Originally posted by Denzil
On the subject of champers, Mrs D advises that it's round trip loaded
Better not tell the green lobby about that one.
H
Better not tell the green lobby about that one.
H
Better not tell the green lobby about that one.
H
Better not tell the green lobby about that one.
H
¥ Children under 12 years of age travelling on a reduced rate ticket are not eligible to travel in Upper Class.
¥ Children under 5 years of age are not permitted to travel in Premium Economy.
I've seen that rule ignored on a recent J flight I was on.
Lets also not forget the rule the staff must be assigned exit row seats in Y/W as well.
Regards
Regards
James Mitchell
James Mitchell
Lordy, Lordy, you speak with such venom towards Virgin crew. Or could that be jealousy? Anyway, a certain person on here knows why I will be signing out permanently, it's clear crew are looked down upon as pure scum. I'm also interested to know where Mr Mannion cut and pasted the staff travel bit from, I doubt it's from public forum, but heck, what do I know?
As for James' 'let's (you missed the apostrophe out) also not forget the rule the staff must be assigned exit row seats in Y/W' .. there's no such rule. Having positioned out in the middle of Y for a flight, I can assure you that there's no such rule.
Having paid to travel J with an American airline, and been greeted by the in-charge and my name used, I actually find it creepy. I travelled another sector with them Y and was ignored, so no, it's all show and means nothing except a bit of creeping. As I mentioned to a certain person on this site, via email, my husband is platinum and gold with two airlines and we discussed the subject of being welcomed by his name, and he said he couldn't give a toss, to put it mildly. He said all he wants is peace and quiet, a comfortable seat, a meal and then left to work in peace. There again, he doesn't have an ego.
It's also worth mentioning that I like to board passengers, it's nice to be able to say hello. We are requested (it isn't compulsory) to greet J passengers by name. As we have close on 500 passengers to board in 35 minutes, that's a wee bit tricky. Anyway, early on in my Virgin days I was baording and another crew member said 'you'll be written up for not using their name'. What did she do? She didn't check the essential things like flight number, and boarded a J pax who should have been on a different flight! She was too busy looking at the names. We look at three essential things on a boarding pass, and doing that 500 times in 35 minutes is time consuming enough, without looking at a fourth and using the name. Security comes first. Fortunately the guy went to sit in his seat and someone was there, otherwise no doubt we'd have taken off with him on the wrong aircraft. (JFK to LHR)
Edited because I actually posted this before saying goodbye. Anyway, my dear friend whom I share a few emails with, I'm bowing out. You are such a nice guy, how do you cope with all this venom when you are so nice?! I'll go back to doing what I love doing, and that's being nice to passengers who treat me like I deserve to breathe the same air as the passengers.
You can be educated and travel J, it doesn't follow you have manners. I won't be reading any replies, so feel free to say whatever you want.
As for James' 'let's (you missed the apostrophe out) also not forget the rule the staff must be assigned exit row seats in Y/W' .. there's no such rule. Having positioned out in the middle of Y for a flight, I can assure you that there's no such rule.
Having paid to travel J with an American airline, and been greeted by the in-charge and my name used, I actually find it creepy. I travelled another sector with them Y and was ignored, so no, it's all show and means nothing except a bit of creeping. As I mentioned to a certain person on this site, via email, my husband is platinum and gold with two airlines and we discussed the subject of being welcomed by his name, and he said he couldn't give a toss, to put it mildly. He said all he wants is peace and quiet, a comfortable seat, a meal and then left to work in peace. There again, he doesn't have an ego.
