On board recognition - who gets any?

[Qld4101]

Generally always get a welcome back (plat), but never any other form of recognition - not sure what else I would expect though.......

 

[ekys]

VA Plat member here. Usually get a welcome back on all flights. I fly ex NTL a lot and they're generally a bit more casual there (everyone at NTL is pretty casual).

Biggest difference I notice is on VA metal SYD-LAX and return, the cabin crew manager usually comes down to introduce themselves. VA plats get advance and early meal service in economy and they get express arrival route tickets too.

I've also twice had them offer me a blocked adjacent seat when the flight is not full.

I've flown the delta codeshare on this route too and after that experience, as a VA plat, I will only ever fly VA metal to US.

 

[legalistic]

I get a standard welcome back too, occasionally, if I'm lucky.

My only and first handshake and personal welcome was on Qantas J from SYD to PER, as a mere Silver it was kinda cool (the dude welcomed every J class pax too, but that's cool)

 

[Bolthead]

Has anyone else noticed if domestic business class meal orders are being taken in order of status? (But always delivered front to back, though.) I first noticed this last month, when I didn't sit in row 1, the CS made a bee-line for me to take my order then back to row 1. (At first I thought it was a version of AA's FEBO, but that doesn't seem to be the case, as it follows me around the aircraft.) It has now happened a number of times since, so I am assuming that it is status based order taking. :?:

LOL, I get it the other way around... hand over boarding pass... then long *pause* as they study it (probably deciding if they can attempt a pronunciation), then they generally give in, and decide simply on "welcome back" *pause* then "oh, and welcome to business class".

I have not observed this on my my recent J flights, which is somewhat annoying. I would like to see VA implement this policy for all services, its a nice bonus for Plats/Golds to ensure they get to choose meals first.

At first I didn't agree with this but thinking now, yes I do! I got caught out the other week and was a bit annoyed.

I have to disagree.... I have never observed this and frankly because there is only 2 rows, I think it is not a big deal. As a platinum it doesn't bother me. Last week in J, row one was taken up by a family of 2 x Adults and 2 x rug rats and I didn't even think of it. J was 7/8 and the service was great.

 

[hummel]

I have to disagree.... I have never observed this and frankly because there is only 2 rows, I think it is not a big deal. As a platinum it doesn't bother me. Last week in J, row one was taken up by a family of 2 x Adults and 2 x rug rats and I didn't even think of it. J was 7/8 and the service was great.

Thinking about this more, I would expect a higher chance of status passengers to be flying J so maybe this wouldn't work. I think if they just loaded a few more vegetarian meal's in I'd be happy.

 

[Flywithd]

i think if they just loaded a few more vegetarian meal's in I'd be happy.

Sorry a little OT, do we get to make meal preferences when we book tickets? I've never noticed if there is a drop down option as my details are already in place and I just click away.

 

[wallacej]

Has anyone else noticed if domestic business class meal orders are being taken in order of status? (But always delivered front to back, though.) I first noticed this last month, when I didn't sit in row 1, the CS made a bee-line for me to take my order then back to row 1. (At first I thought it was a version of AA's FEBO, but that doesn't seem to be the case, as it follows me around the aircraft.) It has now happened a number of times since, so I am assuming that it is status based order taking. :?:

LOL, I get it the other way around... hand over boarding pass... then long *pause* as they study it (probably deciding if they can attempt a pronunciation), then they generally give in, and decide simply on "welcome back" *pause* then "oh, and welcome to business class".

I had my meal preference taken when sitting in premium economy as a plat on a mel-lax flight. I dont recall any other orders being taken in the cabin, and it was announced, because you are platinum we want to make sure you get your choice.

That was quite a nice touch.

 

[Western Force]

Generally always get a welcome back (plat), but never any other form of recognition - not sure what else I would expect though.......

I flew recently with VA with my partner and she is a lowly red and got a "Welcome Back Miss...." on boarding.

It was my second flight with them and got nothing (which is fair enough as at that stage had not even signed up with velocity). I am silver on QF and are often surprised the amount of times even I am called by name when flying in J

 

[lobo76]

I think this thread might have filtered back, after a very patchy period my recent trip (6 flights) was I think 100%...

 

[medhead]

I'm sorry but having someone say "welcome back" to every person who steps onto the aircraft is not the recognition that I was referring to in writing this thread. Not least because everyone gets that welcome, it isn't extra recognition.

