New LGW Config

[Neil]

Not sure if this has been cleared up from first few posts, 9+ pages couldn't be bothered to read through... but the UC section is being REFRESHED, not just a deep clean. All components stripped and replaced. Nice and new and shiney. Yay.

Have I missed something? Who said it was 'REFRESHED' or that we were getting all new components??

Don't get me wrong, it would be a vast improvement on the 'deep clean' mentioned in the first post, but I don't recall seeing this mentioned in posts here?

/edit: and if indeed it is the old UCS design but with all new components including a redesigned/refitted IFE, well that is an entirely different set of facts to the OP.

I'd love to hear authoritative clarification!

It was confirmed by Howard on the VS Facebook page.

It was confirmed by Howard on the VS Facebook page.

I missed that, am now even more confused ?| .

The new UCS design is ready - I'm guessing that somewhere soon an A333 is going to have it installed, followed over time by the LHR 747s.

So if it's designed and made to fit a 747 with the same space in the nose between the LGW and LHR fleet, why the heck go to the cost of having old UCS (but replacement components) installed and not the new one ?| . There has to be a reason, but I suspect a barmy one!

I wonder if they already had a bunch of current gen UCS fitted up with Jam before realising that they wouldn't go into the 333s...

[Neil]

Howard actually said "removed, repaired, repainted, reinstalled".

I wonder if they already had a bunch of current gen UCS fitted up with Jam before realising that they wouldn't go into the 333s...

There's an old rumour of debacle - it goes something like this. VS was expecting the B787 in 2012 but that of course is very delayed. The new UCS was initially designed for the B787 but then the A333s came along and they are narrower, and redesigning it was costly and it needed CAA approval ... so the launch was delayed. This then lead to some debacle with the delay of the A333s themselves and is why the two delivered have PE where UC should be ... and why those that went to China Airlines on lease are in Y-PE-Y config.

If this is true, it's all a great management balls up, now added to with no new UCS on the LGW fleet - which I think is a terrible decision by VS when they have the opportunity to do right.

Perhaps it hasn't yet been certified for use in the 744's? The seats all have to be certified for use on different aircraft.

The current UC seat itself will have already been certified/designed to be used with the ex2 IFE system (JAM) as that's what Air NZ use on their newer aircraft (which is essentially the same seat as the original suites) speeding that up somewhat as presumably doesn't need to be done again for VS?

Is a possibility... although being VS could be any number of reasons haha!

I am correct in thinking the Gatwick fleet was last to be fitted with the suite first time round ? ?|

David

Wish Virgin Atlantic was adopting the new PE layout recently introduced on Air New Zealand. That 2-2-2 configuration looks pretty cool, I might have a try with them when I next fly to LA

I'm sure some of this information has already been shared a couple of months ago ):

Not sure if this has been cleared up from first few posts, 9+ pages couldn't be bothered to read through... but the UC section is being REFRESHED, not just a deep clean. All components stripped and replaced. Nice and new and shiney. Yay.

So engineers will remove suites, disassemble them, fill all the chips, repair all the broken bits, repaint it all, then fit JAM ( or jam JAM in ) then refit them when they could have simply replaced them with the new UC suite ?|

That's surely not cost effective in an exercise that's been delayed numorous times because of costs ?| ?|

David

[mitchja]

I suspect it's all down to money!!

It's worth pointing out that each UCS seat cost in excess of £25K each so they 'aint cheap. The IFE for each A/C is also in the millions (around £2M I believe, a B744 will also be the most expensive having more seats). VS will only have a certain amount of CAPEX for this current refit program.

It's also cheaper to refit a brand new aircraft than having to refit an existing one.

I would imagine the new UCS will be even more expensive than the previous one was as well.

I also cannot understand why everyone is also moaning about the current UCS staying. It's not like it's a bad seat! It's still waaaaay better than many many airlines J seats!!

I also cannot understand why everyone is also moaning about the current UCS staying. It's not like it's a bad seat! It's still waaaaay better than many many airlines J seats!!

James, it's not that the suite is a bad seat.

For me, it's that LGW MAN customers are again being treated as second class customers.

No "new" purple leather premium seat when it was launched

No inflight beauty therapist (when LHR customers did have it)

No light bite menu

No upper class security channel

No DTCI

No clubhouse at Manchester

And now no new UC suite ( and probably missed a few as well)

It gets very frustrating when you are now paying he same prices for Z upper fares that LHR customers are paying but not receiving the same service.

David

Taking a step back here slightly.

The LGW fleet is heavily skewed towards the Economy traveller in terms of config and the routes serviced. The overwhelming majority of people fly economy.

