Summer schedule and 744s from SFO

Can anyone tell me when VS go back to using 744s on the SFO to LHR VS20 route? I flew back on Friday and it was completely full in UCS and PE.

They were offering downgrades v( to the UC passengers at the time I checked in. The check-in lady said it was beacuse they use the A346 on their winter timetable. I guess this works most weekdays at this time of year, but not on a busy Friday afternoon!

I presume it is a way off (from January!) but when does the summer schedule restart?

Thanks

It should change back to a 744 when the summer schedule starts which is usually at the end of March when the clocks change.

Interestingly though, the 346 has one more seat in J (45) than the 744's (44) currently do!

Thanks Tinks

I just had a look at the seatmaps. Maybe the extra PE seats ... 62 in the 744 vs 38 in the 346 take the pressure off J?

Downgrades will happen in an oversell situation, and as Tinks points out are as likely on either plane for UC. The number of seats in PE won't change this. The J cabin will get oversold by the same few seats if possible, give or take, as there are always last minute canx/rebook with business travelers in D/J classes, people get sick, etc etc. IM will ensure that happens

Friday is a bad day, as is Thursday, lots of people flying back from the US to the UK from business trips. This time of the year is very slow tourism-wise, but premium cabins fill up. All the extra PE seats will do is make it less likely that that cabin will sell out, if you think about it this won't have any effect on UC loads. FWIW Friday was always the worst on this route for me in UC, but Saturday I ran into a fair few oversold PE cabins on the 747, as more leisure travelers would leave Sat and PE is a popular product for this market, especially into SF. Twice on a Saturday check in I had heard VS staff offering upgrades to PE pax into UC even if on K fares, first come first served. So a lot of it simply has to do with day of the week, and seasonal loads.