New tables in Upper Class

Just flew in on VS22 on G-VBLU (Soul Sister). This is a brand new plane and has different tables in Upper Class which are an reasonable improvement: they still pop out of the wall but the pop-out bit contains the table as a separate piece which you pull up and out. I think the table is a little smaller, but is more adjustable back and forth so that now you can get out of your seat without having to stow the table.

However, all was not sweetness and light: my suite wouldn't convert to a bed (a shining "stow ottoman" light was no help) and the crew didn't have the relevant manuals to be able to fix it. And the table didn't work properly either. Happily there was a spare suite I could move to, but these teething troubles always seem to occur...

Oh, and the config had a WC in front of 2K which reduces the desireability of this seat somewhat. VS need to update their seatmaps as the A346 one currently has the WC on the left, not the right.

Anyway, Look out for a trip report in the next couple of days.

BC

[HighFlyer]

Good stuff BC!!

I presume the table you had was the same one i saw on G-VELD in January that had the sort of 'folding out from within itself' feel about it. I thought it was actually much better as there is a bit more legroom underneath.

I think Jetstreamer said that it was to be rolled out fleet wide?

Bad news on the suite technical issues on such a new plane though [:(]

Look forward to that TR

[mitchja]

Thanks for the updates BC

I'm sorry but why are there still a lot of J cabin crew who dont seem to know much about the UCS seat and how it works or more importantly how to sort any problems out?

Regards

[HighFlyer]

Have to kind of agree with you there James. Its not like the suite roll-out has only just happened, and Upper crew, as you say, are supposed to be trained to work that cabin.

On the whole i have found most of the crew to be fab and to have done a sterling job, but it comes to something when you have to inform some of them how to fix the suite when it wont go in bed mode.

Either that - or we're flying Upper too much!!

[preiffer]

On the three occasions my suite has fried it's brain, the crew have been able to resolve it twice with no problem. [y]

The one time they couldn't, I just moved to another seat.

(And believe me, they tried - cables 'n all!)

I have never seen the message 'stow ottoman'???

I know it says 'stow table', 'stow monitor' and 'remove obstruction'

There is always bound to be teething problems with a new aircraft.

I also would say that on an A340-600 you have 5 Upper Class Crew, one CSS and an FSM so I think its strange that no one could help fix the seat?

[mitchja]

Declan

I think this message is something to do with the original plans for UCS having a movable ottoman, which were soon fixed down due to problems as your probably already aware. Looks like the suites still have the option to have a movable ottoman and in BC's case his ottoman had moved when it shouldn't have done?

Regards

Just to clarify, the ottoman clearly hadn't moved, but presumably the electronic brain of the suite thought it had. What was a little concerning was that the FSM and some of the cabin crew flapped around saying that they didn't have the manuals as it was a new plane (?) and when they tried to convert the suite manually they didn't manage to do that either.

And then when we all decided moving was the best answer, no one offered to help me move my stuff either... [:(!]

BC

Glad to hear about the new table design, the first looked and occasionally performed like someone had fabricated it in their garden shed.

Had the new style table on a A340-300 suite from JFK-LHR. The mechanism is a lot smoother and is more user-friendly.

My partner's table had a tape across his saying it was not working. I looked around and all the other seats looked full (given fewer seat on an -300 compared to a -600. He removed the tape and the table appeared to work fine. Not sure why it was there in the first place.

The overhead locker opposite us had another a tape across his saying it was not working. This cannot be good for VS given the UCS on any A340-300 must be new! Looks like shoddy installation or manufacture. Hope VS get a warranty. Can be just due to passenger abuse.

He removed the tape and the table appeared to work fine. Not sure why it was there in the first place.

There is a prime example why things do not work because some customers make them worse!!

If the engineers put a sticker on something saying 'Im broken, please do not use me' then it should not be used.

Sometimes toilets are blocked off and they look perfectly fine but actually there is a hidden fault!!

Maybe your suite was broken due to previous passenger action!!!

Originally posted by declansmith
There is a prime example why things do not work because some customers make them worse!!

Yay. Blame the customer. That's what were here for.

Mike

Originally posted by mike-smashing

Originally posted by declansmith
There is a prime example why things do not work because some customers make them worse!!

Yay. Blame the customer. That's what were here for.

