LGW PE Upgrade issue

Having just read the latest posts re the PE Upgrade of the LGW fleet I must say that VS have been more than helpful with me regarding my St Lucia trip next year.

After seeing in December 07 on the VS website that they were upgrading the LGW fleet during 2008 we decided to upgrade our four seats to PE as it would be my parents first flight abroad (yes there are still people out there that havent ever left blighty [:p])

You can then imagine how peeved i was when the refit information disappeared from the websie completely and then finding out via this site that the refit wasnt going to take place until Q1 09 at the earliest.

I sent a complaint letter to VS customer services not really expecting to get a reply any time soon but to my surprise within 2 weeks i had received a reply, all be it a rather generic one, from them. I replied explaining my disappointment that VS could only send a generic reply to my complaint and yet again within 2 weeks i had a rather more personal reply requesting my booking details to see what VS could do to help rectify the situation, 2 weeks later we received a reply with a rather nice addition to our booking.

I wont go into what we received as it will probably upset some on here but i guess the moral to the story is, if you arent happy with the service you have received then damn well complain. The lady at VS customer services included in her closing letter that the only way VS will improve their product is by continual feed back from customers, good or bad!

I admit i have moaned about VS and their levels of customer service in the past but i cant fault them one jot this time round.[y][y][y]

Sounds good.

You must tell us what addition you have. Upper class seats i wonder ?

dont leave us thinking of what you got.....

you can tell us....i promise i wont tell nobody...honest..!

Please do tell us what happened I booked PE to St lucia from Manchester on 29/05/08 hoping that virgin would have upgraded by then, but obviously they haven't. There brochure and site did say all the fleet would be upgraded by end June 08. Virgin appear to be willing to take the money still . How Many other people will be disappointed with Virgin this year. Perhaps we should all complain about the lack of upgrade[n]

[mitchja]

Sorry, but I really cant see the issue with the LGW/MAN fleet not getting the new PE seats for another 12 months [?]

The only difference will be the actual seat. The new leather PE seats dont have leg rests but have one of thoose silly foot bar things on the seat in front. I'd much rather have the older style PE seat that's currently on the LGW/MAN 744's (not those plastic horror ones [:0])

Other than that there's absolutley no difference in the PE service you will receive.

Regards

James, in response to your comment, my complaint isnt so much with the new seat as the way VS were willing to advertise a given timeframe for the upgrade and then not even advise customers when this was no longer the case.

VS were given a slapping by the ASA earlier this year re poor advertising standards and this is just another case of the same.

The addition we received wasnt anything major I must admit, it was only free access etc to the LGW clubhouse, but nice never the less as it would cost £200 or so for four if we paid for it.

As for the the old seats, if the refit was being delayed then why didnt they just have the existing seats re-covered rather than leave the tatty covers that they currently have on them, surely that type of thing cant take too long to do and could be done a few seats at a a time just to spruce things up a bit.

Originally posted by wanderingmariner


As for the the old seats, if the refit was being delayed then why didnt they just have the existing seats re-covered rather than leave the tatty covers that they currently have on them, surely that type of thing cant take too long to do and could be done a few seats at a a time just to spruce things up a bit.

The major issue is cost. What is the point in taking an a/c out of service for around 48 hours to put new seat covers on only to have the seats replaced in less than a year? It would be a massive waste of money.

Glad to hear that you got something for your complaining [:)]

Willd i detect a hint of sarcasm in your last comment! [;)]

I dont expect to get anything for complaining but if they are willing to add something to a booking i will more than gladly accept.

Originally posted by wanderingmariner

The addition we received wasnt anything major I must admit, it was only free access etc to the LGW clubhouse, but nice never the less as it would cost £200 or so for four if we paid for it.

£140 actually- but a nice addition none the less.