VS073 MAN-MCO 27 Mar 09 (Upper)

This is a Trip Report from the Upper Class cabin

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quote:Originally posted by RichardMannion
quote:Originally posted by Galley Guy
I consider myself a very customer focused crew member. I am not going to go into details, but my performance monitoring and letters from passengers back me up on this. (Do I sound big headed? )

I have no intention on looking at J Class passengers names and welcoming them. Most J passengers walk on and are eagerly running for their seat, and hardly let you read their card as it is. The amount of huffers, puffers, disgruntled, and 'I have a cell phone to talk into' types, along with the 300 people behind them prevent this.

I also chat in the galley! To be fair I am usually setting up for the next service, eating my meal, or cleaning something. When we clear in we have completed our services, what are we supposed to do? Wander the aisles and wait for someone to need us? The call bell is there for a reason and we will come and answer it. (Also I actively encourage passengers to get up, walk to the galley, stretch, get a drink, wiggle their toes, have a chat, and then go back to their seat)

A friendly smile, patience, and a sense of humor go a long way! As long as we offer that then I think we can make it an enjoyable flight for everyone!


Please tell me you don't work in the J cabin. Nice to see you have no intention of addressing J passengers at all, because 'most' walk on and ignore. Why do you bother doing the safety briefing, given that most people ignore and carry on reading their paper. You have to, and I wish that VS would change policy and made it that you had to address the premium passengers. It costs nothing to do, and it doesn't matter if some passengers choose to ignore. If anything, this little extra can drive a sense of appreciation for a passengers custom and drive repeat business. Maybe the amount of 'huffers and puffers' are because they are not looking forward to the flight, maybe they have had a bad experience in the past. True you can never please everyone, and I step onto VS flights now hoping for a good, professional and attentive crew given the patchy performances in the past. Start as you mean to go on, give a passenger a personal greeting and make them feel welcome, maybe you'll find that they will respond better - ultimately they are the people that are keeping the airline afloat.

To match Deckers experience, I have been greeted by my name on every BA flight in F, J and in Y (as a BA EC Ag). Let me throw the cat out here with the pigeons, maturity and professional conduct of a crew.

I can't remember the last time I had to push a call button on a BA flight. Yes the seats are fitted with them, but in a premium product the crew should be visible to assist passengers within a timely manner given the ratio of staff to pax. There are extremes, I've been in J when the flight has been empty and the service has been poor, and conversely been on full J flights and experienced great service.


Hi Richard,

Your correct about a few things here. For one, J class passengers should not have to press their call bells. I was talking about the Economy cabin.

My point about the huffers and puffers is that we have ALOT to do in a very short amount of time, with the patience of hundreds running thin....so looking at customers names (which we are not required to do) is not something I am going to put at the top of my list.
The J passengers will be in their seats in 2 minutes, and then welcomed by name. It's what we are trained to do and thats how we do it.

As my Dad is a BA Pilot I have flown in every cabin BA has to offer, multiple times. In the last two months I have flown to the east coast twice with BA. Three sectors in J and one in F. I think they have an incredible work force and great mix of people working for them. However, I find them to be a little more dry and distant than the VS crew. It comes down to personal preference I suppose!

My previous post was all taken from the point of view of the Y crew. (As yes, I work in Y and am very proud to do so!) Apologies for any confusion caused!

GG

[Decker]

Ah GG, thanks for the clarification. Phew.

I do believe we should welcome back our Gold and Silver Card Holders, no matter what cabin they are sitting in. You will usually find me wandering down economy with 4 glasses of bubbly balanced awkwardly, getting the envious stares of the masses, as they all enquire if I am handing it out. Nope! A nice glass of bubbly and a 'Welcome Back' usually gets a shocked stare that slides into a smile!

quote:Originally posted by Galley Guy

I do believe we should welcome back our Gold and Silver Card Holders, no matter what cabin they are sitting in. You will usually find me wandering down economy with 4 glasses of bubbly balanced awkwardly, getting the envious stares of the masses, as they all enquire if I am handing it out. Nope! A nice glass of bubbly and a 'Welcome Back' usually gets a shocked stare that slides into a smile!


I am glad to hear that. But never, never when I have sat in PE have I had any crew welcome me back or offer me a glass of champagne (and I mean real champagne). I am really heartened that you try to do this, as does another crew poster Mr vb747 who sounds just a delight. I was thinking this was urban myth, just wish you two were on my occasional PE flights ...

Good service is well and all, but I'd like a decent amenity kit.

