V-Flyer

Yes, it's everybody's favourite subject again

On January 17th the Snooze Pack will get a makeover. The contents will be presented in a reusable shoe bag. There will also be a selection of Cowshed products onboard.

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A step in the right direction - but I fear not one that is big enough.

Thanks for the update!

Nice to have a date. Any idea if this is LHR-only at the start, or an across-the-fleet rollout?

Originally posted by vs_itsallgood
Nice to have a date. Any idea if this is LHR-only at the start, or an across-the-fleet rollout?

It should be across the network but if I hear otherwise I will post an update.

Kind of makes me glad my next flights are with the Dark Side. Sorry, don't want to 'p' on your parade as any improvement is a good step, but I am so surprised that general feedback on these hasn't been received or listened to.

I would have thought maybe something like a quart sized clear sealable bag would be step in the right direction.

Paul

I think we need to go easy on judgement until someone has witnessed the new offering. I agree that the current kit is a disgrace, however lets give VS a chance and not slate the new version a month before anyone has seen it.....

Thanks for the info! It'll be interesting to see what additional Cowshed product will be on board over and above what's in the loos!

Originally posted by vs_itsallgood
Nice to have a date. Any idea if this is LHR-only at the start, or an across-the-fleet rollout?

They'll definitely be a difference depending on where you fly from. At Heathrow you'll be able to brush your teeth on demand, whereas from Manchester and Gatwick you'll have to start brushing when everyone else does, or wait for it to loop around again [:p]

Thanks,

David.

They'll definitely be a difference depending on where you fly from. At Heathrow you'll be able to brush your teeth on demand, whereas from Manchester and Gatwick you'll have to start brushing when everyone else does, or wait for it to loop around again

LMAO[^]

Thanks, Jetstreamer. Have there been trials on the new style?

VS.

Ooh, here's a thought:

How about a V-flyer focus group?

We seem to know what we want, and make our opinions known. The masses seem to agree with us. Every time we complain, others do as well, and the offending 'whatever' gets switched out.

So VS Staff, how about mentioning that to *someone* in the right position to set it up? Seems like it would save the company a lot of money. Yes, asking loyal and opinionated V-flyers what they'd actually like to see and would use in the amenity kits (or meals, seat functions, etc.) would save money in the long run...[:?]

Originally posted by vs_itsallgood
Ooh, here's a thought:

How about a V-flyer focus group?

We seem to know what we want, and make our opinions known. The masses seem to agree with us. Every time we complain, others do as well, and the offending 'whatever' gets switched out.

So VS Staff, how about mentioning that to *someone* in the right position to set it up? Seems like it would save the company a lot of money. Yes, asking loyal and opinionated V-flyers what they'd actually like to see and would use in the amenity kits (or meals, seat functions, etc.) would save money in the long run...[:?]

As I'm sure most v-flyers are aware; this site is monitored by VS so in effect the focus group is already in existence.

Myself and my colleagues take time on every flight to listen to and document feedback from our loyal and valued passengers. There are also many VS staff who make regular contributions to this forum which we hope are beneficial to everyone who visits v-flyer.

I was told it will start on Jan 1st by the FSM today, either way anything is an improvment.

Good news. I look forward to VS sorting this out, but it's only part of the whole - on my last trip from Mumbai I asked for moisturizer and was told there was nothing on board other than tootbrushes and paste. So, improving the kit is one good thing, ensuring a standard of service across all flights is another.

So, improving the kit is one good thing, ensuring a standard of service across all flights is another.

That can be said for almost all aspects of VS' service;)

VS.

Originally posted by slinky09
....ensuring a standard of service across all flights is another.

and the same can be said for virtually every business (not just airlines).

touche;)

VS.

Originally posted by Jetstreamer
g. There will also be a selection of Cowshed products onboard.

"Flying Cow" products I assume.

Jetstreamer,
Just a quick note to say "thank you" for keeping us posted. And also "thank you" to VS for listening to our input.

Regards,
Chuck-

Originally posted by GrinningJackanapes
An early Christmas gift, this thread...I thought I would have to depart 2006 devoid of further rumination on my favourite topic.

Hopefully, by June 27, they'll have a REAL amenity kit (or, erm, amitery kit or emenity kit) onboard.

Ameniably yours,

GJ

Doubt it, by the the bean counters will have regained the controls of VS purchasing and a new "improved" kit consisting of used empty gas bill envelope will be handed out...


