A330 routes and start date.

[Nottingham Nick]

Sorry Will previous thread deleted instead by mistake

For info - the start dates and routes for the A330 have been announced. No real surprise is that MCO is the first route - big surprise is that MAN service starts first.


The new A330 routes are as follows .

Manchester – Orlando VS075/076 daily from 02APR11
London Gatwick – Orlando VS027/028 three days a week from 01MAY11
Glasgow – Orlando VS071/072 one day a week from 07MAY11

The aircraft will have 48 seats in W , 265 in Y and none in J on these routes .

Nick

Not to worry Nick!

Ok seeing as the first post got deleted here is the link to the schedules that have been posted on airliner route http://airlineroute.net/2010/05/31/vs-333/.

I find the use of MCO a tad surprising. I would have thought demand at that time of year would have meant that two 744s would be needed. However what a great thing for MAN maybe this signals VS intent for the future of MAN.

So MAN will start the first A330 service for VS aswell as launch MAN-LAS the next day - what a week for MAN! Hopefully it might be an interesting year for MAN!
Just notice that when the A330 starts the VS075 time will change to 11.00 departure arriving into MCO at 15.10, and the VS076 will depart at 19.00 and arrive at 08.10 next day!

Would 'day 127' mean Mon, Tues and Sunday for LGW-MCO routes? We're booked on VS27 a Friday in Aug 2011 and I don't like the idea of flying on such a big, new plane, so might reschedule for a 747 day if necessary. Coming back on a Saturday on VS49 so hopefully avoiding the A330 there too. Big cissy that I am.

Not too happy about this news. I like pe in the bubble- and no UC?

Are these 2 or 3 class planes?

The link Will provides states

Upper Class service to be available for booking soon.

[mitchja]

Expertflyer identifies which flights are on the 333 and the fares available for all these so far are only W downwards.

VH are still selling Upper fares though on the VS75 flights from April onwards. If you try and book J via VS you now get a connecting flight via LGW.

Are these 2 or 3 class planes?

The link Will provides states

Upper Class service to be available for booking soon.

The first 333's will only have W and Y on them. All the subsequent 333's will have J, W and Y.

[Neil]

Thanks for the info. I must say I am very shocked that the VS75 is becoming an A330 route and also a tad upset as it means out Disney trip next Easter we won't be able to fly UC ex MAN.

What is happening about the VS73/74 when that is operating? I was looking at prices earlier and sure I could still get some UC seats on that flight, so is it staying as a 747 flight?

Neil

Thanks for the info. I must say I am very shocked that the VS75 is becoming an A330 route and also a tad upset as it means out Disney trip next Easter we won't be able to fly UC ex MAN.

Neil, it just means you'll have to come down South and see all of us!

[Neil]

Thanks for the info. I must say I am very shocked that the VS75 is becoming an A330 route and also a tad upset as it means out Disney trip next Easter we won't be able to fly UC ex MAN.

Neil, it just means you'll have to come down South and see all of us!

As much as I would love to, LGW is a nightmare to get to from our house, MAN is just so easy, I suppose it will save us a bit of money if we have to fly PE.

I wonder what the pe seats will be like?if they match the new air nz pe that would be something.

Looks like there may be other problems - Y is already fully booked on some flights according to EF.

VH putting in block bookings?

I can understand that VS need time to get the 744s refitted but only 4x 744 + 7x 333 flights a week are not enough for this route in April. Or are they prepared to double up some 333 flights if two aircraft are available?

I guess BA will be getting back some of their strike lost pax.

Thanks for the info. I must say I am very shocked that the VS75 is becoming an A330 route and also a tad upset as it means out Disney trip next Easter we won't be able to fly UC ex MAN.

What is happening about the VS73/74 when that is operating? I was looking at prices earlier and sure I could still get some UC seats on that flight, so is it staying as a 747 flight?

Neil

The 75 is daily at 11am on a 333. The 73 is Tue, Wed, Thur, Fri & Sat on a 744 at 1:45pm. Presumably this 744 will then turn around and do the Sunday Vegas flight and the Monday BGI flight with another aircraft popping up from LGW/LHR to operate the other flight to LAS on Thursday.

The sooner routes get an A330, then hopefully the sooner the 747 will get there overdue makeovers!

y)

It's been suggested elsewhere that VS73/74 is going daily as well.

The 75 is daily at 11am on a 333. The 73 is Tue, Wed, Thur, Fri & Sat on a 744 at 1:45pm. Presumably this 744 will then turn around and do the Sunday Vegas flight and the Monday BGI flight with another aircraft popping up from LGW/LHR to operate the other flight to LAS on Thursday.

Expertflyer is not showing a Fri '73.
J only available 4 days on Tue, Wed, Thur and Sat.
The early flight was always the most popular as well.

Where will the new refits go first?

Hi all

So, if the days are 127 as below, does this mean Sunday, Monday & Saturday?

London Gatwick – Orlando VS027/028 Day 127 eff 01MAY11

Thanks in advance

Trev

Oh great, not. I've just booked uc (lgw) through vh, I normally book with vs direct but am glad I didn't on this occasion as at least I can cancel with only losing the deposit. Working in aircraft engineering/manufacturing I have my preference for aircraft and I'm afraid airbus doesn't come into it. Might sound a bit extreme I know but it's my decision,

Hi all

So, if the days are 127 as below, does this mean Sunday, Monday & Saturday?

Days 127 are Monday, Tuesday and Sunday.

Sorry, just a question - is this just a temporary move to allow the refit or more a long term thing.

Thanks

This thread just shows how hard it is to please everyone! For years people have been moaning about the inferiority of the LGW/MAN fleet and how rubbish supe nova is.

Now VS announce a brand new plane with brand spanking new seats in Y and a better ife than V Port will be flying ex Man and everyone is complaining!!

This means the 744 refit can also take place a well. Granted it's a pain for J passengers but given that ex MAN they are a minority with only twelve a flight or whatever it is but in the grand scheme of things it's great to see VS finally take the LGW/MAN routes to the next level!

Personally I'm very disappointed by the lack of UC on this route. The VS 75/76 was always the 1st choice of flight for us to MCO and now we are faced with limited days of the week and arriving 3 hours later. Bad move IMO VS.

[Neil]

I have been thinking about this a bit more, and like Will has said, whatever VS did would not p,ease everyone.

What I don't understand is why change the only daily flight ex MAN so that is means that on certain days MAN pax can't fly UC. Why not put the new A330 on one of the two daily LGW flights, meaning that it would give a mix of both a/c type and wouldn't totally cut MAN out of UC seats.

Saying that I am quite looking forward to the possibility of flying on one of the new a/c with hopefully a nice new IFE system to play with.

Personally I'm very disappointed by the lack of UC on this route. The VS 75/76 was always the 1st choice of flight for us to MCO and now we are faced with limited days of the week and arriving 3 hours later. Bad move IMO VS.

But according to Nicks original post the 75/76 will still be DAILY just using the new aircraft. And just because a flight has always been at X time dosent mean it will stay at X time.

And another post by Tinkerbelle says that only the first few of new planes will not have UC on them.

I often read TRs on here with people saying the MAN planes are cr*p and need doing up etc and when MAN does get spiffy new planes (not just refurbs from LHR) and there are still complaints!