V-Flyer

Just checking the status updates page and I see that G-VAST (Ladybird) is set to go across to LHR on Friday 6th to do the VS3....having checked expertflyer, the flight has a very light load in UC, so that might explain why.

Jon

Oh dear, bound to be a few unhappy punters on Friday then!
):

I flew on her from UVF last month and the only button that
worked on my controller was the one for the reading light!

Would a light UC load merit the task of moving a 744 to LHR. Also SHY has gone to MNL tonight, WIN has been at LHR for ages, I guess for maintenance, is she covering a temprary 346 shortage at LHR to allow planned maintenance to go ahead??

ISTBC but although the aircraft database shows VWIN at LHR, I actually think she's still in MNL. The MNL-LHR movement was on the status updates for ages prior to 22/12 and I don't think she actually made the flight.

Not quite sure why they'd fly VSHY out on a positioning flight and not cross her over with VWIN on a VS200 flight.

As for VAST, maybe there's another LHR 744 due into MAN for the next repaint? It's been a while since anything has been in...

I hope i get a 346 on the VS3 Wednesday next week. be quite disappointed if i get G-VAST.

might load some films on my ipad!!

mattyp wrote:ISTBC but although the aircraft database shows VWIN at LHR, I actually think she's still in MNL. The MNL-LHR movement was on the status updates for ages prior to 22/12 and I don't think she actually made the flight.

Not quite sure why they'd fly VSHY out on a positioning flight and not cross her over with VWIN on a VS200 flight.

As for VAST, maybe there's another LHR 744 due into MAN for the next repaint? It's been a while since anything has been in...

Seem to remember VS saying in 2010 when the new livery was introduced that the whole fleet would be done in 2 years. Maybe all but 7 of the fleet will be due up to MAN on friday?! B)

VAST is currently operating the VS69 to Kingston - There's no way she'll back in time to operate the VS3 from LHR tomorrow??

mattyp wrote:VAST is currently operating the VS69 to Kingston - There's no way she'll back in time to operate the VS3 from LHR tomorrow??

Maybe they'll fit parachutes so that the passengers can bail out over LGW before the aircraft lands at LHR? |:)

mattyp wrote:VAST is currently operating the VS69 to Kingston - There's no way she'll back in time to operate the VS3 from LHR tomorrow??

I think the status page is not quite correct....well for the outbound sector to Kingston as G-VLIP (Hot Lips) is operating the inbound from Kingston later this evening.

I would guess that G-VAST is probably sitting on the tarmac at LGW right now and will leave for LHR as scheduled at 0725 in the morning. It must have been a last minute change of aircraft as G-VAST was due to fly to Kingston today!

Jon

Just checked expertflyer and the VS3 tomorrow is very light in all cabins. However, the VS4 back tomorrow from JFK is rammed in Y but very light in W which might explain why an a/c with a larger Y cabin might have been placed onto the sectors.... |:)

Hot Lips is shown as doing the 15 this morning, did she really go down from MCO to work the 70 back, or has the scheduler had a gremlin tonight.
Even working the 70 on time, would have made this impossible, but is shown as not arriving until 12.40 tomorrow. Guess the LGW Ladies are still catching up after the storms..

There were an awful lot of aircraft swaps today due to G-VROY and G-VAST both being stuck in maintenance in the hangar. G-VTOP and G-VGAL, which were supposed to be staying at LGW for the night both took their flights. Hopefully VAST can take the 003 flight tomorrow and we can all find out why!

G-VAST has just landed at LHR as flight VS807 !

and another plane, as yet unidentified is due to go LGW-LHR on Monday, with no mention of VAST having gone back first...

RLF wrote:and another plane, as yet unidentified is due to go LGW-LHR on Monday, with no mention of VAST having gone back first...

G-VBIG, hooray!! ^)

horburyflyer wrote:Just checked expertflyer and the VS3 tomorrow is very light in all cabins. However, the VS4 back tomorrow from JFK is rammed in Y but very light in W which might explain why an a/c with a larger Y cabin might have been placed onto the sectors.... |:)

I'd be more concerned in UC - Friday night flights from New York (even in the New Year) are usually very busy in UC, I'm guessing a number of unhappy punters!

Ladybird G-VAST is half way across the pond as VS3 according to the virgin flight tracker app.

Make a change for VBIG to go somewhere else, since the end of October, she has done the 15 twice otherwise only the 29/30

I see VAST is on the 3 as well today, I suspect because of having 2 346's in major maintenance...

looks like G-VAST is returning to LGW today as VS808.

so i might actually get to fly on an A346 on Wednesday.

I see VEIL is going to MNL tonight, which give three 346's there at the moment. EIL, WIN and SHY.

So that is why BIG has come over to help at LHR, interesting that the last 2 were sent to MNL direct rather than off the 200/201 cycle.

RLF wrote:So that is why BIG has come over to help at LHR, interesting that the last 2 were sent to MNL direct rather than off the 200/201 cycle.

Erm, G-VBIG is a LHR aircraft. Various of the LHR 747s go over to LGW from time to time to help with loads there usually on the LGW-BGI route

Hmmm, seems like things may be a little tight at LHR for the next week or so. MNL is going to look something like a VS hub soon!!

Interestingly, WIN, that has been at MNL since mid November is scheduled to fly back to ZRH on 17/01. Am I right in thinking that two months is an awfully long time for an aircraft to be in maintenance, even for the heaviest of checks? Also, why the return to ZRH?

mattyp wrote:Hmmm, seems like things may be a little tight at LHR for the next week or so. MNL is going to look something like a VS hub soon!!

It probably is a quiet time for VS and I seem to have a vague memory that last year something similar happened. Loads are light and they can switch around aircraft to meet that. We've seen it with G-VAST going to LHR and on Sunday my A346 has become a 343

Hello Everyone!

I am new here, having followed the site avidly since joining Virgin as crew 4 years ago.

I operated the VS004 on Saturday evening (7th) and we indeed came home on G-VAST. All other flights from JFK/EWR that evening were either full or oversold. We did leave extremely full though with a load of 14/14 58/58 316/380.

As people have correctly mentioned already I believe it was something to do with the many A346 aircraft currently in MNL etc. Was very odd landing into LHR on a LGW aircraft I must say! Possibly also to do with the inbound load factors from NYC...very busy at the minute.

Looking forward to using the site more often as a member
Cheers
G1986