FAs permitting economy PAX to use PE after takeoff

[firefox]

What i can say is that i believe they have officially stopped all op-ups into PE/J seats. To protect the product, this means apparently even if it is an oversold flight or full flight there is no way to be placed into the first two rows unless you have paid for an upgrade into that class. I've heard other things about their plans, but i am sure VA will be releasing those as they see fit, i don't believe as one of their guests it's appropriate for me to release information on a public forum.

The above about upgrades seems to be very public as i over heard many times in the lounge and once at the gate with people trying to sit up front that the response was exactly the above. We do no longer provide upgrades for gold members or anyone into those seats unless you hold a specific ticket.

Cheers

 

[Noob]

What i can say is that i believe they have officially stopped all op-ups into PE/J seats. To protect the product, this means apparently even if it is an oversold flight or full flight there is no way to be placed into the first two rows unless you have paid for an upgrade into that class. I've heard other things about their plans, but i am sure VA will be releasing those as they see fit, i don't believe as one of their guests it's appropriate for me to release information on a public forum.

The above about upgrades seems to be very public as i over heard many times in the lounge and once at the gate with people trying to sit up front that the response was exactly the above. We do no longer provide upgrades for gold members or anyone into those seats unless you hold a specific ticket.

Cheers

I think the fantastic new row 3 on the 737-800BSI is specifically for gold upgrades now.

 

[medhead]

I think the fantastic new row 3 on the 737-800BSI is specifically for gold upgrades now.

I don't know about the BSI aircraft but I'm certain that row 3 is officially no longer part of PE. On other 737s I almost always get row 3 during check in on Y tickets.

 

[concorde71]

This is all well and good to say "No upgrades" blah blah blah, most of us couldnt give a rats on a 1 hr flight. BUT What about those pax that come up after takeoff, are they going to do anything? nahhhhhhh she wil be ok, just dont be here for landing. So they sit at the back of the bus for TO, up the front for the duration, then back once the seatbelt light comes back on. The discussion was regarding feral migration to the front, now it seems that those that deserve it / have earnt the privelige of an upgrade are denied it. Yet the feral migratory protected species will continue to rule the aircraft. Blah blah blahh Virgin, I might go back to Qantas, in 20 odd years with QF/AN I never saw this kind of cough, and now they penalise the very customers they are trying to attract. BTW the crew on the flight I had that provoked me to start this Tirade was a SYD crew, with a VERY arrogant .... CS. .... ...

 

[Virgin Australia]

Thanks everyone for raising this as a topic.
We absolutely want to maintain the integrity of our PE product, as such, this is being addressed internally now.

 

[Noob]

This is all well and good to say "No upgrades" blah blah blah, most of us couldnt give a rats on a 1 hr flight. BUT What about those pax that come up after takeoff, are they going to do anything? nahhhhhhh she wil be ok, just dont be here for landing. So they sit at the back of the bus for TO, up the front for the duration, then back once the seatbelt light comes back on. The discussion was regarding feral migration to the front, now it seems that those that deserve it / have earnt the privelige of an upgrade are denied it. Yet the feral migratory protected species will continue to rule the aircraft. Blah blah blahh Virgin, I might go back to Qantas, in 20 odd years with QF/AN I never saw this kind of cough, and now they penalise the very customers they are trying to attract. BTW the crew on the flight I had that provoked me to start this Tirade was a SYD crew, with a VERY arrogant ...... CS. ... ... :evil::evil:

This just is not good enough. PE is for PE customers and officially upgraded passengers ONLY, simple as that and there should be NO exception to that rule what so ever. This MUST be emphasised to staff ASAP. The only people that should be aloud to sit or stand around the PE cabin at any time should be PE customers or passengers that have either been upgraded at check in, the lounge, or have been officially approached by cabin crew. This furthers the argument for a "retractable belt" style barrier in the new interior, which doesn't detract from the design but physically stops passengers getting past.

I urge you to call Virgin/send a letter and make a massive fuss about this, because they will listen - push your status and how much money you spend there too

However, I understand how annoying this is but I do not agree with derogatory towards other passengers no matter how 'bogan' they appear. The best solution to this problem is restricting the front of the plane to PE/J/upgrades ONLY. It is not a place you can just sit, or stand around.

Give Virgin a bit of time a lot is happening at the moment and I really think this type of cough will be cut soon. JB said some staff won't be able to keep up, and thats how its going to have to be.

 

[firefox]

Ha ha brad on flight dj957 just broke the new rule on a plane. Wow the new policy of FA protecting PE just gone thrown out the door. JB and VA there's your problem.

