V-Flyer

Does anyone know if Virgin still plan to press ahead with their order of six 380's or is this now being deferred to 2018 as they deal with the impending arrival of the Dreamliners ?

Thanks

My guess is that it's likely they will use the deposits to buy A350-900's initially to replace the 747's as I believe there is another 6-7 odd years on the LGW 747's lease. They may not always look it but the LHR 747's are relatively young in terms of age, for example, VROC first was airborne in 2003 for example. I think we'll see VS move to an all Twin fleet as soon as humanly possible!

That will be a sad day. Something so majestic about seeing a 747 rotating and touching down. I think as the need for efficient aircraft grows, airlines will become so beige with their fleets with everyone flying 73's for SH and 78's/A35's for long haul.

I agree. I love the 747 but it is from a golden era and not the future.
It will, however, be a long long time before they are no longer flying.

I would be surprised if VS get the 380. Their business model seems more suited to frequency rather than quantity.

RyanJW wrote:My guess is that it's likely they will use the deposits to buy A350-900's initially to replace the 747's as I believe there is another 6-7 odd years on the LGW 747's lease. They may not always look it but the LHR 747's are relatively young in terms of age, for example, VROC first was airborne in 2003 for example. I think we'll see VS move to an all Twin fleet as soon as humanly possible!

Could well be, I have always been a 747 fan but I like the design of the A350, and they seem to be cheaper on the fuel economy as well if the reports I read are correct.

As for Mustang Sally being the oldest Heathrow based 747, isnt G-VROS which is in Manila the oldest of the entire of 747 fleet.

Just thinking that when the 747's go is it entirely possible the Barbados and St Lucia routes will become 330's every daythat they fly there ?

Also not seen a lot of takers of the 747-8 passenger variant.

747heaven wrote:

RyanJW wrote:My guess is that it's likely they will use the deposits to buy A350-900's initially to replace the 747's as I believe there is another 6-7 odd years on the LGW 747's lease. They may not always look it but the LHR 747's are relatively young in terms of age, for example, VROC first was airborne in 2003 for example. I think we'll see VS move to an all Twin fleet as soon as humanly possible!

Could well be, I have always been a 747 fan but I like the design of the A350, and they seem to be cheaper on the fuel economy as well if the reports I read are correct.

As for Mustang Sally being the oldest Heathrow based 747, isnt G-VROS which is in Manila the oldest of the entire of 747 fleet.

Just thinking that when the 747's go is it entirely possible the Barbados and St Lucia routes will become 330's every daythat they fly there ?

I don't think Ryan said mustang Sally was old did he ? He said she was first airborne in 2003

FAB is VS's oldest 744 as she was delivered to VS in April 1994.

edit to add - FAB is actually VS's oldest aircraft still in service.

Details here

It's difficult to think of a current VS route that would justify investing in 380s.

LA maybe, but only if they dropped to one flight a day. But they'd also need to use them on an African or Asian route to avoid the aircraft sitting on the ground at LHR all night - and I'm not sure any of their routes have the year-round demand for a 380.

For VS smaller twin engine planes are definitely the way forward.

Blacky1 wrote:

747heaven wrote:

RyanJW wrote:My guess is that it's likely they will use the deposits to buy A350-900's initially to replace the 747's as I believe there is another 6-7 odd years on the LGW 747's lease. They may not always look it but the LHR 747's are relatively young in terms of age, for example, VROC first was airborne in 2003 for example. I think we'll see VS move to an all Twin fleet as soon as humanly possible!

Could well be, I have always been a 747 fan but I like the design of the A350, and they seem to be cheaper on the fuel economy as well if the reports I read are correct.

As for Mustang Sally being the oldest Heathrow based 747, isnt G-VROS which is in Manila the oldest of the entire of 747 fleet.

Just thinking that when the 747's go is it entirely possible the Barbados and St Lucia routes will become 330's every daythat they fly there ?

I don't think Ryan said mustang Sally was old did he ? He said she was first airborne in 2003

You are right he didnt my mistake

mitchja wrote:FAB is VS's oldest 744 as she was delivered to VS in April 1994.

edit to add - FAB is actually VS's oldest aircraft still in service.

Details here

I'm in geek heaven with that link, it even has the Boeing customer codes to identify the aircraft's original source. Top work!

Anyone want to guess where the 744's came from that have a decent coffee machine onboard? The Boeing customer code will give you a hint

RyanJW wrote:Anyone want to guess where the 744's came from that have a decent coffee machine onboard? The Boeing customer code will give you a hint

I'm guessing you mean the LGW fleet most of which were a canceled alitalia order.
But I didn't think VS and decent coffee went together. Although I don't think I have ever drank coffee on any flight.

I think they could make the A380s work mostly due to the fact that they do draw in business and VS is the sort of airline that could promote the A380 effectively. They could easily use the capacity of the A380 to MIA, JFK, SFO, LAX and HKG (there's your six A/C), but whether they actually "want" to is a different matter. It's a shame.

DrFlyer wrote:I think they could make the A380s work mostly due to the fact that they do draw in business and VS is the sort of airline that could promote the A380 effectively. They could easily use the capacity of the A380 to MIA, JFK, SFO, LAX and HKG (there's your six A/C), but whether they actually "want" to is a different matter. It's a shame.

I think you refer to a different age of VS ... unfortunately even MIA is an A330 route on some days of the year, half the seating capacity of an A380!

I too will be sad to see the 747s go in a way, but not in another. They are of a different aircraft generation and now look and feel dated - as well as being very inefficient in comparison.

I'm afraid I can't ever see an A380 appearing in VS colours.

The problem is they're being taken to the cleaners by BA/AA and OneWorld on feed out of LHR. Many of the passengers who are filling up BA's 380's will be connections from all over the world. This is particularly so with the BMI buy out.

VS simply doesn't have that, and across the pond they're going to be getting tighter with DL particularly on NYC and that's frequency not capacity focused.

747heaven wrote:Also not seen a lot of takers of the 747-8 passenger variant.

No but it wasn't expected to be that big a success, Boeing see the future as point-to-point twin engines (very much Virgin's current business model) and the 747-8 was designed mainly with cargo in mind. Indeed the freighter flew before the passenger variant!

JCBR wrote:I agree. I love the 747 but it is from a golden era and not the future.
It will, however, be a long long time before they are no longer flying.

I would be surprised if VS get the 380. Their business model seems more suited to frequency rather than quantity.

I can understand this model on the LHR fleet but frequency cannot be applied to the LGW 747 routes where capacity wold be reduced from 455 too around 290 on the A350. That is a lot of reduced capacity over a year.

With regard to A380 VS should be able to compete with BA, but unfortunately they slipped so far behind that whilst BA is upping capacity on routes such as LAX, VS is sadly reducing. VS answer to the new A380 was to put a lower capacity A343 with old style IFA.