PE Overhaul on LGW/MAN fleet

I was on the VS075 (MAN-MCO) yesterday and sat on the upper deck. Several pax including myself thought the cabin and seats were beginning to look a little tired and past their usable life. Crew mentioned that the PE on the LGW & MAN fleet was due for an upgrade and that the 'go-ahead' has been given for the upgrade. Has anyone else any comments? Will they be upgraded to the LHR Premium Economy cabin or will it just be a heavy maintenence visit? Also any time scale on the works?

FYI a/c = Lady Penelope

Are you sure you were on Lady Penelope? Upstairs has just recently been completely refitted with 5/6 rows of new style Economy seats at the rear...?

I agree the LGW/MAN planes are in need of some TLC, let's hope they don't reconfigure them too drastically!

Edit: In fact it looks like Ladybird operated VS075 today.

100%. Defo Lady Penelope. If the PE seats on the upper deck have been re-fitted recently they someone wants shooting! IFE's hanging out of seat backs, IFE's u/s, foot rests u/s, etc...

My apologies it was Ladybird. Blame the timezones. I was awoken by a phonecall at 0430 this morning.

Just to clarify it was Ladybird.

Slightly off-topic but interestingly, Lady Penelope seems to be in Amsterdam this week, perhaps to fix the technical problems reported with the IFE in the last couple of weeks...

So can anyone comment on whether the LGW/MAN fleet is getting its overdue refurb/update?

[Pete]

Edit: In fact it looks like Ladybird operated VS075 today.

Ah, the power of all this new data, eh?

Ah, the power of all this new data, eh?

Yes indeedy, good stuff Pete!

[Neil]

Yes, Virgin have confirmed the LGW/MAN fleet will be getting a refit starting next year.

The refit will include a new economy seat, the new purple leather PE seat currently on the LHR fleet and a new IFE system. The IFE is still to be confirmed but we expect it will be similar but upgraded version if V-Port.

Neil

Well it's about time too. Each time I fly upstairs from Manchester, I ask for an extra couple of cushions to pad the seats out a bit.

Katie

As Neil points out this has finally been confirmed.

Expect the IFE to be the new system that will be put into the 330's arriving next year, I would imagine it will be something similar to the RED system used by VX.

Am i the only person in the world that happens to quite like the LGW/MAN seats!?! Admittedly ive not tried the 'new' PE from LHR yet, but ive never been too uncomfortable sat in the LGW seats. Tried the old style LHR seats with the silver plastic back and must admit i was a bit disappointed with them.

Even the lack of V-port doesn't bother me too much going by most films shown are a load of rubbish anyway!

Of course, now ive said all this, my next flight will probably have a broken seat with non functioning ife...

[Neil]

I like the LGW/MAN PE seats on the upper deck also, but they do seem to be suffering from a loss of padding and wear and tear now, the new purple leather PE seats are a step up imo.

Virgin need to update the IFE to keep up with the charter rivals. Families booking their dream, once in a lifetime holiday, do look at things like IFE as an important part of their holiday, and Virgin do need to up their game in that area on these a/c, thankfully it seems they are doing so.

Neil

[buns]

Am i the only person in the world that happens to quite like the LGW/MAN seats!?!

You are not alone, I love those seats too y) y)

buns

I love the seats on the Upper Deck too, however are they the same downstairs as i was sure there different! Much more uncomfortable downstairs. Maybe just seat!? I think the upgrade is well overdue though and look forward to the VPORT+ experience from LGW y) ...


That means freezing and reseting the systems for the majority of the way over the Atlantic right!? ii)

[Neil]

No, the seats downstairs are different to those upstairs (they are the old LHR PR seats, which weren't that liked)

Do we have any idea on when these refits will be completed by? and how they will cover the routes whilst its happening?