Virgin Blue, seats and water issues.

[jimbojones]

I understand that they do recline,however last time I sat in one it was locked for take-off by the FA. They unlocked the other side of the plane but not mine, so I reached down and unlocked it myself. Then again, my memory for details isn't always the best so I am happy to stand corrected by somebody who is certain of what happens...

how do you unlock them!?

 

[TheInsider]

that is your personal opinion Mal, I have never had a problem with the taste and never gotten sick from drinking tap water on a plane, I have no doubt modern engineering can and has overcome the problem of bacteria growth, ie UV light sterilisation. There is no reason other than increasing profits that tap water should not be served on planes imho

UV light sterilisation on a plane?!
Also what profits? They are hemorrhaging money from everywhere.

 

[jimbojones]

UV light sterilisation on a plane?!
Also what profits? They are hemorrhaging money from everywhere.

I'm pretty sure they still making profits, they wouldn't be there if they weren't!

UV sterilization is just one method, I am sure, given how long planes have had water tanks for drinking water on them, aircraft maintenance has a method for cleaning the tanks.

 

[lovestotravel]

I would never drink water from a plane's fountain.

Singapore Airlines have signs in the toilets that the tap water there is NOT for drinking.

My father who was a pilot on the 727's said to NEVER drink the water from a fountain, but perhaps things have improved since then.

 

[TheInsider]

I'm pretty sure they still making profits, they wouldn't be there if they weren't!

UV sterilization is just one method, I am sure, given how long planes have had water tanks for drinking water on them, aircraft maintenance has a method for cleaning the tanks.

There is only a handful of airlines acorss the world who are making profits, and it is a small number like 10 or something similar (someone please correct me if i'm wrong).

You now know what you're getting. Either travel another carrier or put up with it if you wish to travel that carrier again. I highly doubt it will ever change.

 

[jimbojones]

There is only a handful of airlines acorss the world who are making profits, and it is a small number like 10 or something similar (someone please correct me if i'm wrong).

You now know what you're getting. Either travel another carrier or put up with it if you wish to travel that carrier again. I highly doubt it will ever change.

I didn't know what I was getting when I got on the flight, I was never told no free tap water would be supplied.

Why should I put up with it, water is a basic human right it shouldn't be denied to anyone. Also if you keep just putting up with things then you will end paying for the very oxygen you breathe.

 

[TheInsider]

I didn't know what I was getting when I got on the flight, I was never told no free tap water would be supplied.

Why should I put up with it, water is a basic human right it shouldn't be denied to anyone. Also if you keep just putting up with things then you will end paying for the very oxygen you breathe.

While you're in a plane there is no obvious source of free water for you to get this 'basic human right', besides paying for a good that has been bottled by a supplier which hasn't been done for free. If you want your free water, head to the Water Closet and use the tap.

Otherwise there are other choices, bring a water bottle before you hop on the plane, fill it up somewhere or purchase water on the aircraft. No one is denying you water. There are just limited choices.

 

[samh004]

Dunno where my water comes from, but I usually ask for a cup of hot water on Jetstar or Virgin Blue and expect it to be free. I then pull out a hot chocolate packet or miso soup packet and kick back

 

[TheInsider]

Dunno where my water comes from, but I usually ask for a cup of hot water on Jetstar or Virgin Blue and expect it to be free. I then pull out a hot chocolate packet or miso soup packet and kick back

JQ give water, DJ do not according to the OP. DJ rep can confirm or deny maybe

 

[BadgerBoi]

how do you unlock them!?

It was just a matter of flicking a little switch. I was in the aisle seat, the switch or button or whatever was low down near the ground, it was much the same as adjusting your seat in a car. It would have been Qantas, I realised that this thread was talking about Virgin.

 

[jimbojones]

Dunno where my water comes from, but I usually ask for a cup of hot water on Jetstar or Virgin Blue and expect it to be free. I then pull out a hot chocolate packet or miso soup packet and kick back

Nice

Yeah Jetstar was no problem, I was feeling particularly thirsty and got them to bring me 2 glasses of water.

 

[markis10]

Why should I put up with it, water is a basic human right it shouldn't be denied to anyone. Also if you keep just putting up with things then you will end paying for the very oxygen you breathe.

Sorry but H2O is not a basic human right as defined by the UN, you have a right to a standard of living that mentions food, the cost of that standard of living is a personal choice not a right.

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

In terms of the law, RSA is not required legally but is practised by many airlines, see this thread:

http://www.australianfrequentflyer....-and-responsible-service-alcohol-21185-2.html

DJ practice RSA as seen in their T&C's but that does not mean they meet all the requirements of a states laws such as water supply.

PE Terms and Conditions | Virgin Blue

Regardless of all of the above I would just take my own, there have been too many issues with fountains and supply of water both recent and over time (that last story is an interesting one):

How Safe Is Airline Water? Bring Your Own Bottle! NANCY KEATES and JANE COSTELLO / Wall Street Journal 1nov02

Tests show some water on airplanes is contaminated | abc7news.com

Is Drinking and Handwashing Water on Planes Safe? on MedicineNet.com

American Airlines Finds Fouled Water on Four Jets - WSJ.com

Kingfisher Airlines Complaints - Water supplied in the air line

 

[samh004]

JQ give water, DJ do not according to the OP. DJ rep can confirm or deny maybe

Last time I asked for water was on DJ, however I was fairly close to the front, and a Gold, so that may have helped. I then fell asleep (after my drink) and when I awoke my cup had been cleared. Very nice of them.

