V-Flyer

A three part documentary on BA on BBC2, starts Monday 2 June, 9pm.
y)

HWVlover wrote:A three part documentary on BA on BBC2, starts Monday 2 June, 9pm.
y)

Thanks for the heads up y)
I recently watched an old documentary from 1990 I think on BA , that was quite interesting so hopefully this one will be aswell

Thanks. y) hopefully the sky + app does its job and records

I do wish they would bring back Airport with John Nettles doing the commentary. oo)

David

Thanks for the heads up - have set the recorder ):

buns

buns wrote:Thanks for the heads up - have set the recorder ):

buns

VHS or Betamax buns ? )

Looking forward to it.

I did hear rumours there's a fly-on-the-wall series about VS currently being made.

It's on the TiVo, ready to be recorded !

Thanks for the 'heads up'.

I watched a very interesting documentary about 617 Squadron RAF, last night.

Very British, but not an airline, although they did carry a fair amount of cargo.

http://www.dambusters.org.uk/

I dont know if anyone saw te first of a three part documentary on BBC2 last night ? If they were expecting good publicity then think again.
Either it was heavily edited or they train their cabin crew to be robots.

747heaven wrote:I dont know if anyone saw te first of a three part documentary on BBC2 last night ? If they were expecting good publicity then think again.
Either it was heavily edited or they train their cabin crew to be robots.

I think they were going for the "we have / had problems and we're sorting it out" message. The highlighting of the "snapshot" system in training and the rejection of one the trainees were, I would read, an attempt to show them keeping up standards, particularly when set against the comment about the new hires being on low cost carrier wages.

The description of the First Class lounge just made me think - yep, Clubhouse has got all of that....

I thought the two in First did nothing to help allay the notion that those who travel that class may well be big on detail but short on self awareness. (I am, of course, excluding from that stereotype any current or future V-Flyers such as Honeylamb who are forced, through clenched teeth, to travel in that cabin )

Definitely did not endear BA to me.

I can't imagine what it's like to work there if that's what they're like with newbies and how they project themselves to the world.

I found it very interesting and like the idea that they are keeping up standards again after they went down a while back. Traveling with them in last February it was good to find it was a pleasure again. I think perhaps VS could take note of some of their idea's regarding how to address/talk with pax, what ever cabin they are traveling in, particularly when you get crew calling you darling or dear as has happened to me recently (no I wasn't in econ at the time). But then perhaps I'm being too picky. Looking forward to the next episode.

The informality of VS crew (who, IMHO, are generally friendlier and happier to be alive than their BA counterparts) is one of VS's main points of difference over BA and has been since day one.

It's right that BA crew take a more deferential approach as that's what BA passengers want and expect - it's what the brand stands for: courteous and professional but not overly familiar; traditional stiff-upper-lip Britishness.

But I prefer VS for its less formal and stuffy approach, with crew who are (usually!) approachable, friendly and happy to chat - yet still utterly professional.

I enjoyed the programme very much - what struck me most was the sheer amount of information CC have to learn and remember - from dealing with every conceivable type of incident to dealing with every conceivable type of passenger! It's clearly a tough job and the programme only increased my (already considerable) level of respect for them.

Having flown BA first from ATL last week I can confirm that from the moment I was met by name at the cabin door to entering the Concorde arrivals room within 25 minutes (including collecting hold luggage) of landing that the whole experience was excellent. The crew member looking after me was not only totally professional, but extremely attractive and fun to talk too. I believe gust BA totally understand what the premium passenger expects and that is why they are adding seats to routes where as discussed VS are downsizing.

I would expect nothing less in first class.

But from my recent flights in Euro traveller the best I've had is polite indifference as they handed out a bag of crisps which now, apparently, counts as "full service".

747heaven wrote:Either it was heavily edited or they train their cabin crew to be robots.

They don't endeavour to train them to be robots but the nature of the training results in them being robots!
A business shouldn't have drones manning the "front line"! Saying and doing the right thing because it's part of the "script". That's what BA is clearly about!
I feel personality should shine through...set a standard, yes! But allow people to be themselves! Saying and doing the role in their own way! y)

Flown in premium cabins with both airlines and both have some very good and very much less good cabin crew.

VS crew are less formal though- more like "flight friends" in general.

Would like to see VS cc training programme to compare - any comment from those in the "know"

i agree with gumshoe about VS cabin crew.
i have had some great banter with them and at the same time they have gone about their job in a professional but always approachable manner.
im going to watch this on iplayer at the weekend.

ultreen1 wrote:

747heaven wrote:Either it was heavily edited or they train their cabin crew to be robots.

They don't endeavour to train them to be robots but the nature of the training results in them being robots!
A business shouldn't have drones manning the "front line"! Saying and doing the right thing because it's part of the "script". That's what BA is clearly about!
I feel personality should shine through...set a standard, yes! But allow people to be themselves! Saying and doing the role in their own way! y)

Couldnt agree more, the friendliness of the staff I had on the flight to Barbados recently with Virgin, it was superb.

Thought the views of the cabin in BA first made it look very similar to the new CX business offering apart from few cosmetic touches.

It wasn't shown in Scotland for some reason! We had something about wild cats instead.

Pretty much typical for "London Airways"

I've just watched it and found it very interesting from a couple of perspectives:

1. The suggestion that passengers in First are obsessed with detail. :w I'm flying in First for the first time next month and I resent the implication that I am so nerdy that I would notice the slightest scuff mark or diminution in service. FFS, life's too short to be bothered about that level of detail. OK, I appreciate that some people are foodies and will notice subtle differences in flavouring/seasoning etc. I'll allow that. Those are the people who make shows like Masterchef compulsive viewing but for me, so long as it tastes OK, then it is OK. But as for a speck of dust :0 Get a life!! Oh, and I'm not paying £9K. On this occasion First was coming out cheaper than Club World!!

2. The fact that those in First who are paying £9K to go to LA on an A380 need to get value for money and what is to differentiate them from other airlines is the service. Well for starters, those in Economy who have been saving up for years for their once-in-a-lifetime trip are probably spending more pro-rata for their seat in the back of the bus than someone whose weekly wage is twice as much as the annual wage of the poor sod in economy. Doesn't that person deserve just the same service as those in the pointy end? ?| And don't get me started on service. I've travelled in BA in economy, Club Europe and Club World. I quite liked Economy when BA had a LHR-ORK service long before many of you on here were born but in Club Europe and Club World, I've had food more or less thrown at me, especially over those awful dividers in CW; I've been ignored to the point of invisibility and I can think of only two occasions, both on the same flight, when I have felt to be a valued customer.

I really enjoyed the first program but I heard a comment from the narrator stating the BA invented the Premium economy cabin I always believed the it was Virgin's innovation. Am I wrong in thinking this ?|

Fuzzy14 wrote:It wasn't shown in Scotland for some reason! We had something about wild cats instead.

I am in Scotland and it was available on BBC 2 Scotland for my area.

D

djack8 wrote:
I am in Scotland and it was available on BBC 2 Scotland for my area.

D

It wasn't shown on the same day as the rest of the uk which makes it difficult to take part in discussions online and on Twitter. The only way to circumvent was watch on iplayer or watch BBC2 England if that's available on your Sky/Virgin platform.