Chalk and (no) cheese experience

[SuzieQ68]

Interesting thought from kalboy that you may have actually been given Y service without crew even realising it. Your BP did have Business written on it, right?

Yes, it actually was on a SQ Business Class BP so quite clear.

Agree with you re the majority of VA J crew providing excellent service. This would be the first time we've experienced what could only be described as a complete lack of customer service. It seemed like the party atmosphere of Bali overlapped into the professional world of work.

 

[anat0l]

For the business class red eye service it is a supper soup with a dessert and warm bakery and then a cold breakfast (usually Bircher muesli, cut fruit and warm bakery) closer to arrival.

Yep, this is the same for red-eye services from PER to the east coast.

I don't know if there is a service difference between the B737 and A330. I flew on the former on a red-eye service and that's all we were offered on the menu. I assume the pantry items might have been available, however I didn't attempt to find out as I tried to sleep for most of the flight, skipping all meal services.

So for a complaint, I guess one could complain why there isn't more than just soup, though that's not a service failure in and of itself. The other points are more pressing, as is a story as relayed by N860CR, which is so incredible I want to say I do not believe it.

 

[Mattg]

Seems like there were a few problems.

For the business class red eye service it is a supper soup with a dessert and warm bakery and then a cold breakfast (usually Bircher muesli, cut fruit and warm bakery) closer to arrival. All business class meal items departing DPS are made in DPS.

Economy will only have cheese and crackers loaded if it is a quick turnaround in DPS as they are loaded from Australia (product not available in DPS) and if the turnaround is too long they do not meet food safety requirements.

I am sure with the feedback provided the cabin crew will be contacted to find out what happened.

The customer service issues aside, am I the only person that finds that catering appalling? I would be disappointed with that catering in either class. Seriously, nothing but cheese and crackers for economy?! These flights are up to 6 hours long, and VA's airfares are not cheap.

 

[Fiches Mouser]

The customer service issues aside, am I the only person that finds that catering appalling? I would be disappointed with that catering in either class. Seriously, nothing but cheese and crackers for economy?! These flights are up to 6 hours long, and VA's airfares are not cheap.

I didn't realise that was all Y pax were given! I assumed it was a snack. No meal in a 6 hour flight is pretty cruel.

 

[anat0l]

The customer service issues aside, am I the only person that finds that catering appalling? I would be disappointed with that catering in either class. Seriously, nothing but cheese and crackers for economy?! These flights are up to 6 hours long, and VA's airfares are not cheap.

I didn't realise that was all Y pax were given! I assumed it was a snack. No meal in a 6 hour flight is pretty cruel.

I guess it's a red-eye so they're not budgeting on many people eating, but sleeping instead. I wonder if they get something for breakfast, e.g. breakfast bar, piece of fruit etc.

Another thought is that they're encouraging people to purchase from the menu.

 

[Moopere]

I won't be trying VA international on a 737 again having now done HKT and DPS (in J). The hard product is so bad that even if the crew do their utmost you're still only going to have a very ordinary experience. When you get a less than premium crew then that experience quickly descends into highly uncomfortable.

As others have said, given the whole experience, from boarding in DPS on the sweaty bus, through to on-board, its going to be better served with TT ... a least the PAX won't end up disappointed - you know what you are getting with the bottom end LCC's and can really only be surprised in a good way (ie; good crew!).

I'll probably try GA J next trip to DPS

 

[bubblyguy]

Cheese and crackers are NOT available ex DPS. Pantry cheese plates for business are available from DPS on services that are not red eyes.

A full hot meal service is completed ex DPS for Economy on all flights including red eyes. Some would say Economy service is better than Business Class on the red eye. Can always get an economy meal plated up if you desire.

Business Class used to have choice between soup and a hot item on supper service such as a toasted panini or sandwich but due to lack of popularity these were removed.

 

[anat0l]

A full hot meal service is completed ex DPS for Economy on all flights including red eyes. Some would say Economy service is better than Business Class on the red eye. Can always get an economy meal plated up if you desire.

I'd say even a TV-dinner style Y meal from VA would be better than just soup in Business Class! I know that some soups are pretty good - the quality of soups across both carriers running in J is generally quite dependable - though I guess soup might not cut it to some. However, I thought that most VA flights (with J) also have the pantry selection of snacks. Whilst those snacks are not a meal in and of themselves, they can tide over the peckish traveller. Particularly if one hasn't been able to procure a decent meal in the lounge in DPS, or even in the terminal (the latter might be a bit harder to believe, but maybe some just aren't prepared to pay for food when they have lounge access!)

With some pantry items and the warm bakery on board, you could probably improvise some interesting combinations (chip sandwich anyone?)

Do Economy pax get anything before landing on a red-eye from DPS, or only one included meal service?

