Suite re-fit schedule

Hello all

First post on v-flyer! I work for VS in the Ops dept and usually post on airliners.net but am getting sick of arguing with 14yr-old know-it-all's! [:(] Hopefully my info will be more gratefully received on here....

Anyway, here's the current list of maintenance inputs for Upper Class Suite installation, dates subject to change of course:

LHR 747-400
G-VXLG 20AUG-14SEP (This is the final LHR 744 with the old seats)

A340-600
G-VGOA 10AUG-30AUG
G-VMEG 31AUG-21SEP
G-VOGE 22SEP-13OCT (Last 346 to be completed)

LGW 747-400
G-VROS 01OCT-19OCT (1st LGW 744 to be done)
G-VGAL 01NOV-17NOV
G-VLIP 18NOV-04DEC

AFAIK the LGW 744s will also have their Nova IFE replaced with v:port as well as being re-config'd with a smaller Upper Class section but larger Premium Economy - 28/38/373 to 16/50/373. There are no planned dates for A340-300 Suite inputs at the moment.

Cheers
Alan

[Bazz]

Hi Alan, welcome aboard and thanks for the heads-up.

All info gratefully received on v-flyer as some of your colleagues can tell you.

Alan works in the Ops Dept so please, no posts about "what aircraft an I going to get" in this thread, let's keep it on topic.

Thanks Alan,
Welcome to V-Flyer:D
I fly from LGW a lot so would be interested to see what VROS looks like after the 19th Oct[8D].

Am I right in thinking that the existing Y/W seating will stay as is and than extra W seats will be added in Zone B of U/C?

Fab info just what the doctor ordered. I see 3 LGW planes listed are there 5? if so what about the other 2!

Alan

Welcome to V-Flyer, excellent info - thanks

Cheers

Michael

Hi Alan,

We are much more mature than 14:D:D:D;)

Great info, pity I'll just miss the 1st LGW refit. Just the excuse I need to make another trip.

Iain

A little off topic, but..

I too came here after attempting to get some help from another forum (Flyertalk.com), where like you having been abused by children (or at best VERY small minded people) I gave up after posting a single thread!

From my (very limited) time on this forum the content and general attitude is light years ahead - glad to see someone agrees!

Chris R (Razza)

Many thanks for the information Alan. I am pleased that the LGW aircraft WILL have V-Port that's great news!:D
have they now stopped doing two aircraft at a time?

abot the nova IFE thing, what declansmith (another VS employee) claims is that nova is going to be updated with more channels, games and new controllers that can be taken out of the seats. He also says that LHR is being moved to V:port only by summer next year or so.

Btw, do you happen to know about the terminal situation at heathrow? I read on A.net that VS have been offered terminal 4 (imagine the size of the clubhouse there) but have delayed the decision on that because of taxi delays from T4 to 9L/27R

and don't worry, I'm 16, I can be a know it all if you miss the whingers on A.net (I wish I had a membership there, just to own them all )

Hi Alan,

Thanks for this great info, nice to hear something concrete on the refits:)

Nice to see Virgin trying to get a decent standard across the fleet.

[mitchja]

Hi Alan and Welcome

Thanks for the info

Regards

Hi all

Thanks for the nice comments I realise I work in a privileged position and it's nice to be able to share some inside info with people who appreciate it.

Jonathan

I'll check that out re the zones when I get a chance.

Stephen

I've only got re-fit info up to the end of Dec at the moment. I'll keep an eye out for any updates. I presume the other 2 LGW a/c are planned for 2005.

AlanA

Yes once 'XLG is done it'll be just one a/c at a time on refit.

Blythy

I hadn't heard about the Nova upgrade thing...will have to wait and see on that I suppose. AFAIK the LHR based a/c with Odyssey are not having v:port installed, but perhaps those are the ones that are earmarked for transfer to LGW/MAN (..a whole new topic! ) Sorry I don't know about future plans for T3/T4 at LHR, but personally I hope we don't move to T4...the missed connections/baggage would be a nightmare! [:(]

Btw I've got nothing against teenagers (I used to be one once )...it's just that there's a lot of info on a.net and some people (mainly the younger ones) don't know how to seperate the wheat from the chaff, although they seem happy to appear as experts on subjects that they have no real knowledge of. That's the beauty of discussion forums though I suppose!

Cheers
Alan

hehe wow this forum is made by the likes of alan, declan and jetstreamer to mention 3 providing us with the info we crave!

Welcome Alan!

I refuse to sign up and pay for a.net- some of the discussions on the forum are crazy! Sometimes i want to just pay the membership just to put people right! Last week i saw people argueing about VS with completly wrong info and the week before on a post called 'airlines with only int services' someone said Air NZ was an international only airline- little did that person no that Air NZ have more domestic routes (including NZ Link) than international ones!

