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#960496 by mitchja
24 Nov 2022, 00:25
LHR>TPA is showing as an A339 on most Fridays in March apart from the last week of March.
#960497 by Neil
24 Nov 2022, 08:26
Thanks James, I found that too but then they just seem to vanish.
I’ve checked NYC/BOS/ATL/TPA/MIA which are the routes mentioned in the communications but nothing
#960498 by CommanderB
24 Nov 2022, 11:42
I looked last week and it seems like they're not committing the 339s to routes until closer to departure. Probably hedging their bets in case of issues or until more arrive. Most of the 339 routes like BOS and TPA were showing as 333 aircraft for more than about 2 months out.

I only had a cursory look though, so if there's more rhyme or reason, I'd love to know too.
#960500 by Nottingham Nick
24 Nov 2022, 16:24
There have been accusations on other forums of ‘bait and switch’ against VS when people, have thought they were booking a particular type of plane, only to get an older substitute.
They may be holding off showing the Neo on particular route to avoid this.
Your contract with the airline is to be flown from A to B ( and back ) - VS have always been notorious for late a/c switches, so booking a route hoping to get a particular type of plane will always be a bit of a gamble.

Nick
#960501 by mitchja
24 Nov 2022, 17:16
VS have created that mess themselves though by not having a consistent on-board product.

VS have never been good at that and it’s worse now than it’s ever been. 3 sets of totally different J/W/Y seats now in a fleet of just 38 A/C made up of 4 different A/C types.
#960502 by RyanJW
25 Nov 2022, 01:59
Any guesses for what the 787 refits will install as the Upper Class seat?
#960504 by CommanderB
25 Nov 2022, 13:20
mitchja wrote:VS have created that mess themselves though by not having a consistent on-board product.

VS have never been good at that and it’s worse now than it’s ever been. 3 sets of totally different J/W/Y seats now in a fleet of just 38 A/C made up of 4 different A/C types.


Agreed, the current fleet is a mess.

At least with the 333/787 they were almost the same for W and J products. Emphasis on almost ;-)
#960505 by gumshoe
25 Nov 2022, 13:38
mitchja wrote:VS have created that mess themselves though by not having a consistent on-board product.

VS have never been good at that and it’s worse now than it’s ever been. 3 sets of totally different J/W/Y seats now in a fleet of just 38 A/C made up of 4 different A/C types.


They’re not alone in that, to be fair.

With BA and Qatar it’s a lottery as to whether or not you get Club Suites/QSuites. With many vexed posts on FT when there’s a swap, last minute or otherwise.

Moral of the story - never book a flight based purely on the type of aircraft. It’ll only end in tears and as long as you end up in the cabin you paid for, the airline owes you nothing if it’s the ‘wrong’ kind of seat.
#960512 by VS075
28 Nov 2022, 22:08
gumshoe wrote:Moral of the story - never book a flight based purely on the type of aircraft. It’ll only end in tears and as long as you end up in the cabin you paid for, the airline owes you nothing if it’s the ‘wrong’ kind of seat.


Very true. However, it must be said that the A330-300s are looking quite tired now, or at least they are in Y and PE, so it's understandable if people are looking to avoid them. Until VS refurbished the 'leisure' 747s a decade ago, reports were they were really shabby inside and had a choice of two different IFE systems depending what was allocated on the day. Can't comment on Upper, though I imagine they're not as worn out given the UCS seats were only installed a few years ago as UCDS replacements.
#960564 by mitchja
10 Dec 2022, 10:35
Just had a minor schedule change for my JFK flights in May.

VS9 on May 4th was an A350 now an A339.

The return VS46 was also an A350 now a A333. Both had a ~30min schedule change.

My TPA flights in Feb still showing as being an A339.
#960567 by buttercupkitty
10 Dec 2022, 21:05
My return flight from Miami on 6th May has changed today to an A339 and has moved forward 4 hours (which I'm less happy about)

My outbound Boston flight is still showing as an A333 and also moved forward, just by an hour
#960594 by Murraymint
14 Dec 2022, 08:07
My TPA flights April/May also showing changes of almost 2 hours and now on A339.