It's also worth mentioning that I like to board passengers, it's nice to be able to say hello. We are requested (it isn't compulsory) to greet J passengers by name. As we have close on 500 passengers to board in 35 minutes, that's a wee bit tricky. Anyway, early on in my Virgin days I was baording and another crew member said 'you'll be written up for not using their name'. What did she do? She didn't check the essential things like flight number, and boarded a J pax who should have been on a different flight! She was too busy looking at the names. We look at three essential things on a boarding pass, and doing that 500 times in 35 minutes is time consuming enough, without looking at a fourth and using the name. Security comes first. Fortunately the guy went to sit in his seat and someone was there, otherwise no doubt we'd have taken off with him on the wrong aircraft. (JFK to LHR)
Edited because I actually posted this before saying goodbye. Anyway, my dear friend whom I share a few emails with, I'm bowing out. You are such a nice guy, how do you cope with all this venom when you are so nice?! I'll go back to doing what I love doing, and that's being nice to passengers who treat me like I deserve to breathe the same air as the passengers.
You can be educated and travel J, it doesn't follow you have manners. I won't be reading any replies, so feel free to say whatever you want.
Originally posted by mitchja¥ Children under 12 years of age travelling on a reduced rate ticket are not eligible to travel in Upper Class.
¥ Children under 5 years of age are not permitted to travel in Premium Economy.
I've seen that rule ignored on a recent J flight I was on.
Totally me too, to the extent where I recently had to ask the crew to stop the little shit who suddenly appeared an hour before landing in the seat behind from repeatedly kicking the back of my UC Suite (yes) and pushing all the buttons to eject and push in the video screen etc etc repeatedly. And yes, shit, that's me swearing would you believe. Bless 'im.
The seat behind had been empty throughout the flight until this point. The crew love and pamper him. Go figure.
H
Seats for Landing - I don't think people on here look down at VS crew as pure scum, far from it.
Purely IMO, having been around on this forum for about 2 years, it is clear that there are some very frequent VS flyers on here who remember the VS service back in the earlier days & have seen a lot taken out of the UC product / service. I guess it is these people who have seen [or are of the opinion that] the service level has reduced feel that things that cost nothing, like a personal greeting, should still be offered.
Seats For Landing - I am with you on the boarding situation. I would never expect a personal greeting at the aircraft door when boarding on an UC boarding card. As you say, you have next to no time to check the boarding card & to try and give a passenger with an unusual surname a personal greeting at the aircraft door would be nigh on impossible. That said, a hello from the FSM or cabin crew by name when seated in UC [even if minus the 'welcome back' in case the pax is on a complimentary Gold card should be do-able].
I've only done a few UC round trips and have generally been impressed with the service at the front of the plane. That said, I have seen differing levels of service. On my last UC flight, the FSM 'got her hands dirty' throughout and the service excelled. Whether she did this because they were crew-down or wanted to deliver excellent service I don't know, but the service really was good. And yes, I did fill in a flight feedback form for customer relations nominating the FSM & entire UC crew for a heroes nomination.
As stated earlier in this thread, I have also seen a VS staff member happily sitting in a fully functioning Upper Class suite whilst the passenger in the next seat had a faulty table. It was clear this passenger was VS staff, given the attention that both the cabin crew & ground staff gave her. As she was staff, I fail to believe that she was travelling on a full revenue fare ticket [i.e. a fare available to the general public]. If this was the case, she should have given her operational seat up to the revenue passenger, IMO (& probably in VS staff travel rules).
In general, I think the vast majority of VS crew work very hard and deserve the upgrades they get on staff travel. They just need to follow the rules and not 'take the piss' at the expense of people who have paid for their tickets. I am not saying have no alcohol on a flight - no way!! Just don't monopolise the bar and drink the flight dry out of bubbly in the first couple of hours as has been described on here. Of course, the issue of the light loading of bubbly & drinks in general on VS is another matter...!
James
Purely IMO, having been around on this forum for about 2 years, it is clear that there are some very frequent VS flyers on here who remember the VS service back in the earlier days & have seen a lot taken out of the UC product / service. I guess it is these people who have seen [or are of the opinion that] the service level has reduced feel that things that cost nothing, like a personal greeting, should still be offered.
Seats For Landing - I am with you on the boarding situation. I would never expect a personal greeting at the aircraft door when boarding on an UC boarding card. As you say, you have next to no time to check the boarding card & to try and give a passenger with an unusual surname a personal greeting at the aircraft door would be nigh on impossible. That said, a hello from the FSM or cabin crew by name when seated in UC [even if minus the 'welcome back' in case the pax is on a complimentary Gold card should be do-able].
