VS034 ANU-LGW 12 AUG 11 (Premium Economy)

This is a Trip Report from the Premium Economy cabin

Ground Staff

Food & Drink

Entertainment

Seat

Cabin Crew

Now for the not so good

Started badly weeks before when we were pre allocated 1 seat upstairs & 3 downstairs. Did OLCI at -24 but was unable to change seats, not sure if this was a problem with the IPhone App or just that there were no seats avialble. Pushed the "Change Seats" icon but just kept returning to the congratulations you have checked in screen!!
Then had a problem with our connecting LIAT flight from Totola EIS to ANU. Took off on schedule but due to a serious medical issue with the cabin crew we had to make an emergency return to EIS. Ended up arriving at ANU 2 hours late at exactly the same time the VS34 should have departed but thankfully VS decided to wait as there were 30+ pax for the transfer. It later transpired that not all the VS crew were happy to wait!!
LIAT fairly good in keeping us informed regarding their endeavours to keep the VS grounded and did security & check in at ANU very quickly, no chance of baggage making it but we all boarded. Sparkling given out and the VS34 departed 30 mins late.
The 3 downstairs were seated in 82G,H & K and it is immediatly apparant that this part of the PE cabin is nowhere near as good or roomy as upstairs and row 82 is extremely poor. The seat table was broken and there wasnt enough room to use the leg support (if it worked. Does this row have the same leg room & recline as other PE seats? My opinion is that this row isnt worth the PE upgrade.
Understand that the fleet is being refurbed next year and not sure of new config but if PE remains upstairs then would suggest that PE is converted to Economy downstairs. Am a believer that if you are going to do something do it well otherwise it can be very counter productive.
Cabin service was very quick straight into meal service, food OK, followed quickly by baileys then nothing until an omlette just before landing.
Why dont they do a drink service before the meal?
Made a mistake half way through the flight by venturing forward to the galley and asking the crew who were relaxing for a drink!!!!!! Initially told to go to the centre of the plane for drinks but then one memeber of crew decided to go and get me one but the impression given was that he was doing me a favour!!! Not friendly or positive customer service, crew need to understand that people can sense someone who genuinely wants to help.
Totally different experience from the day flight and it just appears at night they want to do as little as quickly as possible. It needs changing, suggest they adopt the far east airlines practice of regularly going through the cabin with water/juice.
IFE worked but crew needed to be asked to respool the films.
Arrived at LGW 10 mins late and quickly through Immigration and on the road home albeit with no bags.
Overall outbound PE was fantastic, inbound probably not worth it. Avoid row 82 at all costs

[mitchja]

Thanks for the TR.

VS inconsistency creeping in again.

There's likely always going to be PE seating on the main deck of a 744 due to accessibility/disability regulations. All cabins do need to be accessible on the main deck without the need to climb stairs.

Thanks for the trip report -- it was good you made the flight!

Made a mistake half way through the flight by venturing forward to the galley and asking the crew who were relaxing for a drink!!!!!! Initially told to go to the centre of the plane for drinks but then one memeber of crew decided to go and get me one but the impression given was that he was doing me a favour!!! Not friendly or positive customer service, crew need to understand that people can sense someone who genuinely wants to help.

I agree -- I think that's pretty poor. I have always had drinks brought to my seat in PE.

Thanks for the TR

VS ceased the pre dinner drinks run some time ago on all flights departing after 7.00 PM so its straight into dinner and an associated drinks run with dinner.

The reason that some of the VS staff may have been unhappy about the extra wait is that they could have exceeded their legal hours and this would have meant them having to stay in ANU with a consequenatil delay for them in getting home. Also no crew would have meant the entire flight being cancelled.

Thanks for sharing your rather disappointing experience.

It does seem that Virgin do struggle with inconsistent service, I have been on flights in PE which have been fantastic (thankfully the majority!) but some have been poor.

Do share your experiences with Virgin Customer services.

