Different Treatment as an Upgrade Customer

[JohnK]

That is really disappointing but one comes to expect that type of customer service throughout Virgin.

Doesn't matter how much lipstick you put on a pig....

 

[Marty_]

I have upgraded many times on Virgin and never had anything other than excellent treatment. Once I was the only person in business and the flight attendant gave me both meals after I commented that I was rather hungry.

That said, I tend to upgrade well in advance.

I'm curious - do the FAs have access to this info? Surely only where the upgrade was done immediately before the flight?

 

[TomVexille]

That is really disappointing but one comes to expect that type of customer service throughout Virgin.

Doesn't matter how much lipstick you put on a pig....

So QF is a pig?

 

[DC3]

Please stop it. I've only just had dinner. Now the mention of a pig. All I can think of is the yummy pork crackling.

 

[JohnPhelan]

This was not a case of "catering not assured". There would have been enough J class meals for all the pax. The issue was that one particular meal choice. We all know that the airline does not carry sufficient meals to guarantee that everyone gets their first choice - if every J pax chose the same meal, they would run out of that one pretty quickly. So they tend to give priority to high status pax and full-fare pax.

 

[TomVexille]

This was not a case of "catering not assured". There would have been enough J class meals for all the pax. The issue was that one particular meal choice. We all know that the airline does not carry sufficient meals to guarantee that everyone gets their first choice - if every J pax chose the same meal, they would run out of that one pretty quickly. So they tend to give priority to high status pax and full-fare pax.

Well summed up. If they really wanted to do this properly, ie. discretely, the OP should have simply been asked their preference last.

 

[Ralphie]

Wasn't an upgrade but when husband and I flew on award seats between Brisbane and Adelaide on the way back from an overseas connection, the only other passenger in business class was clearly given preferential treatment. Even to the point that he was greeted by the cabin supervisor and got a beverage while we'd been seated without any greeting and no beverage for ten minutes (and we were in front of him, so the cabin supervisor walked past us to serve him.). He was offered two choices of meal, we were only offered one etc. I don't know what status he was and maybe he was worthy of the treatment but it felt very much second class service for us.

 

[Mondo]

Thanks everyone for your comments. I can confirm that I did not fly ahead on an earlier flight, and at no time was I informed that catering was not assured (neither when I confirmed the upgrade over the phone more than 24 hours prior to the flight or in the lounge).

As a platinum flyer, I did feel somewhat embarrassed when told I would need to wait for all passengers to order their meal before I could find out if I could have mine This also meant I was one of the last to be served my meal despite being the second person to order their meal.

On reflection, I was just disappointed with the whole experience.

I'm reluctant to bother complaining since I did end up getting the meal I wanted, and suspect the GCC will simply resort to that response

 

[Mondo]

I'm curious - do the FAs have access to this info? Surely only where the upgrade was done immediately before the flight?

As I understand, for VA the manifest does show the fare class for all passengers on board plus their status. In addition, your fare class is shown on your boarding pass as confirmation of your "Z" class status!

QF does not have the fare class on their boarding pass but not sure what the FA's can see on the iPads they carry around....

 

[JohnK]

So QF is a pig?

No but you already knew that anyway.

VA does not know how to do customer service. You don't have to agree with me and you don't have to try and correct any of my posts on the matter. Understood?

 

[serfty]

... You don't have to agree with me and you don't have to try and correct any of my posts on the matter. Understood?

Of course, if one begins to continually put up blatantly biased posts, they will rapidly lose credibility.

I have been on a Qantas flight to HKG were it was made clear to me those upgraded were getting last choice of the menu. I am not sure how much that relates to "customer service" but it certainly relates to this thread.

 

[Ascent]

As the meal orders on the 330 are taken at the same time the meals are split between the 2 crew serving the cabin.

Im guessing what has happened is that your crew member had run out of their allotment of the requested meal and was waiting for the other side to finish having their orders taken to see if there was an extra rather than just saying No.