I've only done a few UC round trips and have generally been impressed with the service at the front of the plane. That said, I have seen differing levels of service. On my last UC flight, the FSM 'got her hands dirty' throughout and the service excelled. Whether she did this because they were crew-down or wanted to deliver excellent service I don't know, but the service really was good. And yes, I did fill in a flight feedback form for customer relations nominating the FSM & entire UC crew for a heroes nomination.
As stated earlier in this thread, I have also seen a VS staff member happily sitting in a fully functioning Upper Class suite whilst the passenger in the next seat had a faulty table. It was clear this passenger was VS staff, given the attention that both the cabin crew & ground staff gave her. As she was staff, I fail to believe that she was travelling on a full revenue fare ticket [i.e. a fare available to the general public]. If this was the case, she should have given her operational seat up to the revenue passenger, IMO (& probably in VS staff travel rules).
In general, I think the vast majority of VS crew work very hard and deserve the upgrades they get on staff travel. They just need to follow the rules and not 'take the piss' at the expense of people who have paid for their tickets. I am not saying have no alcohol on a flight - no way!! Just don't monopolise the bar and drink the flight dry out of bubbly in the first couple of hours as has been described on here. Of course, the issue of the light loading of bubbly & drinks in general on VS is another matter...!
James
Originally posted by seats for landing
Lordy, Lordy, you speak with such venom towards Virgin crew. Or could that be jealousy?
I'm sure this is being dealt with elsewhere, but venom? Jealousy?
Sorry, I'm lost here. Perhaps it's as well you're not listening! If you are, welecome back, I take back everything I said! In which case, free Bolly at Howard's again! (Or is it Ruinart Blancs de Blancs this time, hmm, Pommery Louise 81 in magnums still good to go...)?
Cheers, Howard
Clearly the subject of onboard service still conjures a great deal of interest and passion among our V-Flyers. Though we surely want what is best for VS we don't always agree on how to achieve it. 'Seats for Landing,' please do not be too disturbed by the passion. It is actually good for VS that you are hearing it. IMHO it is often, as has been pointed out her more than once, that the pointed comments on V-F are due to the longing for days past, consistency in service levels and meal quality, priority boarding, -- in general, what makes a good airline great.
That experienced V-Flyers are unwilling to surrender VS to mediocrity, that we long for a return to the days when VS was truly a 'cutting edge' carrier, that we desire to participate in serious dialog with VS and its team on how to improve -- all of this should provide a clear message to VS executives that there is a loyal core of customers out there who care enough to speak up versus simply voting with their wallets.
Just my two cents' worth, but spoken sincerely and with empathy for the challenges that crew and everyone else on the VS team encounter daily.
Chuck-
That experienced V-Flyers are unwilling to surrender VS to mediocrity, that we long for a return to the days when VS was truly a 'cutting edge' carrier, that we desire to participate in serious dialog with VS and its team on how to improve -- all of this should provide a clear message to VS executives that there is a loyal core of customers out there who care enough to speak up versus simply voting with their wallets.
Just my two cents' worth, but spoken sincerely and with empathy for the challenges that crew and everyone else on the VS team encounter daily.
Chuck-
We've got an opinion on this that could satisfy all.
What we feel is that because we, as Crew, stay in great places, really good hotels and fab destinations (most times, a few dodgy exceptions!) when we feel in need of a full blast at situational enjoyment, then destination is the best place for it. Go for it there we say, but don't do it onboard. It's easy to get giddy with great colleagues when the good stuff is flowing, but it's risky. We never indulge in front of our passengers onboard when we get the beloved upgrade, because we can just about guarantee that we would be spotted and reported.
