New Annual Flyer

Hello,

First time posting here, so hello everyone.

I have flown LHR-SFO twice now with VS, once in October 2005 and again in October 2006. I've never flown with any other long haul carriers but even so overall I can't complain about Virgin, there has never been a problem, something go wrong or any misunderstandings, thanks to everyone who helped this go smoothly.

While things have always gone smoothly I've often felt that the cabin crew were very impersonal and sometimes impolite, enough to make me think about trying BA when I got to the US later this year.

Is this just my impression? I would love to fly PE with Virgin next time I go to the US but I'm just worried that I would get the same sometimes horrible service I've experienced in the past?

Before everyone think's I'm complaining at all of the staff, I'm now, I know that most of the cabin crew are my age or younger and I went out with a VS cabin crew girl a while back so know that deep down they're nice people

Hi and welcome to V-Flyer.

I think VS's big weakness is lack of consistency, especially in terms of service and attitude from cabin crew. I've flown the SFO route with VS many times and I've generally been quite lucky. However, I find that quite often it's the return leg where the service is poor.

So yes, it can be a mixed bag, but when VS get it right, it really is excellent.

BA, in my limited experience (two flights) are consistent yet pretty boring!

Yes, its the return leg from SFO where the crew have been really poor both times. Are the PE crew more senior?

The PE crew and the Econ crew work together to cover both cabins. So no, I don't think there is any difference in the seniority of cabin crew.

[Neil]

PE does now have its own CC member, so hopefully this should lead to a better more personal service for PE pax.

Neil

So if I fly PE am I going to get much nicer service from much happier staff?

By problem I mean cases being lost, flights being cancelled, my booking being lost etc. Being hosted by a grumpy crew just irritates me rather than ruins the trip.

I would complain if I thought it would actually do any good. I'm more likely to vote with my feet.

Originally posted by NottaCeleb
So if I fly PE am I going to get much nicer service from much happier staff?

Maybe, but they are still no more senior. And there is more than one person working in PE.

I fly the LHR-SFO route around 6 times a year, I've noticed at least 1 flight, coming back from SFO where the service has not been as good as it could be. This was in Economy, I now only fly PE, because of some bad experiences with drunks in Y. (2 SFO to LHR flights)

It is my observation, the crews tend to be on the younger and less experienced, and when I've see it happen, I've had a quiet word with the FSM or the FSS for the cabin.

The norm is excellent service, and unless you travel regularly, you'll not know that the poor service is not a common event.

Rudeness and poor service is not acceptable, and I'm just waiting for the next time a FA calls me mate !

Probably poor on the way back because they have been partying non stop in SF and have the hangovers from hell - Truth being known

[Scrooge]

Originally posted by porsche911
Probably poor on the way back because they have been partying non stop in SF and have the hangovers from hell - Truth being known

I could see that out of LAS, but SFO?

I guessed that was the case, and a chance to top their tans up, lucky people

Its only human nature when you go to a great city to enjoy yourself - Flew back several years ago with BA from Dubai and to be honest they were still pissed in my opinion. They were cranky , service was awful and all they wanted to do was sit on their seats recovering from their hangovers - so its not just VS, its most airlines - Human nature!

[Scrooge]

Well on VS 19 last month it was announced that they were short two crew members, so it's not only flights from other countries but also from the UK that this happens on.

2 short !- is that allowed for safety reasons?

You often find that the big companies use more crew than legally required in order to provide a better service.

[honey lamb]

Originally posted by porsche911
2 short !- is that allowed for safety reasons?

Obviously, otherwise the flight would have been cancelled. There have been references in some recent trip reports of flights going out with four crew short

To get back to the original point, the best service I ever had on a flight was from SFO-LHR to the extent that the cabin crew was nominated as a Hero award

Originally posted by ukcobra
Rudeness and poor service is not acceptable, and I'm just waiting for the next time a FA calls me mate !

Yes I've had the 'mate' thing as well, in the UC cabin. I can't say I was overly impressed with it. Mind you on one flight a very cute FA called me 'My Lovely' which I thought was nice of her. I guess its horses for courses as I'm sure some female fliers wouldnt appreciate that.

However the 'mate' thing does grate a little.

""Mate" - Sounds like something you hear on Eastenders not VS UC. Good god are we getting to that level now

I know some VS cabin crew, and I found their attitude can be totally different when they are in different cabins.

Perfect service in Upper, welcome you in PE, Cold face in Y!

And also, even between cabin crews, some of them joked about after 3 years sentences, oops I mean services in Y (as a junior staff), they will only want to work in Upper class.

I think at least one of them who joked about that has resigned after 7 years as VS cabin crew. Obviously not becasue of that joke.

The impression I got from the CC girl I went out with was that Economy is seen as the place for people who will only be in the job for a couple of years, the high flyers there will make it to PE. UC and senior positions are for those who will be at VS long enough to want to make a career out of it. I could be wrong...!

Originally posted by NottaCeleb
I would complain if I thought it would actually do any good. I'm more likely to vote with my feet.

If you are unhappy with the service you have received from the crew then ask to speak to the Cabin Service Supervisor or the Flight Service Manager.

As you've said yourself, the crew in the more senior positions are there for a long term career (as are a percentage of the new crew as well) so rest assured that all customer concerns are taken seriously and most cases can be resolved there and then.