 

[Jama]

It is very hard to suggest exactly how to differentiation. Even with no status you should be able to expect a good level of service and all the assistance you require. I don't feel the on-board trip is any different now as a Platinum than years back when I was a red but I also struggle to suggest how to change this. There certainly shouldn't be a reduction in service level for everyone else to make us feel good about ourselves. But we also want to feel like we are valued as the most frequent customers as well.

 

[Qld4101]

Everyone should receive a good level of service and this includes a welcome on board - I would like to see something small, not necessarily every time so not an actual benefit. Based in CNS where there is no lounge (currently) a paper in the morning would be a small extra for the (plats) on board - particularly when the J loads out of here are often very light and you see then pile the spare papers back into the lockers - a very small but appreciated gesture.......... Haven't flown QF recently but I certainly remember them distributing the spare papers?

 

[dk4]

I had my meal preference taken when sitting in premium economy as a plat on a mel-lax flight.

Doesn't look like it is happening in domestic business as a SOP, as others have posted. Maybe there was some other reason it happened on my flights (passengers with eyes shut as CS passed by, staff travel...) but thought I'd ask, to see if anyone else had experienced it.

 

[Steelo]

My experience is that the recognition of frequent flyer customers by Qantas is much higher on those routes with smaller planes - ie 737. Travelling from Cairns the service is always personable and they often personal recognise frequent flyers, they regularly distribute newspapers to higher level frequent flyers in economy - and on the odd occasion flight attendants will even sneak a glass of wine to me when sitting in economy. Obviously, providing such a level to customers on larger planes with shorter flights makes it more difficult to provide that personal level of service.

 

[medhead]

My experience is that the recognition of frequent flyer customers by Qantas is much higher on those routes with smaller planes - ie 737. Travelling from Cairns the service is always personable and they often personal recognise frequent flyers, they regularly distribute newspapers to higher level frequent flyers in economy - and on the odd occasion flight attendants will even sneak a glass of wine to me when sitting in economy. Obviously, providing such a level to customers on larger planes with shorter flights makes it more difficult to provide that personal level of service.

That matches my experience on qantas. With flights having 18 WPs there is no chance.

BTW the OP related to Virgin Australia.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

This is not a whinge on my behalf, but my experience is that recognition is long gone with VA.

Apart from the odd spare newspaper offered out or a digiplayer/galaxy to row 3/4 on A/C with seatback ife, I notice nothing now, whereas I used to get the odd complementary snack and drink and for a while was always welcomed by name. I now play a game with them when boarding where I'll check-out their nametag as I enter behind someone and greet them by name when I show my boarding pass......it can be quite amusing at times as they grapple with an appropriate response. My last SYD trip had the poor young lad totally at a loss for words simply because he was caught out by it. He couldn't even get out my seat position he was so thrown by it! By some of the responses, I'm assuming not too many pax do that!

OH...hang on, I just remembered my flight yesterday. I fell asleep and was awoken by a lovely FA gently stroking my arm to request I raise the blinds for landing. How nice that was rather than being shaken awake! (Isn't there another thread discussing how we shouldn't relax.........sleeping then, must surely be a sin)!

 

[legalistic]

That's it!! I'm demanding they start by giving all silvers a mandatory high five, a handshake for gold, and a 15 minute feet massage for plats!

with a welcome (back) for all other pax of course

 

[medhead]

That's it!! I'm demanding they start by giving all silvers a mandatory high five, a handshake for gold, and a 15 minute feet massage for plats!

with a welcome (back) for all other pax of course

Massage? I'd settle for the free flowing bundy that prompted this thread in the first place.

 

[bullerdude]

I had my meal preference taken when sitting in premium economy as a plat on a mel-lax flight. I dont recall any other orders being taken in the cabin, and it was announced, because you are platinum we want to make sure you get your choice.

That was quite a nice touch.

I recently observed someone seating in row 4 request one of the business class Galaxy Tab during the flight, and it was provided to him. (This was a BSI AC so no in-seat screens) I assume he must have been Gold/Plat.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

I recently observed someone seating in row 4 request one of the business class Galaxy Tab during the flight, and it was provided to him. (This was a BSI AC so no in-seat screens) I assume he must have been Gold/Plat.

I did this once (when I was part way through a movie on the morning flight that I wanted to finish in the evening) and they gave me one without issue. Row 3 when I was gold.