VS028 MCO-LGW 20 FEB 11 (Premium Economy)

This is a Trip Report from the Premium Economy cabin

Ground Staff

Food & Drink

Entertainment

Seat

Cabin Crew

On time departure from MCO in Jersey Girl. You have to be a contortionist to operate not-so-super Nova and I gave up after one film. The PE seats (still no upgrades in this cabin on LGW aircraft after years of promises) are large but not at all comfy to get any sleep. My companion was thrilled when as soon as we took off the person in front fully reclined their seat!

Managed to extract two glasses of sparkling wine before take-off (all pretence it was champagne seems to be over) from the FA but there was no drinks run and they went straight into the meal service though we managed to obtain a couple of G&Ts (totting badly from large bottles) from the full bar which is mentioned nowhere now. No calorie count on the menus either and what indifferent white and red wine they serve.

As usual wine and coffee refills were offered before you could quaff the first lot and once the meal was over the crew vanished. I don't recall even a water round - let alone ever a bar cart. No sign of the infamous fruit bowl and if we had not purloined the rolls ourselves we would not have been offered them.

Breakfast was the awful cheese and egg or ham heated things - depends where it has been in the oven - and a paper cup of tea or coffee. We managed to obtain some OJ and a biscuit instead.

The crew were friendly enough but I would prefer not to hear them boast as they sat together during landing to the effect that they "sat their fingers to the bone" all through the flight - again as on outbound the economy section downstairs was c. 150 light. If this is the best they can do with a light passenger load...

shame because this is the opposite to my recent experiences. last saturday i got 4 drinks runs for the vino and a baileys , yes the food comes out first but I think thats because it is a night flight and they feel people need feeding. the fruit bowl is always laid out when in the bubble - were you on a LHR config ? there doesnt seem to be a logical place to leave it down stairs but i got fruit for brekkie as i echo your thoughts on the abysmal offering.

as for calorie count .... WTF ! after 14 days in the states do you serioulsy count calories on an 8 hour flight !! :-)

Disappointing to hear the service was like this, especially on a light load! Perhaps staffing has been cut in advance as they know what passenger levels to expect?

Luke

Staffing can't be cut by much. Got to have someone at every door.
Unfortunately sometimes you get a poor crew - usually a poor FSM.
Best way to deal with this is always praise the good ones.
That way it becomes obvious who is not pulling their weight.

Dear V-interested,

I was alarmed to read your post as we're booked on the same flight in June - our first Trans Altlantic flight with Virgin (having persuaded my husband to change our flights from BA). Our seats are currently allocated to bulkhead downstairs on the return leg of our journey from MCO and flight allocation is full until 24 hours prior to departure: downstairs: bulkhead seats. Then I read your review!

I was/am really hoping that all the published negative reviews I've read are isolated incidents. My husband doesn't put up with sub-standard service (he's the sort that makes a huge fuss - which my son and I hate and get so embarrassed about)but if it's that bad and you've paid a fortune for your tickets then it can only be right to complain. I've read so many negative reports about in-flight service that Virgin must be missing a trick here. Where's their quality control? They must read the reviews like I have? The last thing customers need is bad service to round their holiday off or they'll vote with their feet and choose another carrier for their next trip.

I'll be submitting my review when we return and as it's my first ever TA flight (although not my husband's) I have no benchmark other than reviews, which is why I'm an avid reader of all things VA related. I've tried to do thorough research, however am aware that positive experiences are less likely to be reported. That's hardly the point though is it - we run our own companies and the last thing we want/have is a customer who is left with a bad impression of our products/service. If they have complaints we service them quickly and to mutual satisfaction, otherwise we lose any follow-on business.

I'm trying to think positive and really hope that Virgin deliver what they offer in their advertising and website. It's easy to be seduced by the PR.

Having had such a poor experience the question I would like to ask is, will you fly Virgin Atlantic again? J

Thanks for the TRs. Oh dear, poor journeys on both this and your outbound.

