How Many UCS Aircraft now Flying?

I'm a brand new member of VirginFlyer ... and love this site.

My wife, daughter (age 14) and I will be taking our first VS flights this coming July (Flt.20/19 from SFO) and we decided that Upper Class was well worth the cost. Since it will be my wife and daughter's first visit to the UK, I am doing my best to make the vacation a truely memorable one.

For what it may be worth, the VS phone booking agent told us that by July, all of the SFO-LHR-SFO planes will be UCS. I certainly hope that they are correct.

If any of you have any suggestions/comments about our best way to "properly" utilize the benefits of Upper Class (i.e; Should we go to Revivals after Customs clearance? Where do we meet the "chauffeur" for the car to our hotel in St. James's, etc.) I would very much appreciate hearing them.

Thanks!

Jim McDonald
Palsgraf948

Firstly welcome on board!

Secondly, yes Revivals is well worth a visit so as you come out of customs head straight ahead towards the car park lifts, go one floor up and you'll find Revivals just there. You should be given an invitation when you check in at SFO.

If you have a Virgin limo then the driver will meet you at Revivals, just arrange it with the receptionist when you enter Revivals but make sure you leave plenty of time for showers, breakfast etc...!

BC

Welcome Jim - glad you like the site

BC's covered the services I haven't managed to use yet. I can add one thing though, I thoroughly recommend that you make sure you check out the clubhouse at SFO - it really is excellent

(might pass you in the air or somewhere, since I'm heading out to CA at the beginning of July )

Cheers

Michael

G-VHOT 'Tubular Belle' has arrived into service today (26/04/04) and has UCS and v:port!

quote:Originally posted by mcuth

(might pass you in the air or somewhere, since I'm heading out to CA at the beginning of July )
Cheers

Michael

Perhaps so Michael. Thank you for the welcome. We'll be on VS20 on 11 JUL .. and will be returning home on VS19 on 20 JUL. We'll be doing the "Virgin Limo" on both ends of the trip .. so if you happen to be in either Clubhouse (SFO or LHR as the case may be) let me know and we'll try to meet ... I'll even "buy you your favorite beverage" at the clubhouse .. *grin* For that matter ... if you are down near San Jose anytime before 11 JUL, perhaps we could even connect up at some local "wateringhole"

If you will be in London anywhere near the St. James's Club between 11 JUL and 20 JUL I'll buy you that drink at the Club.

My offer, by the way, certainly extends to BlackCat as well

Good Flying all ...

Jim McD
Palsgraf948

Hi Jim

Goshdarnit - looks like I'll have to turn down your kind offer of a beer (and trust me, it's not like me to turn down beer! ).

I don't think I'll be down San Jose way while I'm out there (will be in Napa and taking a few days in Vegas). Looks like we'll just miss each other on that flight out of SFO - plan is to fly back into SMF from Vegas on that Sunday then do the VS20 back home on Monday 12th. My schedule's pretty packed for July after I get back too [:(]

BTW, don't forget to post your flights in the [url=Events & Itineraries Forum]http://www.virginflyer.com/forum/forum.asp?FORUM_ID=17[/url] - someone else may be around at those times too

Cheers

Michael

Little Britain CD

Whilst reading Metro this a.m. came across the offer of the CD for £8.99 (plus £2.45for P&P), which seems cheaper than Amazon. Link is below.
http://www.bbcshop.com/invt/0563523409&bklist=icat,3,,top10

Alex

[Decker]

D'oh! Just ordered 2 sets from Amazon.... [:(!]

Also just found out that Little Britain will be shown on BBC America on Sunday Nights starting from 20th June.

[RichardMannion]

The inflight trivia game on V:Port can be fun - the looks on passengers when they see who is beating them at the game. Especially after winning several straight sets. If only they put a VS category on there

Now there are times where I wish the SMS function to seats worked properly, don't think I'd be single.....

Thanks,
Richard

Richard

quote:The inflight trivia game on V:Port can be fun - the looks on passengers when they see who is beating them at the game.

Yeah - I keep trying to look around for the other players - never managed to actually spot one yet! LOL

quote:Now there are times where I wish the SMS function to seats worked properly, don't think I'd be single.....

Hehehe, there aren't many places they can run to at 38000 feet are there?

Cheers

Michael

[RichardMannion]

Now when I flew to SFO in June 2001 for a 3 month internship back in Economy, there was a 30+ party of American College chicks returning home - the smile on my face.

