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#937855 by mitchja
27 Aug 2017, 12:32
Nice to see MAN has been getting a few re-fitted A333's over the last couple of weeks. Both G-VGEM and G-VINE have been op-ing some of the ATL/BOS/JFK routes from MAN.

G-VINE is op'ing the MAN>JFK route today.
#937867 by lorelai
29 Aug 2017, 11:19
SNOMO wrote:I'm checking my flights daily and keeping fingers crossed for MAN>SFO


Me too! We are doing MAN>JFK on 14 September, it's very nerve wracking haha.
#937872 by car94102
29 Aug 2017, 15:52
Here is a bit more data on the timing of configuration swaps and how seat requests are being handled. We are flying VS126 in Upper Class on September 1st. Between 89.5 and 81.5 hours before departure, the seat map changed from 1-1-1 to 1-2-1. Our seat requests, both windows, were grafted onto the reconfigured seat map: obviously some others were not so lucky as the Upper Class cabin is nearly full on this flight.

On a peripherally related subject, am I correct in believing that overhead bin space is very limiting on the 1-2-1 configured A330s because there are no center bins and because the bins over the windows are unusually small? Normally we travel with roll aboards and don't check bags. Am I correct about overhead bin space, or is this not an issue? If it is an issue, we'll be good citizens and check our bags to reduce stress on ourselves, other passengers, and the cabin crew. (My fear checking bags comes from spending holidays scrambling to buy replacement clothes due to lost baggage. My worst example happened in 2015 after the baggage handling system in LHR failed and I spent a week in the Baltics without my suitcase: I only received my bag a few days after I returned home to SFO.)
#937906 by mitchja
30 Aug 2017, 21:50
Looks like the re-fits are back on again after their summer break, with G-VRAY scheduled to fly to XMN on 7th Sept.

If VS keep to their 1 per month schedule, another 4 should be done by the end of 2017 making a total of 8 refitted A333’s with just 2 remaining to be refitted in 2018.
#938219 by SNOMO
08 Sep 2017, 13:10
BUM, just check our flight for Sunday MAN>SFO VS125 and 1-1-1 Config changed to 1-2-1 >-(
return VS126 24th still showing 1-1-1 but holding out no hope for that now.
#938305 by lorelai
11 Sep 2017, 10:32
We fly Thursday MAN>JFK, still 1-1-1 at the moment, it's a very tense time haha. I'm assuming it will change, as it doesn't look like that route has had many of the refurbished planes, but we live in hope. It will be marvellous either way. :D

By the way, I don't suppose anyone has the current UC menu for this route? I've had a little look in the trip reports but couldn't see anything. Thank you in advance.
#938307 by gumshoe
11 Sep 2017, 10:44
lorelai wrote:By the way, I don't suppose anyone has the current UC menu for this route? I've had a little look in the trip reports but couldn't see anything. Thank you in advance.


viewtopic.php?f=4&t=296149

The basic menu is the same on all US routes.
#938308 by mitchja
11 Sep 2017, 10:45
My parents have just landed at MAN from JFK this morning and both their outbound last week and inbound where the old config (G-VNYC going and G-VUFO coming back).

I might be wrong here but isn't the East coast US menu pretty similar to the West coast one just minus some of the 'extra bites' which was posted here?

My VS109 flight on Sat to ATL is still showing the 1-1-1 config so far as well.
#938311 by gobofraggle
11 Sep 2017, 11:37
Fingers crossed for our flight to IAD in October. Showing as 1-1-1... but if only 5 out of 10 A330s will be refurbished by then, it looks like it will be 50% chance of a refitted aircraft.
#938315 by lorelai
11 Sep 2017, 15:10
Cursed it, didn't I. It's just changed. It really annoys me how it just dots you all over, given that the seats we chose were G and K seats which are all still there. They put us in 7A, 8A, 7D, 8G, 8K. The best I've managed to change it to is 4D, 6D, 7A, 7D, 8A. At least we are all on the same side of the plane, but there will be someone in 5D between the 4 and 6. I hope that they will be willing to switch, but if not I understand if that's the seat they chose. I guess we will have to see on the day! Thanks for all of your help.
#938327 by mitchja
11 Sep 2017, 20:52
I check on a daily basis, pure and simply to make sure I don’t end up sat in the middle section of the J cabin (currently selected a K seat on both my flights).

