thats not on at all i wouldn't of kept my mouth shut.

[RichardMannion]

If they were that famous then you would have expected them to be flying in UC. But then you get your Z-list muppet who will book Y and expect to be put in J because they are on some soap. I know so many stories about celebs and 'celebs' and their behaviours - the A-Listers are normally okay, but jesus the Z-listers are normally a royal pain in the backside, I daren't mention the 'pop' star that insists on her own luggage caroousel being opened at LAX or the real reasons behind that famous Courteney Love incident.

I know I have been looked after before on flights when travelling in Y and W - but then I was the only Gold on board - it is difficult sometimes for crew as other passengers will ask why 'that' person is getting more service and the careful response of 'he is one of our frequent flyers' does not always go down to well. Crew will get notes on the passenger list when they have top customers or celebs on board, and of course they are asked to look after them but there is doing it properly and not rubbing other passengers noses in it. And as for the FSM's response, ooh I'd be very unamused.

I would send in a mail to Cutomer Services if you are not happy about it. And I'm with you though, if I was flying as a Gold and saw that I would not be too amused.

Thanks,
Richard

Sounds like a downgrade to me. I've known lots of people who have got to check-in late and lost their UC seats and been moved to PE or from PE to economy, but as a result they get very good treatment from the crew. As there were 4 of them I can only think that 1 or 2 lost their seats in uc and the family moved down with them. You say they were a famous family, I assume you are just saying this beause of the treatment they got, or were they actually famous?

Edit:having read the above posts it sounds as if they actually were famous, I think I got the wrong end of the stick [:I].

If they were really so famous they would've been in UC, or on a private jet. I agree with the person above that they may have been really UC passengers and had to be moved down to PE...

[Scrooge]

your between a rock and a hard place on this one,i've had a couple of c list celebs sitting next to me in PE and one major A pop celeb,what I found was it wasn't so much them that wanted the extra treatment but the crew going above and beyond the call of duty.

What will you gain by writing a complaint,probably 5k miles and a sorry letter.

All VS is going to say is that it not the policy of the airline to have this happen and the crew will be talked to.But human nature takes over when you see someone "famous" in your work area (trust me on this)and you do go the extra step.

so who were the famous people?

You paid your money just like everyone else. So I think you should complain about the differential treatment and the IFE.

A previous poster is right that a celeb causes a bit of a stir, and it is true that quite naturally the crew mind their Ps and Qs, or nip down to have an oggle. But handing out special treats and j meals is not on. I quite regularly travel in Y with a minor celeb who is also a Knight. We have never received anything special apart from a "good morning Sir X. I hope you are enjoying the flight". Nor do we expect anything more.

As for the IFE, it should work. I am sure the crew did their best, but they were not able to resolve it in a reasonable time.

I am sure you will get the "not our policy" letter and mile. But what the hell, and at least you have flagged it up.

99

If there were 8 seats empty in PE you could have moved to another with working IFE?

You could write, and VS might follow up with the crew but seems to me that any of the reasons posters have given could apply - however I think that the worst thing on the crews' behaviour is to treat the children differently, visibly. It wouldn't have taken much thought to dispense some M&Ms and extra ice cream to your kids too!

Personally, I think from what we have seen, a letter to VS may not get much response.
I would go to the papers. At least then the VS publicity department would have to work to repair the situation.
Ig et so annoyed whenj so-called famous peopel get treated differently, justy because they are either Karaoke singers or read lines from a script and get paid shed loads of money for doing it, then get treated differently to other people in the same cabin, who this may be their only trip of the year, and have had to save up for 12 months to sit their. What sort of reputation does this and "celebs behaving badly" situations on VS flights give to the ordinary passenger out there?

Contacting the media may be a little OTT! And with the huge potential for defamation, I think you would need strong evedence and/or witnessing to reach pulication. Even then the spin would prob be 'celebs behaving badly' rather than a focus on how VS handled things; and I didn't read anything into the OP's message that said the celeb behaved badly.
99

HEY GUYS IT CAN WORK THE OTHER WAY.

My very first UC experience was amazing, every five minutes no less than three cabin crew assisting me and offering me things, it was great, I thought wow this is fantastic must do UC again, in the galley they were giggling and whispering, oh yes I have seen him on the telly loads of times he's lovely. I was given everything on the freedom menu some things several times.

One girl came and said we have seen you on the tv, I just smiled politely, didn't want to shatter their illusions nor stop the thai fish cakes from coming, lol.

To this day I still don't know exactly who I was supposed to be.




Seems to me the real famous people got bumped for some reason, if there was space in UC and they were really that famous then they would have been given a UC, last time I was in UC, a south african cricketer and his family were brought in to UC at the last minute, he was nice though.

No, we are talking about the UK press here.
So long as they can confirm that the "celebs" were on the plane and in the cabin, they can use "sources on the plane said"

But if VS customer services are failing to take action, which is becoming evident on many plains, this can be the only way for people to get any satisfaction.
Its down to VS Customer services to get their act together. If they do not do their job properly, then this will be come the sad but inevitable consequnce

[preiffer]

Originally posted by AlanA
But if VS customer services are failing to take action, which is becoming evident on many plains, this can be the only way for people to get any satisfaction.
Its down to VS Customer services to get their act together. If they do not do their job properly, then this will be come the sad but inevitable consequnce

It might be nice to at least give them the opportunity (in this case) to address the issue before calling every editor under the Sun though... (no pun intended)

I think the "Stop Press" action is a little OTT.

