V-Flyer

Hi Guys,

I defended the snooze packs on here a few days ago. However having seen them I think they are not a good move. Having spoke to other crew we all feel the same. We are giving our feedback I would suggest that you do to.

Well thanks for being honest about it,nice to see.

Brave man Mr VITB.

Let's see how it beds down...

Originally posted by virgin is the best
Hi Guys,

I defended the snooze packs on here a few days ago. However having seen them I think they are not a good move. Having spoke to other crew we all feel the same. We are giving our feedback I would suggest that you do to.

I'm still open minded ... I think good quality basics plus options is a sound plan. Depends on the options and the quality though.

VITB - what is it about the pack that led to your comments?

Originally posted by virgin is the best
Hi Guys,

having seen them I think they are not a good move. Having spoke to other crew we all feel the same. We are giving our feedback I would suggest that you do to.

VITB - Im with you on this one and as the company want feedback, that is what they will get
(not the sort they were hoping for)

Its not good quality. You get given a Cardboard envelope with your items in. Looks cheap.

Many thanks for being so forthright, VITB [y]

Can you, or another staffer, please confirm whether or not the issuing of sleep suits has changed in this latest round of 'innovations'?

Thanks

Nick

Will they listen to the feedback of staff do you think?

Personally as long as the food is up to standard AND UCS pax are welcomed with a smile I don't mind if they change the amenity kit.

I really did like those simple penil case type things and the box of three creams which I give to my mum, she swears by the eye cream.

Can you, or another staffer, please confirm whether or not the issuing of sleep suits has changed in this latest round of 'innovations'?

Yes they are now this new fetching design in high quality paper.

Originally posted by easygoingeezer
I really did like those simple pencil case type things and the box of three creams which I give to my mum, she swears by the eye cream.

These - the "day and night" kit as VS call it - were the best, IMHO. I remember the first time I saw that amenity kit, and I thought "Wow, this is really good".

The people at VS didn't need to be "radical", they needed to be sensible and bring something like that kit back.

This "cardboard envelope" sounds like a bit of a disaster, but I do still like the idea of being able to ask for extra bits - it may make it possible to offer things which can't go in a main kit.

Mike

Oh dear.

I remember my first UC flight, the fantastic Virgin Vie kit with the separate box of pump bottle products. I thought that was soo cool - really excited about it! The last few OB kits have slowly got worse and worse and this one, I'm really not looking forward to being offered this. Quite frankly if I was the IFBT giving this out I'd be embarrassed.

Mat xxx

Pretty much everyone seems to agree that the Virgin Vie kit and the 'pencil case' zip-up wash bag was the best amenity kit. I can still find shelves at home littered with these purple, silver, black and red bags.

Every iteration of the kit since then has gone downhill; I do hope the Snooze Pack represents the final plumbing of these depths and that the Upper Class product recovers quickly.

BC

VITB,
Your comments are much appreciated. Thank you for being willing to look at this from the passenger's point of view.

To protect its reputation, VS should subject to a passenger panel any changes that give the sense that VS is economizing.

Bring back Virgin Vie and the purple bags. They were great. Or at least put the "essentials" inside a decent bag.

Chuck-

Story of my life!!! Everytime I get to try a new experience, i.e. in this case travelling UC for the first time(in November), everything seems to deteriorate. What with the 'demise in standards' thread, this pathetic excuse for an amenity kit and other things(not to mention the clubhouse at Manchester!!)
Are Virgin in severe financial trouble or something? Should we be very worried?
I understand for those regular UC travellers you may feel the amenity kit issue no problem, but for many people wishing to experience all they can of the UC experience, it just gets more disappointing by the minute!
Will they really take any notice of feedback?

Experience shows that they do (eventually) listen to feedback. Like the removal of GNF on certain routes. It just seems to take them a while. It'd be interested to know what "focus groups" they spoke to before this move. Sort of like those annoying signs in hotel bathrooms "To save the environment please reuse your towels (for every towel you reuse we'll reduce your bill by a dollar"... oh wait - they always forget that last bit...

I'm beginning to think they need to re-evaluate how they seek passenger feedback on these changes. Whoever it is they are talking to don't seem to represent a fair cross section of VS pax. I wonder if it was the same people who said the GNF was a good idea also said this was a good idea.

Guessing it is (if anyone) their VS50s. But their priorities will be different than your average Au...

Originally posted by fozzyo
I'm beginning to think they need to re-evaluate how they seek passenger feedback on these changes.

That is a very good point, Fozz [y]

The people that are making these decisions seem to have lost sight of what the Virgin Atlantic brand used to stand for, and to be fair - still does in lot of ways.
It always seemed to be about being more fun and more innovative than its competitors.
First for seat back TV in Y, first for high quality kid's packs that could be used after the flight (and at the same time provide low cost advertising for VS), fun food for kids, choice of wine with meals in Y etc. etc.
It can be said that lots of airlines offer amenity kits / IFE / food choice, but VS always appeared to offer more... where VS lead, the others followed. Their staff were second to none, they were proud of the brand and their enthusiasm was contagious.
The bean counters only have to read these forums, to see first hand that Virgin do still employ staff that have pride in their work and in the airline. Unfortunately they will also read passenger accounts, that show that not all staff have this pride.
IMHO the reason the V-Flyer exists, is because there are people who see VS as more then 'just another carrier'.
However - this brand loyalty is finite, and the apparent erosion of the things that make VS special may prove costly in the long term.
We don't want VS to follow British Midland, where they seem to have had a campaign to alienate just about all of their loyal customers.

Nick

I must admit that when I saw the photo that vscss posted I was a little concerned about the bag. Whilst I'm sure that its a very well made bag it looks like what you get if you bought a little bit of stuff in Space NK.
If you did want to keep the stuff surely something with a zip is better.
I too am with most people about the zip pencil case kit. That was the first UC kit I ever got and still the most satisfying, and still the most used.
P.s The new chocolate flavour lip balme (the thing i use most) is not a patch on the old Vie one. Its too runny.

cheers!
Dean

I have to say that, despite the fact I haven't yet travelled on UC, these continuing developments are a shame. UC is what makes Virgin different from all the others, and I don't have to repeat all of the other things people pointed out that have brought them to VS, but they all are slowly disappearing and making VS into just another airline. I think that VS tried to improve the customer experience shortly after deployment of the UCS, but that due to fuel shortages and the money spent on aircraft, they've just been loosing money. However to remove these amenities is the wrong approach, since it seems like they would loose even more money from customer (dis)satisfaction in the end.

I have to say that these kind of things seem to be a worrying trend, so much so in fact that i have started doing what i never thought i would do and think think about going NCW on my next flight. It seems crazy but something inside me thinks its worth a try, its just the penny pinching like this thats driving me off VS at the mo, well that and the price difference to BA for the dates i want!

Originally posted by Decker
Guessing it is (if anyone) their VS50s. But their priorities will be different than your average Au...

I can't believe, or rather I would hope, that VS wouldn't be that short sighted.

Seems strange, perceived beancounters at work and yet a doubling in profits!

Not to mention that BA are giving away trinkets for booking a ticket in Club World. There was a nano Ipod and a couple of other items I think. I don't remember the details of the dates for the promo though.

chocolate lip balm??? Yuck![:$]
RR

VITB I am really impressed by your honesty and it must be a pretty lousy product if you have eaten your words on it. My next trip isnt til Sept and so I will keep my eyes open to see the feedback and if anything gets changed. Thanks for your honesty.