Sixth daily service to NY

So, let's interpret the press release here...

VS009 (LHR to JFK) departure moves from 1805 to 1600.
New flight (also LHR to JFK) leaves 1800.

VS010 (JFK to LHR) departure moves from 2250 to 2125
New flight (JFK to LHR) is daylight, and leaves 0730.

However...
VS001 (LHR to EWR) still seems to leave at 1600,
VS018 (EWR to LHR) still seems to leave at 0820, and
VS046 (JFK to LHR) still seems to leave at 2100.

My comments:
1. Why run the two 1600 departures from LHR?
2. Why not try to spread the times out (how about a noon departure from LHR?)
3. How crowded is the LHR CH going to get between 1400 and 1530, when both 1600 flights are full?
4. Why move VS010 from 2250. This was a good flight to get if one had to do a long day in NY? VS046 usually means getting a car at about 1740 from Manhattan.
5. How crowded is the JFK CH going to get when VS046 and VS010 are both full?
6. Will the JFK CH be open for the new flight at 0730 (here's an idea - get more sofas and keep it open all night!).

I presume the new schedule is about getting the extra daylight flight in. But given the issues above, I am concerned that something has not been thought through.

Any other thots?

My guess is to do with available slots at Heathrow.

Correct, it's not a case of simply picking and choosing when we want to depart.

Booked on Friday for the 009/010 in late August, my booking appears to have disapeared from the system,hope they are just updating the times[:0]

they are likely 'gone' due to the schedule change.

Ring FC and get them to 'advise' you of the details and update the booking, then you should be able to view online again.

Juliet

Thanks, no great panic[y]

There are but two things I am annoyed about, first of all I wish VS001 departed a little bit earlier, whether that's possible I'm not sure. Second, I am angry about Newark always being refered to as New York. It's in New Jersey, it always has been in New Jersey, it always WILL be in New Jersey.

[preiffer]

Well, Nick - when Americans start refering to Heathrow as HAYES (which is in MIDDLESEX) instead of "London", perhaps the airlines might take note of your annoyance... [:0][:p]


(For reference - just as Newark, Heathrow and Gatwick have NEVER been in London )



Good news that VS has enough demand for another New York flight though [y]. It's just a shame for me that it wasn't Chicago or Toronto that got added. [:(] (Those times would have worked for either )

[ChuckC]

My two cents' worth: the VS9/10 combo is a powerful pair. Really good timing. The 10 allows for a full day in NYC (or Newark!) and arrives in LHR (Hayes/Middlesex) at 9 in the morning, in time for a days' work. The 9 leaves London at 4 in the afternoon and arrives in New York in time for reasonable commute to the city and even a late dinner.

As for the EWR vs. NYC issue, I appreciate your energy on this, Nick. Preiffer has it right, however. The reference to "New York" is a reference to the market, not to specific cities, as Preiffer illustrates with the Gatwick and Heathrow examples, and is something utilized by all airlines. The "NYC" market designator includes EWR just as the "LON" designator includes LGW and LHR, even though neither, as Preiffer says, are actually in London proper. The same is true all around the world, so no one's picking on EWR.

Chuck-

Airports tend to be named/referred to by the city served, rather than the place it is in - just ask Ryanair [:p]

At least with New York (the city), Washington, Chicago, London & alike - they have a an airport code seperate to the actual aiports. Not the best when your looking for connecting flights, but better if your after the best deal from a to b.

[ChuckC]

Willie,
Thanks for that, and for your other contributions to V-Flyer.

If you feel that the site is worth it, I hope you will consider joining us as a member. Just click on the link below for more information.

Chuck-

I will be , just havent managed to be online with my cards at hand - tax return out of the way now (72hrs to get it in brings back the exhilaration of some of my better Uni essays) - with my free time back, I`ll get signed up asap.

[mcmbenjamin]

CVG is in not in Ohio. IAD is in Virginia along with Washington's Reagan National Airport. Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport is in Hotlanta, GA FYI. It's all about tax revenue! The worst is that BWI is included with the WAS code. Baltimore is 70 miles from the DC area.

I think people know where they want to go. The London ex. does not play out as not everyone can fly to LHR (B2). Many airlines fly to all of a cities co-terminals (EWR, LGA, and JFK). People know they want to go to LGA as it is closer to the CBD than EWR or JFK.

I'm not entirely sure a 6th NY service is a good idea - unless it's a school/public holiday there's often quite a lot of seats left on all the flights.

Is no-one else concerned about the clubhouses getting more crowded?

I am going to miss the option of taking the 2250 VS010 home, especially when it occasionally came with 50k miles for the bump...

Originally posted by G-VOPS
Correct, it's not a case of simply picking and choosing when we want to depart.

Probably to do with aircraft turnaround/maintenance requirements too, I guess?

By tweaking the amount of turnaround time, it's fairly easy to throw up an extra aircraft here and there on high-density short-haul operations. EZY and RYR use it a significant part of their business model.

The same is true for a long haul operation, but it probably takes a little more thought!

As regards the new flight times, something in the gap between the VS45 and VS3 would have been welcomed - maybe getting the VS3 moving an hour sooner would do the trick, but I'm really glad there's now a daylight flight between JFK and LHR. With the early 0730 departure, it should also make it to LHR at a reasonable time.

I guess we're going to need Clubhouse Phase 2 online by then - but I've noticed that the CH is seldom too busy late afternoon.

It's good to see VS becoming as strong as BA on the NYC route.

Cheers!
Mike

[ChuckC]

Originally posted by williestott
I will be , just havent managed to be online with my cards at hand - tax return out of the way now (72hrs to get it in brings back the exhilaration of some of my better Uni essays) - with my free time back, I`ll get signed up asap.

Great news! Many thanks.

Chuck-

I agree with previous posts- EWR is classed as New York to make it more marketable to the world as a whole. If they sold flights as Newark- they would never sell as many people wouldnt have a clue where Newark is....its no different to LGW or LHR- imagine LGW being called Crawley International...how many americans would know its close to London with that name??? Or worse would be London Stansted as Great Dunmow International.

BWI- is BWI for marketing purposes as well- after all it is closer to Washington, with highway and train links, than IAD is to Washington- personally i feel that BWI is justified with its Washington tag.

New NYC serives- once again the predictions of us on this board have come right! Whoever suggested it would be a new service to ORD [:0]

I've had plenty of flights where getting from EWR to Manhattan has been as quick or quicker than from JFK. The New York / Newark tag is only to help the hard of thinking.

I don't care which of the two VS "NY" airports I fly in to, provided my luggage arrives in the right place.

IMO airports should have 6 letter designations, it really would makes the whole process easier, for instance you could have something like NYC-EWR, or LON-LHR.

I suppose EWR can be classed as NY really, as going from some places in NY, it's a lot quicker than JFK.
Other than Newark, what would they call it if it wasn't NY. Does anyone know the capital of NJ?

Cheers,
VS045

[preiffer]

Originally posted by VS045
Other than Newark, what would they call it if it wasn't NY. Does anyone know the capital of NJ?

Yup - Trenton

Not exactly a tourist magnet

don't disrespect Trenton.... That's where General Washington crossed the Delaware river on Christmas eve and surprised the British!

Just because it hasn't had much else going for it recently....[:p]

[preiffer]

... looking for wrist-slap smiley... [:0];)

I consider myself slapped....