VS11/12 alternating between 744 & 346?

Just browsing http://www.lhr-lgw.co.uk/ & was surprised to see that VS11/12 seems to be switching between 744's and 346's almost on a daily basis. We took the 12 last week and it was a 346, exactly as expected as the seat plan had been showing a 346 for many months. However looking closer, had we flown a couple of days earlier or later it would have been a 744. Now its back to a 346. I was just curious, no big deal but are VS planning months in advance that a 744 will operate the route one day and a 346 the next?

Cheers, James (list of recent a/c usage below)

10/10 = 744
11/10 = 744
12/10 = 346
13/10 = 346
14/10 = 744
15/10 = 346

[Neil]

This route has always varied between the 2 a/c, some flights do, there are certain JFK flights were you get both a/c operating it, guess its just what metal VS have available.

Our flight to BOS next June is showing as an A346 at the mo.

Neil:)

Thanks Neil, I'd always known they switched metal for periods of time - just didn't know that it was so 'on & off' like that! I'm assuming VS must plan well ahead, otherwise I'm sure our seat plan would have been alternating between 744 & 346 in the months leading up to our flight!

Cheers, James

[Neil]

Originally posted by Vegascrazy
Thanks Neil, I'd always known they switched metal for periods of time - just didn't know that it was so 'on & off' like that! I'm assuming VS must plan well ahead, otherwise I'm sure our seat plan would have been alternating between 744 & 346 in the months leading up to our flight!

Cheers, James

I guess it is just the way it has fallen with the 744 one day and the A346 the other, I thought that the A346 was going to be doing the majority of this route over the winter period, probably because the loads would be a bit lighter and then back towards the summer it would alternate again between the 2, but as with all a/c movements, you never can be too sure!

Neil:)

oh and I'm glad I'm not the only one who looks at lhr-lgw movements just out of curiosity[:I]

In the last three months, it has been 69% 747 and the rest A343/6

VS.

I think it works like this. VS have 5 744 at LHR, and they are usually allocated (for this summer) as 1 to SFO, 1 to LAX (VS7), 1 to JFK (VS45), 1 to EWR (VS1) and 1 to BOS.

However, they don't have 5 a/c available every day, due to maintenance requirements, and occasional requirements for an a/c to cover at LGW. When this happens, it seems to be that BOS is the route to revert to a 346 - the others are consistently 744s, with only the occasional exception.

Obviosuly this is fairly useless information now as the summer season is at its end and everything will change in November!

Glad I wasn't on the 11/12 earlier this week, it was 343!

[HighFlyer]

Oh my lord .. just checked our flight to BOS on 2nd November and its showing as a 343!

Its going to get ugly at check-in with all us Au's asking for the odds on a G Upper showing as straight sevens ...

Thanks,
Sarah