747s With No Upper Class Bar

I thought all Virgin planes had a bar in Upper Class. However, I read a recent Trip Report that said they were on a LGW to MCO flight that was a 747 and it didn't have a bar in Upper Class.

Does anyone know how many of Virgin's currently operational 747s don't have an upper class bar? If so, what are the names of those planes.

Thanks in advance.

Think its just Tinkerbelle but I'm sure someone will have a definitive answer.

It's just G-VBIG that has no bar as it was reconfigured from an LHR 747 into the LGW config. For reasons that were never really disclosed (possibly cost, possibly unable to source the same bar) BIG was never given one.

Thanks for the quick replies. Does it only have 14 UC seats or a different configuration given there's no bar. If only 14 seats, what have they put in the space where the bar would normally be?

I've used the bar a lot on previous flights so will be disappointed if I end up on this one on my MAN - LAS flight in a couple of months.

yeah they're all 14 seats, I hoping we don't get V-BIG for our LGW-CUN in a few weeks.

yeah they're all 14 seats, I hoping we don't get V-BIG for our LGW-CUN in a few weeks.

To be honest with the small UC cabin the lack of bar doesn't make much difference in my opinion

I would also echo that a bar on the 747 is almost unusable due to the confined space and close proximity to other passengers.

After chatting with a friend and a member of crew on a flight to Vegas, we were asked to return to our seats during meal service as our chatting could be disturbing passengers.

It's not quite the same bar experience as the A346 or B789, where you can even dine at the bar... more of a gimmick if you ask me!

Must admit, it was the first time since had flown on Tinkerbelle since she was "converted" to Gatwick spec and I did miss the bar, even just for the occasional drink or place to lean on

Also the IFE in upper is different. No touch screens (even after repeatedly trying to make it work) but still with the pause feature

IMG_0448.JPG (52.22 KiB) Viewed 15137 times

That's what counts as the bar on VBIG

David

G-VBIG was our shuttle a couple of weeks ago for the LGW-MCO trip

Very old and tired looking 747

Does it have "real" plugs or is it still using empower?

Does it have "real" plugs or is it still using empower?

In upper it's empower although they do have some leads to hand out.

Does it have "real" plugs or is it still using empower?

In upper it's empower although they do have some leads to hand out.

Thanks, will pack my adapter just in case I get her on my next trip.

G-VBIG was our shuttle a couple of weeks ago for the LGW-MCO trip

Very old and tired looking 747

Are all the 747s looking very old and tired or is it just G-VBIG?

Is Upper Class better in some of the 747s than others?

The LGW fleet (ie all the remaining 747s except G-VBIG) had a refresh about five years ago, when the latest (at the time) IFE was installed.

The LHR fleet wasn't refreshed so G-VBIG missed out.

We flew PE on our trip but noticeable difference in the feel of the one on the way back. VBIG has trim coming off, rusty IFE etc.

Its 21 year old i think, most other 747s with VS are 16 year old and as latest poster said 'refreshed' so much nicer place to be.

[mitchja]

The IFE on G-VBIG was actually replaced during the LHR>LGW cabin re-config. The old Matsushita 3000 system (VERA on-demand, formally V:Port, the same system thats currently on all the A346's) was replaced with the newer Panasonic eX Lite system. I believe all that system lacks compared to the IFE system used on the other B744's and the A333's (which is the Panasonic eX2 system) or on the B789's (Panasonic eX3 system) is the lack of touch-screen and slightly less content.

The A346's actually have the oldest IFE system now.

I was up in the Bubble on VBIG a couple of months ago to CUN... I'm pretty sure how tired and shabby she was it wont be long before shes in the desert.

I think the bars on the 744s are not worth it. You feel a bit on display when sat there. From my experience, they mostly get used for storage by the crew. Occasionally they will have some snacks out on them or very rarely.... actually use them as a bar!

I will be sad to see the 744s go from the fleet, but excited to see the improvement the 350's could bring to UC.

TBH its not the bar Im bothered about its the none touch IFE, I hate the remote! oh well first world probs and all that

[mitchja]

There's a few more years left in the 744's still; until at least 2019-20, as that's when the new A350-1000's are planned to start getting delivered for both LHR and LGW/MAN routes.

The IFE on G-VBIG was actually replaced during the LHR>LGW cabin re-config. The old Matsushita 3000 system (VERA on-demand, formally V:Port, the same system thats currently on all the A346's) was replaced with the newer Panasonic eX Lite system. I believe all that system lacks compared to the IFE system used on the other B744's and the A333's (which is the Panasonic eX2 system) or on the B789's (Panasonic eX3 system) is the lack of touch-screen and slightly less content.

The A346's actually have the oldest IFE system now.

If this is the case, you have to wonder what the folks at Crawley Towers were thinking! Why replace a working on-demand IFE system [even with more limited content] with a newer on-demand IFE system for an aircraft that only has 3-4 years left in the fleet? Seems like a waste of money to me as the refit would not be cheap. (Especially when you consider how VS ran the LGW/MAN fleet with the old "loop" system & shabby interiors for years - about 13-14 years).

Just to add to previous comments, no bar is not such a big deal on the 747 as the unique cabin layout compensates very well.
I have sat at the bar on many occasions for a short time but as you can get service any time you need in a spacious cabin it is not the end of the world.
If there was no bar in the 330 that may be more of a problem.

The 747 is getting on now but will not be around for much longer,enjoy while you can.

I thought my MBJ team in January would be the last as next 2 trips are confirmed as 330X but having just booked BGI for next February I was happy to see that we had the 747 and for the first time ever were able to book 6A/K

For me on the recent outbound flight I was worried we would get Tinkerbelle as with the entertainment system it just does not match up to the other 747s as advertised and it is definitely an inferior offering and the bar is part of the selling of UC even if you don't use it. That said I was on Tinkerbelle on return last November and could only get seats towards the rear of UC and was quite relieved for the night flight but the entertainment was dated. Personally I think heading outwards you want the full experience and we pay for it after all, coming back in my opinion on an overnight not so important.

[mitchja]

The IFE on G-VBIG was actually replaced during the LHR>LGW cabin re-config. The old Matsushita 3000 system (VERA on-demand, formally V:Port, the same system thats currently on all the A346's) was replaced with the newer Panasonic eX Lite system. I believe all that system lacks compared to the IFE system used on the other B744's and the A333's (which is the Panasonic eX2 system) or on the B789's (Panasonic eX3 system) is the lack of touch-screen and slightly less content.

The A346's actually have the oldest IFE system now.

If this is the case, you have to wonder what the folks at Crawley Towers were thinking! Why replace a working on-demand IFE system [even with more limited content] with a newer on-demand IFE system for an aircraft that only has 3-4 years left in the fleet? Seems like a waste of money to me as the refit would not be cheap. (Especially when you consider how VS ran the LGW/MAN fleet with the old "loop" system & shabby interiors for years - about 13-14 years).

Matsushita is now actually Panasonic Avionics so I would guess the legacy Matsushita 3000 system that was already installed in G-VBIG was unable to be added to because it's possibly no longer available. The LGW/MAN 747 cabin config has a lot more seats than the old LHR config had.

First flight on the 747 UC MAN -> MCO... Think I'm on Tinkerbell as I don't think there's a bar onboard! Gutted...