V-Flyer

I'm flying to Chicago next week and my booking shows the route operated by a 343 - but its been a 346 for the last four days - VWIN - Lady Luck - so will my luck hold? Or is it the luck of the draw.....?

have a look in the schedules in the toolbox and see if there is any sort of pattern yo can work out. Just because it's been a particular plane or type of plane the last few days dosent mean it will follow that pattern.

It will in the end come down to loads and the most efficient plane that meets those loads. Why send a larger plane if a smaller one will do?

BTW have fun in Chicago. I'm going there next month so please leave it in the condition you wold wish to find it in !

It's usually a 343, but loads have been good so I'm not surprised it's been upgraded.

It is shown on the VS planning schedules as a 343 every day from May until the middle of October when it stops. Slinky is probably spot on, rev management and the fleet planners must be reacting to strong loads. y) y)

Nick

Thanks for the replies. Should I expect any change to show up on the seat map - or will I only know when boarding?

It will show up on your seat map if it changes.

As there's also a 343 gone to the paint shop at MAN, there's likely to be some shuffling going on with Airbus routes for the next few weeks.

I found flight aware had been updates before MMB or expert flyer -worth keeping an eye on!

Luke085 - thanks for the tip! Flight Aware are showing tomorrow's aircraft as a 346 - so I'll keep checking!

kuningan wrote:Luke085 - thanks for the tip! Flight Aware are showing tomorrow's aircraft as a 346 - so I'll keep checking!

No problems, it worked out for me! Pray you get a 346, the 343 are awful

Also another 343 (Jetstreamer) is in MNL at the moment so it looks like the 343 fleet are two down at present.

I thought Jetstreamer was up for sale actually.

Rats! Now showing a 343 for the 21st....breaking Lady Luck's run....

Luke085 wrote:

kuningan wrote:Luke085 - thanks for the tip! Flight Aware are showing tomorrow's aircraft as a 346 - so I'll keep checking!

No problems, it worked out for me! Pray you get a 346, the 343 are awful

Well not all are, Jetstreamer and Plain Sailing definitely are, but Rainbow Lady is in good nick and has VPort!

Our plane changed on 22nd may to Chicago but it was to one which had vport instead of odysssey and we managed to upgrade as a result as there wer more UC seats, it was also a third empty too

slinky09 wrote:

Luke085 wrote:No problems, it worked out for me! Pray you get a 346, the 343 are awful

Well not all are, Jetstreamer and Plain Sailing definitely are, but Rainbow Lady is in good nick and has VPort!

I agree. In fact I'd rather have Rainbow Lady than a 346 :w

honey lamb wrote:

slinky09 wrote:

Luke085 wrote:No problems, it worked out for me! Pray you get a 346, the 343 are awful

Well not all are, Jetstreamer and Plain Sailing definitely are, but Rainbow Lady is in good nick and has VPort!

I agree. In fact I'd rather have Rainbow Lady than a 346 :w

I don't know what it is, but I really dislike the 343 and it's not solely based on the IFE. Perhaps the UC experience would be different but the PE experience felt no where near as soon as on the 346 - perhaps due to shared toilets and proximity to Y. ( not that there is anything wrong with Y, I just think the PE cabin feels more comfortable and special on the 346.

The risk of no v port is too much of a risk!

Luke085 wrote:
I don't know what it is, but I really dislike the 343 and it's not solely based on the IFE. Perhaps the UC experience would be different but the PE experience felt no where near as soon as on the 346 - perhaps due to shared toilets and proximity to Y. ( not that there is anything wrong with Y, I just think the PE cabin feels more comfortable and special on the 346.

The risk of no v port is too much of a risk!

In UC it is less of a dormitory feel than the 346 which is awful!

honey lamb wrote:In UC it is less of a dormitory feel than the 346 which is awful!

I too prefer the smaller UC cabin on the 343 - its just the older IFE - and (often much) older planes - Jetsteamer is the oldest 343 in the air - 10 years older than the newest 346.

Just rechecked - despite yesterday Flight Aware saying today's VS39 would be a 343 its now a 346....but tomorrow's is a 343....

I think describing Upper Class as awful in any way is rather over the top.

clarkeysntfc wrote:I think describing Upper Class as awful in any way is rather over the top.

'Awful' may be a bit strong - but the 346 UC cabin is around twice the length of any other aircraft's. While 'awful' wouldn't be my choice of word - 'least favourite' would (notwithstanding its newer metal/better IFE). I've always been able to sit near the front - but I wouldn't relish the view from 17K!

kuningan wrote: - but I wouldn't relish the view from 17K!

Every cloud has a silver lining ... you can see if there is a seat at the bar without leaving your seat

Martin wrote:

kuningan wrote: - but I wouldn't relish the view from 17K!

Every cloud has a silver lining ... you can see if there is a seat at the bar without leaving your seat

You can hear whether there is space at the bar!

G-VHOL and G-VSEA will be leaving the fleet in a few months

virginboy747 wrote:G-VHOL and G-VSEA will be leaving the fleet in a few months

Maybe I'll get one tomorrow! Flightaware is showing a 343 after a week of 346s - and OLCI shows a 343 as well. However, I plan on getting to the Club House in plenty of time.......

How can you see all this information?

bakes28 wrote:How can you see all this information?

http://Www.flightaware.com lists aircraft type by route - and usually shows tomorrow's aircraft as well. The 343 is scheduled for LHR-ORD but for the last week they have run 346s - flightaware is showing a 343 tomorrow - and when I did on line check in it was the 343 configuration. These are among the oldest aircraft in the fleet - one of them is the oldest - at nearly 20 years - more than double the average.


However, at the end of the day it will be the crew that make the difference.

It's pretty quiet up front - which could either mean great service, or lots of crew upgrades and crap service, with no room at the bar!