V-Flyer

All you experienced UC flyers...

In UC, do I get mains voltage etc so I can plug in portable DVD players etc?

Or, do I have to panic around charging everything up, as usual!

Sorry, if silly question:-)

Panic around or purchase an in flight charger (you can buy them on board).

You'll get an empower socket ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EmPower_(a ... er_adapter) ) so you'll need either an inverter or a power lead designed to plug into those sockets (Apple do one for their macbooks for example!) and there 'should' be leads onboard for iPod/iPhone/iPad for you to use! Same sockets that are in PE on the LHR planes!

I thought they would only provide enough power to make the gadget work but NOT charge batteries.

tontybear wrote:I thought they would only provide enough power to make the gadget work but NOT charge batteries.

My bad use of the word!

OK - so I need an inverter - thanks for your help!

you can get an invertor at Dixons at the airport for about £35 - and it comes with an adaptor plug so you can use it in your car cigar lighter socket and a usb outlet for charging i-pods etc.
best £35 i ever spent !!!

you wont be able to charge anything on board though as its a major fire hazard! also we only sell power leads on board we dont give them out!

the A330 will be different though with us and uk plug socket! not sure weather or not it will let you charge a battery though!

johnvscrew wrote:you wont be able to charge anything on board though as its a major fire hazard! also we only sell power leads on board we dont give them out!

John - tbh that's just VS being over cautious (as they are about loads of things). Despite the scare over this a couple of years ago, it just didn't happen.

I use my invertor all the time - charges up my i-pod and computer nicely and nobody has ever told me its not allowed!

The best adaptor is from Dixons at the airport (and supposed to be sold on board but why risk it). It costs about GBP55 but you can plug any GB 3 pin into it so can charge (yes you can charge batteries no problem) and use a laptop etc. Probably draw the line at a hair dryer though !
The cheaper adapters only allow specific laptops to be used.

Thanks for this everyone. Dixons it is then...

I guess a lot of devices will auto-charge when plugged in anyway and you can't stop them!

In terms of fire risk, I guess that exists, but the bigger risk has to come from un-monitored items in the hold - fire on a plane must never be under-estimated as several very tragic events have shown over the years.

I'd say the risk from items in the cabin, that are visible, getting power from tested consumer products is minimal however.

Concorde RIP wrote:I'd say the risk from items in the cabin, that are visible, getting power from tested consumer products is minimal however.

Try telling that to Honey Lamb and her fried iPod !

im not saying its happened or wheather its just virgin being over cautious but the current regulations we have tell us that no one can charge PED's on the aircraft. wheather i agree with it or not doesnt matter lol im paid to follow virgins rules! if you have charged items onboard before and no one has said anything this is probably the fact that they havn't noticed! i will say that the if you try to charge an ipod you do risk burning it out, has happened a few times.
Always refere to the back of the safety card which gives more details about electronic devices.
the last thing you want is to damage an expensive item! we sell a charger for about £50 think we carry 2 on board but also curries have them.