Richard Branson Disparages Singapore Girls

[Singapore_Air]

In an interview with USA Today, Richard Branson had this to say of the gracious and non-robotic Singapore Girl.

You know, Singapore Airlines are great, but their crew can be a bit Stepford-girlish. Our crews on Virgin America, they'll joke with you. They'll answer you back in a friendly way. They'll banter with you. They'll smile. They'll have fun. That's very much the Virgin ethos – to have fun.

Also, a bit of self flattery which is arguably a little myopic:

Virgin Atlantic, which also carriers the Virgin brand, is generally either the most-respected airline in the world. Singapore sometimes beats us, but we're up there in the top sort of two most-respected.

Otherwise, hoorah for Virgin America.

Full interview http://www.usatoday.com/travel/fligh...anscript_N.htm

[singaporeairlinesboi]

pshhh

singapore airlines you go ahead and sell your share in Virgin. lols

[TON_UK]

Well, I used to fly with Virgin Atlantic from LHR to US once. I don't like their service really. They don't pay attention to the passenger like SQ. Everytime I fly back to Asia with SQ, alway present and nice. The crew from virgin don't like asian like me....I think...well, I prefer SQ rather than VS.

[Snaffled]

Both airlines are in my top 5, but SIA are number one and Virgin are number 3. The crew are a large factor in this.
On another note, I hate the Virgin Lounge in JFK that they share. A triumph of design over comfort, with poor service thrown in.

[The High Flyer]

Richard Branson probably could muster his courage to say all these now because Chew Choon Seng is soon no longer going to be his boss.

OK, I made a mistake. I should have said partner. I forgot that SIA owns just 49% of Virgin Atlantic.

[Savage25]

Ah, don't read too much into it...he's just trying to differentiate VA service.

[Savage25]

Both airlines are in my top 5, but SIA are number one and Virgin are number 3. The crew are a large factor in this.
On another note, I hate the Virgin Lounge in JFK that they share. A triumph of design over comfort, with poor service thrown in.

I love the VS JFK Clubhouse. I've always found a comfortable place to sit, even when its crowded, and the service there is excellent.

[SQflyergirl]

Sir Richard Branson is a spin doctor par excellence. You sit up, and you take note of what he says. Which is precisely what he aims to achieve.

[jjpb3]

I agree with Savage25 and SQfg. I wouldn't take SRB too seriously.

When a businessman with his marketing acumen grants a 20-minute interview (particularly to a publication with USA Today's caliber), it's instructive to examine how he chooses his words. He needs a quick way to make the claim that VX is a quality airline to the readers of the newspaper: SQ allows him to do that in relatively few words.

As for his description of SQ Girls, I'll believe he's serious about it only after he puts VS service head-to-head against SQ service in a competition for passengers, and charges either at parity or at a premium for his offering. I think he'll have plenty of time to do this if SQ sells its stake, but I have my doubts he'll actually do it.

[Lobster]

Another great bit of PR by SRB somehow he has managed to get accross that Virgin America a low cost airline gives better service than SQ.

[quik!]

For me, I think SQ has a target market for perhaps more matured passengers.
VS seems to target the younger crowds.

Their branding says a lot. I find VS appealed to me more. Oh, and their VSCHouses!

[up and away]

Yah, don't worry too much about mister "4 engines 4 long haul"

[Cossie]

On my first ever trip on a VS A340 to New York on Upper, a VS crew came up to me as I sat down, one hand on hip, other hand lifted crooked in the air, smiled cheekily and said "y'awight there?" I think she even had gum in her mouth. Later in the flight she forgot to bring me my dessert.

I had flown various airlines across the atlantic, but when I travel to Asia, I'd always fly SQ. I later commented to a friend that no SQ girl would ever have gotten away with behaviour like that. That was several years ago.

The more I fly VS (and I only now fly VS if VS flies there), the more I like the Virgin "ethos". It wasn't disrespect or insouciance, it was just a "way" or a "manner". It was informal, friendly, silly and young. Apart from Ms Lily Teapot forgetting my dessert on that first flight, I had never found the service wanting in any way. I've always got what I wanted and those Upper Class suites are seriously fantastic and before the new business class on the SQ 77W, were without a doubt the best business class seats on any plane. I hated those sloppy business class seats on the SQ 744s.

SQ's service standards are unparalleled. No matter what Branson says. But I do get his meaning when he says "Stepford-Girlish". They are....in a way. Formal, deferential, almost apologetic. Asian. And different. But not in a bad way. Although the gossiping in rather loud hokkien in the galley can be rather distracting...

I like a dose of both. I like to banter with Ms Lily Teapot about whether she thought lobsters should suffer the indignity of being wrapped in a wanton. But I also like to chat with an SQ girl about how delicious the lobster wanton was.

Just a thought...

[ycp81]

after so many flights on SQ, interestingly my best crew encounter was on a low-cost carrier, Vueling Airlines. The spanish crew were very friendly, making chit-chats with passengers, giving very warm genuine smiles, providing very good service yet with a very informal feel.

[zvezda]

I hate the Virgin Lounge in JFK that they share. A triumph of design over comfort, with poor service thrown in.

Poor service in the JFK ClubHouse? I find the service very good. In the SKL, there is no service -- just self-service.