Not a big problem except I already had car hire booked (US Car Hire) and they can’t alter the pickup and drop off times so had to rebook and cancel the original. Fortunately price was still the same :-)
#960595 by Hev60
14 Dec 2022, 20:29
Murraymint wrote:My TPA flights April/May also showing changes of almost 2 hours and now on A339.

Not a big problem except I already had car hire booked (US Car Hire) and they can’t alter the pickup and drop off times so had to rebook and cancel the original. Fortunately price was still the same :-)


Like you our aTampa flight times have changed. Good news about the A339 (fingers crossed)

The outbound flight doesn’t get into Tampa until 9pm and once we clear Immigration it’s going to be too late to drive to our villa rental in Bradenton. We’ve booked into the airport Marriott, hope the room drops nearer the date :-O

The return flight departs at nearly 11pm, so that’s going to be a problem too.

Probably wouldn’t have booked these flights but hey ho at least it’s something to look forward to :cool:
#960600 by territt
16 Dec 2022, 11:42
Does anyone know which routes they are flying in Jan? got to go to richmond at end of jan and would be good to try the 330neo, or at least try to get the 350 and avoid the old 330.
#960650 by bdl1994
02 Jan 2023, 06:25
Neil wrote:Hi

Does anyone know the routes that the A330neos are due to fly Mar/Apr next year?

Every destination I search just shows the standard A330’s

Thanks


From the few random dates I looked at, it seems to be consistently Tampa and Miami, and then New York or Boston, seems to vary.

Looks like there are 3 daily A330neo flights from January, and 4 from April, suggesting future approximate delivery timelines.
#960664 by territt
05 Jan 2023, 11:10
Looks like the A330neo is on the boston flight every day before my flight back to the uk and every day after, apart from the one day I fly when we got the old 300 again :-(
#960670 by chumba
05 Jan 2023, 20:48
Have booked LHR - MCO and TPA - LHR in August 2023 and it's showing the Neo aircraft, have assigned some nice J seats together in the middle :-)

Fingers crossed it stays like that !
#961080 by HIGHFLYER69
08 Mar 2023, 21:59
Gutted we have had an aircraft change
VS5 11th May.
Originally we were around 1pm on a A330-300, being the upper class seats not the best for couples booked premium economy.
Then had a 4hr change and on to an A330-900, nice upper class configuration so changed to Upper.
Then blow me a 20 minute change and on to a 787. So back to poor seating, not that I've had experience of it yet.
We have A seats at least.
Finding it hard to see a positive review of 787 upper.
Crazy how they can change with about 2 months to go.
Bad planning somewhere along the way.
And got a small gesture of 4000 points for the inconvenience.
#961088 by mikethe3rd
09 Mar 2023, 11:26
territt wrote:I would avoid the A seats on the 333, they are right by the crew area.,


What do you mean? A is the entire first column of seats.

HIGHFLYER69 wrote:Then blow me a 20 minute change and on to a 787. So back to poor seating, not that I've had experience of it yet.
We have A seats at least.

Finding it hard to see a positive review of 787 upper.


Make sure neither of you are in 7A - no window.

I flew this (and still fly) config for many years before the recent 330neo and 350. I really don’t mind it. I’d much prefer be in UC on a 787/330 than PE or EC on any aircraft. Personal preference, but we also prefer the bars on board compared to these new social spaces.
#961089 by Claphambear
09 Mar 2023, 12:57
I like the A330 A side (only) and indeed the Dreamliners over the A350. We make use of the bar for chatting more than the loft and the seats on the A350 feel a little tight to me.

Would love to try the Neo but, currently, not featured to be on my my scheduled flights just to tick one off the list but it isn't a deal breaker for me as long as I am in Upper, A side (or middle on A350) then happy bear
#961090 by David
09 Mar 2023, 13:20
Another one that doesn't mind the A330's / 787's in Upper. The bar is a much more usable space than the loft or the seats at the front of the leisure 350's

David
#961099 by each27
09 Mar 2023, 22:54
I can't get over the seats reminding me of coffins... They just look uncomfortable and outdated.

I've only flown the A350 and really enjoyed the experience each time.
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