UC is a place for dignity and quiet to be available to the customers if that is what they want. It is unbelievably easy to give the game away of being Crew, there is just something Crew-like about most of us. Once the 'guests' have twigged we are Crew, then they just naturally become slightly resentful, come on, of course they do! It's a fab perk we are enjoying, and if Crew do piss take by guzzling all the booze and commandeering the bar, then the paying passengers have the right to see their arse about it. We don't think the comments here are anti-Crew upgrade, they are just asking for respect, and to be honest, they shouldn't have to ask.
We stay quiet and definitely do not monopolise the Crew, and we would never put ourselves before the passengers. Surprised to hear about the broken table incident, the FSM should have sorted it discreetly and immediately. We both agree we could not have left a paying passenger with defective equipment, it would be unthinkable. Even if we had to introduce ourselves, and quietly explain we were staff, we would have offered to change seats.
It's nice to think many of the comments here feel we deserve a bit of spoiling for our hard work as Crew, and the company do also, so the best thing is to be gracious about it, enjoy it, and never jeopardise it. Happy result all round!
Love,
Liz & Julie x
What we feel is that because we, as Crew, stay in great places, really good hotels and fab destinations (most times, a few dodgy exceptions!) when we feel in need of a full blast at situational enjoyment, then destination is the best place for it. Go for it there we say, but don't do it onboard. It's easy to get giddy with great colleagues when the good stuff is flowing, but it's risky. We never indulge in front of our passengers onboard when we get the beloved upgrade, because we can just about guarantee that we would be spotted and reported.
UC is a place for dignity and quiet to be available to the customers if that is what they want. It is unbelievably easy to give the game away of being Crew, there is just something Crew-like about most of us. Once the 'guests' have twigged we are Crew, then they just naturally become slightly resentful, come on, of course they do! It's a fab perk we are enjoying, and if Crew do piss take by guzzling all the booze and commandeering the bar, then the paying passengers have the right to see their arse about it. We don't think the comments here are anti-Crew upgrade, they are just asking for respect, and to be honest, they shouldn't have to ask.
We stay quiet and definitely do not monopolise the Crew, and we would never put ourselves before the passengers. Surprised to hear about the broken table incident, the FSM should have sorted it discreetly and immediately. We both agree we could not have left a paying passenger with defective equipment, it would be unthinkable. Even if we had to introduce ourselves, and quietly explain we were staff, we would have offered to change seats.
It's nice to think many of the comments here feel we deserve a bit of spoiling for our hard work as Crew, and the company do also, so the best thing is to be gracious about it, enjoy it, and never jeopardise it. Happy result all round!
Love,
Liz & Julie x
Not all crew/staff on staff/business travel are the same. I have done lots of flights with both groups of staff on and not all are the same. Most do just keep themselves to themselves and are no bother however I do agree that some do make a pain of themselves and in that case the FSM/CSS should take control of the situation and put a stop to it.I have also been on flights where a J class customer has had a problem with their seat and I have known that there has been staff onbaord and have moved the J class customer to the working seat. However please bear in mind that we do not always know that we have staff in J. Due to paperwork being misplaced or not given to us by groundstaff.
Staff should not make a pain of themselves they should enjoy the seat and cabin they have got but not at teh expence of full fare paying customers however the same does apply to full fare paying customers. I have had to deal with many complaints from other full fare paying customers regarding other full fare paying customers who are being noisy and making a pain of themselves. Its not just staff/crew who behave that way. I know you have paid a lot but please like I would say to staff/crew think about the other people around you.
I have been a full fare paying customer in J recently my BF payed for us to travel confirmed. He is gold card holder and someone who uses this site who knew I was crew was very rude to me and my BF because he thought I was on staff travel all because my BF got his 1st choice of meal and he did not. The crew did not know I was crew I did not know any of them. so its not always staff/crew that cause the problems.
Staff should not make a pain of themselves they should enjoy the seat and cabin they have got but not at teh expence of full fare paying customers however the same does apply to full fare paying customers. I have had to deal with many complaints from other full fare paying customers regarding other full fare paying customers who are being noisy and making a pain of themselves. Its not just staff/crew who behave that way. I know you have paid a lot but please like I would say to staff/crew think about the other people around you.
