Airplane Style Minute: Dinner at 30,000 feet via Virgin America

  
Traveling In Style...Sometimes...

White Leather First Class: the Virgin America First Class seat

As you know, I travel A LOT.  I joke to my family and friends that sometimes I feel like my other job is a Flight Attendant--which is fine by me, because I LOVE me some Flight Attendants--especially those old school FABULOUSLY dressed ones form "back in the day". I actually love to travel. My dad was a diplomat and I grew up traveling--I was only 2 months old when I first got on an airplane in fact...Nowadays 99.9% of my travels are business--for my design business, or for filming and appearances. Sometimes, a client might be "extra nice" and book me on a "Premium Cabin" (Love that!) or I get lucky and receive an upgrade (Love that, Part 2!) This post here on my lovely ol' blog is one of those stylish occurrences on a recent 4+ hour East Coast-West Coast flight on one of my favorite airlines, Virgin America.

 Virgin America Chic: Flight attendants

Virgin America is probably one of the most "stylish" US-based airlines; they're semi-new, they're flight attendants are younger and dressed a little more "hip" with their fitted white cotton shirts with adjustable sleeves, band collars. For bottoms, they wear either a slim pencil skirt with invisible zippers at the side seams and center back (to create a slit opening if wanted). Even the pilots are "business casual" in their black dress shirt (no tie), black pants look (no cap, no jacket).

Last month, Virgin America even had a fashion show on a flight from NYC-LA, care of "Banana Republic" (photos above). Now, getting back to my "stylish" flight: I was booked on Main Cabin Select (Premium Economy) but somehow by the Airline Gods, I got a chance to upgrade to First for a (surprisingly) minimal charge. Done and Done, as they say!

Welcome Aboard Drink: after taking my seat (see photo at top of post) and getting myself acquainted with the rather FAB white leather Recaro reclining seats (Can you say "Massage Function"!!), I was offered a "Welcome Aboard" drink...a Bloody Mary please.

First Class Menu, Virgin America

Appetizer Course: Beet Ravioli

Soon after the plane reached cruising altitude, the first "Appetizer" course appeared: Beet Raviloi with fennel, pistachio, and goat cheese nougatine (what in God's name is a nougatine??). It was yummy!

Dinner: Cuban Beef Chimichurri--described in the menu as "grilled beef filet topped with chimichurri and served on a ropa vieja of spicy chorizo sausage, tomatoes, onions, garlic, pigeon peas (say WHAT???) and rice". I ate it ALL (I was HUUUNGRY and happy to just be in First Class...so leave me alone!!). Dessert was a Chocolate Mint Pave'. I took one spoonful and decided that was all my body could take!

I reclined my body on that aforementioned seat, watched a movie, dozed off and before I knew it, we were landing in LA. Next time I am munching on them pretzels back in Economy Class (wait, what pretzels??), I will pretend, I am having a Beet Ravioli starter and a Cuban Steak Chimichurri dinner...For sure!

Virgin Media Complaint Update: Big Fat Zero

I made a complaint here on 4 January about anti-trade union boss Richard Branson and the treatment that you receive when you try and cancel your Virgin Media Contract. Following which Virgin Media apparently decided to cut off my land line to punish me for daring to make a complaint.  I made a further complaint here but once again, I have had no contact at all with Virgin Media. They are of course ignoring their own complaint procedure. But no surprise there. My phone is still not working.

I've just made a third complaint and have given them 72 hours to respond or I will make a report to the regulator. Not that they are at all bothered about this since the regulator is I understand pretty toothless.

I've had a quick look around Youtube and this clip by the CWU about Virgin Media plans to close its Liverpool office is one of the very few about Branson and Virgin Media that is not so rude as to contravene the Public Order Act. Sign the CWU petition against offshoring jobs here.

Virgin Media Sticky Fingers

Following Richard Branson’s ignorant attacks on trades unions I have been trying to cancel my cable service with Virgin Media without much success. So far I have been told various complete and utter porkies, threatened with a £141 charge, been shouted at and then my Virgin landline goes mysteriously dead.

The story so far is on Tuesday after various doomed attempts to cancel online (you can’t), I rang Virgin Media to find out how to stop my account. After the normal 15 minute wait and going through various menus and being cut off twice. I was finally connected to an operator who asked why I wanted to leave. I told him that Richard Branson had made a very anti-trade union video for Virgin America and as lifelong trade unionist I want nothing to do with him or any company associated with him. I was told firstly that Branson had nothing anymore to do with Virgin Media (He does, he owns the Virgin "Brand", I think 9% of shares and is their biggest single private investor). It was then claimed that Branson owns shares in BBC so will I boycott them? I said that he doesn’t have shares in the BBC, it is public broadcaster and was told again yes he did. I was also told that I either had to give 6 months notice or pay £141 to leave. When I said that this was unfair it ended up with me being shouted at! Then the following morning I found that my Virgin landline is suddenly not working.

I have been a customer of Virgin Media (and the previous cable companies they bought) for 15 years. I pay £70 per month. At times this has been a pretty miserable experience but this is really the pits. I have also worked in front line customer services organisation for over 20 years and have never come across such an appalling service or attitude.

I have made an official complaint about Branson and his remarks; about their so called “contracts”; the lack of supervision and training given to staff; called for the Virgin Cable monopoly to be broken up and for greater regulation and also that my phone is fixed. Needless to say some 48 hours later nothing has been done. I’ll post on future developments.