 

[loobloke]

I got upgraded to row 2 on a saver fare on my redeye flight after being paged to the counter. Bit of a surprise, but quite welcome.
Though actually quite a lot of traffic and lights in that area which is annoying if you want to sleep. Could also overhear the FA's at the front chatting, but didn't mind.

Economy was completely full, one PE passenger in 1F. Me and another economy passenger in 2A,C. No PE treatment, and rest of PE empty.

 

[TonyHancock]

I'm just trying to understand what is happening here. :?:

Are passengers who are in Y getting up and moving into the J/Y+ cabin after take off. (Sorry for being a bit thick but I have only ever done one trip with DJ before.)

 

[concorde71]

I'm just trying to understand what is happening here. :?:

Are passengers who are in Y getting up and moving into the J/Y+ cabin after take off. (Sorry for being a bit thick but I have only ever done one trip with DJ before.)

Yep, and taking their whole tribe with them, wrecking the joint, then going back.... Apparantly its not only me its happened to, but they are fixing it somehow by not allowing status pax upgrades before departure...........really.

I think its a matter of retraining from the old model to the new, but, it doesnt take months to learn to say to someone, "Excuse me but your allocated sat is 20A or 10B or whatever, please return to your allocated seat, as this one is not available" so the old "Its going to take time is total BS.

In fairness to VA, they have commented on here that they are looking into what they can do, and I guess with 1000's ??? of cabin crew, it may take a little time to pass along the new ideas, and indeed get some of those staff, who dont like change to comply

 

[DSFlyer]

Flew Brisbane to Perth this morning and half way through the flight I see a guy who decided to take his small child for a walk up into the PE section and sit down in 1C and put the little one in 1A. No FA's in the area and he stayed there for a while and had a play on the seat. Only a couple of people in PE (I was in 15A in Blue Zone) and if it had been me, I wouldnt have been happy.

 

[munitalP]

I got upgraded...
... No PE treatment, and rest of PE empty.

Excuse me for being ignorant, but how is this an upgrade?

 

[Noob]

Excuse me for being ignorant, but how is this an upgrade?

Not ignorant at all mate!

It is more of a nice little perk offered to Gold members where either at the lounge or on board they are usually offered to sit in PE seats if they do not have paying PE guests occupying them. However, it doesn't come with all the trimmings that PE guests get (i.e.. unlimited food, unlimited beverages & alcohol etc). Though good FAs will offer you a drink/something to eat, or simply a bottle of water which is nice.

Sometimes you get a full upgrade at check in, depends really.

 

[firefox]

Hi
I've confirmed that PE seats are now supposed to be empty, and not upgraded even on the plane.
As a PE guest to be honest, if you paid for the product as it is marketed as a "Quiet, easy place" when they fill it up, or CS's let people sit in their then it totally devalues the purpose of the product. One would ask the question, if you can easily get a seat upgrade by being Gold, why the hang would anyone buy the product. Because it would easier for us PE guests to get FREE upgrades and sit in the seats.. The only difference on flights is the food then, which i would be lucky to spend more then $10 of on food if i was buying.
So for a ticket BNE - SYD Say $129 i can have Row 1 or 2, as an upgrade because i am gold, and then spend $10 and buy the food, and presto my flight costs me $139.

Instead i spend $419 (which is nearly $300 difference).. From a business standpoint this makes NO sense, they would never sell the product.. Just give away free upgrades!

I just got off a flight were someone was put into 2A/2C in which i turned to the CS and asked WHY? Oh they just wanted to sit together.! Said what about your new policy, looks at me and says oh i can upgrade anyone! Funnily during the flight, the food cart was put at row 4, and the people in row 2 got asked for food/options first before the 2PAX in PE got asked!!!!! Go Figure.

Now i know some of you call people elitist and so on.. The simple fact is the product is there with specific "options" if you don't pay for them, don't expect them. Thats the simple facts! For people to be running around claiming they are entitled to these perks as a GOLD.. I say well i am GOLD (significantly) if i am sitting beside someone whom paid $100 whilst i paid $400 this makes NO business sense whatsoever and they will never sell the product properly.

VA know this and are trying to fix it. After tonight's flight there's still a problem on flight crew not giving a damn.. Tonight the flight was FULL, ground crew had not allowed Rows 1 or 2 to fill to ensure quiet for the PE PAX, yet the CS throw's it out the window..

Was certainly interesting again, I am sure we've not seen the last of this pain, but surely they can get this right.!