Thanks,
Richard

Mr Mannion

That journey must have been hell on earth for you - my sincere sympathies for the hardship you had to endure

Cheers

Michael

[RichardMannion]

Even my married colleague was sat smiling away.....

Anyway back to the topic a bit - The trivia game will tell you the Seat numbers of the players.

Looking forward to UCS now for both legs - MIA and SFo in less than 2 weeks.

Thanks,
Richard

quote:The trivia game will tell you the Seat numbers of the players.

Oh yeah, I know - just never felt quite confident enough to go searching out someone by seat number to talk about the Trivia game

quote:Looking forward to UCS now for both legs - MIA and SFo in less than 2 weeks.

Hmmmph, gotta wait til July for my next trip [:(]

Cheers

Michael

[Decker]

quote:Originally posted by RichardMannion
Anyway back to the topic a bit - The trivia game will tell you the Seat numbers of the players.

Given that the topic is "How Many UCS Aircraft now Flying?" I can't wait to see this explanation? [8D]

[RichardMannion]

It is on topic, it can be one of the questions on the next batch for V:Port:

'How many VS planes have UCS now?'

Thanks,
Richard

[mitchja]

The sooner G-VFAB get's UCS the better - the current Upper Class cabin is in a right state with many seats not working properly (not sure what the rest of the aircraft is like)

mitchja can you be more specific about FAB and its seating problems!!!

I cannot recall any problems with the J2000 seats on this aircraft!!!

all the seats work as they should, i was on this aircrat two weeks ago.

WOW will be getting suites next!! I think FAB may end up doing MAN-MCO!!! next year

[mitchja]

In seat 7A on G-VFAB the lumber support does not work nor does the foot rest extension. This was a very noisy seat from the galley the entire flight (VS20), the movable video screens from row 6 glare into this seat as does the washroom occupied light in the centre of the cabin roof. The person sat in 7K also complained about the foot rest extension not working (this does appear to be the most common problem with J2000 seat some IFS's do know how to fix this and will do it, other wont - something to do with a cable that comes un-attached from under the leg rest). Several other people also asked to be moved due to various other seat/Arcadia problems. I got very little sleep and was not at all impressed with this aircraft as the Upper Class cabin now looks well used and worn out. Various other problems made this the worst ever UC flight I have been on (one of which was a 40+ minute wait for my luggage at LHR). Made it worse as this should have been an UCS route.

Until all the aircraft aire fitted with UCS Virgin cannot guarantee suites on any route.

The VS3/4 has been getting J2000 for the past few days and the VS45/46 has been getting suites.

Now only two LHR400 are left you chances are increased but you cant say it should have been suites. J2000 will be around a little while longer especially if the A340-300 stay around!

G-VWOW is at LGW for a week whilst an LGW plane gets its 3 year MOT, next week, G-VWOW is off to DUB to get Suites, and G-VXLG will do the Orlando VS27/28 route from LGW.

This will leave G-VFAB as the only B744 without suites from next week.

Unless you're flying to Miami (it seems) your chances of suites are extremely high!

(info sourced from various posts on a.net)

Rich

If G-VWOW is at LGW, that means some LGW flights will have v:port and J2000 doesn't it. As for J2000 on FAB, problems will happen on any aircraft, I suppose the UCS gets problems from time to time even. J2000 is not an 'old' product, as it was launched in 2000 (am I right?). As mentioned, Virgin did not say that the VS3/4 and VS45/46 will ALWAYS/DEFINATELY get Suites. I suppose that whilst G-VFAB is about 10 years old, it is very young as far as aircraft are concerned (!) and the Upper Class cabin was refitted on this aircraft in 2000, or 2001, probably so it's not just the individual aircraft, but the same with other J2000 aircraft. I'm sorry though to hear that you wern't comfortable on the flight though!

[mitchja]

I'm not knocking J2000 at all. I'd still rather fly on VS in a J2000 seat than in CW on BA. After all Virgin's J2000 seat revolutionised premium cabin travel comfort and style when it was launched as it was one of the first (if not the first) 'sleeper' type seats.

The UCS product will more than likely have the same effect across the entire airline industry (it is already to a certain degree and it's still only a few months old), once again setting the ever higher standards people are now expecting from airline travel.

Yes the seat is a big part of the whole 'airline travel package' but adding everything else together, VS still comes out on top every time for me

Regards

Don't worry, I know that you weren't knocking J2000, I would be unhappy if I had paid for UC and weren't comfy, at least the chances of UCS are getting higher:D