GJ

WOW, i have opened up a can of worms [:I]

My 3 main issues were the unfriendly check in, the lack of any kind of greeting at all on boarding - i don't expect to be welcomed by name, but a smile and hello would have been nice and finally the treatment of the children, especially the way the CC called Lauren a pain and the way the FSM swanned in and complained about another child.

When you get the full UC experience it is wonderful and a fab experience but i don't expect it all the time, i know that the crew have busy flights on the MCO route and i try to stay as inconspicuous as possible, a few other v-flyers have flown on the same flights as we have and i hope they can confirm that we are not arrogant or pushy or overly demand the CC time.

It's lovely to have your drinks topped up throughout the flight and not to have to move but i'm not averse to getting up and asking for a drink or helping myself [:D] I also wouldn't expect anyone else to go without a meal so my girls could have something different, if this was going to be the case then i would have no problem with the CC saying sorry we haven't got enough, i take onboard plenty of sandwiches, crisps and fruit so they wouldn't starve.

We love flying with VA and have another 3 flights booked for this year already, i generally don't have anything to complain about at all but once in a while things just don't go right and it's a bit of a disappointment.

SFL nice post.
One question - the crew standing by doors during boarding is that a relatively new thing? Also I don't seem to remember other airlines doing the same thing.

quote:Originally posted by Mrs B
WOW, i have opened up a can of worms [:I]

My 3 main issues were the unfriendly check in, the lack of any kind of greeting at all on boarding - i don't expect to be welcomed by name, but a smile and hello would have been nice and finally the treatment of the children, especially the way the CC called Lauren a pain and the way the FSM swanned in and complained about another child.

When you get the full UC experience it is wonderful and a fab experience but i don't expect it all the time, i know that the crew have busy flights on the MCO route and i try to stay as inconspicuous as possible, a few other v-flyers have flown on the same flights as we have and i hope they can confirm that we are not arrogant or pushy or overly demand the CC time.

It's lovely to have your drinks topped up throughout the flight and not to have to move but i'm not averse to getting up and asking for a drink or helping myself [:D] I also wouldn't expect anyone else to go without a meal so my girls could have something different, if this was going to be the case then i would have no problem with the CC saying sorry we haven't got enough, i take onboard plenty of sandwiches, crisps and fruit so they wouldn't starve.

We love flying with VA and have another 3 flights booked for this year already, i generally don't have anything to complain about at all but once in a while things just don't go right and it's a bit of a disappointment.


Aww Mrs. B! You should ALWAYS expect the fab service you paid for! You paid for a fab upper class service and you should get it!

Hi Matt, I hadn't intended posting again, but just to answer your question about manning doors. Crew now HAVE to stand by all five left hand doors and upper deck right whilst passengers are boarding. They cannot move from that door unless there is an emergency situation. (two crew at the boarding door of course).

This has changed slightly, at one time we had to be in the vicinity of the door, unless we were refuelling, it is now manning the door for the entire period of boarding until the door is closed. Of course it may look like the left hand crew stood at doors are twiddling their thumbs and doing nothing, but that is what they have to do. Stand there.


Edited to add: I can only speak for Virgin's SOPs, I honestly don't know about the SOPs of other airlines.

Also edited to add: it's nothing to do with security procedures

Mrs B, I hope to one day have the pleasure of 'buying' you a drink at the UC bar [:)]

GJ

If only all the crew read the posts on V-Flyer it might buck the slackers up!

One would hope, VS Boy! When we look at the check-in list, we know immediately who the shirkers are, and also which positions they will want to work. I think the few crew who post on here, are the ones who genuinely care and want to provide a good service anyway, so it's preaching to the converted, so to speak.

Darn, I didn't mean to post again.. but just wanted to agree with what you said. [8D]

[Scrooge]

Just go OT for a min just to remind the crew that have posted that there is a crew only forum here that you are more than welcome to use and please feel free to let others know about it and this site. I strongly believe that the more interaction there is on here between crew and pax the better as it does help to clear up misunderstandings etc

Nice post SFL - an interesting insight into how the cabin works, especially in Economy.

As an UC pax, I'm not in the least bit bothered about being welcomed onboard by name at the aircraft door. A simple 'Hello' will suffice for me, as you are generally welcomed in the UC cabin not long after arriving there, offered the drinks, seat demo etc.

Also, you have 450 pax to board on a LGW/MAN aircraft in 40mins, so the two crew on the L2 boarding doors will have more then enough work to do in those 40mins. I can imagine that passengers may get the perception that the crew standing by the other doors - particularly at the very rear of the aircraft where there is no galley - are doing nothing. (NB: Passenger perception - the crew are doing what they should be).