 

[Noob]

Hi
I've confirmed that PE seats are now supposed to be empty, and not upgraded even on the plane.
As a PE guest to be honest, if you paid for the product as it is marketed as a "Quiet, easy place" when they fill it up, or CS's let people sit in their then it totally devalues the purpose of the product. One would ask the question, if you can easily get a seat upgrade by being Gold, why the hang would anyone buy the product. Because it would easier for us PE guests to get FREE upgrades and sit in the seats.. The only difference on flights is the food then, which i would be lucky to spend more then $10 of on food if i was buying.
So for a ticket BNE - SYD Say $129 i can have Row 1 or 2, as an upgrade because i am gold, and then spend $10 and buy the food, and presto my flight costs me $139.

Instead i spend $419 (which is nearly $300 difference).. From a business standpoint this makes NO sense, they would never sell the product.. Just give away free upgrades!

I just got off a flight were someone was put into 2A/2C in which i turned to the CS and asked WHY? Oh they just wanted to sit together.! Said what about your new policy, looks at me and says oh i can upgrade anyone! Funnily during the flight, the food cart was put at row 4, and the people in row 2 got asked for food/options first before the 2PAX in PE got asked!!!!! Go Figure.

Now i know some of you call people elitist and so on.. The simple fact is the product is there with specific "options" if you don't pay for them, don't expect them. Thats the simple facts! For people to be running around claiming they are entitled to these perks as a GOLD.. I say well i am GOLD (significantly) if i am sitting beside someone whom paid $100 whilst i paid $400 this makes NO business sense whatsoever and they will never sell the product properly.

VA know this and are trying to fix it. After tonight's flight there's still a problem on flight crew not giving a damn.. Tonight the flight was FULL, ground crew had not allowed Rows 1 or 2 to fill to ensure quiet for the PE PAX, yet the CS throw's it out the window..

Was certainly interesting again, I am sure we've not seen the last of this pain, but surely they can get this right.!

I think you said that really well, I don't think the way you explained the issue is elitist at all, you are just explaining that they shouldn't devalue a product which is obviously of financial benefit to them as a business. When they do this they are not only making PE guest's experience less than satisfactory, they are shooting themselves in the foot.

IMO It only sounds arrogant when people use derogative terms to describe the Y class passengers who are upgraded, or rudely perch themselves upon a PE seat after takeoff.

 

[serfty]

See my post #2 ...

 

[concorde71]

IMO It only sounds arrogant when people use derogative terms to describe the Y class passengers who are upgraded,

If you refer to me, then thats fine, because they were not upgraded, they just helped themselves, alas the game continues.......

 

[Justchecking]

If you refer to me, then thats fine, because they were not upgraded, they just helped themselves, alas the game continues.......

I think he's referring to me, although I did not use derogatory terms, merely described a situation I've seen and stated that as a paid PE pax I would not be happy to be sitting next to someone who was placed in PE without paying a PE fare and not being even slightly discreet about it. IMHO, placing Y pax next to a PE fare paying pax absolutely calls the integrity of the product into question. Why would I pay $500 to sit there when there's a fairly good chance I'll sit there anyway if it's a full flight?People onboard helping themselves to PE happens, people queuing up in the front for the toilet and sitting in PE seats while they do so is a problem. People taking their toddlers for a walk to the front and then playing in premium seats is a problem. I've see it all often enough. I do think that placing economy pax in that zone, especially without a proper divider is a bad idea, because there is no acknowledgement the average passengers mind that this is a premium cabin, it just looks like the rest of the plane with slightly more legroom and fewer people. Yes, absolutely the FAs need to chase people out, but at the same time the company needs to not be filling up that area with Y pax if they expect people to respect the product as being something different to the rest of the plane.

 

[Gremlin]

A clear fail this morning on my flight. I was on one of the new BSI's fitted with J. I was seated near the front of Y. J effectively became a waiting room for the toilet. On at least two occasions the FAs actually directed Y pax to sit in J whilst they waited. Whilst I was in Y today, I regularly travel in Y+ and J and in my opinion this is totally unacceptable! Another pax simply moved and sat in J - it took near 10 mins before they were told to move back to their seat. Her comment to the FA was that there were others from Y who had been sitting there - those who had been waiting for the toilet. This seriously needs to be addressed in my opinion.

 

[Justchecking]

A clear fail this morning on my flight. I was on one of the new BSI's fitted with J. I was seated near the front of Y. J effectively became a waiting room for the toilet. On at least two occasions the FAs actually directed Y pax to sit in J whilst they waited. Whilst I was in Y today, I regularly travel in Y+ and J and in my opinion this is totally unacceptable! Another pax simply moved and sat in J - it took near 10 mins before they were told to move back to their seat. Her comment to the FA was that there were others from Y who had been sitting there - those who had been waiting for the toilet. This seriously needs to be addressed in my opinion.

+1, I wouldn't want to pay a premium to sit in a Q for the loo.