 

[bubblyguy]

VA does no additional service prior to landing on red eyes on these flights in Economy. Long haul international of course do get breakfast service.

Haven't done a QF red eye lately but the latest one I did there was a quick run through the cabin with bottled juices which is a nice touch.

 

[N860CR]

Can you please lodge a complaint about this?

This is utterly disgusting and the FA should be let go.

Yeah I sent through some feedback. Got the generic response. Hopefully it managed to get to the right people though

 

[Captain hum]

We now fly BNE-SYD and pick up the SYD-DPS service with Garuda. J class is a delight ( full service, lie flat beds etc etc. ) and only $100 or so more than VA J class. ( which is a joke on the 737)

 

[bullerdude]

Yeah I sent through some feedback. Got the generic response. Hopefully it managed to get to the right people though

Email them back again stating that their response if unacceptable given the completely underwhelming level of service you received.

I usually find that it take 2-3 emails to get past the generic responses prior to someone actually providing a genuine response and passing on the feedback to the relevant department.

 

[Fiches Mouser]

Email them back again stating that their response if unacceptable given the completely underwhelming level of service you received.

I usually find that it take 2-3 emails to get past the generic responses prior to someone actually providing a genuine response and passing on the feedback to the relevant department.

Definitely! Don't let them brush you off!

 

[medhead]

I have no issue with the generic brush off replies from airlines. It just makes my choices easier to know that they clearly don't want my money.

 

[anat0l]

I have no issue with the generic brush off replies from airlines. It just makes my choices easier to know that they clearly don't want my money.

It is still a tough choice when it's essentially a two horse - or maybe, two mule or two donkey - race!

 

[medhead]

It is still a tough choice when it's essentially a two horse - or maybe, two mule or two donkey - race!

The level of sincerity in their response to feedback then becomes a useful determining factor.

 

[i_hate_the_tulla_freeway]

The problem with VA is that they are consistently inconsistent. I've had some terrific flights with them and some real shockers, including in J. The youthful skew of their cabin crew is a significant factor. The eye candy is all well and good but there are some afternoons when I just want my glass topped up and it leaves me cold when the FA in the J cabin draws the curtain to chow down on a snack/meal and have a chit chat another crew member and ignores the pax.

I find myself sending more and more of my business to QF. Their cabin crew are usually much older but gee, even in the Y cabin, they run rings around the VA crews. With age comes comes some class.

 

[SuzieQ68]

Received a call today from one of the VA Guest Relations Team in relation to my 'feedback' (refer initial post for details). She was absolutely lovely, apologised on behalf of VA for the lack of service/F&B and provided an explanation about the lack of F&B on the DPS route. I think it has been mentioned in this thread already, however she confirmed that F&B is loaded in Australia for both the flights to/from DPS. Nothing is actually loaded in DPS for the return leg. Obviously if there is not enough loaded in Australia (or what's loaded for the return leg is consumed on the way over), the return leg can be a bit of a challenge. This is something that is being addressed by VA and hopefully it will be resolved sooner rather than later.

With regards to the appalling service level we received in J, she apologised again and advised that our concerns had been passed over to the team responsible for staff training - so fingers crossed the CSM responsible receives a reprimand and is made to undergo further training before being able to 'look after' VA guests again.

All in all, the response from VA was a positive experience, and hopefully our complaint will go some way to improving the level of service on the DPS route. Time will tell, but we did appreciate VA making the effort to respond.

 

[Princess Fiona]

Thank you for the update
It sounds much better than the standard cut and paste email.
Fingers crossed the training happens !

 

[Fiches Mouser]

Received a call today from one of the VA Guest Relations Team in relation to my 'feedback' (refer initial post for details). She was absolutely lovely, apologised on behalf of VA for the lack of service/F&B and provided an explanation about the lack of F&B on the DPS route. I think it has been mentioned in this thread already, however she confirmed that F&B is loaded in Australia for both the flights to/from DPS. Nothing is actually loaded in DPS for the return leg. Obviously if there is not enough loaded in Australia (or what's loaded for the return leg is consumed on the way over), the return leg can be a bit of a challenge. This is something that is being addressed by VA and hopefully it will be resolved sooner rather than later.

With regards to the appalling service level we received in J, she apologised again and advised that our concerns had been passed over to the team responsible for staff training - so fingers crossed the CSM responsible receives a reprimand and is made to undergo further training before being able to 'look after' VA guests again.

All in all, the response from VA was a positive experience, and hopefully our complaint will go some way to improving the level of service on the DPS route. Time will tell, but we did appreciate VA making the effort to respond.

That's fantastic. Sounds like they're making a few of those phone calls! (http://www.australianfrequentflyer....ness-class-catering-38257-44.html#post1397273)

A phone call is worth a million templated emails.