Ideal Crew

Hey All,

I have a favor to ask all of you. I read this forum constantly and usually read things that annoy passengers in trip reports. When ever a passenger has really pushed every button they can and I think my smile is about to fade I usually think 'Maybe there is a v-flyer onboard' and it usually really does help. (Mostly because I dont want myself getting a bad review on here!) So if you could all just take a moment and list some things that crew do that really make or break a flight for you. Things that annoy you or things that really make you feel good. It's just for my own knowledge and to help me when serving my passengers! In return I promise I am not opposed to telling you what makes or breaks it for us with you guys!

Thanks!

Easy: Tanqueray No. 10 (not Bombay Saphire); ice (not slush); lime - wedge of (not lemon - insidious sliver of).

Joking apart, as far as the UC cabin is concerned I like crew to embrace the concept of the Freedom menu without my feeling that I'm putting them out. I like regular top-ups of wine and water whilst I'm dining. I appreciate having my plate taken away quite quickly when I've finshed. An intro and a chat from the FSM is always nice, though I appreciate it's not always practical. Oh, and having my jacket taken and champagne offered soon after boarding is always good.

The vast, vast majority of crew do an absolutely sterling job (above and beyond what I've listed) and the fact that you're (a) a V-Flyer and (b) posting a question such as this suggests to me that there's very little room for improvement on your part.

Good question Galley Guy. The only thing that gets my goat are crew members (and you know who you are) who smile superficially but you can tell by the glazed look in their eyes that they have not heard a word you have said.

So, GG, now put the boot on the other foot and tell us what passengers do to push your buttons [}:)]

[Decker]

Oooh Open Season!

Hates
Pet hate - being lied to by crew about simple things assuming we don't know the ropes. Being told I can't use the bar as it is being used for service set up. Ground crew who use the lavatory before disembarking and don't mop up sprinkles.

Loves
Crew who are still excited about Virgin as a brand and senior crew who lead by example.

Thanks for this GG I can see it becoming a popular thread...

I really appreciate everyones honesty. FYI I work in Premium and Economy. I know most of you fly in Upper but any helpful hints in economy would also be appreciated!

Things that wind up crew members:

1) Bringing your tray to the galley! (We know you have had it ages but we really are going as fast as possible and bringing it to the galley just slows down tea/coffee and clearing in!)

2) Juice and Water rounds. Crew: 'Would you like Juice or Water Sir?' Passenger: 'Coffee'. (Sorry but the other 224 passengers still need to get their glass of water!)

3) Securing the cabin. Passengers constantly roll their eyes, moan, ask 'Why', or refuse to help us secure. Taking blankets off legs, iPods out of ears, and eyemasks off is not something we do to annoy you! We do it because the FSM will have our heads if she does the walk around and it's not done! Seriously, most crew dread securing the cabin as it is when passengers are at their worst.

What we love:

1) Friendly passengers. If you get on and just smile back it is so appreciated.

2) Correct change in duty free! I love when passengers have it! lol.

3) Chatty people. I love when passengers come into the galley when we are not working to have a little chat.

We have really have excellent crew and the best service in both UC and PE so it is hard to think of much that can be done to improve the service we have. Keep it up is what I would love so we can continue to enjoy our Virgin flights!!! Thank yhou all very much.

One niggle - we were in UC at the front of an Airbus from LA and the very front was obviously a crew area. All night long crew were stomping up and down the aisle, you could feel the vibrations, being fairly loud in their area and leaving a light on and curtain back opposite(where IFBT used to be) Just a little thought for those trying to sleep, though I realise it must be a bit boring for you all. I realise sound travels when everything is quiet.

Originally posted by Decker
Oooh Open Season!

Echo that [y]

Pet hate - being lied to by crew about simple things assuming we don't know the ropes.

Double echo that one! In similar style:

Loves
- sincere joviality mixed with professionalism
- the obvious hard work some crew do, being omnipresent in the cabin, quick to respond and charming with it
- noticing when my glass is empty
- a greeting of any kind, OK I know you don't always get the manifest but frequently you do and a 'hello again' is such a nice message
- interesting mixes at the bar (on a recent flight with a cold, the concoction mixed for me was both amazingly efficient and very drinkable)
- trying to get the food hot enough to eat / cheese not cold enough to break a tooth
- when I see a new Virgin flyer being shown how everything works - the patience of you people is astounding sometimes!

Hates
- the crew member who, on a recent flight, reset all the in seat power after I had taken my battery out meaning auto laptop shut down and all open files / latest changes lost - please just apologise, don't deny it [V]
- to much simpering and gossipping and bitching about Virgin in front of passengers - do it in the bar later please
- inconsistency, similar to laptop thread, sometimes we seem to know the latest rule when crew don't, it's a task to keep up with things but that's a feature of professionalism
- the sometimes sheer drooling over Z list celebs through to A list celebs and the second class status that sometimes but rarely occurs for the rest

I'd have to say it's the toilets for me! I take my shoes off on long haul flights and I hate to visit the loo only to find the floor wet. I've done LHR-BKK twice now on EVA in Y and PE and the floor is always dry and all surfaces wiped down - I reckon the CC must clean it about every 30 mins. VS isn't too bad on this but my experiences are that they could do better. Horrible job for the CC, very much appreciated by me.

