Will they ever bring back silver service to UC?

Drifting a little off-topic, I know, but are we to assume that all of these "service enhancements" and weight/cost reduction programmes - I try to avoid the term cost-cutting as this seems to upset some folk - will ultimately result in lower fares? Or is that me being just a tad naive...?

[Scrooge]

your being just a tad naive...it's a profit move..flowers cost money..in truth it could add up to a fair amount over the course of the year...the pillows...well thats a different matter,any of the flight crew know how many extra pillows are carried on a flight?

Originally posted by kkempton
Oxygen is very ehavy to carry, lets remove all pressurisation from the planes, along with the interiors and just make everyone wear masks and sit in a near hollow tube without toilets.

Ah, you've flown RAF then

Mike

Indeedy - a profit move.

Food choice and quality on the slide, cushions and vases disappearing [:0], Good Night Frights proving less than popular and cabin crew feeling disgruntled and under-valued whilst the penny pinchers - well - penny pinch, I guess. All seems a bit of a shame if you ask me, and potentially a very slippery slope.

[fozzyo]

Originally posted by mdvipond
Indeedy - a profit move.

Food choice and quality on the slide, cushions and vases disappearing [:0], Good Night Frights proving less than popular and cabin crew feeling disgruntled and under-valued whilst the penny pinchers - well - penny pinch, I guess. All seems a bit of a shame if you ask me, and potentially a very slippery slope.

As long as they realise before its too late. Its a lot harder to win back formerly loyal customers and staff then it is to keep them.

Foz xxx

Originally posted by mike-smashing

Originally posted by kkempton
Oxygen is very ehavy to carry, lets remove all pressurisation from the planes, along with the interiors and just make everyone wear masks and sit in a near hollow tube without toilets.

Ah, you've flown RAF then

Mike

RAF C130 Herc has a toilet....Of sorts

Weight saving... hmmmm. Well if weight saving was an issue then why not develop a light weight alternative to the metal food trolleys? ( for example ) I imagine an alloy / carbon fibre version would save more weight than a vase of flowers.....

Yet again, another very sad excuse for a service reduction.

David.

or of course, remove the weight required in terms of duty frees.
Or remove seats in Economy to reduce weight and passengers on board, giving less weight and more leg room

[fozzyo]

Originally posted by AlanA
or of course, remove the weight required in terms of duty frees.
Or remove seats in Economy to reduce weight and passengers on board, giving less weight and more leg room

I would love to see the back two rows of Economy removed to spread out the rest of the cabin a little bit, but removing 16 revenue seats might defeat the object the bit. Mind that could be recovered through some nice marketing - more legroom then BA kinda stuff.

Foz xx

Originally posted by David_Doyle
Weight saving... hmmmm. Well if weight saving was an issue then why not develop a light weight alternative to the metal food trolleys? ( for example ) I imagine an alloy / carbon fibre version would save more weight than a vase of flowers.....

The food trolleys themselves already use aluminium and other lightweight materials in their construction, as I recall, and are heavy because of what is inside them, rather than the trolley itself being heavy.

They are probably as light as they can economically be made!

Cheers,
Mike

The food trolleys themselves already use aluminium and other lightweight materials in their construction, as I recall, and are heavy because of what is inside them, rather than the trolley itself being heavy.

They are probably as light as they can economically be made!

Cheers,
Mike

I guess titanium versions may be a tad expensive....

Perhaps the vase could be made with a similar material and therefore retained?

David.

Originally posted by David_Doyle
Perhaps the vase could be made with a similar material and therefore retained?

The vase is made of polycarbonate, and including the orchids, the whole assemblage doesn't weigh more than a bag of sugar.

Mike

[fozzyo]

Originally posted by mike-smashing
The vase is made of polycarbonate, and including the orchids, the whole assemblage doesn't weigh more than a bag of sugar.

Well that will make the world of difference then. If they are that concerned about reducing weight on the plane why don't they reduce the UC hand luggage allowance to that of Economy?

Foz xxx

Originally posted by fozzyo
Well that will make the world of difference then. If they are that concerned about reducing weight on the plane why don't they reduce the UC hand luggage allowance to that of Economy?

Sssh. Don't give them ideas!