 

[maxwell]

Partner and I had a similar experience on our flight from Adelaide to Brisbane last Sunday. Upgraded Y to J the weekend before with our points.The pair in front and next to us received meal options, where as we were given the lamb gnocchi (tasted okay but too salty). The man next to us was a politician or ex I believe, recognised him from somewhere but regardless felt mistreated by the FA.

However, another FA from Y offered to take our bags down for us when we were disembarking but mistakenly grabbed the pollie's bags as for whatever reason they placed them in the overhead above our seats, think his wife wanted her $1000 handbag crushed by my hard case, as it fit perfectly in space they had kindly left for us

 

[Muppet501st]

Ive been pretty lucky in the past with meal choices when upgrading in the lounge. On the occasions that ive had the "catering not assured" sticker, I still got my choice and I was happy to have my order taken last. Since Ive had a bite to eat in the lounge- I can afford to go without on the plane.
Strange thing happened to me on my last WP complimentary upgrade- I requested it a week out and selected 2A ( preferred J seat on 737) and the J cabin was full. But when meal orders commenced, the CSM came to me first ! though the meals came out to row 1 first, I was offered first selection before anyone. I no complain.

 

[medhead]

I saw it haven just the other day in J-I was full fare and got first choice, the poor bloke next to me must have been upgrade and was given the leftovers after everyone else has ordered.

Felt sorry for him-I got the beautiful lamb shank and he got some rubbish looking pea and ham soup lol

Perhaps he was crew or staff.

This was not a case of "catering not assured". There would have been enough J class meals for all the pax. The issue was that one particular meal choice. We all know that the airline does not carry sufficient meals to guarantee that everyone gets their first choice - if every J pax chose the same meal, they would run out of that one pretty quickly. So they tend to give priority to high status pax and full-fare pax.

Technically, I agreed, getting a meal is not catering not assured. But I believe the crew take catering not assure to mean that you get whatever is left after those with assured catering get their preferred option. It kind of works because the starting point is "you don't get a meal" moving to "ok we have these meals left".

No but you already knew that anyway.

VA does not know how to do customer service. You don't have to agree with me and you don't have to try and correct any of my posts on the matter. Understood?

Plenty of examples in this thread of Qantas doing exactly the thing that you criticise in Virgin. If it's lipstick on a pig when Virgin do it, then it must be the same for Qantas. It isn't a matter of correcting you, this is all about resolving the double standards that seem to be in play when you comment. People just need to understand when there is an inherent bias.

think his wife wanted her $1000 handbag crushed by my hard case, as it fit perfectly in space they had kindly left for us

That's a cheap handbag.

 

[Denali]

Ive used our comp upgrades a few times and never noticed any lack of service or meal but if I was OP, I would complain and expect some points in exchange.

On the plus side, OPs meal sounds better than carrot soup being the only meal offered that someone else posted about a few months ago.

 

[Shano]

I only have ever managed to use the comp upgrades at the lounge and < 2 hours before departure. Each time I have been told catering not assuered.

On board the cabin crew have politely informed me that because I have upgraded that they will try and offer me my choice of meal, but only after paid J have made their selection. As a positive they did inform me that as a WP I will get my choice of meal before SG / PS...

Only once have I not received my preferred meal.

I can't fault VA with their approcah to my UG's / choice of meal.

 

[maxwell]

That's a cheap handbag.

Fortunately for me, being a gay man means that I have never purchased or been handbag shopping with my partner so that was a ballpark estimate.

 

[Buzzard]

Hope I get "full service" on my reward J flight to ADL on Sunday.
Must say I have never had an issue previously.

 

[JohnK]

Plenty of examples in this thread of Qantas doing exactly the thing that you criticise in Virgin. If it's lipstick on a pig when Virgin do it, then it must be the same for Qantas. It isn't a matter of correcting you, this is all about resolving the double standards that seem to be in play when you comment. People just need to understand when there is an inherent bias.

And I am never critical of Qantas? The business class downgrade threads are just one example. The call centre wait times are another huge issue that need to be addressed.

But what you are saying is that I have no credibility and my poor customer service experiences on Virgin mean nothing?