PREMIUM SUPER SEAT!

Originally posted by webdes03

Originally posted by VS045
If VS are going to improve PE seating, they need to start somewhere and inconsistency is just something the airline has to get through whilst upgrading.

VS.

Exactly.

Fair enough, and thanks all for commenting on my p.o.v.. I think I've probably been corrupted by V-Flyer postings about service[:w]
It is heartening to see an attempt to improve the offering in a class that some of us can stretch to on special occasion.

It must be a lively time in customer relations when you're promoting an upgraded provision such as this yet the majority of passengers in this class will still not be seeing it simply because of roll out schedule. I know that an actual schedule would be delicate and complex planning exercise, but how quickly could VS roll this out ? Could BA, for example, do the same exercise more quickly because of a greater availability of "spare" aircraft ? Or will it simply be slotted into a pre-existing maintenance and refurbishment plan ?

Paul

^They managed to flog the suite without it actually being on many aircraft at the time, and us frontline staff dealt with the flack then, so i'm sure the new W seat wont cause any sleepless nights if pax are expecting it and don't get it!! I'm sure i heard all the super seats should be in place by the end of 2007.

Even now in the dying days of the J2000 there's still someone who fancies a shout and a moan about it not being the suite but unfortunately, there's not a lot than can be done about it!!

PS - Someone somewhere was moaning about the orange coloured economy seats (i don't blame them - who thought orange fitted anywhere into the Virgin brand?)....they're going. It'll be aubergine and mink.

Dont forget that the new seat has been trialled now on WKD for a number of months.

The customers in those seats have been asked for feedback so that VS can get in right first time!!

As a result of the feedback the launch date was put back while the seat has been modified slightly and now it is rolling out across the fleet.

VS can fit it pretty quickly where as the BA seat will take longer because they have more aircraft.

At the end of the day all airlines have the same problem, they advertise a new seat and then have to roll it out over time.

This problem is not unique to Virgin.

I hope that all the aircraft get the new seat asap and I am pretty sure VS want the same because then they will have the biggest and most comfortable PE cabin in the sky.

Originally posted by declansmith

VS can fit it pretty quickly where as the BA seat will take longer because they have more aircraft.

I was thinking more about spare, rather than absolute, capacity and the ability to rotate aeroplanes out of service to be refitted whilst maintaining your schedules.

Paul

VS can fit it pretty quickly where as the BA seat will take longer because they have more aircraft.

I hope that's true, though fear that Virgin's limited fleet will mean a long wait for standardisation ... taking planes out for weeks at a time has proven to delay any change for years, witness the time it has taken to install UCS.

Wheras BA say they will fit NNCW and their version of AVOD across their entire long haul fleet ( 57 x 747s, 43 x 777s and 10 x 767s) in lilttle over a year [:0].

Bring on new PE I say, and quickly, and uniformly.

The trouble with fitting out a -600 first is that there are no routes which are (supposedly) operated exclusively by it that can be flown by one aircraft in one day, other than maybe LOS which is hardly a high profile, mainstream destination;)

VS.

^Don't knock Lagos - that flight kept VS in business after 9/11!!!

[preiffer]

^ Yes - and times change...

LOS may be good financially but it hardly has the same attraction as say NY;)

VS.

My wife flew out to JFK in premium economy last week on an A340/600 which had the new seats. She was most impressed!! She said they were dead comfy and so much better. It was also her first flight with VPORT system and loved it. She flew home on a very old 300 with the old seats and it was a huge comedown!!

So, let's cut to the chase then. Any idea when (if) the new super seat will be fitted to the 747s, and, from a purely personal popint of view, the LGW/MAN 747s Like, will it happen before my trip next April

Originally posted by Treelo
So, let's cut to the chase then. Any idea when (if) the new super seat will be fitted to the 747s, and, from a purely personal popint of view, the LGW/MAN 747s Like, will it happen before my trip next April

The older PE seat on the upper deck on the LGW/MAN 747 fleet is very nice, and very comfortable, if you ask me - but I've not sat in the new seat yet, so it's hard to compare.