I am one of the V-flyers who has been on the same flight as Mrs B and her family in the past (in UC). They certainly did not attempt to monopolise crew time or expect to be waited on hand and foot & the children were very well behaved.

James

Oh Mrs B, please don't think this was directed at you. I take onboard your experiences totally, and there is never any excuse for bad behaviour from anyone, be they crew or passsengers.

I was hoping, in my ham-fisted way, to point out that the great magic touch with the meals on your previous flight isn't always possible the next time. It can then leave the passenger disappointed, and the crew annoyed because they can't do anything to solve the problem. As I say, things change from flight to flight.


Things are different on every flight depending on circumstances, and, of course, crew.

I apologise unreservedly for your disappointment, and hope your return flight restores your faith with us. [:)]

I really, really, will stop posting now. [:w]

quote:Originally posted by seats for landing

I really, really, will stop posting now. [:w]


I hope you'll join GG and VB747 (and other VS crew) and become an active contributor to the site. I enjoy reading about the crew perspective and experiences.

Paul

I too enjoy reading things from the crews perspective but, without my knowledge of Virgin's exact terms of employment, isn't it a bit risky for staff to discuss company procedures or attitudes on an open forum? If it's all ok and allowed to be published then that's great but it would be a big shame if those who are trying to help got into trouble.

I mean, it's not as if the UC people who have the time and inclination to post on here are in any way representative of the majority of Virgin passengers!

[Nottingham Nick]

quote:Originally posted by Capt.Pag
I mean, it's not as if the UC people who have the time and inclination to post on here are in any way representative of the majority of Virgin passengers!

Would you care to expand on that view, please?

I am not a UC passenger (unless it is with points [;)] ) but am interested in what makes you say that.

Nick

quote:Originally posted by Nottingham Nick

Would you care to expand on that view, please?


He might be referring to Their Graces, both of whom, we must agree, are so much finer than mere mortals such as us, Nick, that their opinions could not hope to be reflective of The Great Unwashed.

GJ

Hey Capt. I think the cabin crew who have posted have in no way brought the company into disrepute, or whatever the term is, quite the contrary. No safety procedures have been discussed. I also think it's clear that all three of the cabin crew (myself included) are very pro-Virgin and support the company.

If the moderators think we've crossed the line, then please, by all means, delete the appropriate posts.

It's why I normally keep well clear of posting, but due to the nature of the initial post, I merely tried to explain why things aren't always perfect, and I think most have a clearer understanding now.

quote:Originally posted by Capt.Pag
I too enjoy reading things from the crews perspective but, without my knowledge of Virgin's exact terms of employment, isn't it a bit risky for staff to discuss company procedures or attitudes on an open forum? If it's all ok and allowed to be published then that's great but it would be a big shame if those who are trying to help got into trouble.

I mean, it's not as if the UC people who have the time and inclination to post on here are in any way representative of the majority of Virgin passengers!



Any post good or bad is representative of UC passengers if its made by one, exactly what are you trying to imply?

[honey lamb]

quote:Originally posted by Capt.Pag

I mean, it's not as if the UC people who have the time and inclination to post on here are in any way representative of the majority of Virgin passengers!

Why do you say that? I would imagine that all the people who have flown in UC, whether as regular UC passengers or the once-off, once in a lifetime person and post on here are a typical cross-section of VS passengers.

I think it's great that VS staff can and do post in here. There has been a very recent bad example - won't mention any names but I think most of us know who that is - but I have found that staff postings to be very interesting and it shows VS in a very good light as the postings have been informative.

They have not revealed any commercial secrets nor given away any operational or security protocols. Nor have they mentioned any identifiable passenger.

And Capt the fact you post on here too marks you out as not being a representative VS pax too !

[Scrooge]

Just to join in, I fly in all the cabins, depends on price and mileage rewards, so no I might not be the typical J pax, however I know what a J cabin is supposed to be like and of course there are a number of people on here that spend a huge amount of their lives camped out in the UCS, yet still find the time to post on here, be it in a TR or other parts of the site.

I have to wonder what you feel is the typical J pax ?

To the staff that have posted.As a member of the moderating team on here I think I am pretty safe in saying that we are of course know what has happened before on other sites and while we are not going to actively censor you (or another member unless the posts breaks a site rule) we are also not going to let you hang yourself, the posts made in this thread by staff members have in no way that I can see been unprofessional or in any way show VS in a bad light, so thank you for posting.

I don't often post on the forums but love reading anything about the Manchester flights especially from crew. I am always interested in what they have to say and it helps to see things from their point of view. Please keep up the Manchester posts!