I survived the Alitalia five - on facebook

What chance do we have of improved service if we continue to focus on what a very few have said on a website?
It is not just one way!
Only a few - but that does not help with either group.

Sweeping generalisation, blaming all crew or classifying all passengers is equally bad.

If we want better service, surely we must work together.
How does name-calling, threats to book elsewhere and demands for dismissal help anyone?

Instead of adversarial posts, antagonism and threats, surely it is better to leave this to be sorted internally - both by VS management and by VS crew. We have seen what most crew think of this matter - they know who is responsible - consider what their reaction is likely to be to the culprits.

I totally agree HG, I used to fly BA at the front of the plane for business which was fine, but when the family flew economy we were treated like cattle. When VA started up I switched and they are still my favourite airline. Yes I do get some disappointing flights occasionally, and I am bemused at some of the cost cutting decisions, but I know from my business that it is impossible to get it spot on all of the time. I have travelled with VA on business, with young babies, toddlers, teenagers and now young adults and it works at every level.

The internet becomes a dangerous tool when hard earned reputations can potentially be ruined at the press of a button.
The CC concerned may have been young and immature but if they can't work out this was inappropriate, I am not convinced I want them making safety decisions on my flights.

Why all the hoo ha? I must admit that I have been called much worse than a Chav in the past and it bothers me not. Some CC have made what could be perceived by some to be inappropriate comments, haven't we all at some time or another? Get over it. As regards the safety issues,allegedly one aircraft had four engine changes in a year. So what? That just goes to prove that maintenance issues are being dealt with in an appropriate manner![:(!]

Regards
Bryan

Originally posted by sixdownkeepsafedepth
Why all the hoo ha? I must admit that I have been called much worse than a Chav in the past and it bothers me not.

Bryan, I think the difference is that, unless you're Max Mosley [:0], we don't tend to pay thousands of pounds to be insulted.

The old adage - 'Don't bite the hand that feeds you'.



[size=4]edited because I realised there is a difference between 'your' and 'you're' when I read it back - doh![/size=4]

Originally posted by spiceke

Originally posted by sixdownkeepsafedepth
Why all the hoo ha? I must admit that I have been called much worse than a Chav in the past and it bothers me not.

Bryan, I think the difference is that, unless your Max Mosley [:0], we don't tend to pay thousands of pounds to be insulted.

The old adage - 'Don't bite the hand that feeds you'.

In a nutshell [oo]

Max Mosley? Ah yes the thwack of leather on buttock, the scrape of razor on bum, the 'sexy' bark of German Ð 'she needs more of ze punishment!'[:D]

Whoops I digress. Let us face facts. Virgin Atlantic per se, have in no way insulted 'the hand that feeds them'. A couple of spotty faced juvenile company employees posted on a website. The company as we would all expect will take the appropriate action. The perpetuation of what is actually an irrelevant issue continues on both this website and in the media. As I previously commented - Get over it!!![;)]

Regards
Bryan

Well..out of 6 return flights through Virgin (ie 12 experiences) 2 were really awful and the others were ok. The 2 that were terrible , the crew were almost annoyed with the passengers and busy chatting amongst themselves and rushing for a rest at the back. I was ignored for 30 minutes whilst trying to get some milk for my toddler as the crew were covering themselves in blankets near the back. In the end I turned around and said 'excuse me' loud enough for them to hear and one girl stood up and went , 'for gods sake...what'. That was my first experience of Virgin on May 1st 2000 and I felt like a second class nuisance. The other time wasn't as bad , but still memorable. I only returned because BA flies ancient aircraft to Orlando and I won't fly on a twin engine aircraft.
I used to work in the casino industry and its very 'them and us' there aswell...we had training sessions every three months to remind us of our role and also what is not acceptable behaviour. I think this could help here. Also regular crew shift arounds would stop the clickiness. I am not sure if that happens.

As for the facebook thing...their IQs were missing when they collectively did this...I mean you can say its nothing and that it doen't matter and its just a bit of fun , but as a passenger...it pi##ed me off no end. I know there can be difficult passengers but they are in the people business...if they dont like it...they should leave. And the comments on the aircraft made an already nervous flyer....cakk a little bit more...cheers!

