V-Flyer

Are there any suggestions of improvements to MAN-JFK flights, especially regarding the aircraft type?

We are looking at NYC in Autumn '23 and seems that the aircraft type is A333 currently. I know that we shouldn't base flights on aircraft type as these can change, but re UC it is not a good configuration for our family.

We experienced the A350 leisure earlier this year, and like the set up.

So was wondering if we would have to likely travel to LHR if we wanted something similar?

MAN would be preferable due to distance (we are in Liverpool), but would consider travelling to/from LHR for the aircraft and overall UC experience.

Thanks in advance

As a fellow northerner... I'd take LHR any day over MAN (maybe until there's a Clubhouse).

If you're doing UC, having the wing is a really cool experience. The Clubhouse is nice. And you're probably a bit less likely to have an A/C type change at LHR (but that is still a risk you take).

There's a chance the 333's will change to 339's but that cannot be predicted until the 333's have officially left the fleet really.

If you go to LHR there's a very good chance you'll be on the 351 because JFK is a flagship route and it's been reliably running the 351 now for a while.

Welcome to V:Flyer

As another fellow northerner, another vote for LHR for the same reasons as above plus the now unpredictable schedules from MAN.

I don't fly VS from MAN now unless I've really got to due to poor airport handling / poor lounge facilities. Earlier this year when I arrived into MAN from JFK with VS we still got a remote stand / busses which is utterly ridiculous considering the new extended T2 is fully open now.

Thank you both for the advice and the welcome...

I am not new to the forum, but my account was no longer recognized, so had to create a new one. Had not logged on for a little while, as used when building up to our Orlando holiday back in May and the possibility of the new aircrafts on MAN-MCO route. But seems that everything has now changed with VS even pulling MAN-MCO services in spring next year :(

But good to hear the recommendations from LHR. I think the experience is really pushing it for us, but not too keen on the drive after a flight home.

Are there any plans to continue with the VS lounge up in Manchester or is it still 1903 only?

Also to ask, what would be the best use of air miles and reward vouchers for this route?

We currently have approx 300k airmiles between us and 4 reward vouchers. We are a family of 4, 2x A and 2 x C.

Re aircraft, even if you went from LHR there’s no guarantee your particular flight is going to be an A350. I’ll let others comment which of the JFK flights are more “certain” if flying on the A350 is important to you, but VS are well within their rights to change aircraft type for whatever reason and an on-the-day farce could see a last-minute substitution.

With MAN CH, who knows really? The reviews on here about 1903 seem positive enough.

With the drive home, I also live not far from Liverpool and did it back in June. It helped we got into LHR late-morning and had an 8hr or so flight from Barbados, so had the opportunity to get some sort of sleep. From New York, it’s only 6-7hrs or less if you get a decent tailwind. Depending what time you arrive into LHR, you could well still be on NYC time and wanting bed which isn’t advisable with a 3-4hr drive ahead of you. Might work if you split the driving and there’s plenty of services along the M40/M42/M6.

You could of course get the BA shuttle, but that would mean having to go to/from T5 and checking in again, and if one of those flights is delayed and you miss your flight by having to self-connect at LHR you’re stuffed.

mitchja wrote:Welcome to V:Flyer

As another fellow northerner, another vote for LHR for the same reasons as above plus the now unpredictable schedules from MAN.

I don't fly VS from MAN now unless I've really got to due to poor airport handling / poor lounge facilities. Earlier this year when I arrived into MAN from JFK with VS we still got a remote stand / busses which is utterly ridiculous considering the new extended T2 is fully open now.

LHR doesn’t guarantee you’ll avoid remote stands as we went on to one back in June. It depends what aircraft are on the ground at the time. With MAN T2, I believe Jet2 have now fully moved there instead of splitting ops with T1, but I don’t know whether that’s a winter thing or permanent.

At the moment for me, the sole reason why I’m increasingly finding it difficult to recommend VS from MAN at the time is, as you say, the changeable schedules. This needs to change and I hope there’s a real effort to settle things down soon. All that said, I stand by a comment I made some time ago that I wouldn’t go out of my way to go via LHR regularly unless it’s Upper or it’s to fly somewhere that I can’t get to from MAN or LPL and options locally will get first preference as far as possible.

Thank you all again....

Just driven to/from Windsor this weekend, so getting used to this 3.5hr trip. Not too bad, but again, not sure after the flight.

However, the A350 and the neo's are the only way i would fly UC with our family mix. Again i know it is not guaranteed re the aircraft but trying to get the best option to do this, and this is likely via LHR.

Now working out which are the core services to from JFK.

Seems the VS9 and VS46 are both scheduled as a neo right now.