Do Virgin have enough planes?

When reading through all the topics and rumours of late do you think Virgin are going to have enough planes to meet their plans?

For Example:

They are getting 6 new planes (A346) this year but will loose 4 (A343)

Two B747 are rumoured to be going across to Gatwick (why)?

New double daily service to Hong Kong

New service to Dubai

New service to Montego Bay

They recently annouced they were going to start a new US destination this summer

New service from Manchester to St Lucia

There are rumours on a.net that Manchester will see a service to JFK

Possible start of new service to Beijing

I supose what I am trying to say is that if Virgin only currently have 33 aircraft and by the end of the year they are only going to have 35, how are they going to cope?

I am sure that V.A OPS have a cunning plan in place to accomodate these changes into the current structure.

A couple of the routes you listed are still only at the rumour stage, don't think JFK will get underway from MAN given the number of carriers on the route already.

The 2 new 346's arriving next month will look after DXB and the 1st 343 for VK.

The next 346 arriving in May will look after the last Odyssey 744 which will give LGW the capacity to cover Montego Bay and the Man/St Lucia.

I am sure that G-VOPS will be in here a bit later, he should be able to shed a bit more light on the likes of HKG mk2 and Beijing and the whole development plan for this coming year......

There is always leasing as an option were capacity too tight. It would additionally have the advantage of giving flexibility if one of the routes didn't work out I guess.

Originally posted by sailor99
There is always leasing as an option were capacity too tight. It would additionally have the advantage of giving flexibility if one of the routes didn't work out I guess.

Though, considering the bad rap that BMI got with their damp leasing, and the aggro which hit when a BA 777 flight was subbed with some wet leased 767, that sort of thing would probably be a PR disaster for VS.

Virgin's airplanes, and the things which are different about those airplanes are a big part of the product.

I'm not too sure, but there's probably some suitable GE-engined 744 parked in the desert looking for a new operator and a refit, just in case VS want another Jumbo to see them through the gap between the A380 being ready and their expansion wishes.

I know that Aerolineas Argentinas seemed to snap up most of the ex-Air Canada, ex-Canadian 744s when they were available. The GE-powered examples do seem to get snarfed up fairly quickly.

There are the former UA ones, some of which have relatively low cycles (the best being 4631 cycles, 38,000 hours, on a 12 year old aircraft), and will have been well looked after, but those are PW-powered aircraft.

Mike

Originally posted by djuluvmee
When reading through all the topics and rumours of late do you think Virgin are going to have enough planes to meet their plans?

For Example:

They are getting 6 new planes (A346) this year but will loose 4 (A343)

Two B747 are rumoured to be going across to Gatwick (why)?

New double daily service to Hong Kong

New service to Dubai

New service to Montego Bay

They recently annouced they were going to start a new US destination this summer

New service from Manchester to St Lucia

There are rumours on a.net that Manchester will see a service to JFK

Possible start of new service to Beijing

I supose what I am trying to say is that if Virgin only currently have 33 aircraft and by the end of the year they are only going to have 35, how are they going to cope?

There should be 7 A346s joining the fleet this year. G-VBUS is already in the hands of Virgin Nigeria (although I don't want to start up that debate again [:0]). The remaining 3 Arcadia A343s will leave the fleet by December.

B744 G-VXLG will transfer to LGW to cover the start up of Montego Bay and MAN-UVF with the possibility of another LHR B744 going to LGW as well.

The aircraft for the extra US frequency this summer will become available when the seasonal flights to Cape Town ends in March.

Dubai will be covered by the arrival of more A346s.

The extra frequency to HKG is likely to be operated by the A343s.

MAN-JFK is only rumour at the moment. An extra LHR-JFK is more likely.

I don't think Beijing is on the cards for 2006 although I would be more than happy to proved wrong.

HTH

[HighFlyer]

Thanks Marc (as always)

The extra frequency to HKG is likely to be operated by the A343s

[:0]

I don't think Beijing is on the cards for 2006

What ever happened to this route ... It was anounced very proudly at the time and has gone very quiet. IIRC, BA got PVG at the same time .. anyone know if they got that route up and running?

[mcmbenjamin]

Originally posted by Jetstreamer
The extra frequency to HKG is likely to be operated by the A343s.

What from an ops view. I know cabin crew are cross qual'ed but does VS have any cross qual'd flight crew?

[honey lamb]

The extra frequency to HKG is likely to be operated by the A343s.

Double [:0]

When is the extra frequency due to start? Please, dear Lord, let it not affect my booking to HKG

Originally posted by mcmbenjamin
What from an ops view. I know cabin crew are cross qual'ed but does VS have any cross qual'd flight crew?

ISTR, the 342/3 and 345/6 share the type rating. I had the same flight crew on a trip where I had G-VAEL (343) out and G-VMEG (346) back.

Cheers,
Mike

Highfly -BA got the pvg route going fine. They even got a swanky (well swanky by PRC standards) lounge over there, while VS were left with an armpit of a place nxt to gate 17[:(]. rumour is that VS got all bolchy and arrogant with PIA (shanghai airport auth) who put the delaying boot in at bejing. Of course only rumour .

Thank [y]for your input Jetstreamer very much appreciated.

[HighFlyer]

Thanks Jeremy - i guess they have until 2008 to get it sorted ready for the games.

VS is allegedly starting its second HKG flight next summer, and going double daily by the Autumn.

Originally posted by Jetstreamer
B744 G-VXLG will transfer to LGW to cover the start up of Montego Bay and MAN-UVF with the possibility of another LHR B744 going to LGW as well.

I wonder if it will get the same config as the other Gatwick aircraft?