As I said, "saving weight" is a convenient excuse.

Mike

Or reduce the economy luggage allowance down to 30Kg

Are we not covering the cost of the fuel price hike with our "supplements"?

I'm beggining to think VS are tearing the arse out of UC.

John

I'm sorry but this is getting ridiculous, you only have to chat to crew for a few minutes to realise something is very wrong with their middle management.

Loosing the cushions and vase may not bother people, or people may not even notice, but there will have to be an end point to their money saving. At the rate that enhancements/penny pinching is going on in a year or so time all you will be paying for is the bed.

Surely someone higher up in VS must realise soon that they're loosing crew and in the end money by customers going elsewhere.

Originally posted by AlanA
Or reduce the economy luggage allowance down to 30Kg

Which is precisely (though not the same limit) what AA have done ... so watch that space others will follow.

People may joke but it is the touches that give something class, be they nice cushions or flowers, or a good champagne and a freedom meal. Class and style are hard to win and easy to lose so I for one am concerned if this penny pinching is pushed to all extremes. Look at the trouble BA got into penny pinching with their meals ... let alone the reputation American carriers have now for the lack of service.

[preiffer]

Originally posted by slinky09

Originally posted by AlanA
Or reduce the economy luggage allowance down to 30Kg

Which is precisely (though not the same limit) what AA have done ... so watch that space others will follow.

United have already followed suit. For all travel booked after September 7th:

2 pieces @ 23kgs max each, for all Y
2 pieces @ 32kgs max each, for Business / First
3 pieces @ 32kgs max each, for 1P, 1K & *A Gold

I suppose we have been lucky that they have not carried out cost cutting measures on the Clubhouses

[fozzyo]

Originally posted by AlanA
Or reduce the economy luggage allowance down to 30Kg

Looking at the VS website, UC are allowed three pieces per pax each weighing upto 32kg, Econ and PE two pieces each to the same weight. Just reducing this to 30kg per item would save them on weight.

But lets face it, when has any of this had anything to do with weight?

Originally posted by AlanA
I suppose we have been lucky that they have not carried out cost cutting measures on the Clubhouses

Maybe they have realised that UC pax have to pay for the suites and new CH somehow. Interesting there haven't been many reports of cost-cutting on Economy.

Foz xx

Originally posted by fozzyo

Maybe they have realised that UC pax have to pay for the suites and new CH somehow. Interesting there haven't been many reports of cost-cutting on Economy.

Foz xx

With the high loads VS is seeing in UC and the profit they are posting, I fail to see the need for this service cutback. They are clearly attracting more and more biz pax, a quick look at the competition shows that more and more other airlines are matching the flat bed (AAs new announcement for example). I would argue that time now is not to cut back, but to work towards perfection of existing service and make the ride as smooth as possible. Continuous perfection and reliably experiences!

I will not rant in how flawed the airline pricing structure is. But I promise to buy everyone an cocktail at the Bubble Lounge in San Francisco if the UC meal service costs more than 15 UKP / per person / flight. Now that is 0.3% of the price of a J to NYC. (and 15 UKP is a safe bet, I would guess it is closer to 5-7 UKP).

[:(!][:(!][:(!][:(!][:(!]

Cheers
sky

[preiffer]

Originally posted by sky

With the high loads VS is seeing in UC and the profit they are posting, I fail to see the need for this service cutback. They are clearly attracting more and more biz pax, a quick look at the competition shows that more and more other airlines are matching the flat bed (AAs new announcement for example). I would argue that time now is not to cut back, but to work towards perfection of existing service and make the ride as smooth as possible.

Especially since BA are due to launch "New, New Club World" early in the new year...

[Scrooge]

you are correct about the food prices..kind of wrong about the loads..at least out of LAX..today BA is selling out 3 flights VS has plenty of room in W and J...I would of thought that with the food issue over at BA VS would of been selling out,but for whatever reason they are not..

VS needs to understand that people will let pass a lot of things(flowers/vases)for the UCS and clubhouse..but when it comes down to stuff like food and pillows (the low cost stuff)people can get very picky over who they fly with.

Id personally opt for an inflatable bar with inflatable bar stools, light weight choice!
Remove some seats from Economy VS! Charge an extra £10, that will cover the losses!!!