I've only every flown economy so here goes!

Good crew for me are those who:
- genuinely seem happy to see you at the aircraft door
- are jovial but professional, and willing to share a joke if appropriate
- like to have a chat in the galley when they're not busy
- don't give the impression of being put out when things go wrong or I have a special request (for example V-Port crashing on me when we were 6 hours late leaving LAX last year, the crew must've been shattered but the lady who re-set my seat never gave the impression that it was too much bother)

Bad crew:
- those who look bored/wishing they could be elsewhere
- chewing gum
- rude or abrupt answers to questions like what the chicken or beef actually consists of!

Originally posted by McMaddog
I'd have to say it's the toilets for me! I take my shoes off on long haul flights and I hate to visit the loo only to find the floor wet. I've done LHR-BKK twice now on EVA in Y and PE and the floor is always dry and all surfaces wiped down - I reckon the CC must clean it about every 30 mins. VS isn't too bad on this but my experiences are that they could do better. Horrible job for the CC, very much appreciated by me.

Sorry about this one but we actually cannot clean up the floors. Being 'food handlers' we are given gloves and spray to clean the sinks and such but I doubt you will ever find crew touching pee stained floors.

On a side note: That is a crew hate. It makes my spine shudder! Please put on shoes before going into the bathroom. It's not water on the floor that is seeping into your socks. I appreciate people like to take off their shoes but slide them on for bathroom breaks! For your health.

Whilst on the subject of toilets, it would be nice if our male customers would put the toilet seat back down after using it!
[xx(]

Originally posted by Tinkerbelle
Whilst on the subject of toilets, it would be nice if our male customers would put the toilet seat back down after using it!
[xx(]

Easily solved, if you look at train loos on modern trains the flush button is behind the lid, therefore forcing you to drop the lid before flushing. Why can't ac toilet manufacturers do the same?
(Apologies for going off thread a little)

Originally posted by McMaddog
Easily solved, if you look at train loos on modern trains the flush button is behind the lid, therefore forcing you to drop the lid before flushing. Why can't ac toilet manufacturers do the same?
(Apologies for going off thread a little)

Oh dear ... imagine how many people that would confound, and the consequences of it [:0].

[Decker]

ermm STANDING in flight? Risky business...

- Polite, genuine, professional crew who take a genuine interest in you and your needs without feeling the need to tell you their entire life history. I am a very polite and genuine passenger, so like a similar rapport with the crew. BUT I am a paying customer and not a 'mate' (as a 34 year old woman, 'mate' isn't a title that I am comfortable with [:(] ).
- regular top-ups of drinks: in particular water. Like in a good land restaurant - I don't like my water glass empty.
- crew who don't talk loudly in the cabin or galley, especially on night flights or during the after lunch 'snooze time' [:D]
- crew who keep people from other cabins out of the UC cabin and toilets (especially when they are loud and disturb the passengers trying to sleep/snooze).

Boo

I have always been treated with the utmost courtesy and politeness by all crew (always PE). The only time I felt a bit uncomfortable after ordering a beef meal, we were asked if we'd rather have chicken tikka or the pasta instead - twice!! If I'd wanted chicken tikka or pasta I'd have ordered them. I felt as though I should have accepted the alternatives just to keep the young lady happy even though we said we didn't like either of the alternatives. Now if she'd offered salmon........
Seriously, I have always been courteous, polite and undemanding towards the cabin crew and have never had any issues with anyone.

Katie

Loves- Great crew and a visibly present FSM. Freedom menu as it should be. Replenished glass (be it booze or water).Sitting at the bar meeting other people and crew.
Hates- Apathetic crew who spend the flight in the galley and huff/sigh/scowl when called.Bar being clogged with staffers/crew family or being used for service set up. Wet floors. Being refused sleep suits on a longish day flight.Crew chewing gum.Crew snaffling spare pillows.Crew fawning over zelebs.