I'm thinking, given the comments about the LGW J cabin being "over shrunk" for some flights operated out of Gatwick, such as BGI, would it make sense for at least one aircraft to have a larger J cabin?

Maybe give the whole of upper deck over to PE, but leave at least some of the B zone J cabin in place?

Mike

[mcmbenjamin]

Originally posted by mike-smashing

Originally posted by mcmbenjamin
What from an ops view. I know cabin crew are cross qual'ed but does VS have any cross qual'd flight crew?

ISTR, the 342/3 and 345/6 share the type rating. I had the same flight crew on a trip where I had G-VAEL (343) out and G-VMEG (346) back.

Cheers,
Mike

Honestly I have no clue about CAA rules but assume the fallow the ICAO moled if you will. Common type ratings are great things; an Airbus makes sure they happen.

Thanks Mike. Maybe VS will base people in HKG. Would save money!

Originally posted by mike-smashing

I wonder if it will get the same config as the other Gatwick aircraft?

I'm thinking, given the comments about the LGW J cabin being "over shrunk" for some flights operated out of Gatwick, such as BGI, would it make sense for at least one aircraft to have a larger J cabin?

Maybe give the whole of upper deck over to PE, but leave at least some of the B zone J cabin in place?

Mike

That would be very sensible - leave the j cabin downstairs in lhr mode, which would do away with the p/e seats that nobody wants and the 2 or 3 rows of economy which seem to be stuck on their own and make upstairs p/e

This could be used on the more busier upperclass routes out of lgw (both outbound and inbound flights to mco this month have been full in upper - although economy was virtually empty on the outbound but looks better on the inbound) and with one aircraft loaded for upper it could be switched around.

regards

David

On a recent flight I asked about the 'orphaned' PE seats downstairs. I was told that they were required just in case a disabled person or someone unable to make the stairs booked a PE seat... With this in mind I would think it unlikey they'll remove them.

Sorry if this is old info

[preiffer]

Yup - they have to (legally) provide every class of service on the ground floor that is provided upstairs, I believe.

Not sure how the dual deck boarding/evac regulations on the A380 affect that restriction, but for now - 744's have to provide both PE and J on the ground floor (as well as upstairs if applicable) or not at all.

Bowing to Pauls superior knowledge [oo] but lgw fleet never used to have p/e on the lower deck and you get this message when trying to booka p/e flight.

"On selected flights, Premium Economy and Upper Class are situated in the Upper Deck. Passengers with restricted mobility would be advised to contact reservations before continuing."

Have the requiremnets changed [?]

David [:I]

Originally posted by honey lamb

The extra frequency to HKG is likely to be operated by the A343s.

Double [:0]

When is the extra frequency due to start? Please, dear Lord, let it not affect my booking to HKG

At the moment, i think that's the Virgin rumour mill working over time. That rumour started just as i moved to the ground over a couple of years ago yet there's still just the one flight!

As a pax who suffers from 'reduced mobility' I can say that I have never had a problem booking PE out of LGW in the pre UCS days the small cabin behind the upper class was always allocated to pax like us. Now of course there is PE on the lower deck.

Although not 100% certain, the 2nd HKG flight is more than just a rumour this time around. All we've been told at the moment is that it should be up and running by late summer/early autumn. The A343 is likely to be the a/c type but as we all know from previous experience this can change

AFAIK, G-VXLG will have the same leisure config as the other LGW based B744s. Although I agree there are some routes where we can sell more than 14J seats, it could cause a nightmare having 1 a/c in a different config from the rest of the fleet.

PEK will start up somewhere between Jan-Jul 07 I would guess- VS will want to be established on the route prior to the games so that they can avoid any teething problems that may arise from the opening of a new station etc.

Didnt know about new american destination- isnt it just going to be an extra fequency?

MAN-JFK- would imagine more likely to see MAN-LAS or LAX. Why would VS start a service to JFK when there are already a number of carriers on the route?

2nd HKG daily- needs to be done- especially if competition is further increased by the arrival of NZ on the route.

Leasing a/c has been done by VS before- remember back in mid 90's they leased a 763 off Martinair to operate services to MCO from LGW and MAN. I cant see it happening though and in fact the expansion of VS looks to be done so that it wouldnt be needed to be done.

Second hand a/c are hard to come by- 744s of AC went to Aerolineas Argentina and SQ/UA 744s to AI and Air Pacific. The only possible area would be when Air Canada get their new boeing aircraft and need to get rid of their 343's and 345's but still talking way into 07.

Although of course VS could just take over BMI, add the 330, drop the Indian and Arabain flights and all would be sorted!

I'm sure there was a mention of a new service to the US starting when Virgin announced they were dropping the PHC flights, but I can't find the link anywhere.

Originally posted by djuluvmee
I'm sure there was a mention of a new service to the US starting when Virgin announced they were dropping the PHC flights, but I can't find the link anywhere.

There was an announcement of an additional USA service (note it did not say new USA destination) - I cannot find the press release either.

I think it was confirmed by a poster on v-flyer that it was going to be an addtional LHR-JFK service, to be timed inbetween the VS3 and VS9 services. Poster did not say what time the return would be - my guess would be an early am departure the next day (like the VS18 from EWR)?

I think it was confirmed by a poster on v-flyer that it was going to be an addtional LHR-JFK service, to be timed inbetween the VS3 and VS9 services. Poster did not say what time the return would be - my guess would be an early am departure the next day (like the VS18 from EWR)?

I for one would welcome an early morning departure from JFK. I feel it is easier to get back into UK time if you get back here at night from the US. JFK has way better facilities than EWR so it would be a good addition to the network.

Cheers,
VS045