Thanks again for your TR

Jon

Thanks for the TR

VS ceased the pre dinner drinks run some time ago on all flights departing after 7.00 PM so its straight into dinner and an associated drinks run with dinner

.

Thanks for the response

The flight departed at 5.00 PM which was only 30 mins behind schedule so should drinks have been served?

The flight being 30 mins late departing and 10 mins late arriving wouldnt have made any difference to hours, cabin crew need to understand that passengers can hear what they are saying amongst themselves. If they want to moan they need to do it in private.

As the connecting flight had been booked through VS the liability for missing the flight could have been very expensive for the airline.

Thanks for the TR.

Disappointing crew by the sounds of it. As you've said, even if they are saying the righ things, you can still sense when it's forced!

I certainly wouldn't be pleased with the PE product, it really does feel that it's only there to meet disability requirements (which is true ) but should still feel better!

[honey lamb]

Understand that the fleet is being refurbed next year and not sure of new config but if PE remains upstairs then would suggest that PE is converted to Economy downstairs.

This is not possible as all cabins must have disability access. Having PE only in the upper deck would be contrary to legislation and VS would be subject to fines and would also face the possibility of legal action from a passenger who could claim that they were unable to access their cabin of choice. Even when the LHR configured planes had a UC/PE split in the bubble there was still a PE cabin downstairs

Thanks for your TR.

The sort of behaviour reported in your trip report by cabin crew appalls me and you need to report it. Yes you should have been served pre-supper drinks and certainly there was no rush to serve the food on such a flight unless the crew were overly eager to gossip and not do what they were paid to do i.e. look after thier PAX. Also to be told by chatting staff to go elsewhere for a drink is just not acceptable. It may not be in a a first class or indeed business cabin but an economy one but the sort of lack lustre staffing you record should be brought to attention of Crawley.

Such a shame as when Virgin do it right they excel but it seems all too comon these days thwt the crew make or break a Virgin Atlantic flight.

They are supposed to offer juice/water rounds throughout the flight. Really needs to be brought to the FSMs attention at the time if you're not offered anything all night,and completely unacceptable that they told you to go to another galley to get a drink! Really sorry you experienced such bad service

You need to send a formal complaint into VS too. Whilst posting here will get it off your chest it won't appear in any of VS records.

It may not be in a a first class or indeed business cabin but an economy one but the sort of lack lustre staffing you record should be brought to attention of Crawley.

.

Or PE or UC on a Virgin flight

Understand that the fleet is being refurbed next year and not sure of new config but if PE remains upstairs then would suggest that PE is converted to Economy downstairs.

This is not possible as all cabins must have disability access. Having PE only in the upper deck would be contrary to legislation and VS would be subject to fines and would also face the possibility of legal action from a passenger who could claim that they were unable to access their cabin of choice. Even when the LHR configured planes had a UC/PE split in the bubble there was still a PE cabin downstairs

I can't find it now but somewhere else a staffer recently mentioned that there will be an enlarged downstairs PE cabin and by specifically saying downstairs I'm assuming there will still be at least a part PE cabing upstairs although I guess they will try and equalise (reduce) the legroom to normal. <<lots of assumptions in this!>>

Thank you for the TR. Sorry to read about your poor experience but good that you managed to get on the flight without a further delay.

[honey lamb]

I can't find it now but somewhere else a staffer recently mentioned that there will be an enlarged downstairs PE cabin and by specifically saying downstairs I'm assuming there will still be at least a part PE cabing upstairs although I guess they will try and equalise (reduce) the legroom to normal. <<lots of assumptions in this!>>

See here

http://www.virgin-atlantic.com/en/gb/pa ... /index.jsp

Thanks for the TR. In my experience the return leg of flights on VS, especially the B&S routes, tends to be lacking the service of the outward bound flights. It used to be tuck them up quick and turn off the lights, in all cabins. Sounds like it still exists unfortunately.

Iain

Sorry to hear about the poor experience. At least LIAT kept you informed. After many years of Caribbean travel, my parents nicknamed LIAT Luggage In Another Town. Sounds like they have improved a bit.