The comments have been made on Facebook/Internet, lets see the Disciplining of these foolish individuals on the Internet, maybe then and only then will people start to think what they are doing?

If they are identified, then an airline career is finished and would you want to employ someone who has no respect for their employer[?][n]

Oh, I forgot...There's too many bloody do gooders around to let this happen[}:)]

I understand that gross misconduct charges have been brought against these 12 individuals and some were recalled from trips,

Virgin are taking the correct action.

I agree that Virgin are taking the right action here, but I do hope it doesn't ever dissuade a genuinely concerned employee from going public if an important issue can't be dealt with through the proper procedures, obviously.

(...and that doesn't include calling me a chav!) [V]

The facebook 13 have been sacked and a lesson learnt by everyone I'm sure!

[Darren Wheeler]

Thanks for the update on this. I take it there has been an official announcement internal to VS, rather than the rumour mill at work?

While i take no pleasure to hear that they have lost their jobs and livelihood, it is a reminder that even on the internet you cannot say what ever you want with no regard to the consequences.

Something born out by messers Brand and Ross.

Yep official announcement.

[Nottingham Nick]

Originally posted by virginboy747
Yep official announcement.

Wow, I must say that does surprise me in several respects.
Firstly the speed - did they have time to set up a full hearing, with Trade Union representation to mitigate?
I am also surprised that all 13 have been sacked. Not all of them could have set the site up. Did all 13 make reference to death traps / chavs, or whatever phrase sealed their fate?
There were more than 13 members of the site, so it appears there were only two levels of guilt in management eyes - absolute and nil. [?]

If the Unions have anything about them, I can't see this being the end of the matter, but then the union didn't exactly appear to cover itself in glory during the pay dispute, so maybe that is the end of it.

13 careers down the toilet. [B)]

Nick

[Scrooge]

Well at least it was only the people that posted and not all that joined.

Originally posted by virginboy747
Yep official announcement.

I found this:

http://uk.reuters.com/article/topNews/i ... HY20081031

[RichardMannion]

One news piece:
http://news.uk.msn.com/Article.aspx?cp- ... d=10560484

Originally posted by Nottingham Nick
Firstly the speed - did they have time to set up a full hearing, with Trade Union representation to mitigate?
I am also surprised that all 13 have bee

There were more than 13 members of the site, so it appears there were only two levels of guilt in management eyes - absolute and nil. [?]

13 careers down the toilet. [B)]

I'm not surprised at all, bringing the company into disrepute, gross negligence and some other types of behaviour can easily lead to summary dismissal. In this case the facts appear to be out there and many would say there's no dispute about them, even a union representative may not be able to mount a defence - the name calling was perhaps one thing, the idiocy of publicly questioning safety standards something else altogether and I'd surmise that that was what did 'em in.

Stupid behaviour, ultimate sanction faced.

I'm not sorry to say I think they deserved it. I feel the same about people who get scammed and give away their bank details in response to spurious emails. There's this utter suspension of reality exhibited by some when using the Web.

[Scrooge]

Newton's thierd law pretty much covers it.

Thats a shame, perhaps a final warning would have done it, but it was VA's call what to do about this, they did bring it down on themselves and undermined their workmates too. May be the end of 13 careers but the beginning for 13 other people who won't have contempt for pax, fellow staff and the company.

Sure the union will have been informed but a union really should never be free get out of jail/goal card.

[Nottingham Nick]

The BBC's take on it.
and The Sun's

I have to say the Sun wins the prize for the best picture IMHO, a great shot of Ruby Tuesday. [8D][:D]

Nick

[Darren Wheeler]

Originally posted by easygoingeezer
May be the end of 13 careers but the beginning for 13 other people who won't have contempt for pax, fellow staff and the company.

As always, words of wisdom from you EGG.

I wonder if these 13 will now start another one 'Oh Sh*t we never survived the Alitalia five' or something like that?

[buns]

The outcome was almost inevitable; there was little mitigation that could have been put forward and once it was obvious the public reaction was clearly hostile then the reputation of VS was on the line.

Whilst the BBC Headline talks of 'Sack', in the piece VS says 'leaving the Company'

Either way I am sure these people now rue the day they entered the world of Facebook

buns