LGW 747 - config queries

Hi,

I fly once or twice a year from LGW to MCO/LAS with Virgin and am always curious to know what config I will be travelling on. I've noticed a couple of patterns that I wondered if anyone else could confirm is correct?

1. Once the flight is booked, on the "Manage My Booking" page, the seat map here seems to always show Config 1 (what I refer to as the "Nova" config). Since there are more planes with this config it makes sense to me - is this correct?

2. OLCI seat map shows config 1 or config 2. In my experience this has always been accurate so I'm guessing that the aircraft to be used is known 24hrs before departure. Again, does that sound right?

One more question about the two different configs used from LGW...

3. Following the refits due to start late this year, will all LGW 747s have the same layout?

Many thanks,
Monty.

[Neil]

I don't think what you are assuming is correct. The manage my booking section will show the config they are currently planning to use on your flight, not always just config 1 as standard. For instance our upcoming flight to MCO is showing the config 2 seat map.

Again, OLCI will show the current planned config.

As both configs are very similar and the only difference being in the small Y cabin behind the downstairs PE section, they can easily change without it affecting any seat allocations as those seats cannot be pre-selected.

Regarding the configs after the refit, I can't imagine they will change them, as it would require a lot of work, and if all the a/c get new IFE, it really won't make any difference.

Neil

[Nottingham Nick]

Regarding the configs after the refit, I can't imagine they will change them, as it would require a lot of work......

I agree with what you say, Neil, but the amount of work required didn't seem to worry them with the recent Y seats upstairs debacle. B) 8D

Nick

Nick/Neil

Do we know for sure that the LGW/MAN fleet will not be refurbed into the UC/Y upstairs format? ?|

PS OOPS - incoming!!

[Neil]

Nick/Neil

Do we know for sure that the LGW/MAN fleet will not be refurbed into the UC/Y upstairs format? ?|

PS OOPS - incoming!!

No we don't - no details have been released, but as they are still going to be operating mainly B&S routes you would assume they are going to stick to a high Y & W config.

I agree with what you say, Neil, but the amount of work required didn't seem to worry them with the recent Y seats upstairs debacle. B) 8D

Nick

True - but it seems the galley is positioned slightly different on the ex Alitalia a/c which is why they have 4 rows of Y rather than 2 like on the other LGW a/c - so I imagine it would be rather difficult.

Please VS dont kick PE out of the bubble, what on earth is the point of having an upstairs secluded section if you arent going to put a premium on those seats?

I'm flying to MCO in september premium out and upper back, do you think the refub will be done by then? be nice to get the new look.

[Neil]

I'm flying to MCO in september premium out and upper back, do you think the refub will be done by then? be nice to get the new look.

It is unlikely. There has been no official line from VS when the refurbs are going to start but it was for late 2011 and in to 2012, one a/c at a time.

oh well never mind

Please VS dont kick PE out of the bubble, what on earth is the point of having an upstairs secluded section if you arent going to put a premium on those seats?

There is a problem with this - UC on the LGW flights is almost always fully booked. That in effect means that they are losing UC business.
It is also true that PE is almost always fully booked on the MCO flights.
So the new seat map would ideally have more UC, more PE and fewer Y.
Where could they put the extra UC seats? Or indeed the extra PE?
We have seen the reaction to Y in the bubble with UC.
Would there be sufficient demand to completely fill either the cabin behind the galley or the bubble with UC?
I doubt it. More likely that some PE would be placed in one or the other with UC.
An advantage of downstairs would be the bar for UC but not everyone is interested in the bar particularly on MCO routes.

Downstairs behind the galley is already not popular for PE. It would likely be even less popular for a UC/PE mix.
Although PE is very popular in the bubble, would PE be given priority over UC?

The other issue is the change-over period as the LGW aircraft are refitted. This will be over some months.
How do they take bookings when they don't know which aircraft will be available, new config or old?

What is interesting is the current "reservation" of the front of the bubble for VH. Those seats are not allocated until last minute, probably after they will know whether the flight will be operated by a new LGW config.....so easily changed into UC....

So my guess - and it is just a guess - would be bubble split between UC & PE. The area downstairs behind the galley being PE; a complete PE cabin there would be much more acceptable than the current PE/Y split

The two class A333s will be around for a while in their present config so they would take extra PE bookings.

I'm sure we'll see plenty of other suggestions and no change will be acceptable for all .....but whatever, I see interesting times for ops.

[Neil]

Interesting thoughts Bill, but surely you will loose too many Y & PE seats doing it the way you have suggested.

Yes UC is popular but the biggest earner for VS is PE, yet the demand for Y is still high, so they cannot loose too many Y seats. They number of seats is already down because of the use of the A330's so can they afford to cut the capacity on the 747's? That would no doubt result in them loosing pax numbers to their rivals and I just can't see them going for it.

I personally think we will get the exact same config as we currently have.

Neil

Interesting thoughts Bill, but surely you will loose too many Y & PE seats doing it the way you have suggested.

Yes UC is popular but the biggest earner for VS is PE, yet the demand for Y is still high, so they cannot loose too many Y seats. They number of seats is already down because of the use of the A330's so can they afford to cut the capacity on the 747's? That would no doubt result in them loosing pax numbers to their rivals and I just can't see them going for it.

I personally think we will get the exact same config as we currently have.

Neil

Surely if VS can sell more PE than Y it makes sense to have nore PE seats no matter the demand for Y?

I understood that the greatest yield for VS was from PE then UC and that Y barely paid for itself.

As far as I can see such a change would give an increase of 10 UCS upstairs with a loss of 20PE.
Downstairs would gain ~24PE but a loss of 40Y.
So overall it's a balance of 10UCS plus 4PE against 40Y
If you consider the tax deducted revenue that's a fair balance - it just depends upon the relative demand for those classes.

It is not just the 744 - the MCO routes are mostly 744+333 so overall the UC is the greatest shortfall - or greatest loss of revenue to rivals. The 333 picks up any demand for Y & W - the issue is with UC.