What Virgin Staff Can do?

[mavrick9]

Virgin like other airlines sub-contact their checkin, baggage, security etc to 3rd party providers. Such as Aero-Care, Menzies (and other providers) at many domestic terminals.


On recent trip with Mrs Mavrick (RED) on a different booking, but same flight the Gold Call centre couldn't move her seat to be near me above row 10, had to be done by airport staff. I gather the call centre doesn't have access to manifests or seat allocation etc. They seem to be able to just put a 'note' on the booking and join them together.

Often at small ports like HBA, the checkin desk person is the same as the gate person and the same person also puts the wheelie bins out with the flags on the tarmac. It's all hands on.


Any one know if all check-in (operations) staff on the Premium Checkin are sub-contact/Aero-Care? Are the Lounge (desk) staff Virgin direct employ or sub-contract. I know this will vary by airport-airport.


I knew a former Aerocare staffer (operations), that could pre-allocate seats to Pax using the back-end system. This was prior tp J Class - about 3 years ago.


I ask this with the thought in mind that perhaps Lounge Staff, or senior check-in staff have higher delegations and ability to move Pax around cabin, and Op-up Status Pax.

 

[Boeta]

Any one know if all check-in (operations) staff on the Premium Checkin are sub-contact/Aero-Care? Are the Lounge (desk) staff Virgin direct employ or sub-contract. I know this will vary by airport-airport.

I can speak for PER, in the fact that Aerocare run everything, check-in, boarding, ramp, baggage and the lounge (except the catering). There are only a couple of direct Virgin employees and they are back-of-house, senior management.

 

[pat25d]

I can speak for PER, in the fact that Aerocare run everything, check-in, boarding, ramp, baggage and the lounge (except the catering). There are only a couple of direct Virgin employees and they are back-of-house, senior management.

Wow... really?

So even if they are wearing Virgin uniforms they are still Aero-care employees?

 

[mavrick9]

Yes, they even go and change to front the Skywest flights too. You might see the airocare generic uniform sometimes. Or just the wings badge.

 

[pat25d]

Yes, they even go and change to front the Skywest flights too. You might see the airocare generic uniform sometimes. Or just the wings badge.

Learn something new everyday on here.

They do a great job of providing service for a company they are contracted to.

Who would have thought someone working for Aerocare doing work for VA and Skywest would give better service than QF staff.

 

[Mak404matt]

Learn something new everyday on here.

They do a great job of providing service for a company they are contracted to.

Who would have thought someone working for Aerocare doing work for VA and Skywest would give better service than QF staff.

I used to work at Perth Airport myself, and it was always fun seeing them change from a Skywest uniform, to the standard AeroCare for Tiger, and then later to Virgin uniforms

 

[Saab34]

Most recently Aerocare picked up the Virgin contract at OOL which is a fairly large one. PER is probably their largest port servicing DJ and TT. They also do Virgin at ADL/HBA/MCY/ROK/MKY/TSV/DRW/GLT and mabye a few other smaller ports.

Pacific Blue is all done by Aerocare too.

 

[lc_461]

Across MEL/BNE/SYD all Virgin Australia staff doing check in/gate at the international terminal are Toll Dnata subcontractors now I believe?

 

[jaspon]

Pretty sure ADL is virgin staffed port for both Dom & int

 

[Deleted member 29185]

This is a bit of a surprise. Check-in I can imagine as sub-contractors, as the few times I use it they seem somewhat less enthusiastic (indifferent, occasionally bordering on contempt for their client) but the lounge staff (non-catering) always seem to be very much intuned with VAs stated ideals. I've only been to OOL lounge once, so I hope that doesn't end up being staffed with the same attitudes as some check-in counters.

As for abilities of the call centre, I have noticed I can do things at either the lounge or check-in that the call centre can't do. For instance, my next flight has about eight people checked in (next week-end) so I arranged our seats (4) to include two isles and two windows (kids love the windows). In a moment of brilliance, I thought I'd ring the gold line and ask if we can have shadows placed on the middle seats (cheeky, yes I know but given what looks to be a lightly loaded flight and the fact I've been given shadows many times previously, I thought why not, worth a try). All previous shadows I've had have been given at either the lounge or check-in and the gold desk lady I spoke to was happy to "put a note on file" requesting the middle seats be left available, but could not (or perhaps, would not) place shadows on them. Before people jump down my throat for being a presumptuous DYKWIA, I'd love the middle seats free, but should it transpire not to be the case, we simply offer the other pax our isle seat and we take the middle seat to sit beside the kids.

In the lounge, often I've been told they've placed a shadow on the middle seat and other times I've requested and (sometimes) got it just by asking.

Other times, I phoned the gold line whilst driving to the airport (jobs finished early) to see if I can get on an earlier flight. Each time I've been told no, can't do it yet when I get to the airport, if seats are available they do it without hesitation. Seems check-in and lounge staff may have abilities that the call centres don't.

 

[mavrick9]

PPP and ROK done by Airline Handling Agency -|- Rockhampton, Queensland

Was at PPP recently, and the checkin rep could move seats as usual, but couldn't sit my travelling partners near me for a BNE - MEL , as "they can't move other gold members in the front seats", the flight had shadows for rows 3,4,5. J had only 2 pax.

Seems though that the Lounge staff can OP-Up etc as required.

 

[dodgeyhack]

I used to work at Perth Airport myself, and it was always fun seeing them change from a Skywest uniform, to the standard AeroCare for Tiger, and then later to Virgin uniforms

were you invited to watch or did you just peek through the curtain?

 

[Jamesl]

Aero-Care currently operate for VA out of PER/OOL/DRW/CNS/TSV(?)/HBA/SYD(DOM check-in(only), bagroom)... There maybe a few others however I can't remember off the top of my head. We have also recently finished up VANZ in April after 8 years in SYD/MEL.

We try our best with what we work with

 

[TheInsider]

Across MEL/BNE/SYD all Virgin Australia staff doing check in/gate at the international terminal are Toll Dnata subcontractors now I believe?

For V Australia (777) flights, it is done via Toll Dnata.
For Pacific Blue, it is handled by Aerocare (unless that has recently changed)

 

[Jamesl]

For V Australia (777) flights, it is done via Toll Dnata.
For Pacific Blue, it is handled by Aerocare (unless that has recently changed)

If you had read the previous post if mine that would give you the info. Toll Dnata do all VA international operations now.