There have been many posts about the need for the LGW fleet refurbishment. Even allowing for that, I think that if the cabin crew are keen and enthusiastic then the negatives about the cabins can be diminished. If not, oh dear.

I approach my next LGW flights with few expectations.I don't worry too much about drink rounds, I don't have a problem with the "demand based" approach to getting glasses topped up (or better!!) from the galley.

Dear V-interested,
My husband doesn't put up with sub-standard service (he's the sort that makes a huge fuss - which my son and I hate and get so embarrassed about)but if it's that bad and you've paid a fortune for your tickets then it can only be right to complain.

Suggest he reads a few reviews on here to get an idea of what he might be in for. And also suggest he takes a "chill pill" as it although it might be right to complain, taking ones frustrations out on the cabin crew, for such as the seat and entertainment system issues, is neither right nor fair. It would also avoid you and your son wanting to go somewhere and hide!!!

as for calorie count .... WTF ! after 14 days in the states do you serioulsy count calories on an 8 hour flight !! :-)

cheers

alex

Not wishing to be churlish but I don't sit in PE to get up and make my own drinks.

Not wishing to be churlish but I don't sit in PE to get up and make my own drinks.

Although I dont fly in PE, I do regulary walk to the bar for drinks (same as walking to the galley in either of the economy cabins)except you would have to return to your seat to enjoy it) or use the call bell to request a drink from your seat - I assume they are fitted in W & Y

Two full bar services are offered, one after take off and one with your meal.

If you would like drinks throughout the flight simply press your calll bell or when your stretching your legs pop by the galley and ask a crew member for a drink..

[honey lamb]

Two full bar services are offered, one after take off and one with your meal.

If you would like drinks throughout the flight simply press your calll bell or when your stretching your legs pop by the galley and ask a crew member for a drink..

I stand to be corrected but I thought that with flights after 7pm the drinks run had been combined with the meal service

though we managed to obtain a couple of G&Ts (totting badly from large bottles) from the full bar which is mentioned nowhere now. No calorie count on the menus either and what indifferent white and red wine they serve.

Well the full bar is only for UC pax so it wouldn't get a mention in any info about PE. PE & Y only get served from the trolley or from the galley and that is not help yourself either.

Not wishing to be churlish but I don't sit in PE to get up and make my own drinks.

yet somehow you managed to go to the UC bar and help yourself??

In anycase it is good flight health to get up and stretch yor legs periodically.

I stand to be corrected but I thought that with flights after 7pm the drinks run had been combined with the meal service

thats correct but dosent stop a pax going to the galley for drink if they want one.

Tell me where to buy "chill pills" for my husband and I'll buy them by the bucket load. To be fair to him though, he wouldn't complain about our seats to the cabin crew, he'd only complain to them if they were at fault for something: he accepts the futility of complaining to the wrong person. One of his favourite lines is "Are you having a bad day?" if he gets poor service, this usually succeeds in perking up the person involved, however there's always the possibility that they'll spit in your tea when you ask for one! (Only joking - I hope!). Anyway, point me at the drinks trolley/bar and I'll be happy with self-service and be able to calm him down into the bargain. Should be fun.....! Happy days.

The *full bar* was the standard one inside the PE trolley accompanying the meal round which was offering red or white wine. There was no mention whatsoever of the wider content and no further trips by the trolley either. You are correct (honeylamb) in saying there was no separate drinks run before the meal service.

*Totting badly* refers to the crew member serving gin from a large bottle within the PE trolley. One (plastic) glass was a normalish measure (though when totting passengers have no idea what they are imbibing - the brand, the quantity or that it is from sealed stock) - the second was almost brimful before any tonic - a second glass was provided for my companion to sort it out themselves.

Incidentally, I just happened to glimpse at a site showing passenger photographs of airline meals. Every VA economy meal pictured looked better (save for the china) than the meals we received in PE - particularly the salads.

V-interested - I'm curious, you're expectations appear to have not been met on this flight.

What was it that set your expectations so high?