Not impressed with lack of champagne (LHR-MIA)

I flew LHR-MIA (UC) a couple of weeks back and really wasn't impressed by the lack of champagne on the flight.

Flight took off at 9.20am. I decided to be good and not drink this early (I stuck to orange juice/water). A few people had a pre-departure champagne, but not alot (as I saw the drinks go past). Anyway, I thought that the pre-departure champagne was from a different allotment of champagne (for tax purposes...)?

Flight took off and virtually everyone in UC settled down for a snooze opting for lunch to be served a 2/2.5 hours into the flight (since many people had just had breakfast in the Clubhouse - no-one wanted lunch yet). We did the same. I requested, and received a glass of champagne just before my meal. When I received my main course, I requested a top up. The Flight Attendant came back and apologised that they had run out of champagne! I asked whether they had any other sparkling wine (no they didn't) or even if they had anything in economy (no, they don't serve sparkling wine in economy). I was not impressed at all: we were 3 hours into a day flight, hardly anyone had been drinking for the first 2.5 hours of the 9 hour flight (unless someone on the top deck was downing bottles of champagne... [ii] ) and we were now out of champagne [n]. Now there are two different champagnes listed on the inflight menu - did they only load one bottle of each?

I am not a big drinker. I don't really like wine much at all, but I love champagne (it is what I drink - about a bottle a week [:I] - at home). So to be flying UC and have a one glass ration is incredibly annoying.

I have read about this happening on here before. What is the best way to complain? Assuming that we fly Virgin again sometime soon, I don't really want to get caught like this again. ALthough maybe the answer is to buy a couple of mini bottles in dutyfree and ask for it to be chilled when I get on the plane - could be Virgin's new advertising line 'Fly Upper Class and BYOB' [ii]

The rest of the flight and the crew were lovely. I liked the cauliflour cheese soup, the steak pie and the sticky toffee pudding (asked for and got some ice cream to go with it too).

Boo

[Darren Wheeler]

A bit poor I have to say. How would they cope with a V-Flyer flight?

As for BYOB, nope, not allowed. There is usually an announcement prior to take-off advising that only alcohol obtained from the crew may be consumed. All to do with the duty free regulations I believe.

This is interesting. I flew LHR-JFK a month back and, whilst sitting at the onboard bar just after the seatbelt sign had gone off, I overheard an exchange between two of the Flight Attendants along the lines of 'Shall we open this or save it for the return flight?' 'Just tell them we've run out of champagne'.

On the flight back, they had 'run out of champagne' by the time the seatbelt signs came off.

Now, it seems to be that VS is cutting corners here, in an area where they REALLY shouldn't - not when pax are paying upwards of £3000 for a flight.

Skimping on hot breakfasts in economy is bad enough, but not having champers available on UC is pretty poor.

Originally posted by Darren Wheeler
A bit poor I have to say. How would they cope with a V-Flyer flight?

One thimble-full each? [:(]

Originally posted by Darren Wheeler
As for BYOB, nope, not allowed. There is usually an announcement prior to take-off advising that only alcohol obtained from the crew may be consumed. All to do with the duty free regulations I believe.

I was sort of joking (sort of!) [}:)]

Originally posted by Badhorsey
This is interesting. I flew LHR-JFK a month back and, whilst sitting at the onboard bar just after the seatbelt sign had gone off, I overheard an exchange between two of the Flight Attendants along the lines of 'Shall we open this or save it for the return flight?' 'Just tell them we've run out of champagne'.

On the flight back, they had 'run out of champagne' by the time the seatbelt signs came off.

Now, it seems to be that VS is cutting corners here, in an area where they REALLY shouldn't - not when pax are paying upwards of £3000 for a flight.

Skimping on hot breakfasts in economy is bad enough, but not having champers available on UC is pretty poor.

Interesting!

I feel sorry for the crew - it really isn't in a nice position to be in (to have to say that you have run out...). I feigned a heart-attack when I was told that they had run out, she did apologise profusely and I said that there was no need and that it wasn't her fault at all...

If anyone has an idea how best to complain about this, then I will do: I think it is very poor and it doesn't help put UC in a good light for returning passengers... We fly 2/3 longhaul business class returns a year (for pleasure) and there is plenty of choice of carier out there... [:?]

Boo

[HighFlyer]

Boo,

I'd write or send an email to customer relations. You may have to wait a few weeks for a reply but I have usually had a good personal reply from them. It sounds like either cost cutting or that not enough Champagne was loaded on the flight.

Thanks,
Sarah

Sadly Boo Boo this is a frequent issue on VS flights - either an hour, or three hours in or sometimes very quickly the champagne runs out. It is scandalous that VS do this, you are welcome to join my campaign to bombard VS customer services with complaints and I encourage everyone who witnesses this to do the same.

It's not even as if there are good wine options either ... and I personally am fed up with being served BBR fizzy and told it's champagne, it's not and we know the difference.

I too pity the crew for being put in such a situation either by bad planning or pure penny pinching.

[RichardMannion]

Well given the way the staff travelling on the Friday flight to MIA were going through alcohol and champagne in Upper, it's no surprise. And what was that bit about not crowding the bar and spending too long there?

Originally posted by RichardMannion
Well given the way the staff travelling on the Friday flight to MIA were going through alcohol and champagne in Upper, it's no surprise. And what was that bit about not crowding the bar and spending too long there?

Do tell more?

