Hi everyone - VBCC here. To Zapp I have to say I totally agree with you - if you think as a pax the seatbelt issue is confusing and unsafe - try being a cc member. Our safety comes down to whether the flight deck think it warrants crew being seated and our personal judegement. I personally think is sends the wrong message that crew are up and about when the pax are not allowed to be. I hope that your attention to this matter will make a change as reports from crew fall on deaf ears.
As to the jokes - again I agree. There are a select number of crew who can deliver creative and funny jokes - the rest (including me) are hopeless. Also too many crew don't know when it is appropriate and when is it not. Trust me - the crew in the back are often rolling their eyes at these jokes as much as the pax are. My pet hate is when the CS makes a joke at my expense (ie - introducing me with a 'side-story'). Unfortuneatley we have a behavioural compentancy called Virgin Flair - which we are rated on every trip. The vast majority of us think this mean being helpful, kind, personable. However, old school virgin blue is all about "fun in the cabin" and there are those that persist. We actually have a book of jokes, stories, and games to use!! Again only customer feedback can change this.
The good news is that as the Foxtel TV is rolled out across the fleet - we are no longer allowed to make non-authorised PAs as it cuts out the TV which you have paid for. Also as
VB reduces the crew compliment - it reduces the ability of 'fun in the cabin' as we will be flat chat trying to get our required duties/service done. The foxtel also kills the music as a/c with the live TV are not equiped with music systems - its so quiet its a bit scary!
Adam xoxo