If you remember, the original PE (or Mid-Class as it was then) took one of the best business class recliners of it's day, but you got a Y food a drink service. They are really nice seats, even if they look a bit dated by today's standards, they are superior to the "plastic terror" PE seats (of about 2001).

Upper (pre-J2000) actually used the same seating as most airlines' F cabins of the day. (Some would argue the food was as good then too...)

Cheers,
Mike

Originally posted by Treelo
Any idea when (if) the new super seat will be fitted to (...) the LGW/MAN 747s

I understand it is scheduled to happen just after MAN getting an upgraded c/h, and just before MAN flights getting v port as standard. Of course there are the next generation amenity kits to be rolled out before either of those.

As far as I have been told ALL aircraft will get the new Wcl seats.

[Neil]

Originally posted by sailor99

Originally posted by Treelo
Any idea when (if) the new super seat will be fitted to (...) the LGW/MAN 747s

I understand it is scheduled to happen just after MAN getting an upgraded c/h, and just before MAN flights getting v port as standard. Of course there are the next generation amenity kits to be rolled out before either of those.

Sarcasm is the lowest form of wit Jeremy!! but the funniest too:D

Neil:)

Sarcasm is the lowest form of wit Jeremy!! but the funniest too:D

Neil:)

Very good Jeremy [^] So that'll be this year, next year, sometime, never then [:w]

Oh and Neil, my old Grandad's (may he RIP) response to you would be:

'Well lad, I tend to lower my wit to match the company I find myself in' [:o)]

Perhaps the LGW 744 will get it when they have their next major check which ISTBC but I imagine may be coming up in the next 18 months or so and would make perfect sense while pulling the plane to bits to slip in the new seats, but hey this is VS logic remember.

Originally posted by sailor99

Originally posted by Treelo
Any idea when (if) the new super seat will be fitted to (...) the LGW/MAN 747s

I understand it is scheduled to happen just after MAN getting an upgraded c/h, and just before MAN flights getting v port as standard. Of course there are the next generation amenity kits to be rolled out before either of those.

I'll be eyeing this 'rollout' of the new Premium seat with interest as if it's like the UCS rollout we'll be waiting a long time. You can almost guarantee that BA will have completed the refit of all of their aircraft with the new seats in Club and FIRST before VS have completed the fleet refit to just one cabin.

Plus at the same time BA are upgrading the whole long range fleet with AVOD. Hmmmm, methinks the money saved from the Scrooge Kit / 'No SUpper Class' (GNF) introductions may need to start being spent keeping up.....

David.

I can see why the rollout of the suites took so long, but are the new PE seats just bolted into the same holes left by the previous seats? Is there a lot of in cabin work needed to upgrade then?

Originally posted by locutus
I can see why the rollout of the suites took so long, but are the new PE seats just bolted into the same holes left by the previous seats? Is there a lot of in cabin work needed to upgrade then?

Its not as big a job as the suite refit (unless AVOD goes in at the same time as well) but still a bit bigger than just bolting into the same holes!

Also theres a Ycabin Refit and config change on the A340-600s to do as well.

Does anyone know how soon this new seat is going to be availalbe on all 346s? It seems to have gone quiet of late, and nothing on the VS website.

I ask as I am planning a redemption trip to SYD in May '07 and have two options - J Class Miles + Cash throgh BMI (prob SQ, TG or similar) or make the ultimate sacrifice and buy a Y ticket then upgrade to PE on VS...ultimate sacrifice as it will leave me enough miles to go somewhere in J with my partner.

Is it likely the new seat will be in all the 346s by then?

Plus at the same time BA are upgrading the whole long range fleet with AVOD

As far as i understand, most of the BA planes will be keeping the screens and infastructure and its a case of replacing the hardware at the server end for AVOD. BA chose the system they have currently because its pretty easy and quick to get a plane upgraded to AVOD.

Although they must have to bin the stamp sized screens on some of the 777's[:w]