VS Bulletin - upcoming changes MAN summer flying program

[mitchja]

Just received this from:

To help ensure our customers can enjoy their journeys as planned during the busy summer travel period, we’ll be introducing an additional Airbus A330 into our Manchester operation from 17th July, to 4th September 2026. Due to fleet availability issues, the aircraft will be operated by Wamos Air and will be used on selected flights between Manchester and Atlanta and Manchester and New York JFK.

The aircraft previously formed part of the Virgin Atlantic fleet, so the seat layout is consistent with our aircraft of this type. While the cabin crew will be from Wamos Air, to help ensure customers experience the warmth and care they're used to when flying with Virgin Atlantic, members of our team will be onboard to support customers throughout their journey.

Sounds like VS are borrowing one of their former-retired A333’s so seats and cabin will be the same, however, the flights will be operated by a mix of Wamos and VS crew.

Another kick in the teeth for 'our home in the North'?

What A/C are Virgin down to need this?

[mitchja]

From reading this, I don't see these flights been much different to any other VS flights. Guessing though it wont have VS livery on the outside?

VS have actually done something similar before back in 2001 at MAN as one of the B747-200's used to be op'd by another airline. It's reg was TF-ABA which was leased from Air Atlanta Icelandic. I never flew on it but do remember seeing it in the usual VS livery. It just had a 'operated by Air Atlanta' sign on the side.

Edit - found a photo here.

From reading this, I don't see these flights been much different to any other VS flights. Guessing though it wont have VS livery on the outside?

VS have actually done something similar before back in 2001 at MAN as one of the B747-200's used to be op'd by another airline. It's reg was TF-ABA which was leased from Air Atlanta Icelandic. I never flew on it but do remember seeing it in the usual VS livery. It just had a 'operated by Air Atlanta' sign on the side.

Edit - found a photo here.

They also used the very rare pure white TF-AME a B747-300 operated by Air Atlanta out of Manchester around the same time. We got upgraded to upstairs which had the old style upper seats but received the premium service. I remember thinking, it was the first time we ever had 3 windows for our seat

David

If old VS metal hopefully not too much impact

Perhaps have to ask where the A350 leisure configurations are to be used.
I’ve found that our LHR-YYZ-LHR flight in September has been swapped to one of these and I now I find my party of 4 have no seats allocated (we are in Upper) and the seat map showing all 16 seats as occupied both in and outbound. Seriously worried we are going to be down graded on both legs.

A friend with an ATL flight at the end of August received the notification of the aircraft change. then a day later he received another email advising him to ignore the first one and that it would be a VS aircraft. Very strange

Iberia use Wamos and I flew them to Caracas a couple of years ago, they're fine. We still had Iberia catering and there were a couple of Iberia staff running around to keep frequent flyers happy. Suspect these flights wont have the Virgin vibe though.

[mitchja]

I'm guessing VS are struggling for aircraft availability over the next few weeks at MAN hence this announcement.

VS will have upto 3 daily flights to MCO from MAN between July 18 - Aug 29 as the new VS139/140 flight launches. The MAN>LAS 3 weekly service carries on until the end of Oct along with the usual ATL and JFK services. I would guess VS are also fitting in some EDI>MCO services as well as VS borrow those from the MAN fleet & rotations.

It also looks like delivery of the next A339 at LHR (G-VMAN) will be delayed as Airbus seen to be struggling delivering all A339's at the minute. I also noticed that G-VBOB (A350) just flew back fro mMalta having spent ~2 weeks there as well as I believe VS send the A350's there now for maintenance.

I'm guessing VS are struggling for aircraft availability over the next few weeks at MAN hence this announcement.

VS will have upto 3 daily flights to MCO from MAN between July 18 - Aug 29 as the new VS139/140 flight launches. The MAN>LAS 3 weekly service carries on until the end of Oct along with the usual ATL and JFK services. I would guess VS are also fitting in some EDI>MCO services as well as VS borrow those from the MAN fleet & rotations.

It also looks like delivery of the next A339 at LHR (G-VMAN) will be delayed as Airbus seen to be struggling delivering all A339's at the minute. I also noticed that G-VBOB (A350) just flew back fro mMalta having spent ~2 weeks there as well as I believe VS send the A350's there now for maintenance.

Think your right here. Think they anticipated G-VMAN being in the fleet by now to cover for the 3 daily MCO flights from MAN over the summer holidays.

Also see as of now todays VS135 LHR-MCO looks like its returning back to London, G-VELJ - hope its not maintenance related. Always wonder how an airline like Virgin would cope with losing an aircraft due to being out of service for a prolonged period of time. Must be a logistical nightmare

They added an extra Edi flight on a Thursday during some of June / July but I see it has appeared in October as well and it looks like it stays for 2027

David

EC-OLG, the former G-VKSS (Mademoiselle Rouge) is the only former VS metal that Wamos have, and its in the same config (C31W48Y185) that it was in when it let the VS fleet.

G-VMAN was due in the spring delays with Airbus and Starlink install have held things up. I’m surprised VS have not just consolidated VS76 and VS140 as my flight home is empty next week. They have 5 A350’s in the low J config not all of them are going to MCO and LAS surely.

[mitchja]

They have 5 A350’s in the low J config not all of them are going to MCO and LAS surely.

There’s usually at least 1 A333 thrown into that mix. VS will always try and send an A350 to Vegas though with it being a longer flight time as the A333’s don’t have any crew rest fitted.

Noticed that EC-OLG is currently op’ing the VS109 MAN>ATL service today.