On board recognition - who gets any?

[Jama]

In all my flights with VA in Y as a platinum iv not had any level of service that is above what I received when I had no status. I never Receive any greetings or anything of the like. The only time I get good service is when in J which iv found excellant. I have wondered if QF would be any better and thought about giving them my business. Don't expect anything above what I have paid for such as free melas/ drink but I do feel VA need to look after their most frequent flyers who fly each and every week with them.

This is my experience exactly. I am dismayed that others can say the opposite. I would think after several years I would experience some of these things if others profess to experience them often and at lower levels. I'm starting to get a complex.

 

[iambents]

I don't really expect anything extra and most of my status with VA is from flying PE/Y internationally or on Coast to Coast services - but I have always gotten a 'welcome back' at the door and a visit from a member of the cabin crew for a 'chat' during the flight (on international the chat will be accompanied by either some noise cancelling headphones or a amenity pack and always with a fast track card). Personally, not a huge fan of chit-chat, I find this chat more awkward than anything else (and if you get to hear the chat with another status passenger - you realise exactly how formulaic it is).

 

[VRC]

This is my experience exactly. I am dismayed that others can say the opposite. I would think after several years I would experience some of these things if others profess to experience them often and at lower levels. I'm starting to get a complex.

My experience has been the opposite, received recognition as gold and then as Plat. I do make a point of making my first interaction with the crew upon boarding, bright and cheerful giving a thankyou using their name at the end. This tends to set the scene for chat at some point during the flight. I do the same at the lounge and this has paid dividends on a number of occassions when staff have gone above and beyond because they recognised me due to previous interactions. Treat people as you would like to be treated yourself.

 

[KCMil]

I appreciate recognition when the FA isn't either:

* on boarding, simply looking at my boarding pass which has my name and status on it, so they are effectvely reading off a cue card (nice welcome but anyone with any status would get "welcome back");

* standing in front of my seat, peering at a list of names and seat numbers, (pause) finds me on the list, and says "Hello Mr Roo ..."

Much better when they at least look up the name before they move away from the previous pax, or, as some manage to do, remember 3 names or so in a row.

I must admit that when the small talk comes, I'm inclined to be ungracious and say "Can I just get a G&T, please?"

And having witnessed similar on so many occasions, this is prob why so many FA's don't bother!

 

[Elbobbo]

Ironically, I have received better recognition of my VA Gold status whilst flying on Air NZ than flying VA...

 

[VMC73]

I have found it pretty hit and miss. We often fly as a family to NTL and all are Plat and 90% of the time looked after with free drinks, snacks for kids etc (always book savers). Flying solo do not notice recognition as much.

 

[Elbobbo]

The last time I had recognition was a TT flight on AIR NZ, where both my wife and I were approached and ovvered ANR headphones and newspapers etc. didnt phase me a great deal though it was a little bit amusing seeing the look of confusion and resentment from the lady sitting next to us whn she was offered nothing!

 

[Tommy57]

Although I'm only 20, I'm halfway through Gold and boarding is always amusing for me.
Every time I walk through priority or am greeted at the door, I'm always given the "you're in the wrong queue" look or am greeted like some scraggy teenager; when they look at my boarding pass, I love seeing their expressions change to a forced smile that is supposed to incite a "Welcome Back Mr Thomas"

Always amusing !

 

[BrentH]

...I'm always given the "you're in the wrong queue" look...

Are you getting the "Shouldn't you be flying Jetstar?" look?

 

[jetlagger]

Although I'm only 20, I'm halfway through Gold and boarding is always amusing for me.
Every time I walk through priority or am greeted at the door, I'm always given the "you're in the wrong queue" look or am greeted like some scraggy teenager; when they look at my boarding pass, I love seeing their expressions change to a forced smile that is supposed to incite a "Welcome Back Mr Thomas"

Always amusing !

Adore your expression observations.. & can concur with you the age & crew association with apparent riding in the back syndrome.
It must be worth a laugh as you mention.. :mrgreen:

 

[pootle]

Although I'm only 20, I'm halfway through Gold and boarding is always amusing for me.
Every time I walk through priority or am greeted at the door, I'm always given the "you're in the wrong queue" look or am greeted like some scraggy teenager; when they look at my boarding pass, I love seeing their expressions change to a forced smile that is supposed to incite a "Welcome Back Mr Thomas"

Always amusing !

had this recently flying business to ool - the girl went to great lengths
to explain that the check in queue was for Business class or "important members"
talked over us when we tried to tell her that yes the whole family was travelling in business class
i wouldnt have minded if we rocked up in bintang t shirts and thongs but we were all dressed very smartly.
no jeans etc - she just assumed as we were a young couple with teenagers we would be travelling in
the back and yes her expression changed big time when she finally realised

 

[jjsyd]

This is my experience exactly. I am dismayed that others can say the opposite. I would think after several years I would experience some of these things if others profess to experience them often and at lower levels. I'm starting to get a complex.