The trouble is Paul, we know what the response will be. Sorry about that, here's 5,000/10,000 FC miles, no action to stop it being put into place, its the same as we have seen for years.
I love VS but this side of them, the allowing "celebs" to run amok, to get preferential treatment, the numerous cases of non working staff being treated differently onboard, its not changing, just seems to be going on and on.

[:(]

come on who was it?

I think this talking to the press thing is a bit agressive and hot headed, are we jelous cause someones famous or do we want to slag off the whole of Virgin Atlantic because of something that happened on one flight. Say something at the time if its that annoying or write to RB's management office and get your 5,000 miles its better than a kickin them in the nuts when you don't know the whole story.

The chocolates and extras were clearly brought up from downstairs
there must have been a reason for that as they don't throw Upper Class treats around cabins in ordinary circumstances.

Originally posted by AlanA
No, we are talking about the UK press here.
So long as they can confirm that the "celebs" were on the plane and in the cabin, they can use "sources on the plane said"

Using the phrase "sources said" doesn't excuse the press from taking due care with their sources. They would still water the story down so much, without supporting evedence, that it would be blue lined. The alternative is they say damn to the PCC and Courts and publish something so saucy that they sell an extra x copies - in which case it has paid for itself. But this really doesn't seem to be a particularly juicy story. One thing the press cannot be bothered with is people using them as a complaining resource when there is really no news worthy material. Besides, the OP was asking if they should complain to VS, not if they should by-pass VS and get involved with the media.

Of course there is a media that is available to the OP, and its one that we know is read in VS - This forum! Posting here, combined with a complaint, I think is the best strategy for getting the issue onto the VS radar.

I have ranted in the past about boiler plate responses from CS, so agree with, and understand your sceptisim. But the OP may be satisfied with the response they get to their complaint. And if not they can act accordingly about it - perhaps write/ring again, post their dissatisfaction here, or decide not to fly VS again([:(]).

99

The closest I've ever had to a so called "celebrity" is Johnny Vaughan coming back from EWR earlier this month. Oh, and Anthony Worrel Thompson (sp?) coming back from CPT after he did something for the "National Lottery Jetset."

Neither of them seemed to recieve seriously upgraded attention.

Cheers,
VS045

Originally posted by 747340

I was then told i had to wait for one to become free as some were being used in EC and as there was alot of deaf people on this flight they had priority. Did'ent understand that!

I suspect Hearing loops will work with DVD players, that may not be compatible with the IFE?

I've flown in UC with Richard Williams and other than a PA anouncement wishing his daughters luck at the Wimbledon final, he got normal (J) treatment

I've seen pax in Y get J meals before though (I assumed they were VS staff or family of crew)

I think this can be done subtley, but not 'in the face' of other pax

Coming back from BGI earlier this year we were lucky enough to be sharing UC with Kiera Knightly and her mum. Mrs. Vips and I were in 6 A & K, and overheard Ms. Knightly asking the FSM if they could have our seats (they were in 8 & 9A) as they'd 'like to sleep'. To the FSM's great credit, she explained that our seats were pre-booked and she had no intention of asking us to move. Good handling of a presumptious celeb, I thought...

And to reiterate jaguarpig's post - c'mon, who is it we're talking about here ?

I have to say that I'm curious as to how a VERY Famous family ends up in PE. I mean famous - yes but normally great fame brings reasonable wealth so why - with spare seats in UC - were they in PE.

As to the special treatment - well generally I'm not too bothered - lets face it none of us would say no to special treatment, after all that is what an Op-up is. I guess my concern would be if the special treatment was to the detriment of other passengers, which by the sound of it it may well have been.

Generally speaking though I agree that this is not for the media and to be quite honest I can't see anyone outside of this forum being particularly interested. Maybe a letter - why not - but I am not too sure I would even bother with that.

Phil (Buffy)

The chocolates and extras were clearly brought up from downstairs
there must have been a reason for that as they don't throw Upper Class treats around cabins in ordinary circumstances.

Must say on a couple of occasions mrs jag and I have had UC nibbles and chockies served with a bottle of champagne purchased on board.(in Y&W)

I say good on them. I've been mistaken for a celeb before and got special treatment and certainly didn't complain.
I've also been sat in economy and been polite and friendly to the cabin crew whove slipped me a nicer meal before.

On a different note my mate who is cabin crew for the dark side says he likes nothing more than ignoring the celebs and treating them the same as everyone else !

[i]

I've seen pax in Y get J meals before though (I assumed they were VS staff or family of crew)

I think this can be done subtley, but not 'in the face' of other pax

Passengers in Y sometimes get J meals due to the fact that pre-ordered special meals (eg. veggie) have not been loaded - happens quite a lot.

Whenever my family/friends have been travelling in W/Y, they have always eaten a W/Y meal - never a J meal unless they've been lucky enough to be sitting in J

If I have received the service I have paid for and was promised, its not really any of my business what someone else gets, especially when I don't know the reasons why.