V-Flyer

Hi,

I drafted this while on my Grenadian sun lounger so that I wasn't influenced by the return journey overnight, arriving this morning. This report is, I am afraid, followed by two other subtitles, THE POOR and THE AWFUL.

I did online check-in on 11th March, getting the seats (78A and 78C) in the bubble which I had asked for at the time of booking my holiday with VH. Took the dogs to their 'hotel' (and it was indeed BOO HOO all round!!) then had a leisurely drive to the long stay car park at Gatwick. Did a 'bag drop' at the Twilight Check-In, no problems, the staff were courteous and efficent and gave us Fast Track through security. Stayed at the Hilton and didn't sleep - partly because of holiday excitement and partly because some idiots were having a door slamming game at 3.30am...GRRR.

Ambled down to the terminal at about 7am on the 12th, through fast track, time for a coffee and squirts of six different aftershaves before wandering out to the gate, smelling a tad odd. Arrived just as PE and UC were called on board Virginia Plain.

Into the bubble and a glass of fizz. Couple of young crew looking after PE upstairs, no problems, they were efficent, friendly and enthusiastic. However it became obvious that they were inexperienced.

Set off for Tobago and Grenada (I have had to classify this as Tobago destination as the subject classification doesn't allow me Grenada) about 20 minutes late. 437 on board (not much sign of the recession there then) plus 16 crew including a lady captain.

We were fed and watered regularly: drinks with prezels; the main meal; main course - beef goulash or vegetarian ravioli or chicken fillet in pineapple sauce...but no, an announcement, no goulash...instead chilli prawns, which were yummy...followed by the GU chocolate and cheese and biscuits. Later fruit and liqueurs, an Haagen Dazs ice cream round and then, finally, rolls - cheese or ham. Marques de Caza wines and plenty of them.

Entertainment system was antiquated. However watched the excellent Slumdog and the also excellent Vicky Cristina Barcelona, gave up on Quantum of Solace as the little screen did it no favours.

The flight was smooth and we arrived in Tobago pretty much on time. About half the passengers got off. Hung around for about an hour and then the quick twenty minute hop to Grenada, arriving on time. No 'service' on this leg as no time....I am sure I can remember getting a three course meal on the London to Paris half hour flight in the old days but I guess that was then!!

Deplaned, luggage off swiftly and set off for my home for the next two weeks, that previously mentioned sun lounger.

UNFORTUNATELY, all was not as it might seem.

THE POOR

FAST TRACK through security..Hmmmmmm...well it would have been if it had opened on time. But as it opened 20 minutes late it started to resemble some sort of oxymoron and rather defeated its object. We were, of course, the idiots who waited....but it was fast when it did eventually open, mainly because we were first through, everyone else having gone through regular security and almost certainly having had time to try at least a dozen aftershaves!

PAPERS. None were made available. I mention this because the PE blurb says we get them; well we didn't.

THE CABIN. I sat down in seat 78A and spent the next few minutes brushing dust off my trousers. The tv screen in the back of 77C had no surround and the magazine pocket was torn. The cabin felt dirty.

PRIORITY DISEMBARKATION. No effort was made by the senior cabin crew to provide this to UC and PE on arrival in Grenada. I was down the stairs first and joined the economy passengers already getting off. With dextrous use of elbows we got to to passport control about 10th in line. However some of the UC and PE passengers found themselves towards the back of a 200 strong queue much to their obvious and justifiable annoyance. If you charge for a 'premium service' then you had better deliver it.

And now, THE AWFUL

About half way to Tobago the mechanism controlling my seat back broke. I discovered this when I reclined and found myself and the seat back on top of the lady sitting in 79A. It might sound funny but it wasn't and if she had been drinking a hot drink..well the consequences might have been serious. I am guessing that this a wire based system and I suppose that a wire had either disconnected or broken. Whatever, the seat would not lock in any position from vertical to horizontal. All I could do was sit on the front of the seat while holding the back upright. I informed the cabin crew who could only offer me a spare crew seat upstairs but THAT HAD A BROKEN SEATBELT. I held the back upright for about four hours including the landing. I understand now that I (and, I guess, the lady behind me) should have been found alternative seats, whether in UC or even in the cockpit, as it is an offence under the civil aviation regulations to travel a passenger in a broken seat.

At Tobago half the bubble passengers got off so her gorgeousness and I changed seats. I, not the cabin crew, encouraged the lady in 79A to move also as I could guess what was likely to happen. I, not the cabin crew, also discouraged a Virgin employee, who was short hopping from Tobago to Grenada, from sitting in 79A. You can guess what happened when we accelerated down the runway for take off. The crew 'booked' the event and hoped their mechanic in Grenada could sort it out.

SUMMARY

Based on this experience, my sample of one, I reckon that VS is more like a third world airline or a third grade charter operator than a mainstream carrier, but perhaps that is what the Gatwick fleet is intended to be? A refurb would be nice but I would have settled for clean! And as for the seat.....!

I intend a complaint to VS about the lack of priority disembarkation (pure laziness on behalf of the senior cabin crew) and, of course, the seat. Any guidance whether I should route this through regular customer services or whether I can pitch it at a higher level would be much appreciated.

