of service issues that change people's loyalties. It isn't new - I will only fly UA again if forced to after a very short, but very unpleasant, interaction with a membe rof their cabin crew a decade ago and recently decided that I will never, ever, use a certain Hilton in London again after the way an incident was (mis)handled by the management.

[buns]

Thanks for the TR But again, a sorry tale

MU (and I think you are being generous here) coupled with a non exsistent FSM = looking elsewhere for future travel needs

Irrrespective of any backgroud or mitigation this needs to be reported to Crawley

buns

[mitchja]

Thanks for the TR.

MU (and I think you are being generous here) coupled with a non exsistent FSM

But when do you ever see a FSM in the economy cabin though unless they are short on crew - not very often. You barely see a FSM in Premium, let alone economy.

One thing I think would improve the visability thing is if the CSS's stood out more compared to the rest of the crew i.e. wore a different uniform. You always hear the CSS's been introduced early on in the flight but during the flight they usually just blend in with the rest of the crew unless you read their name tag, most people are non the wiser who the CSS's actually are.

Just oh dear Thanks for bothering to post

MU is definitely in the wrong job . However, the poor quality of the food and problems with VERA isn't MU's fault so this really was a very disappointing flight . If you send a polite but detailed account of the experience you will have done everything you can to bring this to their attention and if enough people highlight the same concerns "maybe" someone at VS will take note.

Oh dear, very poor flight - make sure you feedback to Head Office.

I had a wonderful flight back from IAD at the end of the month (must put my TR up from that soon - time permitting!).

Wow sounds like the kind of (time to change) airline's flight that VS will be hard stretched to put things right by yourself.

Agree with PJH the crew are unlikely to report about one of their own in this situation, I would definitely complain to Crawley Towers - the least they will be doing is giving you a few thousand miles.. seems a standard I am afraid.

I suppose all you can do is make them aware of it - without any proof as to what she said and did, or her name for that matter, it may just be a one to watch kind of scenario if they do figure out who it was.

Shocking to read that JAM was not on form either. - I am not calling it VERA Sounds like the FSM was trying to make light of the situation, but to be fair after the 'service' that their crew provided I am not surprised this did not remedy everything. The FSM does move back and forth, depends on the flight load and also as to whether or not they want to sit at the bar in UC or do paperwork then have a kip... perhaps the FSMs need a bit more of a routine for running the cabins... hmm there's an idea, a do the rounds kind of thing, to keep the crew on their toes and to help out if needed.

Cheers for posting the TR - sorry the flight did not deliver the kind of VS service that has admittedly been hanging from a knife edge for far too long now.