Why is VS losing loyal customers?

Well their down another 2500/3000 grand min per year with this family too as we've defected to AA. It all adds up.

This christmas was the 1st we saw them advertising they still have return flight availability just after new year. Usually they were looking for people to bump.

I posted a message in trip advisor 2 years ago after a horrendous return journay from Orlando,last year did restore my faith in Virgin,but on both occasions the plane was dirty, sweets left on the floor, IFE not working proberly,we again booked up PE this years as we thought they were upgrading the seats but alas we now hear they are not,the other year we flew AA to New York and I was really impressed by the service,and im afraid thats whats missing from Virgin now the quality of the planes and the service,you can not rely on your reputation for ever

I have just received my BA Visa card, transferred a number of hotel balances to my BA Executive account and as soon as I get my sign up bonus on my credit card will be off to try BA this year.

First thing that caught my eye was the $20 discount if I book my flight with the BA Visa card, now that's a nice touch!

Hi all,
I'm a long time reader but don't post that much but figured this was one to sound off on.

I think everyone has hit all the key points - I have been a bit down on VA in the last year or so but continue to 'tough' it out even when flying VA causes a connect to my destination vs a direct on BA (although every time through JFK or MIA i swear I will never do it again)

My first flight on VA in was UC from JFK to Shanghai and every step of the way was amazing - from crew service right down to the 'Virgin' written in the surface of the coffee when I ordered it at the lounge. It was enough for me to pick up the flag & tell everyone I knew what a great job VA was doing. In the last 2 years it has been a series of ups and downs, but the trend is indeed worrying - even accounting for the 'grass is greener' effect.

I've got a string of 7 flights coming up over the next 3 months both to the US and Asia. Am going to treat it as a small market survey and see how things go on the whole. Will decide what to do from there.....

best

Oh Dear have I made a mistake? Am about to take my first VS flight (relieved to say from LHR - as LGW seems to be coming in for a real battering!)Have flown with BA on various occasions and have to say that the service has been good every time. With regard to IFE problems this would seem to be something that all airlines have trouble with - as a recent survey by the Sunday Telegraph proved.My last flight to MIA with BA had no IFE for the whole flight the Senior CC handled the situation extremely well even taking time to personally talk to all customers who made a particular complaint. BA also gave 30,000 miles to each (exec club) passenger for the inconvenience.
Personally I only ever travel longhaul for leisure purposes, and I think airlines are on a hiding to nothing if they continue to regard leisure travellers as secondary to business travellers. As the economic situation worsens - long-haul business travel will surely be one of the first areas that companies will look at when trying to make cuts - especially as distance conferencing technology continues to improve.
I myself work for a major tour-operator and know how tight things are getting on the leisure side of things and know from personal experience that customers are looking for ever increasing value for money and simply will not stand for what they regard to be inferior Customer Service.
Last but not least I agree with a previous comment - for leisure travel, leg room, entertainment and unobtrusive good service are what I would look for everytime. Increasing comfort in economy cabins would be a great start.
Will provide a TR of my first trip to see if fresh eyes are what are needed.

After my last two flights one out of LHR to MIA and the next out of MCO ( which is a fabulous airport in my view and then UK hasn't got one that comes close to it ) and in to MAN I have to say that Virgin have retained my loyalty, there service onboard was beyond reproach not only to me but to other passengers, on these two flights I actually felt valued.

Well done VA and thats coming from someone who isn't afraid to complain.

thogal, LHR experiences tend to be a lot more positive. I have yet to have a bad VS experience out of LHR.

S.

One of the things that has bothered me in the past is the difference in the level of service between departing LHR and departing MAN.

My LHR flights, although of course not perfect, have been of a much higher quality to those of my MAN flights. I've flown Upper class from LHR - LAX and SFO - LHR, and all of those flights were very good.

Now, having flown upper class MAN - MCO and back several times, I haven't had one good flight. The service is MUCH reduced in my opinion, so much so that on my first flight from LHR I thought that the MAN flights were MEANT to be a reduced service.

Not once on my MAN flights has the bar been operable or able to be utilised by pax. Absolutely no sign of the freedom menu in sight, and when I asked if I could eat later as I wanted to pad out the flight more, and I was told that it would be an inconvenience to 'other pax' if I was to eat at a different time!! Excuse me?! I didn't realise that they had paid for the flight and I had not...how could I possibly assume that what I wanted to do was important?! It's not as if I would have wanted my meal service with a brass band so as to ruin other peoples sleeping times. I wasn't in a snooze zone. I just didn't get it.

Obviously enough has already been said about the difference in aircraft between the LHR routes and the MAN and gatwick fleet, so I won't mention anything about the inflight entertainment not being AVOD.

I guess overall the reason that people perhaps won't use VS again after previously using it is to do with the lack of consistency.

quote:Originally posted by lorelai
............... Absolutely no sign of the freedom menu in sight, and when I asked if I could eat later as I wanted to pad out the flight more, and I was told that it would be an inconvenience to 'other pax' if I was to eat at a different time!! .......

You know that's quite true.

I've never seen evidence of the ÒFreedom MenuÓ. Any time I've been in UC, all passengers were served their meals at the same time. The crew came around & set the tables & I don't recall ever seeing a passenger get the opportunity to dine at a later time.

I cast my mind back to May 2000, when I was boarding the VS24 LAX-LHR before my days of Upper Class travel & as I walked through UC on my way to the back, I overheard one of the crew welcoming a passenger just seated in UC. I'll always remember her saying to the passenger that he could dine anytime he wanted. Either during the main meal service or if not, just to let her know when & she would look after him.

Since then I've flown UC a good few times & have never once been offered the opportunity to ÒDine when I wantedÓ [:?]

[Darren Wheeler]

Never not encountered Freedon menu. If I don't feel hungry (Mojito'd out) I ask for it later and never been refused.