I have been a full fare paying customer in J recently my BF payed for us to travel confirmed. He is gold card holder and someone who uses this site who knew I was crew was very rude to me and my BF because he thought I was on staff travel all because my BF got his 1st choice of meal and he did not. The crew did not know I was crew I did not know any of them. so its not always staff/crew that cause the problems.
I notice there is no denial that those are the rules. If that's so, they why are they being clearly broken as per the first-hand accounts on this thread?
Thanks
Darren
Darren
QUOTE: VIRGIN IS THE BEST I have been a full fare paying customer in J recently my BF payed for us to travel confirmed. He is gold card holder and someone who uses this site who knew I was crew was very rude to me and my BF because he thought I was on staff travel all because my BF got his 1st choice of meal and he did not. The crew did not know I was crew I did not know any of them. so its not always staff/crew that cause the problems.QUOTE
Wow, VITB did you put the person right as to your status onboard that day? How embarrassing for you, and especially since your BF had treated you both. Upsetting for him too. What was the outcome? We imagine that even being a passenger you could not have defended yourself effectively, because this person knew of your profession. We bet if you had been kneeling down to get a Knighthood it would still have been surpassed by the fact that you are Crew.
You are absolutely right about passenger misbehaviour, Lizzy had to step in recently to a VIP passenger who overdid it and set everyone complaining. The chap was a Scouser, and while they are generally fun, funny characters the accent does carry volume when using bad language.
Love,
Liz & Julie x
Wow, VITB did you put the person right as to your status onboard that day? How embarrassing for you, and especially since your BF had treated you both. Upsetting for him too. What was the outcome? We imagine that even being a passenger you could not have defended yourself effectively, because this person knew of your profession. We bet if you had been kneeling down to get a Knighthood it would still have been surpassed by the fact that you are Crew.
You are absolutely right about passenger misbehaviour, Lizzy had to step in recently to a VIP passenger who overdid it and set everyone complaining. The chap was a Scouser, and while they are generally fun, funny characters the accent does carry volume when using bad language.
Love,
Liz & Julie x
As for people not knowing how staff should behave its common sense really.
Julie, I did not put the customer right about my status as at the end of the day I am crew and work for the airline and would not want to get into an argument with one of our customers and its upto the crew to sort any problems out not customers, so my other half who is a gold card holder and should not be spoken to or treated like that by another customer or crew spoke to the FSM and informed them who what I was and requested that she tell the other customer the situation.
It still did not solve the problem I guess the other customers was thinking how can a crew member and his BF be full fare paying customers. Never mind.
Julie, I did not put the customer right about my status as at the end of the day I am crew and work for the airline and would not want to get into an argument with one of our customers and its upto the crew to sort any problems out not customers, so my other half who is a gold card holder and should not be spoken to or treated like that by another customer or crew spoke to the FSM and informed them who what I was and requested that she tell the other customer the situation.
It still did not solve the problem I guess the other customers was thinking how can a crew member and his BF be full fare paying customers. Never mind.
Of course, what a difficult situation for you VITB. We can imagine the atmosphere. When a thing like this happens you can never become 'unaware' of the rude person in the cabin, they stay in your mind and you sense them near all the time. Hope your trip was a good one though to makeup for this showing up. Do you know though, if that person hadn't said anything to you and BF and then actually been given the right story by the FSM, sure as eggs is eggs, they would have been on here complaining about the issue, with half the story. Can't win!
Lets face it, we're like that song:
'You're just an Air Crew dirt bag baby,
listen to passengers grumbling maybe,
You're just an Air Crew dirt bag baby, like us! Whoo oo oo!
You've got to laugh, or else you'd go Ryanair!
Big hugs,
Jue and Lizzy x
Lets face it, we're like that song:
'You're just an Air Crew dirt bag baby,
listen to passengers grumbling maybe,
You're just an Air Crew dirt bag baby, like us! Whoo oo oo!
You've got to laugh, or else you'd go Ryanair!
