I think I made this point before in one of my first postings and is as follows:
A delay of 4 hours for an aircraft going tech and a request to upgrade (initially F.O.C for the inconvenience) which then turned to 'i'll pay'.
After being consistently advised that and upgrade was not available, paid for or otherwise, it frustrated the hell out of me to see crew upgraded to some empty seats in UC and PE.
I think when anyone dissects the issues with VS it has to be consistency. Whether it is consistency of food, booking experience, on board etc.
Crew do deserve perks but not at the expense of paying pax.
I've seen this before when Crew have been moved up front, after the door has shut, when passengers have been told there are no seats available for Mileage Upgrades as there are no seats. The same FSM told me that they are not allowed to do it and risk their job.
So now I pay attention to when the door shuts, and look out for people being moved, pretty much happens on every flight I make.
So now I pay attention to when the door shuts, and look out for people being moved, pretty much happens on every flight I make.
just as an aside
the only 'perk' I was ever offered as a nurse and at the time a patient having had major surgery was a sideroom (private room)
i declined the offer as in my experience as a nurse the 'private room' was always for the dying
not good I know but at least the perks of flying are a seat in whatever class and not a bed for 'highway to heaven!!
OMG the other perk was hospital porridge [:$] at breaktime with extra bran thrown in for 'regulation', how could i forget
scarlet (woo hoo tickets came today!!!)
the only 'perk' I was ever offered as a nurse and at the time a patient having had major surgery was a sideroom (private room)
i declined the offer as in my experience as a nurse the 'private room' was always for the dying
not good I know but at least the perks of flying are a seat in whatever class and not a bed for 'highway to heaven!!
OMG the other perk was hospital porridge [:$] at breaktime with extra bran thrown in for 'regulation', how could i forget
scarlet (woo hoo tickets came today!!!)
Some very good posts on here made interesting reading... Whilst not wanting to reopen a can of worms, I have a couple of questions, just out of curiosity. If I am out of order I am sorry.
Some of the posts refer to up to 7,8+ staff on a particular flight. That sounds a heck of alot!! Is this normal?
Is it company policy or 'just the done thing' to upgrade your friends who are travelling with you? Do the pilots/SFM have more 'power' to do it than other crew?
BTW I have no connection with VS, and I think all this upgrade stuff seems a fair enough perk unless at the expense of the paying customer. I have flown VS and I think the staff work very hard.
Some of the posts refer to up to 7,8+ staff on a particular flight. That sounds a heck of alot!! Is this normal?
Is it company policy or 'just the done thing' to upgrade your friends who are travelling with you? Do the pilots/SFM have more 'power' to do it than other crew?
BTW I have no connection with VS, and I think all this upgrade stuff seems a fair enough perk unless at the expense of the paying customer. I have flown VS and I think the staff work very hard.
I've seen 8+ in one cabin alone, and that was a 14 seat cabin. Doesn't bother me as long as they don't take the piss or make my travel experience uncomfortable.
We saw around 20 family and friends on our MRU UC flight. Extra food was loaded and EVERYONE behaved superbly so there was absolutely no issue. There are strict rules over who can be upgraded and when. As a rule upgrades can only be sanctioned by ground staff and on board upgrades are theoretically verboten.
Whats everyones opinion on Agents getting upgrades? Should Agents be given an upgrade where seats are available as a thank you from the airline for sales/incentive for further sales - or would that be more annoying to revenue paying passengers?
Originally posted by barnstaple
Whats everyones opinion on Agents getting upgrades? Should Agents be given an upgrade where seats are available as a thank you from the airline for sales/incentive for further sales - or would that be more annoying to revenue paying passengers?
If the rules are followed, and the Agent is duly discrete, how would a passenger know?
On the other hand, if an Agent wants to brag about getting a seat for next to nothing, then they deserve every ounce of wrath.
We all accept that Op-Ups are now more often than not undertaken with a commercial intention, so if the airline feels it appropriate to upgrade an Agent or a passenger from a commercially important company, then so be it.
buns
When I was flying home from SYD on VS I witnessed an upgrade onboard where a member of staff from a competitor airline (a well known Australian one - he still had his lanyard on) who was sat next to me in Y on a VS flight was upgraded to PE onboard once we had taken off.
I wasn't sure what to make of that one at the time.
Regards
I wasn't sure what to make of that one at the time.
Regards
Regards
James Mitchell
James Mitchell
#456784 by Guest
12 Oct 2008, 23:28
12 Oct 2008, 23:28
Originally posted by bunsOriginally posted by barnstaple
Whats everyones opinion on Agents getting upgrades? Should Agents be given an upgrade where seats are available as a thank you from the airline for sales/incentive for further sales - or would that be more annoying to revenue paying passengers?
If the rules are followed, and the Agent is duly discrete, how would a passenger know?
On the other hand, if an Agent wants to brag about getting a seat for next to nothing, then they deserve every ounce of wrath.
We all accept that Op-Ups are now more often than not undertaken with a commercial intention, so if the airline feels it appropriate to upgrade an Agent or a passenger from a commercially important company, then so be it.
buns
It makes no odds to me if an Agent, Crewstaff or families off or other PAX (be them Gold or not) get an Op Up - I would expect them all to be discrete about it and not detract from the service that others have paid £ or miles for.
Hackneyguy
Upgrades for agents?
My thoughts would be; as a reward for selling x number of flights - an excellent idea.
The problem as I see it (though barnstaple will be able to correct me if I have a misconception), is that we no longer live in a corner shop society where the Travel Agent is a person who you deal with on a one to one basis.
The majority of flights are sold by the huge High Street conglomerates and massive websites. In which case, who gets the upgrades? The telephone agent or the senior executive?
Just a thought.
Nick
My thoughts would be; as a reward for selling x number of flights - an excellent idea.
The problem as I see it (though barnstaple will be able to correct me if I have a misconception), is that we no longer live in a corner shop society where the Travel Agent is a person who you deal with on a one to one basis.
The majority of flights are sold by the huge High Street conglomerates and massive websites. In which case, who gets the upgrades? The telephone agent or the senior executive?
Just a thought.
Nick
Originally posted by Nottingham Nick
Upgrades for agents?
My thoughts would be; as a reward for selling x number of flights - an excellent idea.
The problem as I see it (though barnstaple will be able to correct me if I have a misconception), is that we no longer live in a corner shop society where the Travel Agent is a person who you deal with on a one to one basis.
The majority of flights are sold by the huge High Street conglomerates and massive websites. In which case, who gets the upgrades? The telephone agent or the senior executive?
Just a thought.
Nick
Bet it's not the hard working, humble telephone agent[?]
Originally posted by mitchja
When I was flying home from SYD on VS I witnessed an upgrade onboard where a member of staff from a competitor airline (a well known Australian one - he still had his lanyard on) who was sat next to me in Y on a VS flight was upgraded to PE onboard once we had taken off.
I have seen this regularly on the JER-LGW route on BA particularly with (BA and non-BA) cockpit crew who wait until everyone else has boarded, then hang around the forward galley chatting up the cabin crew for a seat in front of the curtain.
I also was somewhat surprised at a VS cabin crew member blagging entry to the BA lounge in front of me at JER last month!
H
Ah. I hadn't noticed this thread. I've just posted something pertaining to this topic here:
http://www.v-flyer.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=26528
http://www.v-flyer.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=26528
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