I have to say as cabin crew myself (Economy & PE), like Galley Guy, I have learnt loads from this thread. I feel that no matter what is going on at home or in my personal life, when I come to work, I leave it all exactly where it started..at home and work as hard as I possibly can and like many crew, on a JFK flight for example, I am always fully aware that you had the choice to fly BA/AA/UA/CO/DL and however many other carriers may be able to get you there. It makes a difference that you choose to fly VS and I have picked up many tips that can help me improve. Like Galley Guy, if I may add my own from a crew point of view;

Likes (I like to start on a positive hehe):
* I couldn't agree more with Galley Guy regarding passengers who simply smile. I always make eye contact and smile even when clearing your tray so a courteous smile back always makes all parties feel good.
* I too like it when passengers come into the galley (inbetween Retail Therapy & Afternoon Tea/B,fast) for a chat. Always nice to hear where they have been and why and usually they like to know how long we are downroute for. Just done an NBO with 50 16y/o's off to build a school in Kenya, most of whom hadn't ever flown before....full IFE failure and 2hr delay but one of my most enjoyable flights in a long time and as a crew we made sure we made it as good as possible for the pax in the circumstances
* I have no problem with passengers asking for ad-hoc drinks requests on a flight, (hell I sure do when flying as a pax!) but the passengers who understand that you may be busy and always say 'When you have the chance' or 'When you get a minute'. Obviously if I am doing nothing then fair enough, but if I am in the aisle with Retail Therapy then you can be sure it will be the first thing I do upon getting back to the galley if you understand that it is not always possible to run back and forth to the galley when trying to run a service.

Dislikes;
* NO please or thankyou gets you nowhere with me. I thankyou when I clear your rubbish, please ask nicely when I offer you something. Manners cost nothing.
* Not removing headphones when I am talking to you. I don't answer your call bell whilst on the interphone to Galley4. Again, manners.
* Securing. Ask any crew member, it will feature highly. I agree, for first time flyers, it doesn't help having a blanket on your seat as soon as you get on, it practically screams, sit down, open me up and wrap me around your cold legs. Its a trip hazard and as Galley Guy says, I am not going to lie to the FSM and say the cabin is secure when it isn't and then get shot after take off, when the FSM has to resecure my entire zone.

Having said all that, I love my job and wouldn't work for anyone else. I love Virgin. And am proud to say I do. I always hope that when people fly with us they will do to and realise it is our jobs to ensure they do.
I also believe that we attract a nice crowd, shall we say. The far majority of our passengers are lovely, know that we (the majority of us!) are nice people and will always stop and chat if we can and at least guarantee a smile and a joke where practical! Please keep this thread going, it's nice to see things from both sides

Haven't been on here for a while, but glad I'm back

G-AV x

My problem with Virgin Cabin Crew is inconsistency. With BA I know what I am getting and its always professional. Anything could happen on Virgin from the truly magnificient to the truly atrocious. Of course there are airlines where the crew are always awful so Virgin beats them, but I prefer a more consistent service. Regular travellers know when they have a crew have that is short changing them on the service.

Also, a bit of empathy for the passenger, particularly if they are travelling in economy would go a long way. Although it may not seem like a passenger is being helpful if they bring you their tray they probably are. And if in a packed jumbo with children and infants what can they do with it? I have never rung a call bell in my life, presuming the crew would prefer that they are for emergencies, but sometimes you are made to feel very unwelcome if you get up to ask for a drink/napkin or whatever it is you need. On BA and Emirates I have never had to get up and ask for a drink (probably because you get more than a thimble of wine on them though). I find most of the American carriers are O.K. with you going to galley for drinks etc.. for some reason particularly so if on short haul, don't know why that should be, you would think that would be worse.

This is such an interesting thread. I really never would have thought the CC would like passengers to go to the galley to have a chat.

By far my best Virgin cabinet crew experience was last October in UC on a flight to San Francisco. Had a great time sitting at the bar talking to the cabin crew. At the end of the flight the FSM mentioned to us the club that the crew were going to that night and invited us along.

We went along to the club and had a great time. The crew were initially a little nervous (UC pax and all) but after buying them a drink they were fine.

Now that is a really friendly service. Your certainly don't get that with BA!

Originally posted by crobinson99
We went along to the club and had a great time. The crew were initially a little nervous (UC pax and all) but after buying them a drink they were fine.

Now that is a really friendly service. Your certainly don't get that with BA!

Well there are certainly some crew I would like to get friendly with [:0] LOL, not always in a Russel Brand sort of way though [:X]

Aww, really glad to see you on here G-AVIN. I agree with everything you said

Also we really do not mind people coming into the galley for a chat! It gets lonely down there sometimes when half the crew are on breaks or in the aisle with juice and water on a night flight and you have to stand down the back sorting sugars....

LOL tell me about it! Don't you just love completing the handover! However, it is nice when you get onboard downroute and its all done for you! Hehe!

Off on the JFK9 tomorrow (standby 2) back on the A343, I have been Boeing King for the last 6 months, can't seem to get off the Baby Bus now!

Keep adding people, loving this thread...well done for setting it up Galley Guy!

And passengers, keep coming down to the Galley, we like it!

[Darren Wheeler]

No I always thought (OK, blame Pam Ann) that the galley was unofficially a pax no-go area. Entering was almost the equivalent randomly turning at a house and helping yourself to a seat.