Moving on----- I personally think that Nova should be ripped out as ur suggesting--u said about a/c moving to LGW and MAN! Do u no when and which a/c? Persuming the 742 will be lost at MAN (at last) but how many other a/c will be moved up there, is this another VS employe suggesting MAN as a 2nd VS destination? (perhaps all this last point needs to be in a diff thread?)What is happening to the rest of the A343? 2 i believe have gone to BWIA- will the rest stay until the new 346's and 380's arrive? Why not transfer them to Virgin Blue- after all they are applying for LAX-SYD/BNE/MEL services?


LHR Terminal:

It wouldnt surprise me if T4 became the terminal for Star (BD, SK, RG, NH, UA, US, AC,LH, NZ, SQ,SA (when the join!)) plus VS who are so closly linked to Star its not funny (partnerships with SQ, BD, NZ etc).
Five will go to BA and one world (AA will go over so will QF, IB etc.)
That would leave T2 for all non european allaince members (skyteam and the rest)
T3 for all non alliance long hauls (EK, UL, CA to mention only 3)
T1 for overflow of Û carriers and long haul.....

But T4 isnt good for connections so i would say VS should plump for staying in 3 along with partners and the rest of the star network- or looking at T1!

Just a few thoughts!

Sorry: MAN as a 2nd VS hub and didnt mean to offend 742 lovers-

Hi airchabum

Also a VS employee. Thought the LGW 744's were moving to a 14/58/379 config, as well as the MAN 744 come 01MAY05???

The in house systems suggest's that will be the config post UCS install for those fleets

while everyone says t4 for VS is a bad idea, I don't think it is (even though one couple of friends got sent to T4, only to be sent to the FCC only to be sent back to T4) the terminal is the most modern of the 4, has a lot of widebody gates, is very near to 27L (the runway that always seems to be in operation on a mornings - the 27s are favoured at heathrow due to noise regs, 09L is very rarely used for TO) and there is a lot of terminal space.

The problem with kids on message boards (esp. a place like A.net, where there are many many industry professionals) is that they act like they know everything, building shoddy claims on top of one another, only to be shot down by someone who does know, then they start a flaming war. they also have a tendancy to "chatjack" and to let their emotions get away with them e.g. "I'm crying because of what you said, you sick..." I'm fed up of them really, especially the ones at the sw.com message boards, the ones who give each other *hugz* every other sentence. [/rant]

It'll be a shame to see the 747-200s go, as they're the last scheduled operator of them in the british isles. Even though I deveoped a loathing for them, especially in the 90's when I wanted PTVs on flights to orlando and had to stick with the big screens that I couldn't see. Now I whine when I don't get V;port , nothings changed

The heathrow sitiuations I've heard are:

T1: Star Alliance
T2: Small operators (e.g. TAP)
T3: other long haul and extra *A long haul and other one world long haul
T4: VS (with the large A346 order, I think that it'd be good for VS to have their own terminal, like BA have now, it could also mean that Virgin could pull their operations from Gatwick, and bring them all together, then they could operate 2 hubs, MAN - north, LHR - South)
T5: Oneworld

Hi Willd

quote:Sorry: MAN as a 2nd VS hub and didnt mean to offend 742 lovers-

FYI, you're able to go back and edit your reply - just click the "Edit Reply" button:

Cheers

Michael

Thanks Willd

I joined a.net at a time when it was free but I don't think I'd bother now...too much pointless bickering going on. [V]

Yes this probably does deserve a 2nd thread but to answer yr questions:
The Air Atlanta 742 stops flying MAN-MCO next April with a 744 (in LGW config) taking over from 1May. LGW will also need an extra 744 next summer for more flying meaning one moving from LHR. I don't know which ones yet but will keep an eye open. I don't know about any more destinations from MAN but I'm sure they're being looked at.
Re the 343s, 1 went to BWIA (G-VSKY>9Y-JIL) and some of the older ones will go, but some (4 or 5?) will get the Suite and be kept for a while. No confirmed reg's or dates yet though. Maybe Virgin Blue is an option as you say.
I don't know what'll happen at LHR after BA move to T5 but hopefully we'll be working closer with BMI or whoever so T4 wouldn't be a great option as there aren't enough stands. Also there are not many A346 sized stands at LHR (even fewer A380 stands) so that'll need to be a consideration.

Hi Daffy

I got the new config from Shares so it should be correct, but you know what VS is like!

Hi Blythy

I must admit I prefer going thru T4 at LHR (T3 is a bloody nightmare) but not sure if it would be suitable for the A346 or A380 as I said above. I can't see us ever getting enough slots to move the LGW operation to LHR so I'm sure LGW will grow if anything.

Yes it'll be a shame to see the -200s go but they are a bit of a pain and not exactly economical, especially with fuel prices as they are. It seems like ages ago that we had loads of -200s but it was only 2001. How time flies.....!

Cheers

I don't know what'll happen at LHR after BA move to T5 but hopefully we'll be working closer with BMI or whoever so T4 wouldn't be a great option as there aren't enough stands. Also there are not many A346 sized stands at LHR (even fewer A380 stands) so that'll need to be a consideration.

yeah, I read at A.net that there was only 7 stands with jetways that could take the A346, and that there was only 4 that could take the ones with suites as people going past every time people get on and off damages the ottomans so they have to load from L2.

