Yesterday
we had an overwhelming response to a letter we posted on Editor's Corner in
which a disgruntled Virgin Atlantic passenger, who has now been named as Oliver Beale, penned his views on the disappointing
mid-flight food and entertainment he was offered.
In the letter Mr Beale amusingly described the food as similar to receiving a dead hamster for Christmas and labeled a complementary cookie as a "crime against bloody cooking".
He also asked Sir Richard Branson: "How can you live like this? I can't imagine what dinner round your house is like, it must be like something out of a nature documentary."
The letter has been now been forwarded around the world and is being hailed as the best complaint letter ever.
Following yesterday's post we received hundreds of requests for a follow-up and for Richard Branson's reaction.
We've been hassling the Virgin Atlantic press office and they have confirmed that Sir Richard called the writer personally and invited him to come to the airline's catering house next month, to help select the food on future Virgin flights.
"We investigated his complaint seriously, and following Richard Branson's phone call we've invited him to our catering house to select the next range of meals and wines we serve on board," a spokesman for Virgin Atlantic told us. "Then we can ensure his personal taste is well and truly catered for."
According to Virgin Atlantic Mr Beale replied saying that he would "think about it".
In the original blog (link below) a lot of you thought this might have been a PR stunt. "I can assure you it isn't" was the official response from Virgin Atlantic.
To read Oliver Beale's letter in full follow this link: The best complaint letter ever?
Editor's Corner
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It'd be the funniest PR stunt, ever, if it was.
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Best consumer complaint ever? Hardly. Oliver Beale is apparently an advertising "executive." I hope he doesn't write his own advertising copy. He has an embarrassing inability to spell.
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I recommend Oliver try some of the other airlines . No I am not pro Virgin , Just hate disgusting messes they call food.
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Great letter Oliver.
Perhaps you could do a similar job on banks, government and councils.
yours hopefully!
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Catering to his "personal taste"?? They missed the point completely. He wasn't griping that the food wasn't tasty. He was complaining that it wasn't even edible!!
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