V-Flyer

Was going through the South Terminal at Gatwick yesterday am and was appaled at the shoddy state of the South Terminal pier. I thought the satelite was OK but the ceiling down the main pier in the South Terminal was missing half of it's tiles in both the main and domestic piers. It looked dreadful and not at all something to be proud of.
So why are Virgin now using the old pier again after years of using the satelitte? There used to be 4-5 Virgin B747s parked together.Yesterday I noted the Nassau and Lagos flights on the satelite and Nassau and an Orlando on the main pier. Half the gates on the other satelite were standing empty and remained so.
Also the state of G-VLIP "Hot Lips" was quite appaling with the paint flaking off down the back quite badly. Not a patch on the Heathrow fleet and facilities sadly.

http://www.airliners.net/open.file/1182930/M/

I've been overlooking the South terminal for the past two days and the satelite may have been empty when you transited but every morning the entire satelite is full and today there was about a ten minute wait for any a/c to get on to the satelite or main pier. With three CO, two US, five VS, two NW plus VK and zoom there's a fair number of heavies waiting for gates.

As for the condition of the satelite ceiling it is undergoing and still is a major refurb - although I agree it does seem that it is taking a rather long time.

VLIP was involved in a scrape last year and it doesn't make sense to take it out of service to repaint the tail-fin would certainly have a knock on to our flights and possibly the £££ of our flight - I've seen and flown on a lot worse looking a/c from the majors.

G-VLIP was involved in a pushback incident last year in which one of the end winglets was damaged. She was only out of service for a day or so and I believe she was repaired on-site at the LGW facility.

Paint jobs on the 744's are done by KLM at AMS. I do agree the tailfin looks very shoddy by VS standards. VS are probably dragging it out until the a/c has to go for it's next scheduled maintenance which should also be at AMS.

Similarly Birthday Girl with the special paint job was looking very tatty at LHR a couple of weeks ago. Likewise, paint peeling off the tail ... hope she gets spruced up soon.

Originally posted by slinky09
Similarly Birthday Girl with the special paint job was looking very tatty at LHR a couple of weeks ago. Likewise, paint peeling off the tail ... hope she gets spruced up soon.

You might be waiting a few years until it is next due for a repaint. Considerng how tight the LHR and LGW/MAN 747 fleets are it wouldn't make sense to send an a/c for repaint if it was already done two years ago.

I think VS would want to replace the interiors first before repaint a/c.

Or do them both at the same time!

VLIP was involved in an engine strike on the runway about 3 days ago, its been grounded ever since

Originally posted by Smile High
VLIP was involved in an engine strike on the runway about 3 days ago, its been grounded ever since

Ouch! Poor VLIP. Hope she's getting some tender care and is back on her feet soon.

Originally posted by Smile High
VLIP was involved in an engine strike on the runway about 3 days ago, its been grounded ever since

Oh heck! Here's hoping that it returns to service in time fior the busy Easter holidays which is not far away.

And as for why are we using that pier, simply because the airlines don't have a choice. You get what stands you are given basically.

G-VLIP had just arrived from Bridgetown when I passed through the South Terrible on Tuesday and aside from the paint falling off looked to be in passeneger service.