Big hugs,
Jue and Lizzy x
There are a number of us who, as staff, have put in complaints to the Director of Onboard Crew/Staff Travel (can't remember the exact title) re the behaviour/treatment of the bad staff travellers only to see it ignored. However recent staff changes at the top will hopefully mean that these complaints are followed up, and disciplinary action is taken as is threatened in the staff travel rulebook.
Originally posted by Liz and Julie
What we feel is that because we, as Crew, stay in great places, really good hotels and fab destinations (most times, a few dodgy exceptions!)
I'm always happy that crew stay in good hotels and enjoy their down time - I know that standing for long hours, serving customers, the pre-boarding time and all make it a long day, and as someone who works long days I emphathise.
Just one snippet - I once took the no. 1 on a luxury mini break (as Bridget Jones would say) to Rome, we flew Club on BA and I'd booked a very swanky 5* hotel in the centre of the city. I thought it a complete treat and it was as it turned out. Then as we were checking in a mini bus pulled up and out got the BA crew from our flight - I was surprised that BA had put them up in this hotel (at least from the rate I was paying), but got over it quickly. Now I make sure I book completely out of any airline's range [}:)] well, that is if the crew ever pull up behind me at the Peninsular I'll know not [:p], after all from Liz and Julie we know what you all get up to [:I].
There's a plane at JFK, to fly you back from far away
all those dark and frantic transatlantic miles
all those dark and frantic transatlantic miles
I would like to add my opinion as staff member who regularly makes trips, both on staff travel and for work. Luckily due to my job I very rarely get recognised as staff. Unfortunately there is an element of staff that abuse their perk. Often, as has been said they are friends of the operating cabin crew, so do you think they are going to get told off by the crew! If staff do have a complaint there is a procedure outlined on the company intranet under staff travel for contacting the staff travel managers....but as with anything like this, unless thy have the evidence.......I have seen some very poor behavior in one of the lounges by staff before a flight....think staff often forget who is paying their wages.....
Golf747 I have told operating crew with friends onboard and staff customers to behave. Please don't tarnish all crew with the same brush.Some of us do our jobs.
The last company I worked for (a utilities company) had it in the contract where even when you're not working, you're still representing the company. Anything the employee did that was deemed to show the company in bad light could result in disciplinary action.
I'm guessing that there is a clause in the VS contracts that is similiar. However, like some of the comments already posted, it's a case if a complaint is made, is it followed up and action taken (even a warning).
I'm guessing that there is a clause in the VS contracts that is similiar. However, like some of the comments already posted, it's a case if a complaint is made, is it followed up and action taken (even a warning).
Originally posted by Golf747
I have seen some very poor behavior in one of the lounges by staff before a flight....think staff often forget who is paying their wages.....
I have thought long and hard about this. The way I look at it is to put myself in the shoes of those with the perks. So, in my job, which involves an awful lot a client contact and a bit of entertaining, would I behave in a bad way knowing that my customers are looking on? I think not.
I guess the difference here is that almost all my customers I know personally (although mostly not socially) and therefore I would be minded not to do something that would injur the relationship. With crew, there is not that personal bit. Whether this should make any difference, though, myself I don't think so.
Cheers, Howard
Not sure that's a good idea. Might be considered provocative, especially if there are not crew....
Thanks
Darren
Darren
I really think this topic has hit hard to both pax and staff.
This is my first post and as someone previously said, I had to sign up as certain comments really made my blood boil!
I have been in the airline industry now for over 5 years (I realise a very short time in comparison to some) but I feel enough time to understand the way that the airline industry is currently having to work to remain profitable.
I have worked for 2 airlines in this time. BA as ground staff and presently crew with VS (and love it).
Whilst working for BA, my boyfriend began his career with VS as crew, so was lucky enough to use both my own concessions and his concessions when wishing to travel.
Even though I had a higher prority with my own BA tickets, their system is far, far less generous and if flying long haul would do all possible to ensure that I was flying Virgin, where possible (hence my eventual move over from BA to VS - regardless what anyone says about the money, I wish I had done it years ago! Alas, I digress!)
