Tried to enter Sydney Virgin Lounge Wednesday afternoon (2 Platinums on same day Virgin flights) and was denied entry as
“sorry, we are full - with social distancing we can only have X guests inside”. ANSWER - open up lower level, but hey when did logic ever occur in there.
Welcome to the new
Tiger#2 world.
Took photos attached of what is apparently to be the new ADL lounge, or another pax told me it was - opposite usual Virgin gate 14 etc at end of pier. Where the old Virgin lounge was, is shrouded with white hoardings, so new one might be in the old spot - and with Virgin of course, it may never open at all.
Check in agent at ADL was ex lounge staff, and said she had re-applied for that gig for the alleged January re-opening. She proudly told me (and I doubt this is true!) “
it will be the largest Virgin lounge in the country”. From the photo I took nearby it appears to me the few It’l flights ex ADL will now depart from this area and not the previous gates.
Asked her if I could use our Platinum Upgrades now valid on all fares for flights as it was lightly booked – the new joyfully announced new Platinum Bennie of last week, trumpeted to Plats from on high, to be used by March, and she had no clue about that new perk, even after she went off and asked a colleague.
Tried that in SYD at gate last week at agent said “Only the lounge” can do that. Pointed out that Lounge was not open for a few days and she smiled sweetly.
“sorry about that - only the lounge can do that”. Biz cabin had only 1 person in it.
Not one staffer at check-in or gates in SYD and ADL this week were wearing masks in the midst of this pandemic, and when asked why was told “the company says it is not compulsory for us”. No Perspex barriers in place either of course, at any booth.
OUTRAGEOUS. A TINY cost in the airline world.
The woman at SYD telling me this, was in a booth under a huge Sydney airport overhead sign saying
“Keep a safe 4 metre distance for others and if you cannot you should wear a mask”. Pointed to this sign she sees all day, and she smiles sweetly.
Does Ms Hrdlicker and Team think Virgin staff are somehow immune from being carriers and transmitters? Don’t they realise perception is
EVERYTHING right now. Cost to them near ZERO to demand all front line staff wear masks.
ZERO attempt for any social distancing for any pax lining up to check in – same lines as last year. Tiger#2 seem to be living in some cocoon apart from the rest of the country.
Tiger#2 are pretty much down for the count now, and if they are so indifferent to the health of passengers, they will have none soon.
Sat at gate for a half hour past sked departure point at SYD this week on a stifling hot day. No air conditioning on. I was in Row #3 and a woman came up to front and said the heat was unbearable for her, and she wanted to get off and take a later flight.
Was alongside her and FA, and when FA heard she had checked bags (i.e. another half hour delay ahead to offload them) told her there was a “technical issue” with the external AC unit usually plugged in (i.e. Virgin did not want to pay for it to be employed more likely) and
“it would be really cool once plane pushed back, which was any minute now.” Woman reluctantly sat down. Pushback still took another 5 -10 mins.
In-cabin staff on recent flights had marks on and off during flight - even there, no consistency. Most states are on the cusp on having banned, or will ban flights ex Sydney this week, due to new COVID outbreaks, and these lazy staffers do not wear masks when they stand a foot away from 100s of pax a day, handling their ID etc, and this CLUELESS company does not insist on them, or smarter still spend a small sum and erect Perspex shields at EVERY check-in desk.
This is one reason why over 300,000 Americans have died from COVID - little regard for very simple safety issues on flights.
SHAME Virgin – 1 out of 10 for effort from me. You have had NINE MONTHS to get your act together on this.
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