Dont worry - you're not the only one with a complex! I haven't experienced anything 'special' either apart from once flying SYD-LAX where the crew went out of their way to say hello and make sure I was comfortable... And that was when I was gold and I'm plat now! The return from LAX there was nothing. However, on EVERY Air NZ flight I've been greeted and offered noise cancelling headsets and a newspaper along with some extra drinks here and there.


I have been flying SQ quite a bit and there is NO VA status recognition. I've had issues using the priority checkin, having priority baggage applied and priority boarding everywhere other than AU or SIN. I've found the experience worse now with the VA codeshares and status than flying them when I had no status!

 

[drewbles]

Although I'm only 20, I'm halfway through Gold and boarding is always amusing for me.
Every time I walk through priority or am greeted at the door, I'm always given the "you're in the wrong queue" look or am greeted like some scraggy teenager; when they look at my boarding pass, I love seeing their expressions change to a forced smile that is supposed to incite a "Welcome Back Mr Thomas"

Always amusing !

Many years ago when I was flying out of PER quite frequently I was in my early 20's and the QP staff there (old boilers back then, no idea what they're like now) constantly gave me the 'you're too young to be in here!' look. They clearly loved their job

 

[Mal]

Virgin Australia to/from NZ used to look after me well.

Free drinks at times, personal welcomes. I was virtually treated the same as a flexible guest (even though saver)

 

[smithym]

I would bet my house on it that 5F was a staff member. I have seen this 'special' treatment twice now on VA last brig a dps-BNE last week where 4F got everything possible, drinks business class meal, blanket, galaxy player and constant checks to see if he wanted anything else from every crew member on the flight. As we were getting off the flight one of forward FA said to him 'I think we are flying to Nandi next week'.

I too have sent off feedback to VA about this but heard nothing.

 

[totd]

Although I'm only 20, I'm halfway through Gold and boarding is always amusing for me.
Every time I walk through priority or am greeted at the door, I'm always given the "you're in the wrong queue" look or am greeted like some scraggy teenager; when they look at my boarding pass, I love seeing their expressions change to a forced smile that is supposed to incite a "Welcome Back Mr Thomas"

Always amusing !

Love it. This sort of thing happens all the time. Last time this happened to me was in David Jones. Staff seemed completely disinterested (They clearly wanted me to go away because there's no way I could afford anything in the store) until I pulled out a DJ's store card. I still had an old card which, at the time, showed I'd been a member for over a decade. Boy did the service change quickly.

 

[Ausbt]

Treat people as you would like to be treated yourself.

Absolutely. It is most likely those who complain about not getting a greeting walk onboard with their nose in the air and a frown on their face. No wonder the crew take delight in ignoring them! Seriously, getting a little upset that he crew don't say a special hello to you is right at the top of the list of irrelevent first-world 'problems'. VA pax who experience this should try Qantas, not that there is any difference but at least you'll be surrounded by more like-minded folk.

 

[medhead]

Absolutely. It is most likely those who complain about not getting a greeting walk onboard with their nose in the air and a frown on their face. No wonder the crew take delight in ignoring them! Seriously, getting a little upset that he crew don't say a special hello to you is right at the top of the list of irrelevent first-world 'problems'. VA pax who experience this should try Qantas, not that there is any difference but at least you'll be surrounded by more like-minded folk.

Well I was ignoring that previous comment because it is very, very wrong. As the OP of this thread I can outright state that your characterisation of me is utterly and completely wrong. I think the fact that you feel the need to jump in here to comment about an "irrelevant first world problem" tells us all we need to know about the validity and usefulness of your comment.

Thanks for your uninformed opinion. Maybe you might like to share your experiences about on board recognition with VA as per the topic.

Btw as a platinum on both QF and VA I'm well able to say that you're wrong about the type of passengers on QF.

 

[mrpooky]

I'm about halfway through my second year of VA SG (first year was Status Match with QF, second year was earned 'the hard way'), and coming up to my third year of QF SG. I've had virtually no recognition of status on either airline flying domestic (one QFLink flight I had some special attention on the ground, but not onboard), or on short-haul international flights. One short-haul QF flight I was flying with a WP and he received no recognition either.

I can sort of understand the lack of recognition on both airlines on domestic flights, as there seem to be so many SGs on many of these, and even a good handful of WPs on many flights, but it is still a little disappointing.

A recent long-haul international trip on QF was very different, with a free op-up to Business on my inbound QF leg and recognition onboard the outbound QF leg in Y. I wonder if it's the same with VA -- is status recognition on VA more common on long-haul?

 

[Ausbt]

Well Maybe you might like to share your experiences about on board recognition with VA as per the topic.

Fair enough, I'll comment specifically on the OP's* first post as it pertains to on-board recognition. As a Plat with VA, I'm welcomed at both the gate and door generally by name (but I don't need to be, I simply need a smile). Occassionally there is a shadow next to me (but I won't whinge if it's not there all the time). Haven't seen many extra drinks but unsure if downing two bottles of red is really a good idea domestically. And certainly not if I'm to go anywhere near a keyboard and this website anytime afterward.

I'm flying quite a lot with QF right now to maintain SG and I do find a more general air of snobbishness there. That's just an opinion, thus mostly worthless. Cheers.

* Edit: oh, just realised you are the OP. Have a nice flight!