V-Flyer

VS075 wrote:

Vegascrazy wrote:

tontybear wrote:Oh sorry. I knew about VBIG going to LGW but hadn't realised they'd converted her to the LGW layout.

She lacks a bar though :(

The IFE is also the non-touchscreen version of VERA and (I could be wrong) no USB sockets below the screens

Yup. Your correct. Just literally sat down in 10k and it has the empower ?? Socket and no touch screen and of course the “funny” bar area.

David.

Doesn’t sound like this is getting any better as I’ve just received the following email from VS Trade:

We need to let you know of changes to our flying programme which are the result of an industry-wide shortage of the Rolls Royce engines we use on our Boeing 787 Dreamliners. We’ve had to temporarily park some aircraft of this type but we’ve been working hard to ensure we still honour our passengers’ travel plans.

We’re continuing to work with Rolls Royce to source replacement engines as soon as possible, but in the interim we’ll be proactively introducing other plans to make sure our customers can travel with certainty and in comfort. As part of this plan, we aim to lease additional aircraft into our fleet. These will be Virgin Atlantic aircraft, operated by our pilots and managed by our world class cabin crew. This will ensure our customers continue to receive the service and experience they know and love us for.

This has led to some changes in our available inventory and as a result, on a small number of services it will not be possible to book Premium Economy seats.

We’re currently working on exactly what our flying programme will look like so we can’t give specific route and date details at this point, but you may currently find less Premium Economy availability on some of our flights. As soon as we have final clarity over the dates and routes we will share this information with you.

I presume this is referring to the old VS 346’s being brought back into service as they do have the smallest Premium Economy cabins?

No it’s another airlines aircraft

virginboy747 wrote:No it’s another airlines aircraft

But how would it be a Virgin Atlantic aircraft then, as per the article? Unless it's resprayed and fitted with VS seats?

SlimpyJones wrote:

virginboy747 wrote:No it’s another airlines aircraft

But how would it be a Virgin Atlantic aircraft then, as per the article? Unless it's resprayed and fitted with VS seats?

I'd heard this on my flight to London earlier this week. Apparently this dire situation will run beyond March 2018 and Virgin are to lease some A330-200, but I can't remember where from... I was at the bar after all

Though no fault of Virgin at all, this is an absolute sh@t show for the airline where the majority of its fleet is made up of the 787-9. One would hope there is some serious compensation being negotiated here.

If I'd never flown Virgin, had booked a ticket and got on board a leased aircraft or Delta metal I certainly wouldn't book again. People pay for the unique experience of flying VS and that includes the metal they fly on.

Does anyone know exactly how many 787's are out of action currently?

*Crew gossip*

I believe the A330-200's are coming from Airberlin.

Beyond that, in terms of the seating arrangements inside said aircraft - I do not know.

CommanderB wrote:*Crew gossip*

I believe the A330-200's are coming from Airberlin.

Beyond that, in terms of the seating arrangements inside said aircraft - I do not know.

LOL! Crew Gossip is the best part of the flight.

YUM and WHO havent flown for ages, I read somewhere they are parked at LHR with no engines at all.
NEW has been out of action since beginning of November
the others seem to be flying on for now.....

What about BEL due in Jan 18, is this delayed???

RLF wrote:What about BEL due in Jan 18, is this delayed???

WOO is the next 789 due at the turn of the year. BEL along with the final scheduled dreamliner will be arriving in March

I believe WOO (series number 37979) is still on track as according to a couple of online spreadsheets WOO went onto the assembly line 27/10/17 and rolled out of assembly 20/11/17.

Should be G-VBEL due in January and G/VNYL due in march

I've a trip to the UK booked at Christmas/New Years and both Virgin flights have now switched to Delta planes. Wouldn't mind it as much, but instead of the updated 767-300ER it's the 400, which in my experience have much clunkier/worn out interiors.

getinjonathan is right - this may eventually put people off booking with Virgin. I don't like having a flight I've had booked for nearly a year suddenly change to entirely different carrier!

ebeth_ wrote:getinjonathan is right - this may eventually put people off booking with Virgin. I don't like having a flight I've had booked for nearly a year suddenly change to entirely different carrier!

This is totally understandable. Though if I'm being honest, I feel that it is the lesser of two evils - another airline may change the date or cancel the flight entirely.

http://paxex.aero/2017/11/virgin-atlant ... -continue/

Looks like some older frames being hired in now?
Not heard this from anywhere else more official! Anyone in know the?

That article is so pessimistic, it’s hilarious. Essentially reads as: “We don’t know anything about these leased planes, but they’ll probably be rubbish..”

Indeed.

BA has the same problem with its 787s and has dealt with it by cancelling its Doha flights and rebooking passengers on to Qatar.

I doubt those affected will be complaining when they see the superior product they’re getting!

gumshoe wrote:Indeed.

BA has the same problem with its 787s and has dealt with it by cancelling its Doha flights and rebooking passengers on to Qatar.

I doubt those affected will be complaining when they see the superior product they’re getting!