Terminal 4 is a terminal that has the possibility of expanding, perhaps with a satelite area supporting stands 451-455. There's also talk of expanding T1 by extending Taxiway A so it goes all the way down 27R/09R and 27L/09L, then extending the europier along rwy 23. (Ironic name for the europier now, as it's serving mostly long haul flights)

I must admit I prefer going thru T4 at LHR (T3 is a bloody nightmare) but not sure if it would be suitable for the A346 or A380 as I said above. I can't see us ever getting enough slots to move the LGW operation to LHR so I'm sure LGW will grow if anything.

I can't see gatwick growing much myself till they get the second runway (its amazing to think that an airport of this cpacity operates on a single runway, I think the only other airport near to LGW's capactiy that operates with a single runway is kansai, and that's sinking.) When LGW gets it's second runway (it's going north of the BA terminal it appears) then VS will probably expand their holiday operations there, if BAA stop brown nosing BA and building them nice super dooper terminals (3 in the last 20 years) and start working on improving the other terminals, rather than turning them into the metro centres of airports. Although I do prefer having a lot of shops than one duty free shop and a cafŽ that exsists at some airports, SFO was the best equipped US terminal I've been to and that only had about 8 shops/restaurants (it's a great terminal that A pier, nice big windows where you can see your A/C (and have your hopes dashed when you see that you don't have V:port ) the BA terminal at JFK is pretty nice too, very modern, except on arrivals)

It's a shame that VS is still quite small, it'd be nice to see some virgin activity up here (NCL - no comment on geordie lasses) even if it was only 757s or A320s. I think I'm getting into rambing territory here.

Yes it'll be a shame to see the -200s go but they are a bit of a pain and not exactly economical, especially with fuel prices as they are. It seems like ages ago that we had loads of -200s but it was only 2001. How time flies.....!

What was nice about the VS 742s is that they had RR engines (love the RB211 family ) It's almost a shame that they were given a good deal on some CF6 engines with GECAS, the big haridryers look much better

dammit, I like a good ramble [8D]

SFO was the best equipped US terminal I've been to and that only had about 8 shops/restaurants. The BA terminal at JFK is pretty nice too, very modern, except on arrivals)

Blythy,

Us terminals are fairly poor in general for Retailing/catering however most airport revenue is generated from this type of activity (if done well). JFK T4 (new from Feb2004) has now a nice mall feel to it . The clubhouse also has an open feel to it overlooking both the mall and ramp. As for T7(BA) Leaves a lot to be desired. BA have only recently asked for tenders to upgrade existing services there as they no it is poor.

Of course slightly biased opinion as my company operate most retail in T4 now;) and I worked there:D Pity I did not know of v-flyer then as I could have met loads of poeple.

Interestingly enough, before we had our little 'un, we would fly BHX-ORD-MCO and the internal terminal at ORD had better facilities in terms of restarants than the international halls (though the international hall has a great Starbucks)

[Bazz]

Would VAA move to T4 so soon after spending millions on the T3 Clubhouse expansion?

Seems a bit crazy to lay out getting of for £20M (if that is the correct figure) for something that will only have a lifespan of a couple of years?

Hi Airchabum

Thanks for the info on the refits. We are flying MAN/MCO on 24-9-04 and have been advised we will be on a 744. Will this be a LGW or are VS leasing another one from somewhere else. We are on VS073 departing at 13.00hrs. Any info would be appreciated.

Blythy

Good points I don't think there is a problem with expansion at LGW apart from during the morning peak, so I expect a few more VH destinations to be added over the coming years, but for business destinations LHR is still the only real option for maximising yields. MIA/EWR/BOS/SFO/YYZ flights were operated ex-LGW pre-9/11 so hopefully some of these will be reinstated.

Bazz

Yes another valid point. A lot has also been spent recently upgrading the ticket desk and check-in area.

Longlegs

Yes the VS73/4 is utilising a spare LGW 744 on Fri/Sat for a couple of months (it'll position up just for these flts). Obviously you northerners have more money and holidays than us down south!

Here's the schedule for info, incidentally you're on the inaugural 744 MAN-MCO service! [8D]

VS73 Fri 1300 MAN MCO 1710 24Sep-12Nov
VS73 Sat 1300 MAN MCO 1710 09Oct-13Nov
VS74 Fri 2110 MCO MAN 1015 24Sep-12Nov
VS74 Sat 2110 MCO MAN 1015 09Oct-13Nov

Cheers

quote:Originally posted by airchabum
MIA/EWR/BOS/SFO/YYZ flights were operated ex-LGW pre-9/11 so hopefully some of these will be reinstated.

I flew LGW-BOS (on a 742 with Gallery IFE - those were the days!), and was aware that this and the MIA services re-positioned to LHR post 9/11,and I was aware the EWR and YYZ services stopped, but was not aware of the LGW-SFO route.

Did this operate in addition to the VS19/20 from LHR?