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#442345 by virginboy747
30 Apr 2008, 10:46
We have just had an email to confirm that after discussions it has been agreed that the IFBT service will officially cease as of 1st May and IFBTs will be redeployed as cabin crew if they choose. No mention of what will replace the IFBT area.
#442348 by preiffer
30 Apr 2008, 10:49
Sorry to hear that, for ALL involved. [:(]


Good luck to everyone affected, and thanks to all of those white-coated-saviours who have 'sorted my back out' many a time in the past. [y]
#442350 by willd
30 Apr 2008, 10:56
Very sad day for all those IBFT's. I hope that they all do manage to find employment elsewhere or transfer to be CC for VS.
#442352 by DarkAuror
30 Apr 2008, 11:00
I'm also sorry to hear the news. Good luck to the IFBTs, hope you find employment soon.
#442354 by Decker
30 Apr 2008, 11:32
Sad news but obviously not wholly unexpected... best wishes for whatever your future holds IFBT peeps. Any news on the Supervisors?
#442356 by clarkeysntfc
30 Apr 2008, 11:55
Best of luck to all of them, although I never actually had the fortune to use the service, I do remember how striking they used to look in their all-white outfits. Shame.
#442362 by honey lamb
30 Apr 2008, 12:35
A huge big thank you to all those IFBTs who down through the years massaged my back, caressed my hands and made my nails look somewhat presentable [^] You will be missed.

I, of course, now have a collectors item - a priority card.
#442367 by mitchja
30 Apr 2008, 13:40
A sad day indeed for VS. Good luck and best wishes to all the IFBT's.

Regards
#442369 by HighFlyer
30 Apr 2008, 13:43
Ditto what everyone else has said. I'm sorry to see the service go and wish the best to all the IFBT's out there.

Thanks,
Sarah
#442380 by VS-EWR
30 Apr 2008, 15:03
What a sad, sad, thing. I hope all those affected make out okay with VS or with whatever job you chose to take afterwards. I unfortunately never got the chance to experience the service.
#442382 by egoode
30 Apr 2008, 16:10
Such a shame they will no longer be on board. I only managed to have one treatment with them but it was at the end of a long London - Sydney flight and the massage she gave me was a fantastic way to start the new day.

It's a shame about the timing for me as I'm flying to Sydney again in a week on virgin and when I originally booked the ticket I was really looking forward to hopefully getting a treatment. Oh well at least they still have the CDC which I'm making full use of as I'm having them drive me down to Wollongong (a good hour from Sydney).

Emma
#442392 by Wolves27
30 Apr 2008, 18:19
Sad news indeed, but I think we all saw it coming. Wonder where all the new treatment stations will be sited in the Spa, it's fairly cramped in there already.

I aggree that on many flights the IFBT's have been the shining stars and the ones who always delivered the type of service that attracted me to Virgin in the first place.

Good luck to all the IFBT's [^][^] and thanks!
#442393 by locutus
30 Apr 2008, 18:23
Just received an email from VS about it. Is there room for the clubhouse to expand though?
#442396 by Jon Morgan
30 Apr 2008, 18:28
Yeah, just had the email too. I was planning on using one of my three priority cards on my flight next week....
#442401 by buns
30 Apr 2008, 19:03
I can only echo what everyone else has said.

My thoughts are with every IFBT and I wish you all the very best in whatever you decide to do in the future.

I know that economics have played a part in this, but it is the loss of one of the unique factors that attracted many to VS in the first place.

buns
#442408 by nevadakaz
30 Apr 2008, 20:42
Not sure if this is worthy of a new thread, if it is, I am sure a Mod will split it.

But I wonder if this email confirming that IFBT are to be no more has had a knock on effect for pre booking in the clubhouse.

Never before has my prefered time been unavailable (maybe I have been lucky ?), but I went to make 3 appointments today and all 3 were not available at my preferred time.

Only pushed back by 15-30 mins from the requested time, but I cant help but think this is all related.
#442424 by tugpilot
30 Apr 2008, 23:25
Just to add to what everyone has said. IFBTs will be sadly missed. The best of luck to all of them in what they wish to do.

The email I received form SRB today was limp to say the least and did not really carry any conviction about the decision or clearly state the reason for it.


No more madness please like abolishing the bar FSM etc.
#442460 by Guest
01 May 2008, 11:49
On our flight home from Chicago on Monday eve, i was chatting to the IFBT, she was lovely and i managed to get 2 treatments and jolly good they were. She was very sad that it was almost surely going to be axed in the following days meeting. I did ask a few about the bar and they did say that it was probably going too.
#442469 by McMaddog
01 May 2008, 12:25
Originally posted by Catherinethey did say that it was probably going too.
I'm sure that's just CC speculation however, has anyone noticed how similar the spec's are for the new V.Australia to VS even down to a Freedom menu in J. Notice the lack of a in-flight bar however ...
#442471 by virginboy747
01 May 2008, 12:52
Apparently the next thing to go will be the J CSS on the LGW/MAN a/c. Due to small cabin (14 seats) it's not felt like they are needed. Even though they are also responsible for the PE cabin on these a/c. This will mean the FSM having to take over this role in addition to their other responsibilities.
Of course this is just a rumour, but has come from within management circles.
However, from a crew perspective, one less crew-member means more work for everyone else, espeially on this high config with 379 economy seats. I reckon the cut-backs will continue. You wouldn't mind if they were actively putting other things in their place, but it seems that management are concentrating their attention on the ground/clubhouse and stripping everything they can off the a/c.
#442472 by Decker
01 May 2008, 13:10
Which is naive as having flown several LHR-AKLs lately I can attest that the sky bit is a LOT more important than the ground...
#442479 by willd
01 May 2008, 13:22
Originally posted by McMaddog
Originally posted by Catherinethey did say that it was probably going too.
I'm sure that's just CC speculation however, has anyone noticed how similar the spec's are for the new V.Australia to VS even down to a Freedom menu in J. Notice the lack of a in-flight bar however ...


Can I just clarify a point about the bar.

The bar will not be going from the 346, this is because to replace with extra Suites would mean the a/c could not get off the ground due to the excess weight. Currently the 346's operate at the maximum weight they possibly can. By stripping out the bar weight will be saved but it would become dead space as they can't install Suites in their place.

VS had real issues with Airbus when it was a launch customer over how many suites could be fitted on the a/c, the current layout is the maximum number.
#442481 by McMaddog
01 May 2008, 13:32
Yup totally agree about the 346 - and I mentioned elsewhere about droopy-nose syndrome - where Airbus have warned airlines not to weigh down the nose further. I still firmly believe the bar is speculation only. After all it's an excellent advert for UC as all the W and Y PAX have to walk past it.
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