This is a 777 route and cancellations are not related to the 787. BA.’s fleet of 788 have been fixed but this was done without disruption due to BA having a larger fleet with more flexibility plus some 747 had their retirements delayed to cover as well.

how many VA 787 need engine replacement

Almost all of them I suspect- understand it was partly the way they were operated.

Anyone know more about the aircraft being leased in- think I heard 4 ex Air Berlin A330s

BA still have at least two engineless 787s parked outside the maintenance base at LHR today.

Hi, long time reader but first time poster.

I read HFP regularly and read this today. I use VS for the HKG route regularly and PVG occasionally in UC and am booked on a G to HKG in March before flying onward to SYD. I'm not sure if I'll be affected or not by either the route or period, but I have concerns when I read about no lie flat beds!

http://www.headforpoints.com/2017/12/03 ... -problems/

Welcome to V-Flyer!

You should be ok - although nothing is ever guaranteed, the routes that appear to be affected are all US east coast (JFK, ATL, MIA), all of which have alternative daily flights on VS and/or DL to make rebooking easier.

gumshoe wrote:Welcome to V-Flyer!

You should be ok - although nothing is ever guaranteed, the routes that appear to be affected are all US east coast (JFK, ATL, MIA), all of which have alternative daily flights on VS and/or DL to make rebooking easier.

Thanks gumshoe

That makes sense, I did wonder if it was only the US routes but I hadn't seen anything or must have missed it. An aircraft change can be a real let down. I had a late change from an A340-600 to an A330-300 a few years ago from LHR to HKG (pre-789) and it was a long disappointing journey for various reasons.

PaulS wrote:

gumshoe wrote:Indeed.

BA has the same problem with its 787s and has dealt with it by cancelling its Doha flights and rebooking passengers on to Qatar.

I doubt those affected will be complaining when they see the superior product they’re getting!

This is a 777 route and cancellations are not related to the 787. BA.’s fleet of 788 have been fixed but this was done without disruption due to BA having a larger fleet with more flexibility plus some 747 had their retirements delayed to cover as well.

The 777 has then been used to cover 787 routes affected by the RR 'issues' (essentially they need to be re-hauled every 5 years rather than 10 years that RR had expected, RR simply don't have enough engines for this. They have identified a fix that will take 2 years to implement before engines can be run for 10 years)

The biggest issue for airlines is having to use slots 80% of the time or loose them, otherwise there would be a whole load more canceled flights! BA are scrambling to look at all options of how to use their new slots at Gatwick (ex Monarch) so they don't loose them

A bit more info released today:

Following VSbulletin 024, we need to let you know that we’ve made a few changes to our flying programme because of an industry-wide supply issue with the Rolls Royce engines we use on our Boeing 787 Dreamliners. While some of these aircraft are temporarily parked, we’ve been working to make sure our customers’ travel plans can continue with certainty and in comfort. To support this, we intend to add four A330-200 aircraft to our fleet – they’ll be Virgin Atlantic aircraft, operated by our own pilots and world class cabin crew, delivering our own service and experience.


Flight number Dates Route
VS 127 / 128 DL* 4350 / 4351 01 March 2018 to 14 May 2018 Manchester (MAN) to New York (JFK)
VS 109 / 110 DL* 4354 / 4355 02 March 2018 to 31 May 2018 Manchester (MAN) to Atlanta (ATL)
VS 121 / 122 DL* 4343 / 4344 23 May 2018 to 30 May 2018 Manchester (MAN) to Boston (BOS)
VS 125 / 126 DL* 4345 / 4346 22 May 2018 to 29 May 2018 Manchester (MAN) to San Francisco (SFO)
VS 77 / 78 17 May 2018 to 31 May 2018 Manchester (MAN) to Barbados (BGI)

Any of your customers affected by this change of equipment can be viewed in your GDS from Sunday 10 December 2017 onwards.

Booking information for Premium Economy customers

Initially, the aircraft will not have Premium Economy but we’ll look to retrofit our Premium Economy product onto aircraft later in 2018. For now there will be a small number of flights on which our Premium Economy service will not be available.
For passengers booked to travel in Premium Economy cabin:

We will offer partial refunds on their Premium Economy booked seat if the passenger is rebooked into Economy cabin on the same flight.

Fare recalculation for Seat Only ticketed and IT un-ticketed please see below:

Original K/H booking classes recalculate using fares at time of creation in N class for the sector updated to Economy.

Original S/W booking classes recalculate using fares at time of creation in Q class for sector updated to Economy.

Upon calculation please request the refund through BSP.

Passengers downgraded from Premium Economy to Economy cabin will be offered an extra-legroom seat at no additional cost subject to seat availability, and provided travel is on the original flight and departure date.

This will be implemented after the Schedule change at the soonest opportunity.

Sounds like this is going to carry on through-out 2018 as well, quote pulled from above:

Initially, the aircraft will not have Premium Economy but we’ll look to retrofit our Premium Economy product onto aircraft later in 2018. For now there will be a small number of flights on which our Premium Economy service will not be available.

....so basically it’s MAN pax that are getting shafted with non-standard aircraft. Guess where I’m NOT flying from in 2018!!!