I have been lucky enough when travelling as a full fare paying passenger to travel in Y, on staff travel in W and when positioning as crew in J. I have also made 4 trips on a jumpseat.
My first point is that I would like to agree with everybody else on here , whether staff or passenger that I think it is absolutely disgusting that other staff may make a full fare paying passengers journey more uncomfortable in any way, shape or form.
I am by no means blowing my own trumpet but I hope I speak for the majority of staff who do not accept any of the additional items offered if seated in J (ie. sleep suit, amenity kit, services from IFBT, first choice of meal etc etc).
I have previously used the bar and would always ensure that I did not take the only seat available if the area was very full and would most certainly move if asked by crew or if another pax made it known that they wished to sit there.
I have also moved seat twice (once where I moved from J back to W) due to faulty tables/inop IFE, and rightly so. I am not going to pretend that had I been paying full fare I would even be able to afford W, so I am perfectly happy with just a seat (having jumpseated on many occasions - a risk you take on staff travel)
I have also moved when positioning for the same reason. Again, rightly so.
I realise that my post is a lengthy one (for my first at least!) but just wanted to express my personal feelings on the staff travel /staff upgrades debate;
Yes, I use my tickets and enjoy using them when I do, there are few industries that offer such great benefits... scrap that, there are few (if any) airlines that offer staff travel as generous as VS, HOWEVER I fully agree, full fare pax are those that have paid a hell of alot for that seat and therefore take priority.
After thinking of ways to write this post I see why it is such a sensitive topic and hope that both staff and passengers see this subject from each others perspectives.
Happy Flying
Gav xx
This is my first post and as someone previously said, I had to sign up as certain comments really made my blood boil!
I have been in the airline industry now for over 5 years (I realise a very short time in comparison to some) but I feel enough time to understand the way that the airline industry is currently having to work to remain profitable.
I have worked for 2 airlines in this time. BA as ground staff and presently crew with VS (and love it).
Whilst working for BA, my boyfriend began his career with VS as crew, so was lucky enough to use both my own concessions and his concessions when wishing to travel.
Even though I had a higher prority with my own BA tickets, their system is far, far less generous and if flying long haul would do all possible to ensure that I was flying Virgin, where possible (hence my eventual move over from BA to VS - regardless what anyone says about the money, I wish I had done it years ago! Alas, I digress!)
I have been lucky enough when travelling as a full fare paying passenger to travel in Y, on staff travel in W and when positioning as crew in J. I have also made 4 trips on a jumpseat.
My first point is that I would like to agree with everybody else on here , whether staff or passenger that I think it is absolutely disgusting that other staff may make a full fare paying passengers journey more uncomfortable in any way, shape or form.
I am by no means blowing my own trumpet but I hope I speak for the majority of staff who do not accept any of the additional items offered if seated in J (ie. sleep suit, amenity kit, services from IFBT, first choice of meal etc etc).
I have previously used the bar and would always ensure that I did not take the only seat available if the area was very full and would most certainly move if asked by crew or if another pax made it known that they wished to sit there.
I have also moved seat twice (once where I moved from J back to W) due to faulty tables/inop IFE, and rightly so. I am not going to pretend that had I been paying full fare I would even be able to afford W, so I am perfectly happy with just a seat (having jumpseated on many occasions - a risk you take on staff travel)
I have also moved when positioning for the same reason. Again, rightly so.
I realise that my post is a lengthy one (for my first at least!) but just wanted to express my personal feelings on the staff travel /staff upgrades debate;
Yes, I use my tickets and enjoy using them when I do, there are few industries that offer such great benefits... scrap that, there are few (if any) airlines that offer staff travel as generous as VS, HOWEVER I fully agree, full fare pax are those that have paid a hell of alot for that seat and therefore take priority.
After thinking of ways to write this post I see why it is such a sensitive topic and hope that both staff and passengers see this subject from each others perspectives.
Happy Flying
Gav xx
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