LGW-MCO the upstairs is changing??

All,

My parents just called Virgins special assistance line to arrange for Premium Economy upstairs bulkheads as they normally have due to Dads effects following a stroke. Normally no problem at all. But this time they were told that there is something happening to the upstairs on the the LGW to MCO planes and they could not be booked.

The very nice lady said it all happened a couple of months ago and Dad seems to think from the conversation that maybe the upstairs will be operated by someone else? He said that no matter what he asked she (the nice lady at Virgin) would not be drawn on it.

Any one got any idea of whats going on?

Cheers
CJD

Hi there and welcome [:D]

No idea I'm afraid either - however I did notice that the front section was completely blanked out when booking seats for May to LAS which I thought was strange. When I went to UVF a few months ago that was not the case.
Maybe an UC section going in? Just a guess.

Cheers for pointing this out at the least. Hopefully someone more informed can shed some light. [i]

[Neil]

Well I don't think anything has/is changing at the minute. The LHR fleet have all changed to UC only upstairs but certainly at the moment there are no plans for Virgin to do anything to the LGW/MAN a/c. The re-fit of the new PE seats has been put on hold for the time being and there was going to be an a/c leased from Eithad to help out ex LGW during next summer but this has also been put on the back burner due to the current economic situation.

Think that is pretty much it, unless one of our VS staff members can enlighten us on anything more?

Neil

seems odd why they would not say why?

[mitchja]

Welcome to V-Flyer CJD [y]

It could be that an LHR A/C is planned for the MCO routes maybe, either that or the cabin re-fitting plans might be going ahead for LGW/MAN A/C sooner than we thought [:?]

When is your Dad flying on VS?

Regards

I would LOVE for UC to be going in upstairs. Then maybe we would get off the flight first for a change

I'd also heard this from a friend, part of her family is travelling UC and part PE, the UC map is 'normal' (i.e. 14 suites) but the PE map is showing a smaller upstairs PE cabin (starting from row 76). They're travelling on the 10th May.

Very strange [:?]

Clare

Originally posted by mitchja
It could be that an LHR A/C is planned for the MCO routes maybe, either that or the cabin re-fitting plans might be going ahead for LGW/MAN A/C sooner than we thought [:?]

The cabin layout on my booking to LAS is def. LGW/MAN layout. The only difference compared to my previous booking is, as the OP says, the entire front section of the upstairs cabin is blocked out which would include the bulkhead seats.

That's what made me suggest UC going in.

Thanks James

I have been lurking for a while here and been using Virgin for years. Also have a BA gold but have ditched them now well since Mr Walsh took over.

They are flying on March 8 to MCO and back on May 5 (their xmas present from us using my miles )

thanks again
craig

[mitchja]

I see what you mean now about seat maps as having just checked Expertflyer for MCO and LAS flights, it shows PE rows 71 - 74 (the front section of the upper deck, the front row 70 of PE on the upper deck never shows up on EF) up to about 24th Jan 2009. After that date, these rows are no longer shown.

Maybe the cabin re-fits for LGW/MAN A/C are indeed still going ahead for 2009, starting as soon as early Jan [:?]

Regards

[Neil]

Hmmm our seat map for MAN-MCO on the 20th Feb & 6th March still shows the PE section as fully top deck. This all sounds very odd.

Originally posted by mitchja
I see what you mean now about seat maps as having just checked Expertflyer for MCO and LAS flights, it shows PE rows 71 - 74 (the front section of the upper deck, the front row 70 of PE on the upper deck never shows up on EF) up to about 24th Jan 2009. After that date, these rows are no longer shown.

Maybe the cabin re-fits for LGW/MAN A/C are indeed still going ahead for 2009, starting as soon as early Jan [:?]

Regards

Lets hope that this was not the original plan which just hasn't been updated on the booking system after the changes. [:?]

David

Doubt that it is the cabin refit. Remember that the refit was only 'gossip' and never confirmed by anyone at VS. The EY 340 was confirmed but I am do not believe any contracts were officially signed.

It is all very odd, I really doubt there is a refit taking place, surely VS would be making a big deal out of it?

IIRC the 744 LGW fleet are in for heavy mx during the early part of next year. Maybe this is having an effect.

Or could it just be that the computer system is having a bit of an off day?!

Btw welcome to VF CJD.

Just wondering if VS are going to convert the LGW fleet to the old Heathrow 744 layout and have half UC and half PE upstairs???

I must admit that when I booked UVF return for Jan 09 back in January the front half of the map was blocked out as well.

Willd the refit was confirmed by VS in late 07 as it was splashed all over the VS and VH websites as happening during 2008 on the LGW fleet then strangely the advertising disappeared completely around February 08.

Originally posted by wanderingmariner

Willd the refit was confirmed by VS in late 07 as it was splashed all over the VS and VH websites as happening during 2008 on the LGW fleet then strangely the advertising disappeared completely around February 08.

