PE - A Seperate Travel Class?

OK But I do think Service in PE should outweigh what you get in Y. Sometimes it does but IMO its rarely. Surely and it has been mentioned all over the place and in TR's that Service can Make the flight. Why not the product?

[Neil]

Originally posted by Monkey
OK But I do think Service in PE should outweigh what you get in Y. Sometimes it does but IMO its rarely. Surely and it has been mentioned all over the place and in TR's that Service can Make the flight. Why not the product?

IMO the PE level of service is excellent, can't compare it to Y on VS as haven't flown it since I was 8 (didn't pay too much attention then). I don't disagree that the level of service is important, Im purely saying that this was not part of our discussion when comparing Y and W and therefore you should not use it to back up your statement on VS PE product being not very good (or only comparable to others Y offerings).

Neil:)

Originally posted by VS045
Thanks, Sailor![^]

I've always seen PE as a separate product, albeit with some overlapping elements (well quite a few actually;))

TBH, I don't really see why VS does this - I'm sure most pax in PE would be willing to pay a few extra quid for better quality food. I think VS should ditch the economy label for PE and establish it as a product in its own right. However, they'd have to be careful not to encroach too much on UC. Having said that, the PE ammenity kit is already ahead of UC[}:)]

VS.

What is better about the PE Amenity Kit than the others ?

[Neil]

Originally posted by woz099

Originally posted by VS045

What is better about the PE Amenity Kit than the others ?

The comment was made in reference to the poor quality of the new UC kit, something which has been discussed at length on this site, most notibly here, and due to the down sizing of the UC kit it actually means you get more in the PE kit then the UC one, although many more items are available in UC, you just have to ask for them!!

Originally posted by woz099
What is better about the PE Amenity Kit than the others ?

There is no PE Amenity Kit. It's the Economy Amenity Kit.

Originally posted by Monkey
OK But I do think Service in PE should outweigh what you get in Y. Sometimes it does but IMO its rarely. Surely and it has been mentioned all over the place and in TR's that Service can Make the flight. Why not the product?

I think you're right, there should also be a service level that distinguishes PE from Y in addition to the greater legroom (which UA charge 50 quid for). Having done a few PE one way / Y t'other flights though I found there was a higher level of service in PE than in Y, not least because I assume the crew / passenger ratio is better (though ISTBC on that one).

Paul

I remember a few years ago reading how VS differentiated the PE service level Vs Y. They gave ratio of crew and things like fruit being offered during flight and that there would only ever be something like 36 seats in total. Obviously the seat numbers have changed but there still is a higher ratio crew:pax isn't there and I don't know about the fruit and whatever but always had the impression it was higher service and more than just a bigger seat.

ISTBC, but I believe Y and PE are looked after by the same team of crew. It is only J that has it's own team.

Fruit? I am unfamiliar with the term

ISTBC, but I believe Y and PE are looked after by the same team of crew. It is only J that has it's own team.

Fruit? I am unfamiliar with the term. When you say they bring it round, does it mean it is something like an "amenity kit"

Originally posted by sailor99
ISTBC, but I believe Y and PE are looked after by the same team of crew. It is only J that has it's own team.

I think you're correct (and generally that distinction is made in pre flight announcements). You do however (seem to) get more attention - pre flight drinks, more drinks offerings - than in Y.

Paul

[Neil]

Originally posted by sailor99
ISTBC, but I believe Y and PE are looked after by the same team of crew. It is only J that has it's own team.

The upstairs PE cabin seems to have its own crew , they certainly seemed to be always around and I can't remember them going downstairs or anything, the upstairs J section had a seperate crew member also.

Neil:)

Originally posted by Attitude23

Originally posted by sailor99
ISTBC, but I believe Y and PE are looked after by the same team of crew. It is only J that has it's own team.

The upstairs PE cabin seems to have its own crew , they certainly seemed to be always around and I can't remember them going downstairs or anything, the upstairs J section had a seperate crew member also.

Neil:)

That's what I thought, but I spend most of a flight either buried in a book or the IFE and for much of the time wouldn't actually notice whether there's anyone else on the flight never mind whether there's a crew member around.

Paul

Originally posted by ade99
They gave ratio of crew and things like fruit being offered during flight

We got offered a boiled sweet before landing last week in PE from MCO... Never seen that in Y.

Gosh that's a throw back. I can remember when all airlines offered all pax a boiled sweet. Havn't seen it in a while though

Originally posted by Monkey
OK But I do think Service in PE should outweigh what you get in Y. Sometimes it does but IMO its rarely. Surely and it has been mentioned all over the place and in TR's that Service can Make the flight. Why not the product?

i think PE is way beond economy. you board the plane first and a dedicated check-in, do you really want to queue in the economy queue? hmm hmm? well... i think for the price you get a very good and fair service!

Boiled sweets should be offered on all flight in economy and premium economy.

Premium passengers on the upper deck do have dedicated crew, 2 on the LGW fleet and 1 on the LHR fleet. Downstairs they are included on the economy service flow, but will always get the first choice of food, drinks, and extra drinks offering, A liqueur service, better ice-cream and not forgetting the dedicated check in.

There are aspect of the Premium service that could be improved, but people have to remember that it is a Premium ECONOMY service and NOT business class. It is more expensive than economy but a hell of a lot cheaper than Upper Class. If you want Upper Class service levels, build up your miles for an upgrade or simply pay for it.

[Neil]

On all of my VS flights, only ever in PE, we have never been offered a boiled sweet, and as a kid it was always the best part of the flight for me (easily pleased back then[:I]), so somebody isn't doing their job properly.

Neil:)

I've been offered boiled sweets before but only on the outbound flights in Y.

I really can't recall them being offered in many years. Not that I would want one to be honest

The boiled sweets are nothing to rave about. It's just a mint with a shiny wrapper. Once we have secured the cabin, we usually offer it then, but when you get routes where people like to be standing up waiting to go to the toilet right at the very last minute, huge bags on the floor, blankets everywhere, it takes us a long time to secure everything so there may not be time.

[Neil]

Originally posted by StarGuy
The boiled sweets are nothing to rave about. It's just a mint with a shiny wrapper. Once we have secured the cabin, we usually offer it then, but when you get routes where people like to be standing up waiting to go to the toilet right at the very last minute, huge bags on the floor, blankets everywhere, it takes us a long time to secure everything so there may not be time.

Even in W?? Only ever flown VS in W and on all my 6 recent flights never had a sweet offered, ok its not the end of the world by any imagination but if it is part of the service then it should be offered.

I got offered a sweet on my trip to MCO last year. i refused as i had percy pigs instead![:I]

Air Berlin give boiled sweets!

Originally posted by Attitude23

Originally posted by StarGuy
The boiled sweets are nothing to rave about. It's just a mint with a shiny wrapper. Once we have secured the cabin, we usually offer it then, but when you get routes where people like to be standing up waiting to go to the toilet right at the very last minute, huge bags on the floor, blankets everywhere, it takes us a long time to secure everything so there may not be time.

Even in W?? Only ever flown VS in W and on all my 6 recent flights never had a sweet offered, ok its not the end of the world by any imagination but if it is part of the service then it should be offered.

The crew that give out the mints are the same crew that have to secure the cabin. However, a new rule has been set that landing sweets have to be given out. So maybe you will start to see a difference. Go to Tokyo, the Japanese crew are the most efficent and hard working of any Virgin crew, you will be guaranteed to get landing sweets on those flights.

Difference in fare between Y and W seems a lot to pay for a boiled sweet!

Boiled sweets suck, erm suck boiled sweets.

Much rather have an extra drink than waste time giving out mento's[}:)]