UCS Centre divider

G-VFAB goes in for suites on Saturday and when she returns she will be the first Suite aircraft with removable dividers between the D & G seats.

The dividers will be able to move down when couples are travelling together and can be bought up again when singles are travelling.

If succesful other aircraft will be retrofitted.

how is success to be messured?;)

When I flew upper class last week i was selected for an "X-Plane" satisfaction questionnaire on board.

maybe they will add a few questions for G-VFAB pax?

This is good news!

The biggest problem when I fly UCS was the fact that it was difficult when traveling with the missus as I kept having to pop over the divider!

Is there a lot of space between the seats when the divider will be down since the seats are back to back??

I find it much easier for mrs jag to have the window seat and I sit in the centre across from her.The layout of the centre seats will still mean craining your neck even with the centre section removed.

I think you are all missing the point; the good thing of the existing centre divider is you can throw bread roles at each other over it and generally muck about without being easily physically hit by your over half! Alternatively it also stops the other half from nagging at you all the time! Now with the divider down, all of this will changeÉ.. unless it has a lock on it like the doors in hotel rooms that join each other!

On a serious note, I think it is a great enhancement.

[Bazz]

quote:Originally posted by Jonathan
how is success to be messured?;)

By the number of times it goes up and down between couple of course

[Bazz]

quote:Originally posted by jaguarpig
I find it much easier for mrs jag to have the window seat and I sit in the centre across from her.The layout of the centre seats will still mean craining your neck even with the centre section removed.

Chris, do you think it more sociable to be on opposite sides of the aisle facing each other than next to each other?

We have 16 & 17 A on VS7 and currently have 18 D & G on VS8 but after Chris Morley said the screens wouldn't be removed we thought of changing assignment, now since this Declan's news in this thread, I'm undecided whether to leave it or change it.

Unlike some posters the missus and I enjoy the flight experience and would want to share it.

Bazz,

Hence why a lock would be good - you can enjoy the experience together with the divider down, throw bread rolls over it with it up and slam it up and lock it when the other half starts talking about all of the money (your money) they are going to spend shopping at the destination!

quote:Chris, do you think it more sociable to be on opposite sides of the aisle facing each other than next to each other?

It worked very well sitting across the aisle, we always rabbit non stop as we also enjoy sharing the whole travelling experience thats why I know buggar all about the IFE as It never gets switched on until I am going to sleep[xx(]:D.

We had 16 A&D (747) and will always book similar.The angle of the centre seats is such that you are quite away apart at the head end of the suite(neck turning distance).

Having flown the 346 (HKG) with suites and the 744 (SFO) with suites a few times, personally I think the centre suites are best for couples..... shame the 346 does not have these though. The wife and I found no issues talking, messing about and sharing the experience in the centre seats - we do spend a lot of time at the bar together though. At the end of the day it is all personal preference - but the centre suites worked very well for us.

[Bazz]

lloydfrancis,

For couples, do you think to removal of the centre partition will make a big difference or is it not that much of an issue?

Bazz,

I think it will make matters much better (despite my bread roll throwing comments!). Being able to chat to a travelling companion without stretching to look over the divide will be very good and yes, it will really make the D and G seats fantastic for people together - a big double suite area all to yourself. Also, I personally find people talking between suites such as 7A and 7D a real pain as all the people around them can hear the conversation. I think on the 346 couple's should sit behind one and other i.e. 7A and 8A not 7A and 7D.

When the suites were originally tested, whilst still in development, this was one of the comments suggested by the testers. Personally I am surprised it took Virgin until now to do anything about it as they had feedback prior to rollout that this enhancement would be good. However, the suites regardless are great and will continue to get my business as long as Virgin fly where I want to go. Now all we need is more crew so the passenger / crew member ratio is more like that on Singapore First - I am however told that Suite equipped planes get 2 additional crew over and above a J2000 plane in UC despite having fewer seats.

[Bazz]

...and despite pax sleeping more frequently and for longer periods I am informed [|)]

I guess we'll stick with 18 D&G and hope the partitions are removable on our aircraft by then, thanks.

Aren't the two IFS kept busy doing seat demos and "making up" beds?

I wonder if they are also a temporary measure while UCS is being rolled out in order to give the impression of additional service levels and deal with problems (I flew on early UCS flights where the engineer was on board, and every time the engineer was busy, there was a FA either helping or looking over the engineer's shoulder).

Does anybody have a steer on what the divider will look like. The BA-CW "fan" is an awful looking bolt on - obviously they had the same feedback too late in the roll out proces to do something properly.

Picutres ASAP please...

[Bazz]

I was told it was great to have engineers flying with the new suites also that FA's who had been "leaning over the engineer's shoulder" have now learnt a few tricks themselves and know what to do when certain problems arise, albeit they are not supposed to do it, but if it keeps the pax happy

I thought the 2 extra crew were a permanent fixture - or that is what has been implied. I did a couple of flights with one of the Engineers on board - they were really nice people, really good to chat to about Virgin things.

Well that's cycnical old me told then. Good to know the FAs are doing more than waiting to see if help was needed...

The crew complement on UCS 747 flights is

Main deck 2 Seniors for 34 pax so 17 pax each.

1 Senior in the Galley and 1 Purser and 1 IFS.

Upper deck is 1 senior for 10 pax. 1 senior in upper deck galley and 1 working the upper deck aisle.

crew have not been increased! as there are less seats!!!

[Bazz]

Thanks for clarifying the position Declan.