Any seat plans yet for refurbed 744's?

Hi,

Currently got 2 options for next years trip to MCO from GLA & looking for some advice.

Depart on 09th June 2012 15 nights till 24th June 2012, out on A333 back on 744. Looking at upgrading on return flight to PE but only Y on outward flight.

Option 2 is depart on 16th June 2012 15 nights till 01st July 2012, 744 both occasions. Looking at upgrading on return flight to PE but only Y on outward flight.

Does anyone know if any seat plans have been released yet for the cabin upgrades on the LGW 744 fleet? I know GLA has been served by LGW fleet for the last few years. As we are looking to upgrade on return leg which is a 744 regardless of option above will PE still be in the bubble after the upgrade? Even if any1 has booked on a 744 round my times or later do they have the option to select their seat as yet?

Also what do we reckon the cabin upgrade durations will be ie. a plane a month as April to October is not long for all LGW aircraft?

Last year we flew out on A333 on last weekend it was in Glasgow and it was excellent IFE was brilliant same could not be said for the return as we had no IFE on the 744, hence our option to use the JAM at least on the way out

Many thanks

Jordan

[honey lamb]

No the seat plans have not been released yet and people will not be able to select their seats until the refurb is finished as it will not be known until a day or so before departure as to which aircraft will be allocated to each flight

Hi Jordan,

I have heard along the grapevine that after the refurb, there will be half Prem and half Economy upstairs, with the rest of Prem downstairs behind Upper.

The refurbs should take 14 days per aircraft, once underway. However, as Honey Lamb has said, this doesn't mean that if you were to get a refurb'ed plane planned for your journey, you will actually get it. A last minute plane swap could take place so it's always a gamble until all the aircraft are refurb'ed.

I really can't see VS removing PE seats as they are very popular and make VS money.

As it says on the VS website they will only know which aircraft will operate a particular flight 24 hours before scheduled tate-off which is why you will only be able to select seats in PE at OLCI until all the planes have been refurbished.

Thanks for the responses, a plane a fortnight is some going.

Should be 4-5 aircraft done by the 16th June roughly!!!!

Interesting there may be Y seats in the bubble!

[Darren Wheeler]

I think 14 days is very optimistic for a complete interior refit, including brand new IFE, controllers to servers.

There's also no guarentee that they will be returned to LGW/MAN post-refit.

I really can't see them getting rid of ~20 PE seats in the bubble !

If they do then I will eat my 'heart' lounge pants !

I think 14 days is very optimistic for a complete interior refit, including brand new IFE, controllers to servers.

There's also no guarentee that they will be returned to LGW/MAN post-refit.

Good point Darren, never thought of that, they may to go LHR?

I really can't see them getting rid of ~20 PE seats in the bubble !

If they do then I will eat my 'heart' lounge pants !

This was what I was thinking, as far as I can tell, the bubble PE exclusivity is on the bucket and spade routes in order to give a better experience of it. You can book in bubble on PE.

The half Y and UC is more about having a larger UC on business routes, and getting a snooze zone upstairs. I'm not sure how easy it is to get in Y in the bubble.

But doing half Y and half PE, it will lose PE's big appeal on those routes. Possible, but doesn't make business sense.

I know I have seen it on the Virgin site, but cannot find it at the moment - would someone be so kind as to post a link to the statement about seat maps and the refurb schedules please for the LGW fleet?

I shall answer my own question.

http://virginatlantic.custhelp.com/app/ ... ng%20seats

My reading of the Virgin info link

http://virginatlantic.custhelp.com/app/ ... ng%20seats

is that the current four rows of economy seats immediately behind the lower deck PE seats will become PE - hence providing an enlarged PE on the lower deck. I can't see them then making the bubble a mixture of PE and Economy.

I am flying on VS73 on May 2nd 2012 - hoping it might be refurbed but not banking on it.

Well looking at the PE seat map for the LHR routes it looks like the bubble is UC now. Could be wrong, hope I am.

Well looking at the PE seat map for the LHR routes it looks like the bubble is UC now. Could be wrong, hope I am.

LHR and LGW fleets have different configurations because they serve different markets - LHR = mainly business routes and LGW/MAN/GLA mainly holiday routes hence less UC and more Econ.

The LHR fleet bubble was all UC until last year when they made it 1/2 UC and 1/2 Y (a decision many think VS regretted and want to change back now loads have picked up)

I really can't see VS making the "bubble" a mixed PE/Y section. We know UC is not getting expanded on these aircraft as they are operating on mainly leisure routes- so my best guess would be the downstairs section behind UC will all be PE with the "bubble" remaining PE also - VS cannot afford to miss out on PE revenue on these lesiure routes.

Also the UC is getting a "refresh" to accomodate the new IFE and incldue new carpets and so on - but no new seats.......

So the only real change other than the brand new seats and IFE which will be great, is that Y could lose a couple of rows from downstairs.


Jon