Friday, October 31st, 2008
When Virgin Atlantic first appeared on the scene, it offered a fresh and entertaining alternative to British Airways. Cheerful young cabin staff who seemed eager to please. Reasonable fares too. It's not the same today for many reasons.
Today, we read that 13 cabin crew members have been fired for going on to Facebook and describing the passengers as 'chavs' - well many of them are and I see them all the time. Just try 5 am at Cardiff Airport as I said earlier.
It seems that this band of 13 also said that the planes were full of cockroaches. I am sure that they are for we have a maintenance centre in Cardiff and that services the 747's and 777's of BA and others. You just ask them about the shit, bugs, fungi and filth which lies behind the panelling on any aircraft coming in for routine service. Down behind the toilet panels, it's even worse, cus we blokes don't always aim straight at the best of times and certainly not in turbulence.
Many years ago, there was gossip in Cardiff that he flew in a 747 for routine maintenance and was told, 'er no fella, this one needs a lot more than that.' So he flew it out to Hong Kong for a cheapie. Gossip, I know but you have to wonder.
Branson may moan on about BA (for which I hold no candle) but he collaborated with them on fuel surcharges until he blew the whistle and escaped prosecution. What's this? 'OK, guvnor, I sure robbed the bank but it was with them guys so if I give you their names, can I get off?.
Then you get his implacable hostility to any link between BA and American Airlines but you hear no mention of any opposition to United and Lufthansa in the Star Alliance or Northwest's long term involvement with KLM and later Air France. The latter don't fly long-haul from Heathrow and threaten him so he keeps his gob shut. And he is quiet about his affiliation with Continental which totally dominates Newark.
Next. Have you sat down and compared his prices with those of BA for the same route on the same day? In general, but not always, there is not a gnat's cock between them
And finally, have you seen how he has rushed in to accept the Lufthansa/bmi merger and be a part of it. His logic here would appear to be that bmi are 2nd in the control of Heathrow slots and together with Lufthansa, they may well damage BA.
Last time I flew Virgin, it was in Premium Economy, a concept invented by BA. It was OK but no better than that of BA except that the cabin crew were younger. Does Mr. Branson operate an ageist policy I wonder?
Like I said, I hold no candle for BA. I see them as ordinary and the cabin staff to be rather stiff and starchy. But Virgin Atlantic has lost its fresh edge. Better that Branson focuses on breathing life into this.
Right now, I see him as obsessive and hypocritical.
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