David

PS I will post the return trip report in a couple of days but apparently, right now, I have to empty my suitcases.

PS2 Grenada is simply beautiful and the Grenadians, without exception, are the most welcoming and friendly people.....a fabulous place.

Not the best of trips by the sound of it. It appears that BAA don't open Fast track until 7.30am (we had the same problem last week) rendering having it(fast track status) pretty useless if you check in earlier than this. As I have reported there was no priority disembarkation on our arrival back into LGW from BGI on Monday, hence we were behind both PE and Y pax.
DL

Not a good start to your trip. However Fast Track is down to BAA! However a letter maybe in order to CS.

Not too sure what you were expecting on the flight between Grenada and Tobago in regards with food??? 3 course meal on a LHR-CDG that was a long time ago....[:w]

Dominic

we also found the PE is not as Premium as you would like,on the last 4 flights,flying in the bubble, has been far from it,come on Virgin you do fly out of 2 London airports

quote:Originally posted by DMetters-Bone
Not a good start to your trip. However Fast Track is down to BAA! However a letter maybe in order to CS.

Not too sure what you were expecting on the flight between Grenada and Tobago in regards with food??? 3 course meal on a LHR-CDG that was a long time ago....[:w]

Dominic


Indeed Dominic, it was a long time ago. I wasn't expecting a meal but if you add in the hour on the ground in Tobago the offer of an orange juice and a packet of biscuits would have gone down well.

BAA fast track is meant to open at 7am at Gatwick...if they are so unreliable it seems pretty pointless VS sending passengers in that direction.

Our cabin crew on both flights told us of numerous low occupancy VS transatlantic flights from Heathrow, perhaps it is time the better furnished planes headed where the business is?

quote:Originally posted by HWVlover
[br
Our cabin crew on both flights told us of numerous low occupancy VS transatlantic flights from Heathrow, perhaps it is time the better furnished planes headed where the business is?


My last few flights across the pond from LHR have been packed! [:w]

Many others have too found the lack of attention from BAA at Gatwick a poor start to their holiday[n]
quote:PAPERS. None were made available. I mention this because the PE blurb says we get them; well we didn't.

I was caught out similarly recently - the papers are only provided on board on the return leg. As you enter the airbridge to board the aircraft there is a newspaper / magazine rack, where you are expected to help yourself.

On the chair issue, I am sure a suitably worded letter to VS on your return will provide some degree of compensation to you.

Enjoy the rest of your holiday

buns

quote:Originally posted by buns
Many others have too found the lack of attention from BAA at Gatwick a poor start to their holiday[n]
quote:PAPERS. None were made available. I mention this because the PE blurb says we get them; well we didn't.

I was caught out similarly recently - the papers are only provided on board on the return leg. As you enter the airbridge to board the aircraft there is a newspaper / magazine rack, where you are expected to help yourself.



Yes newspapers from the UK are provided at the gate before you board.

Newspapers are also brought round as well as fruit. All part of the PE service.

quote:Originally posted by ukcobra
Newspapers are also brought round as well as fruit. All part of the PE service.


Not out of the UK they're not I'm afraid - hence why they are available at the gate.

Newspapers are provided in PE onboard flights to the UK.

Yes please complain about the seat, it's the only way anything will ever get done about the LGW fleet. Were there two doors opened when you dismebarked, and how many crew at your disembarkation door? If there was only one then they would have had to stand at the door rather than hold passengers back so the Upper deck could empty first?

quote:Originally posted by virginboy747
Yes please complain about the seat, it's the only way anything will ever get done about the LGW fleet. Were there two doors opened when you dismebarked, and how many crew at your disembarkation door? If there was only one then they would have had to stand at the door rather than hold passengers back so the Upper deck could empty first?


I have complained to both VS and VH about the seat and I might well take matters further. A friend, a retired BA pilot, said that I should report VS to the CAA, it is apparently THAT serious...do I sense a hint of bias in his opinion?!!!!

Re the disembarkation, as I was getting off the plane at Grenada the ground crew were still in the process of connecting the steps to the front of the plane for UC and downstairs PE passengers. The senior cabin crew chap actually opened the exit door from economy so clearly had absolutely no interest in providing the priority service.

If you look at the Config 2 seat plan you will see that there also is a problem in that the bubble passengers come down into econ, both front and back. However this is pretty sortable but either telling econ to stay put or by cabin crew standing in the way blocking the aisles, which happened on the return disembarkation as far as the majority of the econ passengers were concerned, those between the bubble stairs and tail. Even on the return disembarkation however no effort was made to block the econ passengers from between the bubble stairs and the front.

As I said before, VS cannot charge for a service if they have no intention of providing that service.

Not surprisingly I await the various responses from VS and VH with considerable interest.

On the return the econ pax in B-Zone cant be held back as the J pax in A-zone need to be allowed off as quicky as possible as only one door is opened at LGW (the one at bottom of the stairs), but on your way out they certainly should have held back the rest of economy so that the upper deck could have been alowed off first.

Thanks for the TR, sorry to hear about the poor experience.