V-Flyer

Where best for complaints about food to be addressed?

Originally posted by jimbob247
Where best for complaints about food to be addressed?

I'd write directly to their supplier at:

K Katona
Customer Services Dept
Iceland Stores
Hull

or you could contact VS Customer Relations as per normal. They will trot out the usual response.

No real person? For BA I have written to the Director of Inflight Sevices. Is there no equivilent?

Originally posted by jimbob247
No real person? For BA I have written to the Director of Inflight Sevices. Is there no equivilent?

Try Richard Branson c/o Crawley ... it'll still probably get the standard response!

I'd write directly to their supplier at:

K Katona
Customer Services Dept
Iceland Stores
Hull

That's just too funny. [:o)] [oo] Certainly out of LHR.

You can join the loooooong line of people who complain about food to get the usual response that roughly translates to 'we've filled your complaint in the 'whatever' pile, and would like to point out how our fabulous Heathrow Clubhouse'.

Mat

I've got to say, I've kind of given up communicating with VS about this now.

I don't have the energy, and I worry they don't either.

Basically, VS outsource nearly 100% of their cabin product (such as Food & Drink, what's loaded on the IFE, Amenity Kits, through to cabin cleaning) to a JV organisation called 'The House'. It's part owned by VS and part owned by LSG SkyChefs, and steered by the responsible managers and product teams in Virgin Atlantic.

However, 'The House' don't actually deliver any of the product themselves, they act as a supplier selection and contract management function. (Looks like a middleman, smells like a middleman...)

While the 'The House' may have delivered cost savings/increased profit for the VS' bean counters, I think the quality of the inflight product has gone noticeably downhill since they have been managing it, and it has introduced a layer of abstraction (and therefore an indirection of control) between VS and it's suppliers of cabin service items.

The majority of our inflight service gripes have roots in things which are managed by 'The House', I find that in itself an interesting observation.

If you Google for 'The House', you'll eventually find some dreadfully dry industry video on an LSG or Lufthansa Group website, with various talking heads from LSG and VS. At no point do they talk about the passenger in this. All they talk about is themselves, and things such as 'operating efficiency', 'cost reduction' and 'streamlining'.

No surprises guessing where their focus is. Not us.

(Sorry if I've offended readers' (especially VS and House staffers') sensibilities here, but that's how I see it.)

Mike

Interesting post, Mike, thanks [y]

It is a sad indictment that so many people have given up complaining. The problem is, of course, that the lack of complaints will probably be seen at Crawley as an indication that the pax like the food. [n]

I just hope they take notice of the crew when they pass on customer feedback, but I have my doubts.

Nick

Originally posted by Nottingham Nick
I just hope they take notice of the crew when they pass on customer feedback, but I have my doubts.

All evidence is that they don't - otherwise we'd have seen some improvements by now!

Originally posted by RichardMannion

Originally posted by jimbob247
Where best for complaints about food to be addressed?

I'd write directly to their supplier at:

K Katona
Customer Services Dept
Iceland Stores
Hull

I read this reply the other day and truly did LOL

Originally posted by Nottingham Nick


The problem is, of course, that the lack of complaints will probably be seen at Crawley as an indication that the pax like the food. [n]

Nick

Just to go ever so slightly off topic, our trip on VS43 on Tues 29th Apr gave us the one of the best airline meals we have had in any travel class. The PE offering of barbecue chicken (avidly consumed by the present Mrs Treelo) and the beef in mustard sauce (my choice) were superb.

Last year, meals in PE were always better than those in UC, in my experience.