"Thank you for trying the new Green amenity kit, we are happy to offer you this empty envelope, in order to save the environment the 46 people in J will get nothing while the 340 pax in W/J will get a louis vuitton bag filled with all the goodies you think you should get.Bet you feel silly for spending $4k on your ticket now...but we do have such a nice clubhouse..if you can check in and get to it before your flight of course"



Ok I feel better now

Originally posted by jetwet1

Bet you feel silly for spending $4k on your ticket now...but we do have such a nice clubhouse..if you can check in and get to it before your flight of course

Ok I feel better now

I hate to ask, but were you somewhat bad this year, for VS to give you such a big lump of coal in your stocking?

Let us know when your miles post - or should I say 'if' if EGG is another example?

TRs like yours make me forget all about the silly Scrooge Pack altogether...

New amenity bag: Great! Back to the OLD service standards: Even Better!

Remember when it was 'You Never Forget Your First Time?' I hope there weren't some newbie UC travelers in the queue, or BA might have just gained some more votes. [n] I'll bet any newbies NEVER forget the check-in mess you described. After that they were probably so happy to be onboard that they didn't even see the 'little cardboard thing' on the ottoman.

New amenity bag: Great! Back to the OLD service standards: Even Better!

Isn't it disappointing to think that we have to look back to see the best service in spite of many rounds of so called "imrovements" made to UC[n]

VS.

I think it would really help for the amenity pack to include enough toiletries for a few days away in a hotel. Just about every hotel room comes with a shampoo and soap. However, very few come with things like deodorant, shaving gel, toothpaste (unless you call the front desk).

I've been putting together a travel pack of toiletries for my carry on bag, and its not that easy to get this sort of stuff. In the UK, a lot of chemists will stock travel sizes for toiletries in the summer, but not through the rest of the year. Superdrug does keep a wider range. However, the pack sizes tend to be ~ 25ml, which is enough for a fortnight, but overkill for a few days.

Deodorant is a particular problem. I've got some Nivea cream in a 35ml pot from eBay, but other than that the smallest, lightest packs have been 50ml roll ons. I've seen 15ml sticks of solid deodorant at http://www.minimus.biz/ but they are based in the US.

For shaving, shaving oil comes in little bottles, but I also like to use a gel like the one from King of Shaves. The normal tubes of that are 175ml, so they wouldn't be allowed in a carry on bag in any case. You can get a sample pack of that once a year, but it would be nice to have a pack of the gel which is between 10 and 25ml. I bought an empty tube and filled it with the gel, but it would be really nice to not have to bother doing this.

Sometimes travel packs of toiletries come with grotty disposable razors, which are cheap and light, but horrible to use. It would be good to include a decent 3 blade razor, along with some sort of lightweight packaging to protect it from getting bashed. For instance, a Gillette Mach3 razor and blade weigh ~ 20g, whilst a Gillette Sensor 3 disposable is 5g.

Other things that might help, but that everyone might not want are: hand cream, sun screen, lip balm, mosquito repellant, antiseptic hand wash etc.

Virgin could make a point of putting together a pack of toiletries, in a transparent re-sealable transparent bag, which would weigh say 150g in total, and be enough to last for a short trip.

If someone is on a longer trip, and has brought more than that with them, they could keep it for another trip, perhaps if you're packing light for a trip with just carry on luggage, when there is a weight limit of 6 or 8kg. Virgin then gets their logo on display on another day. On the day you are flying, seeing the Virgin logo on a Snooze pack means nothing as you already see the logo everywhere on the plane.

You might give away a pack like this in Upper Class, but I would pay for something like it if I was in Economy, if the products were decent quality, and particularly if they would be easy to replace when they get used up.

A well-chosen pack of toiletries would be something that I would use far more often than I would use cuff links, or other trinkets like brushed aluminium business card holders.

Honestly though, while understand where you are coming from, I just don't see that it is VS's job to provide somebody with all the stuff they need for a couple of days away..nice as it would be, I would be more than happy with VS providing enough of the right stuff for a 10 hr flight.

Originally posted by Scrooge
Honestly though, while understand where you are coming from, I just don't see that it is VS's job to provide somebody with all the stuff they need for a couple of days away..nice as it would be, I would be more than happy with VS providing enough of the right stuff for a 10 hr flight.

If you have a given amount of money to spend, then I would far rather that it was spent on something that I will actually use than a pair of cuff links. The thing is that none of this is that expensive, but its a pain to put together yourself.

If you had half an hour in town to buy an 8 x 8 inch zip lock bag, do you know where you would go?

Viva jetwet - oops, sorry "Scrooge".

Keep it coming and keep it clear!!!

"HNY"

JT