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Hi Guys,
Was wondering what you guys thought of our IFBT service onboard.
Also if you see a crew member chewing what do you think. Do you think its rude?











Edit to thread title for clarity.........Nick

[mitchja]

I like the IFBT service and is something that sets VS apart from other airlines [y]

Chewing in front of people is rude regardless of who does it. It's one of my pet hates.

Regards

[Darren Wheeler]

IFBT - Very much a gimmick, but a welcome one. The chance to have a massage or get my nails done ([:I]) is a great idea but as the J cabin grows the chances of getting one diminish. I'd like to see at-seat treatments as well. OK, it will need 2 IFBT but increases your chances.

As for chewing - disgusting and absolutely no reason or excuse for it. I don't expect a waitress (excuse the comparison) in a restaurant to chew gum while taking my order or while serving me so nor should I on a flight.

[RichardMannion]

Originally posted by virgin is the best
Hi Guys,
Was wondering what you guys thought of our IFBT service onboard.
Also if you see a crew member chewing what do you think. Do you think its rude?

On could call it kind of a loaded question [;)]

IFBT - it is a bit of a gimmick, but used as a selling point in the typical Virgin way. For those that travel regularly, they know that it's very much a lottery in regards to getting a treatment onboard and the advertising obviously makes no reference to that. I do like the service, but I don't like the 'you had a treatment in the CH, so you go to the bottom of the list'. VS advertises it as a product, so because I got to the CH early I don't see why I should be penalised.

Chewing? It should be a disciplinary offence.

I would sacrifice the IFBT (not in an Indiana Jones film kinda way, obviously..) for a chef/cook/food dude. And turn in-flight catering into a big selling point. Yesterday, I had a business breakfast on a BMI shuttle to LHR, and a PE meal on the VS11. Guess which one was better?!!

I am now a regular LHR-LAX-LHR UCS passenger due to work commitments and was having a good chat with IFBT the other day whilst having my hands done (at my seat). She has been with VS for 3 years and loves it however the lottery subject came up. She has a list of those in UCS and offers the service to all however her pecking order is those who didnt get a treatment in the Clubhouse (she calls through to the CH get a list) then those Gold PAX on a full fare J ticket get first dibbs, then other J, then Z fare then G. She told me it was up to her to make the list, not all IFBTs do it, but she finds it 'fare' - as she can only treat 18 pax on this route at best (and she is restricted on the number of hand and back treatments she can now do due to H&S)it is a difficult call. In addition she had to staff 'Door 8' for take off and landing so she was pretty busy throught the flight.

As for chewing - no way !

Regards,

HG

[HighFlyer]

I love the IFBT treatments - when i can get one. I have pondered how useful the IBFT is at times, especially when I have encountered the few that seem to think that they can get away with delivering the minimum number of treatments and then take crew rest, but on the whole i like a little pampering in the air. I would swap the service for better food and drink onboard though. Maybe VS need to decide what they want to do - scrap it and use the budget elsewhere, or actually deliver what the marketing promises so that all passengers (or nearly all) get to have a treatment.

As for chewing? I assume you mean gum and not a toffee [:D] I dont think anyone in a customer facing role should chew gum infront of their customers.

Thanks,
Sarah

I'm with McCoy. Cash in the IFBT for an inflight chef or - at the very least - a return to good old fashioned J class quality food.

From a purely personal point of view, I've long felt that the IFBT is a bit of a marketing gimmick, and one from which the gloss has long since faded. VS, being the Kings of Marketing that they most clearly are, could really go to town if they were able to boast a dedicated Upper Class Chef on each flight, and possibly start serving some better grub to boot.

Like a number of others I look on IFBT treatments as a nice touch but would swap it every time for decent food. I always book a treatment in the club house and would miss this more.

Never seen crew chewing and would seriously unimpressed if I did.

[preiffer]

Recently, I'm at 10/10 for IFBT onboard - always managed to have a treatment. I'd say it's a VERY welcome 'distraction' from the monotony of flying long-haul - and while 'gimmicky', I put it in the same category as the on-board bar in that it's something else that is there to help break up the time.

I'd be very sad to see the service go.

There is an intresting post on another cabin crew site regarding our IFBTS

[ChuckC]

The IFBT was and remains an innovation in the air, a point of difference for Virgin. That not every UC pax can utilize it is something for Virgin to think about. One could be persuaded that the treatment should be a part of every ticket, regardless of fare paid. Meal and beverage service, amenity kits (oops!), sleep suits, IFE, boarding priority -- all are provided on each applicable flight regardless of fare paid.

Chewing? No.

Chuck-

[RichardMannion]

Originally posted by virgin is the best
There is an intresting post on another cabin crew site regarding our IFBTS

This?
http://www.cabincrew.com/ccnetwork/foru ... ?TID=29699

Hence the loaded question - I think the rumour has been on the vine for some time.

Originally posted by hackneyguy
Gold PAX on a full fare J ticket get first dibbs, then other J, then Z fare then G

I suspect this is the standard used by that particular IFBT as on my last trip (D class with Au status) I missed out on a treatment, but my GF (Ag on a G) received one. The 18 treatments per flight seems thin now the UCS cabin is growing though - is the IFBT a long term UC feature or will it be subtely phased out?

Chewing gum - shouldn't be permitted whatsoever.

[Decker]

Wonder how she knows the Fare code they're travelling on - never seen this listed as it might result in discrimination against Gs.

[Scrooge]

I am firmly in the bring a chef on board camp.

Sorry but the IFBF has lost it's appeal to me...just a side note, I never have a an issue when I am on a G, Z's different story [?]

We dont get to find out what fare code your on. We dont get taught anything about them apart from JWY

I have never used the IFBT (or travelled in J for that matter) so I can't comment on that but I think that, unless something can be offered to everyone then it will always leave some people with a sour taste in their mouth so should be avoided.
As for the chewing of gum while on duty, I think it disgusting and downright rude. A mint that can be crunched quickly if pax come into the galley is fine but while serving they shouldn't be eating or chewing anything.

Re-reading it I do see that I come out looking like an old fart but I really believe this.

Ed

[Decker]

That's what I thought VITB. Perhaps HG had a pyschic IFBT? [;)]

Err no - she had a list and I saw it ! But no idea where she got it from (ground crew, lounge ot whatever)

[RichardMannion]

As VITB says, they only get taught JWY. That is all that is needed, as it is policy that all passengers in Upper get treated the same on the whole regardless of whether they are full J, D, G or even an OpUp. There are some exceptions:

- Au's are meant to get first meal choice wherever possible
- Staff have some separate rules for them to follow

AFAIK, a list of passengers and fare class booked is no longer loaded.

The IFBT does have a list but all she is given by the clubhouse is seat numbers. All other info is taken off the crew manifest. As I said earlier we do not get trained on fare codes and that includes IFBT's.All I know about fare codes I learned from this site.
Its all selected random by the IFBT depending on wjat treatments people want and what treatments she has done already as said earlier she can only do a number of each treatment due to H&S

I'm curious how the 'random' choices are made?

I spoke to the IFBT on my PVG flight and she said that she got a list of who had prior treatment from the clubhouse and those that did went to the bottom of the list - other than that everyone is fair game. We both flew Z (Red FC) and there certainly was no discrimination against us in either direction. Maybe the shorter busier US flights are where the consternation is.

Random choice for my flight from NRT-LHR was to give treatments to the three pop stars first, in ther cabin, then others after...