Aircraft Changes

Flying on VS21 LHR-IAD 11/21...

From the seatmaps on the VS website, they have now changed the aircraft back and forth bwtween A343 & A346 5 times. How many more times will they change that until they finally choose the aircarft they're going to fly?

Originally posted by rweintra
Flying on VS21 LHR-IAD 11/21...

From the seatmaps on the VS website, they have now changed the aircraft back and forth bwtween A343 & A346 5 times. How many more times will they change that until they finally choose the aircarft they're going to fly?

I suspect a last minute decision on a/c type is dependent on loads. Not only IAD needs to be factored into the decision. For example - Say one of the JFK sectors is selling poorly on that date, VS may swap a 346 from JFK to IAD as they think they have a bigger window for selling the extra seats on the IAD route. The a/c type purely depends on where VS think they can sell the most seats at that given time.

I would doubt you will see any further changes until maybe within a week of your travel date, but hey I stand to be corrected!!!! [:p]

I hope they make some more changes. Its currently an A343, which i surely don't want. Not great VOD services.

[mitchja]

My upcoming VS22 flight was the same, first an A346, then an A343 and now back to an A346 Dont think it will go back to an A343 as VS web site seat map is now not showing any empty seats in Y.

Regards

I'm an idiot. I wrote I was flying on 11/21 above, I meant 11/5 on VS21. Whoa, I'm stupid.

My VS10 and VS9 flights in mid November have been changed from 346s to 747s. A little odd as the "Which Aircraft" section doesn't list 747s for this flights.

Let's hope I still get v-port, and hopefully I will get to experience the upper deck.

Like Baldbrit my plane has changed from a 346 to a 747 which do not normally operate this route (VS006 on 10th November).

Anybody know if the 744 is scheduled to operate the MIA route any other days between the 8th & 15th November?

James, looks like it could be a 744 for a while. Just checked expertflyer and it's showing a 744 on either side of my flight date on VS006

-Steve

Yeh just checked my booking and saw its a 744 for both flights of mine. Glad because the 744 looks more roomy than the 346.

When will the A343s be pulled permanently or upgraded with new VOD? I can't stand them.

MIA route is often a 744 in the winter months. I think it is currently scheduled to run until end of Jan 2007 with a 744. Shame - just found out my contract in Miami has terminated, so won't be making as many trips there {:(].

[mitchja]

For my MIA flights, outbound VS5 on Dec 27 still showing an A346, inbound VS6 on Jan 1st now a B744.

Regards

[Neil]

Originally posted by rweintra
When will the A343s be pulled permanently or upgraded with new VOD? I can't stand them.

Don't think they will be "permanently pulled" as you put it, AFAIK, VS need them to operate DEL (I think its DEL anyways) due to the size of the a/c and the restrictions with runway length/taxi ways at the airport were an A346 is to large.

As for upgrading to V-Port, who knows, you would hope that VS will at some point upgrade the IFE if they a/c are to stay in the fleet, but it doesn't seem like they are in a hurry to do so.

Neil:)

[preiffer]

Originally posted by Attitude23
As for upgrading to V-Port, who knows, you would hope that VS will at some point upgrade the IFE if they a/c are to stay in the fleet, but it doesn't seem like they are in a hurry to do so.

The longer they leave it, the less and less likely they are to do so. With fleet refreshes in mind, if they'd upgraded 4/5 years ago, they would have got a lot of benefit from the cost of installing the system.

Now, let's say they plan to retire the 343's in 2010 (GUESS).

Upgrade in 02 = £2m upgrade over 8 years = £250k/year (easily made back)
Upgrade in 06 = £2m upgrade over 4 years = £500k/year (do-able)
Upgrade in 08 = £2m upgrade over 2 years = £1m/year (ouch)

So, as they've left it so long already, I really can't see how anyone in VS' financial decision making group would ever sign off a v:port upgrade that is likely to be such a dubious ROI.

[mitchja]

Isn't it also quite a bit more expensive to upgrade an existing A/C with V:Port as apposed to getting new A/C with V:Port 'factory fitted' as there's lot's of power and cable upgrades that also need doing with IFE upgrades.

Regards

[Neil]

Oh I agree Paul, I cannot see any of the 744's that are not V-Port been upgraded, will only happen when a/c retire and new ones enter the fleet, but if VS need 1 or 2 A343's in the fleet to be able to do the DEL route than surely it makes sense to upgrade these a/c rather than wait for new ones (as there are non on order) to possibly enter the fleet.

Neil:)

quote:
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Originally posted by Attitude23

As for upgrading to V-Port, who knows, you would hope that VS will at some point upgrade the IFE if they a/c are to stay in the fleet, but it doesn't seem like they are in a hurry to do so.

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The longer they leave it, the less and less likely they are to do so. With fleet refreshes in mind, if they'd upgraded 4/5 years ago, they would have got a lot of benefit from the cost of installing the system.

Now, let's say they plan to retire the 343's in 2010 (GUESS).

Upgrade in 02 = £2m upgrade over 8 years = £250k/year (easily made back)
Upgrade in 06 = £2m upgrade over 4 years = £500k/year (do-able)
Upgrade in 08 = £2m upgrade over 2 years = £1m/year (ouch)

So, as they've left it so long already, I really can't see how anyone in VS' financial decision making group would ever sign off a v:port upgrade that is likely to be such a dubious ROI.

I agree with what you say, but please don't lend you economic expertise to VS - I'd still like to see v:port on all a/c;)[:I]

VS.