Thanks Slinky, will join the 'campaign to sort out the champagne'... I am not normally much of a complainer, BUT this peeves me and (because of reading this forum) I know that it is far from a 'one off'. A 'one off' is perhaps acceptable (things happen sometimes - you have to 'go witht he flow and accept things'), but if Virgin are regularly SEVERELY under-supplying it's flights...[V]

Thank you very much, highflyer, for the email address [:)]

Boo

[RichardMannion]

I'm not complaining as such, as Sarah and I were OpUpped to Upper - we booked very last minute as such to go to FLorida this past weekend to join a few other V-Flyers for Halloween Horror Night at Universal, and the Food and Wine Festival at Epcot.

The entire plane was full, and I had been informed that there were a lot of staff travelling. Sure enough during the meal requests the manifest the crew had showed a large number of staff travelling in the cabin. The lady next to me was a family member of one of the crew and was very well behaved, and stayed in her suite. As for the wannabee WAG's down the front and further back, well... they sat at the front of the plane talkign for ages rather loudly about perfume from duty free and spraying various scents. Then they disappeared enmasse to the bar, where they were for a very long time, I managed to watch over 4 hours of films with no sign of them. When I did get up later on to go and get a drink there was a hen-night crowd round the bar with all stools full. I did go back later on about an hor before we landed to get another drink and some of them were still there drinking alcohol. Nice to see them using the amenity kits too.

Not a great advert for the company, and if I had paid miles or cash for the flight in Upper, I wouldn't have been amused.

The crew were very good though in terms of service delivery - there were a couple of crew looking after Sarah and I, and I can't fault them.

Sounds like a rather odd flight... great to be op-uped, but not the best in terms of environments...

On our flight out to Miami there was a little boy (7 years old) and his dad in the nose section with us. The boy was very well behaved, but rather loud (you know, one of those loud kids whose voices you can't cut out even with ear plugs in) and talked for virtually all of the 8/9 hour flight... His Dad was fantastic with him - reading him stories, snuggled up to him in his suite etc. Great child and great parent, just wish the kid had a volume button... [:w]

I think that if I had been on your flight, I wouldn't have been thrilled: I really like a quiet, calm cabin when I travel... normally I sleep quite a lot, even on day flights. [|)]

Our crew were great too - one of the two main ladies that looked after us seemed very new, but she was so enthusiastic and lovely.

Hope that you had a good time in Florida. We flew back on Sunday (on CO via Houston) and the weather was rather dismal in the Miami area (we had been on a cruise). We went to the EPCOT food and wine festival last year and had a very enjoyable time eating our way around the World Showcase... [:D]

Boo

We had exactly the same problem on our return from SFO last month . One glass of champagne pre-departure and then all gone. Absolutely no port at all either (all consumed on outbound flight).Pretty poor really in a premium cabin.
ISTBC Richard, but the rules on staff travel are clearly defined, and should be observed by crew travellers (who are certainly aware of their existence).The crowding of the bar by staffers (and drinking it virtually dry) are not acceptable.Smacks of poor leadership from the FSM (who should have dealt with the situation from the off).

They serve Champagne in UC[:0]

Miopyk[8D]

They will say its to save weight and the empties are got rid of before take off, always an excuse.

What if we pre-order those mini bottles can we drink them?

If Virgin can't provide the product they shouldn't advertise it!

It has happened on a number of occasions, to me, when returning MCO LGW. They never have sparkling water on the return either!

Originally posted by easygoingeezer
What if we pre-order those mini bottles can we drink them?

Absolutely!! Splendid idea EGG! But b****r the little bottles -a couple of proper sized ones are called for methinks.[:D]

Originally posted by DragonLady
The crowding of the bar by staffers (and drinking it virtually dry) are not acceptable.

Too bloody right! That's the job of V-Flyers...

Originally posted by mdvipond

Originally posted by DragonLady
The crowding of the bar by staffers (and drinking it virtually dry) are not acceptable.

Too bloody right! That's the job of V-Flyers...

Mojitos,champagne, port.....whatever.Somebody please get all the v-flyer lushes on a flight simultaneously[}:)]

I believe my flight last week only had 2 bottles on board - which were duly finished [:I]

David

It's like two extremes though, isn't it? I've been on one flight recently where they ran out of the champagne as soon as we were airborne. But on another flight, there was champagne in abundance (which I made a great dent in). You just never know what to expect.

[honey lamb]

Originally posted by DragonLady

Originally posted by mdvipond

Originally posted by DragonLady
The crowding of the bar by staffers (and drinking it virtually dry) are not acceptable.

Too bloody right! That's the job of V-Flyers...

Mojitos,champagne, port.....whatever.Somebody please get all the v-flyer lushes on a flight simultaneously[}:)]

For shame, Dragon Lady! You forgot the Tanqueray Ten and tonic [V]

It says on the VA pre-order site that bubbly can be pre ordered and drunk any time during the flight so I will get one to be on the safe side, if I don't need it, it will do for the limo after.

Originally posted by honey lamb

Originally posted by DragonLady

Originally posted by mdvipond
[quote]Originally posted by DragonLady
The crowding of the bar by staffers (and drinking it virtually dry) are not acceptable.

Too bloody right! That's the job of V-Flyers...

Mojitos,champagne, port.....whatever.Somebody please get all the v-flyer lushes on a flight simultaneously[}:)]

For shame, Dragon Lady! You forgot the Tanqueray Ten and tonic [V]
[/quote]
Sorry HL. How remiss of me[:I].

Originally posted by easygoingeezer
It says on the VA pre-order site that bubbly can be pre ordered and drunk any time during the flight so I will get one to be on the safe side, if I don't need it, it will do for the limo after.

Sparkling idea EGG [:p]