Regardless of all of the above I would just take my own, there have been too many issues with fountains and supply of water both recent and over time (that last story is an interesting one):

Kingfisher Airlines Complaints - Water supplied in the air line

I know I wouldn’t be complaining

 

[LiamR]

Last time I asked for water was on DJ, however I was fairly close to the front, and a Gold, so that may have helped. I then fell asleep (after my drink) and when I awoke my cup had been cleared. Very nice of them.



I know I wouldn’t be complaining

IIRC Virgin's policy says they are required to give you a hot cup of water if you ask. This would be why samh004 was given a hot cup of water. However, maybe the OP just had a bad crew? It's not an excuse.

 

[ishkaban]

Hi Ishkaban,

Crew said that they do not consider the tap water on the aircraft potable

i guess thats the personal prefernce of the crew.

Next time you are in the aft galley, on theVB boeing 700/800's, have a look at the service panel behind the LHS toilet, there is a "potable water" gauge, advising how much potable water is left.
The water for the toilet/hand basin and the water boilers (for tea/coffee) all come from this same tank.

But regards to VB not offering water, I guess from a f+b service point, they don't really have to, as thats airline to airline policy.

I guess by bringing you own water, this solves all the problems

 

[jimbojones]

i guess thats the personal prefernce of the crew.

Next time you are in the aft galley, on theVB boeing 700/800's, have a look at the service panel behind the LHS toilet, there is a "potable water" gauge, advising how much potable water is left.
The water for the toilet/hand basin and the water boilers (for tea/coffee) all come from this same tank.

But regards to VB not offering water, I guess from a f+b service point, they don't really have to, as thats airline to airline policy.

I guess by bringing you own water, this solves all the problems

Hi Ishkaban,

I don't agree at all, an airline should be required to provide free tap water as a health and safety issue. Had I been advised there would be no free water I could have planned ahead, however I am thinking of the general traveling public I garuntee on every flight there are people with no money on them and they didn't bring water. I think most people would board an aircraft with the expectation that free water will be available in some form, people shouldn't be left for 5 hours at altitude in air conditioning with no water out of a greedy decision.

 

[ishkaban]

an airline should be required to provide free tap water as a health and safety issue.

i am guessing some feedback for VB is in order

virginblue.com.au/ContactUs/Feedbackform/index.htm

wonder if the water issue will change with the NEW VB coming soon

 

[Mal]

that is your personal opinion Mal,

No. That's based on fact. Not opinion. There are many media articles on the issue (some are linked earlier in this thread).

I still drink water from planes, but tbh try and avoid it.

I have no doubt modern engineering can and has overcome the problem of bacteria growth, ie UV light sterilisation. There is no reason other than increasing profits that tap water should not be served on planes imho

I believe chlorination is one method used. But still, water on planes can be suspect and should be treated with trepidation at times.

 

[jimbojones]

No. That's based on fact. Not opinion. There are many media articles on the issue (some are linked earlier in this thread).

I still drink water from planes, but tbh try and avoid it.



I believe chlorination is one method used. But still, water on planes can be suspect and should be treated with trepidation at times.

I meant your opinion about the taste being off it has never bothered me. I agree with you though there is potable water back there if the water isn't potable it shouldn't just be removed the methods of cleaning and providing water need to be tightened or fixed to make it potable. Cleaning of storage containers should be part of the aircraft maintenance.

 

[anat0l]

Sorry but H2O is not a basic human right as defined by the UN, you have a right to a standard of living that mentions food, the cost of that standard of living is a personal choice not a right.

Access to water may not be a basic human right in the original UN Declaration of Human Rights, however the right to food, sanitation and water for essential human health has been adopted as a human right via a resolution which was passed by the Assembly in July 2010 (although it had been instituted in other conventions earlier, thus essentially ingratiating itself as a human right and into the national laws of relevant signatories if not formally then de facto).

However, this is all irrelevant. Even if the OP could not get water on a plane other than by purchasing it, that is not a deprivation of a right per se.

The quality of water I would assume from galley dispensers must be potable in some shape or form, otherwise I don't see why someone can't be taking samples of that water, testing it and making a generous dollar out of the airlines for serving water which is less than desirable quality (i.e. affecting human health). In saying that, I think the water in the galleys (viz. used) is just the tap water from the local area (assuming that the tap water is drinkable), because if I have a cup of tea on board from some locations I can taste things like chlorine. This is, of course, notwithstanding the quality of water fittings on the aircraft (i.e. pipes, containers, spouts, etc.).


All of this still doesn't quite get to the point as to why the OP couldn't be offered a humble cup of water from a galley dispenser (which supposedly has a source of water and is water that is drinkable)?

Now that I re-read the OP, when "tap water" was said did the FAs think that the basin tap water in the bathrooms was implied, and therefore said the water is undrinkable? They would probably be right, but they probably then didn't think that "tap water" as said by the OP was supposed to be the water they would dispense in the galley e.g. for making water-based hot beverages.