New LGW Config

The new LGW config will see the layout of the upper deck change to half premium economy & half economy (similar to the LHR 747 with J & Y on U/D)
Premium will be expanded on the main deck to cover all of the B-zone area (doors 1 to 2) The lav and office will go from fwd of doors 2 as will the large double galley at doors 2 to make way for more of these premium seats.
All cabins are going to be completely refurbished: new galleys, toilets, latest Y/W seats, ife. With the exception of upper class which will only have a 'deep clean' with no plans to install the new generation upper class suite.
The 1st A/C to be done will be G-VROM on her return to the fleet. All LGW based 747 will be refitted with the exception of G-VTOP as she will leave the fleet in Dec.
What do u think!?!

My previous theory was correct - no new Upper fitted to the Gatwick fleet v(

Oh dear

David

Do we know for sure that Barbarella is coming back?
I have only heard rumours, but I hope you're right.
G-VTOP looks stunning now. She looks like a new bird. Shame to see her go.
She was my first time in the UCS in Nov'05 to Las Vegas.

So the LGW/MAN fleet will have old UCS and LHR planes will get the new one.
Anyone surprised?

How different will the new UCS be to the existing product?
It makes its debut in spring on the LHR-EWR run on the new Airbus A330.
Virgin are taking 5 A330s this year.

I thought they would keep the bubble all PE....

hmmm not keen on the half and half upper deck

[Neil]

Not surprised at all about no UC during the refit, although think it very short sighted of them.

I am surprised about the W/Y mix on the upper deck. IMO it makes it far less an attractive choice and will probably result in me choosing a larger, but more private cabin on the main deck. Bad move by VS IMO.

Neil

How will that work with the toilets upstairs unless a toilet is put at the back of the cabin like the LHR config, otherwise will have the Y pax constantly going through the W cabin.
Shame the new UCS not being out in, seems very strange, if the whole a/c is being ripped out and refitted why not put the new suite in?

[Neil]

They must be putting a Y toilet upstairs.

[Darren Wheeler]

Shame the new UCS not being out in, seems very strange, if the whole a/c is being ripped out and refitted why not put the new suite in?

Supply? The new version is going into the 330's and the Heathrow seat, and as much as some will not like it, Heathrow is where most business seats are sold.

LGW/MAN fleet. 14 UCS
LHR fleet. 747=46 (56 on old upper deck config) 343=34, 346=45

What a disappointing plan. Was hoping we'd get new UC and I think mixing the upper deck is a crap idea.

Dissapointing. Do I read correctly that UC is NOT geting the upgraded IFE?

Surely UC will get new IFE as well? Wouldn't think it's possible to have 2 different systems running

As most of my flights are in Upper ex LGW. after reading this looks like it is going to be BA all the way. was so looking forward to the Refits. So the ones that pay the top price get the worn out Suite and old IFE. Virgin fails again

[Darren Wheeler]

Surely UC will get new IFE as well? Wouldn't think it's possible to have 2 different systems running

Previous announcements have all said that on refit, they will receive JAM.

[Darren Wheeler]

And of course it's a bit difficult to judge how the UCS differ as there are no details/pictures of the new version.

And of course it's a bit difficult to judge how the UCS differ as there are no details/pictures of the new version.

Indeed. Let's wait until we have some actual pics etc of the new UCS suites then we can compare it against the 'old' ones.

Or am I being unreasonable?

Interesting that VS would choose to repeat, albeit in a lesser way, the unspeakably horrific decision to mix classes on the upper deck of a 744. I would have thought that after the backlash from J class travellers out of LHR that are forced to sit in front of 30+ Y class people - with all the noise and clatter that is associated - they would have learnt thier lesson. However, as with so many things VS these days, it's little more than another example of a blind stumble from one PR stunt driven disaster to the next.

On the subject of a potential disparity between the LHR and LGW J class seats - I hate to be the singular voice of descent, but this strikes me as totally fair. On average, LHR passengers pay more for thier tickets than those out of LGW, in addition to being a different, and I daresay more discerning, passenger demographic. Given that LHR is regarded as VS business hub, it only seems right that the new J UCS, or whatever it ends up being, is installed on the LHR fleet first.

Oh dear - very disappointing.

The PE bubble was the thing for me.

Do VS ever ask the paying customer?

Oh dear - very disappointing.

The PE bubble was the thing for me.

Do VS ever ask the paying customer?

They tend to 'ask', in the sense that they conduct questionnaires and surveys....but they don't actually listen. Frankly, even as one of thier top flyers, I don't think my, or those that are in the GB50 top tier, views are ever taken into account.

It's lip-service.

On average, LHR passengers pay more for thier tickets than those out of LGW, in addition to being a different, and I daresay more discerning, passenger demographic. Given that LHR is regarded as VS business hub, it only seems right that the new J UCS, or whatever it ends up being, is installed on the LHR fleet first.

Maybe because it's a business hub, but surely not because the passenger demographic is "more discerning".

Anyhow, that aside

- I think the half and half is not a good idea and will reduce the value add of the PE experience

- the VS press releases have, to date, stated "The newly fitted aircraft will also feature Virgin Atlantic's revolutionary new IFE system, named JAM by Panasonic in all cabins."

Maybe because it's a business hub, but surely not because the passenger demographic is "more discerning"

Yes, perhaps a poor choice of words on my part - no offence meant.

So what would the financial case for this be?

Will there be roughly the same mix of uc/pe and econ so why change things around?

The lav and office will go from fwd of doors 2 as will the large double galley at doors 2 to make way for more of these premium seats.

That's going to be a pain when travelling UC if all the PE customers go forwards to use the toilets by doors 1 v(

-Steve

[buns]

Another vote from me that this is a bad move n(

Quite apart from the passenger experience which has already been well mentioned here, I have a degree of sympathy with crew who will have to manage those passengers wanting that "little bit extra" even though they have not put thier hands in their pockets ! I cannot begin to think of the problems on the Las Vegas flights

buns

Maybe the split upper deck is due to pressure from VH who will be able to advertise it as 'their' space??

[honey lamb]

I flew in the bubble ex-LHR when it was split UC/PE as a passenger in both cabins. In each instance I didn't like it. As a PE passenger the crew concentrated on the UC passengers which I accepted given I was in a lower cabin but the divide was apparent even though we were well looked after. As a UC passenger the one thing I really hated was having to wait for PE to disembark first which wouldn't have been too bad if one of them should not really have been on the upper deck as she had disability issues. It made me decide never to travel in the upper deck ever again if it was a split cabin