I never saw that all I saw was 'new PE seat being rolled out across the fleet'. VS got done for it as well from the ASA IIRC as it never intended to bring it onto the lGW fleet for some time.

ANyway what I was trying to hint at was it was a case of a lack of communication between departments at VS.

[Scrooge]

Originally posted by Neil
but certainly at the moment there are no plans for Virgin to do anything to the LGW/MAN a/c.

Neil

Shouldn't that be we here at V-Flyer know of no plans for Virgin to do anything with the LGW/MAN a/c ?

As Willd said, the LGW/MAN fleet are heading for D checks next year so a number of the LHR 744's will be rotated through LGW/MAN and it makes more sense to have them on a fixed routing to avoid as much seat swapping as possible. That would be my answer anyway, as much as I would love for VS to put more suites in the LGW aircraft I can't see it happening for a while.

wow, gosh, thanks all for your replies and what a friendly and helpful bunch

I am off with the kids and current wife to MCO on 21 Oct and then again on 12 April so I can report back if the aircraft have changed, alas with buying four seats we are in coach its only my parents that get the luxury seats on our behalf Bless

thanks again
craig

[Neil]

Originally posted by Scrooge

Originally posted by Neil
but certainly at the moment there are no plans for Virgin to do anything to the LGW/MAN a/c.

Neil

Shouldn't that be we here at V-Flyer know of no plans for Virgin to do anything with the LGW/MAN a/c ?

You mean we don't know everything that is going on at VS[:0] How rubbish is this site[;)]

You are of course, quite correct, hopefully as I mentioned earlier a VS staffer will be along to let us know if there are any plans, or if like Will suggests, it is probably due to the LGW being replaced on certain flights by the LHR fleet due to the checks.

Hi

We've just booked with VH to go LGW/MCO next September, there's 8 of us and a VH leaflet that someone in our party had said that there would be stop/start films and games on all VS MCO flights next summer. Being regular LGW/MCO flyers I said it was a definite mis-print, I never saw the leaflet myself and wish I could get my hands on it as I'd complain bitterly if there isn't, but you never know then as something might be happening.

Anita

[Scrooge]

That was part of the cabin refit plan, they were going to add AVOD to all aircraft, sorry to say that plan went the way of the dodo.

Originally posted by Neatfeat
Hi

We've just booked with VH to go LGW/MCO next September, there's 8 of us and a VH leaflet that someone in our party had said that there would be stop/start films and games on all VS MCO flights next summer. Being regular LGW/MCO flyers I said it was a definite mis-print, I never saw the leaflet myself and wish I could get my hands on it as I'd complain bitterly if there isn't, but you never know then as something might be happening.

Anita

Hi Anita

Can i ask how you booked flights for Sept 09 when I tried for next summer holidays they had no flights availble to book past Aug 22?

[Nottingham Nick]

Originally posted by disney_cjd

Can i ask how you booked flights for Sept 09 when I tried for next summer holidays they had no flights available to book past Aug 22?

You can book with Virgin Holidays more than 336 days in advance but Virgin Atlantic don't release their flights more than 11 months into the future.

Nick

Could it be that front half of the upper desk is being reserved for VH as I note that they now have an exclusive allocation according to their website.

Premium Economy on the Upper Deck

Upgrade to Premium Economy with Virgin Holidays and enjoy the experience of the upper deck! We have exclusive allocation of seats on the upper deck. Please call our reservations team on 0844 557 4000 to pre-book these exclusive seats.

(Applies to Gatwick and Manchester departures on 747 aircraft only. Please note, this is subject to availability and change. Aircraft changes may not allow upper deck seating. Passengers must be able to climb and descend stairs unaided.)

Originally posted by Moley
Could it be that front half of the upper desk is being reserved for VH as I note that they now have an exclusive allocation according to their website.

Premium Economy on the Upper Deck

Upgrade to Premium Economy with Virgin Holidays and enjoy the experience of the upper deck! We have exclusive allocation of seats on the upper deck. Please call our reservations team on 0844 557 4000 to pre-book these exclusive seats.

(Applies to Gatwick and Manchester departures on 747 aircraft only. Please note, this is subject to availability and change. Aircraft changes may not allow upper deck seating. Passengers must be able to climb and descend stairs unaided.)

Good spot Moley, would explain alot[y]

-Steve

Originally posted by Moley
Could it be that front half of the upper desk is being reserved for VH as I note that they now have an exclusive allocation according to their website.

Premium Economy on the Upper Deck

Upgrade to Premium Economy with Virgin Holidays and enjoy the experience of the upper deck! We have exclusive allocation of seats on the upper deck. Please call our reservations team on 0844 557 4000 to pre-book these exclusive seats.

(Applies to Gatwick and Manchester departures on 747 aircraft only. Please note, this is subject to availability and change. Aircraft changes may not allow upper deck seating. Passengers must be able to climb and descend stairs unaided.)

thats probably it then, where did you get this from and seems not really fare on those that have paid for the flights s the holiday arm flights are generally cheaper arent they?

More football shirts in PE me thinks