PE Refit @ LGW

Hello[:)]
Anybody out there have any idea how the PE refit at LGW is going?
Have any aircraft been completed?[?]

Many Thanks

[countdown]Jun 30, 2008 11:15:00 AM[/countdown]
MCO yet again. Oh well somebody has to go!!!! [8D]

[honey lamb]

Hello, and welcome to V-flyer.

This sticky has details of which aircraft have had the re-fits in the VS fleet. Keep an eye on it for details of the LGW fleet

[mitchja]

The latest news that has filtered though is that 8 x LGW/MAN 744 A/C are not getting the new PE seats until 2009 now, but they are also rumoured to getting V:Port at the same time.

Regards

Should start quite early tho as the Boeing A340-300 arrives in January IIRC

I was on the 27 on Tuesday, had a great chat to the excellent FSM the latest he had heard was they were starting around February 09

-Steve

Rumour is that the 343 does not arrive until 12 Apr 09 and will do KIN HAV & MBJ until Sep.
Also that J is being increased to 22 seats, with PE maindeck seats being pushed back & extra row(s?) added.

[preiffer]

[?]

I'm guessing you mean the 744s are are going up from 14 to 22, as the 343 (suite) already has 25 J suites, so 22 wouldn't be an increase... [:?]

If so, that'll be a funny config for a half-cabin of 8 extra suites. I wonder how they'll separate it off, as there's no bulkhead there to split it 'nicely'. SURELY it'd make more sense to split the upstairs and install an extra 10 suites up there (as the previous LHR config used to be)?

The 343 is being brought in to allow the LGW 744s to go for refit.

I'm guessing the new J/W barrier would be where the existing W/Y barrier is (between r82 & r21)
W/Y would then be either at the L2 door, at the back of the galley/stair block (equivalent to row 30 on the LHR config) or possibly even further back.

It would seem to make sense financially. They seem to be able to fill J. After taxes etc., the margin on Y is very small. Even if they only sell a few of the extra J seats that would easily cover the Y seat loss and they can entice some pax with judicious upgrades.

I only hope its not a sign that the bar is going [:(!]

[preiffer]

Nobody's disputing the value of increasing the J allocation onboard Bill - if anything, I'd up the W numbers as well, especially on those routes. However, I'd still say they'd be better off having upstairs as 1/2 J, 1/2 W and leaving the other 14 suites in the A section of the nose. That way, PE can have the whole of the B section as its own private cabin, as well as retaining 22 seats upstairs.

If you remember the LGW 744s used to have additional J seats in B-Zone where P/E seats are now, so they will most prob put the extra 8 J seats in front part of B-Zone, then replace the B-Zone economy seats with PE, then just have economy in C D and E zone
They wont put J in the fwd section upstairs (as LHR used to be) as the toilets are all at the front of the cabin, so PE pax from the back of the cabin would have to go through the fwd J section to use the toilet (wouldn't be popular!)

aparently Y may be going upstairs as its easier to have J and W all together and less space wasted as it can be 3x3 upstairs. Vport IS getting fitted next year.

That's interesting, and might be a very sensible idea in terms of ease of service for the crew. Also it could be that people with Gold and Silver FC status would have first pick over upstairs seats when travelling in Y.

Had a good chat to the Senior in UC on the 27 last night and it appears common knowledge amongs VS staff about the changes to the Lgw/Man fleet. Pretty much what JoeyVS has said in his post with the addition of the extra 8 UC suites downstairs behind the current UC cabin.

-Steve

Most of what we are told is hearsay and good old galley FM, BUT on saying that, it's pretty much been confirmed that our B744s at LGW will have a VPort system It is also expected that J will be increasing to possibly be similar to the main deck on our LHR B744, with the W cabin still not 100% confirmed (we all have our ideas!).

The A343 which is arriving starts routes from April, and is scheduled to cover HAV, KIN, MBJ up until around mid OCT, as well as in April 09 the VS49/50 will be operating for around 3 weeks on an A343!

One small point, the A343 has 34 J suites, and we are still awaiting confirmation on the configuration of the new A343 ('Leisure Config' - guessing W & Y only! - That's just my guess). On that note when the refit is all completed, expect to hear a new route for the winter 09/10 schedule ex LHR when we take back slots currently leased to some Scandi airline!

Originally posted by Boeingcat

The A343 which is arriving starts routes from April, and is scheduled to cover HAV, KIN, MBJ up until around mid OCT, as well as in April 09 the VS49/50 will be operating for around 3 weeks on an A343!

That will be a great sight- the 343 at MCO, I believe that is a first.

One small point, the A343 has 34 J suites, and we are still awaiting confirmation on the configuration of the new A343 ('Leisure Config' - guessing W & Y only! - That's just my guess).

I would be suprised if it was in a leisure configuration. Would imagine there would be a bit of J in there somewhere.

On that note when the refit is all completed, expect to hear a new route for the winter 09/10 schedule ex LHR when we take back slots currently leased to some Scandi airline!

Interesting. When exactly did VS get this slot? I have never heard of this before. I was under the impression that any new routes would be as a result of NBO or ORD being axed.

Originally posted by willd

That will be a great sight- the 343 at MCO, I believe that is a first.

One small point, the A343 has 34 J suites, and we are still awaiting confirmation on the configuration of the new A343 ('Leisure Config' - guessing W & Y only! - That's just my guess).

I would be suprised if it was in a leisure configuration. Would imagine there would be a bit of J in there somewhere.

Virgin used a brand new 343 out of Manchester to MCO a few years ago for one summer - there was no Upper class as we were in premium right at the front of the plane and for some reason I can always remember the cabin crews announcement at the begining mentioning Upper than laughing and saying 'whoops there's no Upper Class on this flight'

I am pretty sure we were on one of the first flights that it was used on. - Maybe was Maiden Tokyo but that was a long time ago [;)]

edited to add summer of 1997 possibly

David

Interesting. When exactly did VS get this slot? I have never heard of this before. I was under the impression that any new routes would be as a result of NBO or ORD being axed.

If you recall at the end of last year and beginning of this year we had the VS29/30 to BGI ex LHR, as we had to sit slots (no idea where they came from, think they were free?). I believe the airline currently sitting them is Blue1 and according to industry reports (NOT VS!) we get them back next year!

ORD is continually improving, at Crew Check in last week and this on the days I've been there the a/c has been 90-100% full.

Originally posted by Boeingcat

Interesting. When exactly did VS get this slot? I have never heard of this before. I was under the impression that any new routes would be as a result of NBO or ORD being axed.

If you recall at the end of last year and beginning of this year we had the VS29/30 to BGI ex LHR, as we had to sit slots (no idea where they came from, think they were free?). I believe the airline currently sitting them is Blue1 and according to industry reports (NOT VS!) we get them back next year!

I just did a google of this and find some pretty interesting info courtsey of the CAA.

VS obtained the slots off Air Jamacia as part of the KIN deal (09.30 arrival/12.00 departure). They have been leased to Blue1 for 1-2 years from March.

What is also interesting is that VS currently leases a slot of United. It is the 09.25 arrival into LHR and a 18.00 departure. This was returned to United at the end of Winter season.

This means that the Blue1 slot could be used to fill the gap used by the United slot that VS has just returned.

ORD is continually improving, at Crew Check in last week and this on the days I've been there the a/c has been 90-100% full.

Great news, although everytime I look on expertflyer the loads seem to be dyer.

Oh yeah I forgot we got them from JM! In my defence though I am very tired and should be studying rather on the internet LOL