There’s only about 4 empty seats now in J for my VS109 flight on Sat (all of which are in the middle section!!)
#938329 by eugegall
11 Sep 2017, 23:01
mitchja wrote:I check on a daily basis, pure and simply to make sure I don’t end up sat in the middle section of the J cabin (currently selected a K seat on both my flights).

There’s only about 4 empty seats now in J for my VS109 flight on Sat (all of which are in the middle section!!)


When are your flights?

I'm trying to work out when I should be checking daily. I fly in December.
#938330 by mitchja
12 Sep 2017, 00:13
I fly out to ORD via ATL from MAN on Saturday and back from ORD via JFK to MAN the following Wednesday.

VS usually start swapped the A/C config about 3-4 days before departure.

My seat maps have both shown the new 1-1-1 config from the word go so far.
#938474 by eugegall
17 Sep 2017, 14:37
mitchja wrote:Re-Fitted 1-1-1 J cabin config
Beauty Queen G-VSXY
Champagne Belle G-VINE
Diamond Girl G-VGEM
Lady Love G-VLUV

Old 1-2-1 J cabin config
Mademoiselle Rouge G-VKSS
Miss Sunshine G-VRAY
Uptown Girl G-VNYC
Golden Girl G-VGBR
Miss England G-VWAG
Lady Stardust G-VUFO

If you are flying from MAN though, forget about a new config A333, as MAN doesn’t seem to be on the list for them yet as so far this year 1 single refitted A333 has flown into and out of MAN >-(


Hello!

Its been nearly 6 weeks since this update. Do you know if any more have. been completed or are being done?

Thanks
#938475 by mitchja
17 Sep 2017, 14:55
Nothing more yet as VS took a break over the summer sending A/C to be refitted (they clearly needed the extra A/C) and the latest A333 to go in for refitting (G-VRAY) only flew to XMN on Sept 7th and they take about 4 weeks to complete.
#938479 by eugegall
17 Sep 2017, 16:15
mitchja wrote:Nothing more yet as VS took a break over the summer sending A/C to be refitted (they clearly needed the extra A/C) and the latest A333 to go in for refitting (G-VRAY) only flew to XMN on Sept 7th and they take about 4 weeks to complete.


Ok thanks but I guess that means they are doing VRAY as we speak?
#938483 by mitchja
17 Sep 2017, 17:26
We can only presume so as this stage; as whilst G-VRAY is in XMN at the minute, VS do send A/C there for scheduled heavy maintenance (D checks) and VS are supposed to be re-fitting the new J cabin at the same time.

That didn’t go quite to plan though with G-VKSS as whilst she did go to XMN for the scheduled maintenance, apparently VS didn’t manage to get the new cabin fixtures deleivered in time so she came back with the same old J cabin she went with.

This is only speculation, but all being well and if VS continue to send 1 aircraft per month, 8 should be done by the end of 2017, leaving just 2 so by March 2018 all 10 A333’s *should* have the new cabin.

My VS128 A333 coming back from JFK on Wednesday changed to the 1-2-1 config yesterday :-( though again has kept my K seat).
#938520 by 747 G-VROS
19 Sep 2017, 11:32
G-VSXY and G-VLUV are currently based at LGW on the Caribbean routes so only 2 flying from LHR until G-VRAY returns.
G-VROS.....
#938693 by Seyre1972
27 Sep 2017, 10:23
Thread has made me paranoid now - so will be checking daily (fly 3 weeks this Friday) Currently showing 1-1-1 config for VS-127 (Man-JFK), and return VS-128 (JFK-Man) A outbound and K return leg
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