V-Flyer

FAB and BIG now both have removable dividers between the D and G seats for those couples out there who want to travel closer together.

19A and 20A on FAB also have a new style tray table!

Yeah. The New York Times mentioned it in their travel column this morning. I found the emphasis on sharing with a work colleague amusing

Hi Declan,

Do you know if the LGW Suites will get the dividers when they are installed ?? Are you aware of any pictures of these. Also are they only between certain seats or was this only when they were trailing them ??

Regards

Jason Coles

following on from NY-LON's post

From the New York Times 5th October edition

quote:
...Virgin said it had redesigned the 747 premium cabins to accommodate four "double suites." Basically, this involves removing partitions between two regular Upper Class Suite compartments to allow for tandem working or sleeping space, said a Virgin spokeswoman, Elizabeth Ciresi...

I suppose making the central divider removable DOES constitute a redesign?

So Bazz,

From that press release, I pressume only 4 suites will be converted on LHR 747. So will it be the same on LGW and if so which seats ????

Regards

Jason Coles

Hi Jason

The proposed config of the LGW 744's for the suites does not allow for this because there is no B zone in UC, if you look at the seat maps you will see that the LHR 744's have four rows in the B zone 15 to 18 D&G in the centre of the cabin. The LGW 744's are only having the A zone converted to suits so there are no suits with the centre divider, the B zone being used for PE.

Hi Bazz,

Thanks it all makes sense now,

Cheers

Jason

I do feel that this is a really shame. I know you canÕt please everyone all of the time, but my feelings are that as the LGW 744 planes do not serve a business routes and with 99.9% of the passengers being ÒcouplesÓ surly then it would make sense to have dividers that can be removed in all of the seats? Unless you are by yourself why would you want a screen?

As a previous post stated it will be physically impossible to have the "couple" seats on the LGW fleet. As it is Zone A, the suites back will be facing towards the window, rather than in zone b where the middle suites back onto another suite, making it possible to remove the divider to have a "couples" suite.

Hope this makes sense, the proposed seat guides on this site should help with any confusion of the above.

Thanks for that. I understand now, I just couldn't quite figure it out before though.

Just one thing though, I don't always understand all of the terminology used. For example FAB & BIG mean nothing to me ! After looking at the glossary I am still none the wiser, am I being really dumb?

How about they do what BA does, get rid of the dividers and have a piece of paper instead. Maybe it could an extra part of the Ameneties Kit - a piece of branded (naturally) A2 paper and a roll of masking tape to stick it up with. ;o)

On a serious note I think that this is a really cool idea. Shame its quite so limited, but definately a good idea. I look forward to seeing the pics when someone gets them.

Foz )

quote:Originally posted by Bazz
I suppose making the central divider removable DOES constitute a redesign?

Grrrrr....

BC

quote:Originally posted by Alan
Thanks for that. I understand now, I just couldn't quite figure it out before though.

Just one thing though, I don't always understand all of the terminology used. For example FAB & BIG mean nothing to me ! After looking at the glossary I am still none the wiser, am I being really dumb?

No Alan, you are not being dumb, they are the names of planes or at least how some of the staffers refer to them.

FAB or G-VFAB is Lady Penelope and BIG or G-VBIG is Tinkerbelle.

See this link for full fleet details:

http://www.v-flyer.com/aircraft.asp

Nick

Im sure that couples travelling in BA First have the same problem of not being seated together!!!

Also CX and QF First!

Alan,

You may also hear the aircraft being refererred to as Alpha Bravo, or India Golf, these names refer to the last two letters of their reg in the NATO Phonetic Alphabet, viz Alpha Bravo would have to be ending in the letters AB - the only aircraft in the VS fleet that ends in AB is G-VFAB (Lady Penelope). You will find if you study the registration letters that the last two letters are unique (in that order anyway) to the particular aircraft. These two identifying letter will be found on various parts of the aircraft, on the top of the tailplane, on the front undercarriage door and elsewhere. Not to be morbid but this is to aid identification in the event of a crash.

BA also does this and so do some other airlines.

Hope this helps.

I was on XLG last week and that had removable dividers.

One was removed (with a bit of a struggle by the FA) to accommodate oversight of an infant in one of the seats

So it appears we now have three LHR 744's with removable dividers, FAB, BIG and XLG - can any staffers confirm this and also which is likely to be the next one for the mod?

Not sure about the others but in First on BA they have two sets of two seats in the A section that are for couples on the 747.

They are the pods with a central Walnut divider that can be dropped to the level of the arm rest, so you can hold hands if you wish!

I have no idea about the other aircraft.

quote:Originally posted by bluefish
I have no idea about the other aircraft.

3 sets on a BA 777. And most other First classes with flat beds (e.g. SQ) have at least a couple of pairs of seats together for couples.

BC

correct fab, big and xlg have dividers.

Today's Sunday Times has a piece on this in the main section on page 5.

(apologies as I do not know how to reference[:I][:I])

In it, the Sunday Times has wheeled out Anne Widdecombe for a quote and then goes on to talk about those who have been brought to book for acting inappropriately in a public place. It does seem to have gone overboard on suggesting what might be possible;);).

To my mind a nice way of gaining interest without having to state the obvious - well done SRB!!

buns

Times Article
A typically well researched and non-sensational piece...[}:)]
BC

My wife and I travelled to St Lucia (UVF) on VFAB on 1st October - apparantly the first time the UCS had flown there from Gatwick. We were op-upped from PE to UCS, and I have to say it wasn't the brilliant experience we expected.

When we got on, Zone B was pretty empty, with only 9 people in the 24(?) seats, and we were asked if we wanted to "share" the removable divider seats. When it was removed, we declined, as you are almost sitting with your backs to each other, and even when turned into a bed it didn't look very useful for sharing a moment... and certainly not the "double bed" that the newspapers have talked about. You are head to head, but at about a 120 degree angle from each other.

We weren't impressed with the UCS as a seat - no leg support for a "partial recline", and the "extra seat" is too high to be a footrest.

We did PE on the way back, so didn't get a chance to try it as a bed.

I'll do a treip report soon.

Peter.

The Times article is a load of twaddle!

We travelled on XLG to JFK on the 8th and although we were in PE I asked the FSM if I might have a peep at the removable dividers, she kindly agreed.

Of the four pairs of suites only one had removed the divider, I introduced myself to the couple and asked them what their opinion was. They said they approved of the configuration and said that they had enjoyed the experience. I hasten to add that when I spoke to them the lady was seated on the gentleman's ottoman and not in her suite. I politely asked if they would mind if a took a pic for the site, they equally politely declined.

My view was that it would work for couples even with the angle involved your heads are close together so conversation with a slight turn of the head would be comfortable, also passing items i.e. CD's immigration forms, pens, magazines's etc., between you would be easier and you can hold hands if you want to and kiss but not much else [:I];)

I think we may try them on our next UC trip.

I was on V-BIG on the 10th Oct. It took the crew a while and four of them to get the divider back in place ready for landing. There didnt seem to be much benefit with UCS in seat mode, but I could see there would be in bed mode;)