Poor customer service it is! that combined with the a less than useful call-centre does not impress I have just written both to VA and VH complaining it will be interesting to see what the replies (if any) bring. If the food is as bad with the new UC menu there will probably be another on the way when we come back.
Dave, when you first joined V-Flyer you were vocal in your praise of VS especially with regard to your son. You have been travelling with the airline for 15 years so therefore you must like it. Now, don't get me wrong. VS and VH on the surface seem to have handled the cancellation pretty badly and I can understand your frustration at being told there was no availability on the flight you originally wanted, only to find yourselves on that flight following the cancellation. Seats at different levels are being released at different times depending on loads. We have learned from regular flyers here about reward seats being released in the few days before the flight when there have been none available before that. Last year I wanted a Z fare from SFO but there was none available on the day I wanted to travel so I booked for the following day. A few weeks later Z fares became available on my original date. (Is this what they call yield management?) As I said earlier it could have been handled better and you are right to complain.
What does concern me though is that you appear to have written off the whole flight because of this and also because of the comments about the food. I have been one of the people vociferous about the menus but it has been the poor choice rather than the food itself. This year I have had three return flights with VS and by the time the third flight came I was fed up (if you'll pardon the pun) with the same menu which should have changed some months ago. During that time the cabin crew went out of their way to ensure I had a meal I would like by, for example, giving me main course sizes of starters. As a result I have had some good meals, one great one and one that was absolutely dire (it was cold).
Please don't allow this to spoil your holiday. I know the cancellation has taken the edge off your anticipation of the flight but do try and put it behind you and let the cabin crew look after you and your family as they have done in the past. You may then find that the meal is not so bad after all - especially with a few glasses of champagne - and it is the VS service you have come to expect. I sincerely hope so
