Virgin Blue perception

[AirlineGuy]

It appears VB isn't doing much to change the perception of it's flight attendants and the unprofessional ways they sometimes behave. Here's what I just posted in another thread.

Crazydave98, if possible could you please filter my following message onto JB?

I heard from a pilot friend of mine today that VB Cabin Crew are currently undergoing some type of service training, whereby the flight attendants are being encouraged to return to some old ways, and start face painting again, and adding humour and chat into all PA's..they are being told flair must return. There has reportedly been no guidance in this training for the flight attendance with how to deal with corporate guests, act more professional at all times including how to make a professional PA, and in general how to step everything up.

This pilot, and myself included, were very confused about this.

Is Mr Borghetti even aware that such training is taking place, and what the content is of this course? No doubt the course content has slipped through - it's not expected that the CEO need to approve the content in a training course, but when it is service training for an airline which is allegedly attempting to rebrand and take on the corporate market & QF, one would think the flight attendants would be trained and given skills to move forward, rather than go backwards and encouraged to return to VB in the early days and face paint and ad-lib in PA's etc. Apparently they've been told to behave however they feel is appropriate depending on what they personally perceive the passengers might want from them. My understanding is this is how they operate now, and it doesn't work - they have too much freedom and say as to how they want to behave on the given flight. It more depends on the flight attendants mood at that time more so than the mood of the passengers. I believe they need to be told, and have it in black & white, what is and is not acceptable, and what is expected to happen onboard.

I am sure whatever department within VB that has put together this course will attempt to sell it to Mr Borghetti as the right thing, but he should not let them pull the wool over his eyes.

I am 100% onboard the new VB if they do things right. Telling their flight attendants to face paint and flair on the PA doesn't do it for me, and they wont get my business if this is true. I would hazard a guess and say I wouldn't be the only one. Yes I want my flight attendants to be friendly, but not to the point its silly. No flair on the PA, professional friendly service, clean cabins, and a complimentary soft drink and snack is all I need onboard and I'll be there.

I hope you can make your plans Mr Borghetti - it seems it may be quite a battle.

 

[crazydave98]

AirlineGuy,

your pilot friend seems to be on the end of a line of Chinese Whispers. Yes cabin crew are undergoing new service training but no it is not of the face-painting and joke-telling variety. Think about it - as noted in several posts they have already been instructed to start addressing guests as mr/ms etc.

But what your pilot friends comments do highlight is the need to ensure that the right message goes out company-wide. Fortunately I happen to know that the new Group Executive of Product and Guest Services has been charged with developing company-wide service training (i.e. not just for guest-facing staff).

cheers

CrazyDave98

 

[medhead]

I wondered if the face painting comment referred to the one off avatar cross promotion that I have recently read about somewhere.

 

[Timtammi]

After all that, a young lady in a flouro vest called out to everyone in the lounge (no PA) to follow her to the bus. We went "in line" to the end of the terminal then downstairs to the bus which had to stop 6 times for pushbacks of aircraft. The bus ride took forever.

Unlike QF, the bus leaves the actual airport area, and delivers you to the outside check in area for VA - no instructions on where to go or what to look for, you are obviously expected to know where to go.

Had the exact same experience when connecting through SYD for VA1 last week. It all seemed a bit "amateur hour" to me and I admit that I wasnt in a very good mood, I guess I wasnt looking forward to the 14 hour flight ahead of me and didnt really feel like suffering fools in the meantime.

As we proceeded to the end of the terminal trailing after fluoro vest lady she stopped when we got near to the fairly full gate close to where we needed to go down to get the bus. It seemed that boarding for this flight was about to commence but had not started to yet. After consulting someone through her walky talky she announced we would have to wait for the passengers at this gate to board as we might all get confused and get on the plane instead of the bus!!

It was pretty clear we would be waiting for AGES if we did that so I spoke up and told her that I thought that we knew the difference between a plane and a bus! A few murmurs and mutterings from others agreeing with me and she reluctantly took us down to the bus. Goodness knows how long we would have been waiting otherwise!

Cheers

Timmi