V-Flyer

Which aircraft is currently in refit? When is it due back in service? And what's the chances of this one taking me to MCO on 30th May (vs027)? 8D

G-VROM is currently being refitted and due back around 18 th may. You will have a 1 in 7 chance of flying on her for your trip. Good luck

Will Barbarella be used on the MAN - MCO route too?
Is there any news on which rows are the extra legroom seats?

Yep barbarella will operate out of man as well as lgw

Just checked the status of G-VROM and it looks like it went from HKG to LGW on the 15th. Does this mean it's back in service with a finished refit?

earthlet wrote:Just checked the status of G-VROM and it looks like it went from HKG to LGW on the 15th. Does this mean it's back in service with a finished refit?

The most you can say at the moment is that she will be having some post delivery testing and being used to train CC as the cabin layout in PE has changed and they will need an update on evacuation procedures and how to manage the service.

The 22nd has been mentioned on another thread as her 'first' flight

As posted it will be a 1 in 7 chance that G-VROM will operate the vs27 on that day.

I think it will be in service pretty quickly. They'll give it the once over and make sure it's up to scratch and everything works. Although the PE layout has changed, it's nothing that would affect evacuation specifics that will all be the same I'm 99.9% sure, and we've already received the correspondence on the revised service flows for the new layout, and it's only a few minor changes, nothing that involves us being trained.

Regards.
hunty88

Hunty88 wrote:As posted it will be a 1 in 7 chance that G-VROM will operate the vs27 on that day.

I think it will be in service pretty quickly. They'll give it the once over and make sure it's up to scratch and everything works. Although the PE layout has changed, it's nothing that would affect evacuation specifics that will all be the same I'm 99.9% sure, and we've already received the correspondence on the revised service flows for the new layout, and it's only a few minor changes, nothing that involves us being trained.

Regards.
hunty88

Are you able to divulge the toilet situation in the bubble? Will econ and PE be sharing as it were?

earthlet wrote:Just checked the status of G-VROM and it looks like it went from HKG to LGW on the 15th. Does this mean it's back in service with a finished refit?

If I have read the status updates correctly, G-VROM is not due to leave HKG until 22 May.

Yes w and y will both use the 2 toilets at the front of the upper deck

I don't see why not as wouldn't describe it as sensitive information!

The two toilets are staying in the same place and will be shared between Y and W. I know people travelling in W aren't going to like like that, and I can understand why but as with everything I'll reserve judgement until I've worked on them a few times.

Personally I don't think it will be much of a problem as there's only normally a queue for toilets before the seatbelt signs come on at the end of the flight and sometimes after the meal service. Otherwise, on the upper deck people just get up when the toilet is free and as there's only an increase of a 11 people on the u/d which isn't huge, I don't see it causing an issue.

Regards

What about exiting the plane on arrival? Do you think PE in the bubble will exit first? Small issue maybe but important as we try and get through immigration in USA.

In short no because the W cabin upstairs is in the forward part of the bubble so there will be the few Y customers in front of you but that's all, it will be as normal otherwise.

http://www.virgin-atlantic.com/en/gb/al ... sp?type=16

Interesting to see that the new seat plan is called "LGW-1" now published on the website.

Is this a wording issue or will the aircraft only operate out of LGW for now?

I guess it easier just calling it that rather than LGW/MAN/GLA....

Once all the refits are all complete, configs 1 & 2 will disappear just leaving 2 744 configs (LHR + LGW/MAN/GLA)

Interesting that Y and W will share the same toilets - in theory those people are paying more for being in front of the dividing curtain, but then have to "suffer" people from Y coming through and standing around waiting for the toilet. When J and W were upstairs, the W were not allowed to use the J toilet.....maybe VS don't think the extra paid by W in fare and taxes warrants complete separation (whereas they do for J and W).

On the new seat map, there is only one WC marked in the area of W downstairs - the other looks like it has been taken out and is now a seating area....

On the new seat map, there is only one WC marked in the area of W downstairs - the other looks like it has been taken out and is now a seating area....

gingerflyer wrote:On the new seat map, there is only one WC marked in the area of W downstairs - the other looks like it has been taken out and is now a seating area....

There was never 2 toilets in that area before always just one on. The right some of them had a little office where the fsm used to be

With the first re-fit plane coming back into service in a few days do you think VH will still be able to operate this guarantee bearing in mind there are now only 20 PE seats on the upper deck???

"Premium Economy on the upper deck!
If you book to stay in a 4 or 5V hotel and upgrade to Premium Economy with Virgin Holidays, you can enjoy the experience of the upper deck!

We have an exclusive allocation of seats on the upper deck and can confirm your seats at the time of booking"

Interesting ii) ii)

Hev60 wrote:With the first re-fit plane coming back into service in a few days do you think VH will still be able to operate this guarantee bearing in mind there are now only 20 PE seats on the upper deck???

"Premium Economy on the upper deck!
If you book to stay in a 4 or 5V hotel and upgrade to Premium Economy with Virgin Holidays, you can enjoy the experience of the upper deck!

We have an exclusive allocation of seats on the upper deck and can confirm your seats at the time of booking"

Interesting ii) ii)

Afiak it was only the front half of the bubble reserved for VH so there should not be an issue here.

Well it looks utter tosh to me. Total downgrade of the PE experience mixing the upper deck. Nice result for the Y pax though I guess. They ran out of beer quick enough when the upper deck was just PE, should be interesting to see what happens with this mix.

stevebrass wrote:

Afiak it was only the front half of the bubble reserved for VH so there should not be an issue here.

Yeap agree Steve, but its only the front part of the bubble (the front section seats) which are left now as PE

Hev60 wrote:With the first re-fit plane coming back into service in a few days do you think VH will still be able to operate this guarantee bearing in mind there are now only 20 PE seats on the upper deck???

"Premium Economy on the upper deck!
If you book to stay in a 4 or 5V hotel and upgrade to Premium Economy with Virgin Holidays, you can enjoy the experience of the upper deck!

We have an exclusive allocation of seats on the upper deck and can confirm your seats at the time of booking"

Interesting ii) ii)

Well given that they had exclusive access to the front half of the bubble I would expect not otherwise I can foresee WW3 breaking out! :0

Hev60 wrote:

stevebrass wrote:

Afiak it was only the front half of the bubble reserved for VH so there should not be an issue here.

Yeap agree Steve, but its only the front part of the bubble (the front section seats) which are left now as PE

Indeed. So will VH now have first dabs on all of the bubble PE with non VH bookings getting the new enlarged cabin behind UC?

Personally I agree that the PE bubble experience will not be what it was.