FlyEDI

I was on VS 46 from JFK to LHR last night, in Upper Class, in 22K.

When we boarded, the cabin was freezing. So cold in fact that the flight attendants were commenting on it. The Cabin Services Director, a Scottish guy,(no slur intended, I'm also Scottish) was brushing off comments from both passengers and flight attendants, saying that all would be fine in a few minutes.

20 minutes later, pre take off, if anything it was worse. I asked him, very quietly and politely, if anything could be done about the temperature.

He took this badly and started delivering a lecture, using the phrase 'I'm telling you' several times. Telling me that it was a presurisation issue, the heat couldn't be adjusted, we would just have to put up with it.

I said that I thought it was unusual, that I flew on 747-400s very regularly and I hadn't come across this. He told me that I couldn't have flown on these planes or I would know that this was normal.

He became quite abrasive then marched off. Meanwhile, the flight attendants were all still complaining, as were the passengers.

To have received behaviour like this in Economy would have been bad but to experience it in Upper Class, having paid thousands of pounds for my ticket, was quite unacceptable.

After almost 1.5 hours into the flight, the cabin became almost comfortable, but not quite.

On reflection, I should have got his name at the time but I didn't.

Is there anywhere that I can send my feedback and comments to, now that the flight is over?

UKtravelbear

Yes you can email VS customer services - there is an email address and web form on the website.

backdoc

I got 10K miles after writing them.

Steve

Nottingham Nick

I would certainly drop customer services a line, so they can have a word in his ear. I doesn't matter that you didn't get his name - date and flight number are all VS will need.

Nick

FlyEDI

Thanks Everyone, I'll do that.

at240

Sorry to hear about this -- sounds very poor. Let us know if you get a response?

I was going to make a joke about this being a Scottish approach to heating bills, but maybe now is not the right time.

FlyEDI

That's actually quite funny. We Scots can laugh at ourselves. Mostly.

kered

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gXtMcbaWaWc

FlyEDI

It's now a week since I emailed Virgin customer services.

Still no reply...

Nottingham Nick

For some reason know only to themselves, Virgin Atlantic think that in 2013, it is perfectly acceptable to have a standard reply time of 28 days to even the most simple of email complaints / comments.

Their Facebook team frequently have to remind correspondents of this when they wonder why their emails are apparently ignored after two or three weeks.

Nick

I_Can_Fly_US_Airways

Why is it that every time I read a Virgin Atlantic post, it's always a complaint, & NEVER a compliment???

Based up what I read on FT, I would NOT fly Virgin*

*And BTW Sir Richard...I DO HAVE A CHOICE in case you were wondering!

Jenbel

Because you chose to read those threads only?

ANstar

Because most people like to publicly complain on social media these days thinking they can get a quicker response/more compensation? OR you frequent the BA board?

Yahtzee

A few weeks ago, I posted a trip report in the trip reports forum that was very positive about Vs.

Nottingham Nick

Interesting debating point, maybe one worthy of its own thread.

My personal view is that this is by no means unique to VS, I think other FT boards have the same issues - Amex being a classic example. To read the posts there I often wonder why people stick with the brand.

I do think that people are more likely use the internet to report a negative experience than a positive one - whether this is with a view to shaming the airline into offering compensation, or making them (and others) aware of their shortcomings, who knows?

Slightly at a tangent, If you think it is bad here, have a read of the VS Facebook pages! The majority of people on here are seasoned travellers and accept that fare rules, delays and occasional bad experiences are an unwelcome fact of life for regular fliers. On Facebook however there are more people who have saved for a once a year trip and when it doesn't all go swimmingly, they really let the airline know about it. For example I have lost count of the number of threads there are from people who have booked a trip for a family or party, then one person can't go - the fact that they can't just change a name on a ticket is incomprehensible and very poor customer service! Just one example. But, at least VS allow critical posts to be posted (and remain) on their pages (unlike another British Airline )

I have had my fair share of moans and niggles at VS over the years (don't get me started on fuel surcharges on reward tickets), but still believe that pound for pound, they are at least as good as other transatlantic carriers. However, I still moan at them because I don't like the fact that they are the thing that have become - an okay airline. I want more!

When I first flew with them in 1984, they were different, they were innovative and made other airlines copy them. I am not so sure this is still the case any more. I know people at Crawley read airline discussion sites - I just hope they take the constructive, evidenced criticism on board, and do something about it. The opening post in this thread is a classic example of something that needs fixing, and could be done easily with a bit of advice / re-training.

The simple fact remains though, in the big picture they have had to make cost savings in order to stay in business - have they cut too far? That is the debate for me.

I think in the past 12 months with the re-furbed LGW fleet, the other new a/c and improvements to in-flight catering, they are starting to move up the pack again. They are not perfect by a long chalk, but I am not sure there is much greener grass out there, whichever fence you hop over. I hope their improvement continues.

Nick