Mike

Sorry but if there was a sign saying it was broke where was the FSM apologising and explaining what the crew/VS was going to do about it. I woudln't be too happy to buy a product and have a sign saying that this or that was broke and just leave it like that.

There are some parts of the service that to my mind are non-negotiable. For example, if there had been a full flight and I had to spend the night in an uncomfortable position, I would be looking for a full refund of that segment. Certainly if I found out on the ground that there was no availability of a working suite my next step would be to require VS to book me on an equivalent product (BA FIRST, if you believe Virgin's advertising!) Similarly if the tray table was broken to the extent that I could not work, I would be looking to Virgin to pay my ruinous hourly rate as compensation for lost income.

BC

The crew have tools which they can use for service recovery.

But if a customer simply removes the sticker themselves to see if it works then that could make the item damaged further.

What I am saying is if its says its broken, dont try and use it.

You may make it worse.

I must admit though we do blame the customers when the toilets are left in a filthy state because I can assure you its not the crew throwing tissues and towels over the floor!!

:D;)

[mitchja]

If a seat (or any part of the seat) is not working and has been identified as such with the 'Im broken, please do not use me' tape, this should not be allocated to a passenger at check-in.

If I were to get such a seat, I would not be happy

Regards

I know how annoying it is to take a seat and discover parts of it are not working. I always feel VERY guilty reading about poster disgruntlement with non-functioning suites, as [:I] I have twice been the spoiler. Once with (yes) a table, and once with the wee lamp. One careless wack and they were history.

Not normally clumsy, just this thing with small spaces... do best with solid, non-moveable parts. Then of course there was the time I leapt over the seat and landed...on my laptop--blue screen of death as my penance.

Not being an engineer, my surmise is that these are tender machines and the expectation is that those traveling in UC have the common sense to tread carefully. Hardly fair to have gate crashers like me onboard...

I know this conversation is focused upon UC, but may I just add that every V-Port controller in EC seems to not work.

Originally posted by BlackCat
Just flew in on VS22 on G-VBLU (Soul Sister). This is a brand new plane and has different tables in Upper Class which are an reasonable improvement: they still pop out of the wall but the pop-out bit contains the table as a separate piece which you pull up and out. I think the table is a little smaller, but is more adjustable back and forth so that now you can get out of your seat without having to stow the table.

However, all was not sweetness and light: my suite wouldn't convert to a bed (a shining "stow ottoman" light was no help) and the crew didn't have the relevant manuals to be able to fix it. And the table didn't work properly either. Happily there was a spare suite I could move to, but these teething troubles always seem to occur...

Oh, and the config had a WC in front of 2K which reduces the desireability of this seat somewhat. VS need to update their seatmaps as the A346 one currently has the WC on the left, not the right.

Anyway, Look out for a trip report in the next couple of days.

BC

Wonder what would have happened, had there not been a spare suite available???

Originally posted by VS-EWR
I know this conversation is focused upon UC, but may I just add that every V-Port controller in EC seems to not work.

We had that happen to us in PE a couple of years ago. A real pain in the posterior and made for a very, very long flight.

Originally posted by catsilversword
Wonder what would have happened, had there not been a spare suite available???

I would have asked for a refund of the segment or that they pay for the consequential loss of my not being able to work effectively the next day. Happily the two figures work out to be much the same!

BC

I would have asked for a refund of the segment or that they pay for the consequential loss of my not being able to work effectively the next day. Happily the two figures work out to be much the same!

BC

I love using that one because it actually makes some people start to listen to our problem.

Originally posted by BlackCat
I think the table is a little smaller, but is more adjustable back and forth so that now you can get out of your seat without having to stow the table.

I've only done the B747 in the Suite, and have always been able (with the old table design) to get up form my seat without stowing the table.

Is this an issue specific to the A346 layout?

I know this conversation is focused upon UC, but may I just add that every V-Port controller in EC seems to not work. [i]

I find this statement very amusing!!!!

That is an awful lot of faulty handsets!!

Originally posted by Richard28

Originally posted by BlackCat
I think the table is a little smaller, but is more adjustable back and forth so that now you can get out of your seat without having to stow the table.

I've only done the B747 in the Suite, and have always been able (with the old table design) to get up form my seat without stowing the table.

Is this an issue specific to the A346 layout?

I was thinking the same thing about my flights on the LGW/MAN 744. What's the problem getting out of the seat then?

Paul