Therefore I suspect that the overwhelming majority of people who fly these aircraft will be delighted that they've got a brand new cabin including IFE to enjoy for the same fare as they were paying before. Add to that the latest PE cabin, and you've got the overwhelming majority of customers in the latest product.

I'd also wager that VS makes most of its money on the LGW/MAN routes from PE and Economy class, as BA aside they're competing mostly against charters to attract holidaymakers.

It shouldn't be ignored that LGW/MAN customers will have a more up to date IFE system than LHR customers will, except for those LHR customers who snag an A330 as they're slowly introduced.

It shouldn't be ignored that LGW/MAN customers will have a more up to date IFE system than LHR customers will, except for those LHR customers who snag an A330 as they're slowly introduced.

Hopefully without sounding like I am whinging about this, it also shouldnt be ignored that LHR customers have had V-Port for the last 10 years whilst the rest of us have predominately had to put up with Nova/Super Nova for the last 10 years

LHR's customers will be able to enjoy JAM on the new planes in a year or twos time whilst LGW customers will have the old, albeit "refurbished" suite for "X" amount of years.

David

In all the years I've bored people with my posts, while being entertained by theirs', one theme has been constant: VS's inconsistency.

I can't therefore believe I'm now reading a seeming defence of inconsistency for the next several years at least when it does not need to happen!

[preiffer]

I am correct in thinking the Gatwick fleet was last to be fitted with the suite first time round ? ?|

David

Correct, David.

In all the years I've bored people with my posts, while being entertained by theirs', one theme has been constant: VS's inconsistency.

I can't therefore believe I'm now reading a seeming defence of inconsistency for the next several years at least when it does not need to happen!

100% agree! Especially when they have the PERFECT opportunity to do all of the fleet in one go (not like before!). Talk about clutching defeat from the jaws of victory...

In all the years I've bored people with my posts, while being entertained by theirs', one theme has been constant: VS's inconsistency.

I can't therefore believe I'm now reading a seeming defence of inconsistency for the next several years at least when it does not need to happen!

100% agree! Especially when they have the PERFECT opportunity to do all of the fleet in one go (not like before!). Talk about clutching defeat from the jaws of victory...

Maybe the new UC Suite isn't able to go on the 747's, and was designed for the A330 and 787 only, hence leaving the current product on that fleet only.

From what I've read, it doesn't fit into the A330, and was primarily designed for the 787, not sure about the 747s.

In terms of "better product for same price" - who says the prices will stay the same?

I guess, from here on in, it's a wait and see game....but, I've already booked my next trip in BA and may continue to do so as the future is unclear for me with VS...

Maybe the new UC Suite isn't able to go on the 747's, and was designed for the A330 and 787 only, hence leaving the current product on that fleet only.

From what's been said (as opposed to what we actually know) the new UCS will be fitted to all of the LHR fleet, so if they don't know for sure that it fits into a 747 then they're even stranger than I give VS credit for. So I assume that isn't the case.

So we're back to defended inconsistency ... even stranger.

Jumping into this very late ... I was told by one of the crew on my last flight a few weeks ago that they couldn't put in the new UC seats on the LGW/MAN routes because they were too heavy.

I don't know if this is correct but thought I'd pass the comment on.

Jumping into this very late ... I was told by one of the crew on my last flight a few weeks ago that they couldn't put in the new UC seats on the LGW/MAN routes because they were too heavy.

I don't know if this is correct but thought I'd pass the comment on.

That sounds more like the previous saying where the current UC was too heavy for the A330 which is used on B&S routes.

Jumping into this very late ... I was told by one of the crew on my last flight a few weeks ago that they couldn't put in the new UC seats on the LGW/MAN routes because they were too heavy.

I don't know if this is correct but thought I'd pass the comment on.

If that's the case then VS is even stupider than I sometimes give them credit for. In this day and age my view is that anything that goes into the plane will be lighter, secondly they will be going into LHR 747s (unless that bad news has yet to come out), and thirdly galley gossip is sadly not the best place for factual information.

[honey lamb]

Jumping into this very late ... I was told by one of the crew on my last flight a few weeks ago that they couldn't put in the new UC seats on the LGW/MAN routes because they were too heavy.

I don't know if this is correct but thought I'd pass the comment on.

That doesn't make any sense at all. If they're too heavy for the LGW/MAN fleet, then they're definitely too heavy for the LHR fleet which has more UC seats by far. Given that London based crew fly from both LHR and LGW they should have known that, but perhaps you flew from MAN. In any case you would expect that any crew would have an inkling of knowledge of the other aircraft in the fleet

[Darren Wheeler]

The 330 didnt get the UCS not because it was too heavy, not because it was only a leisure route but because it is not certified as Disablity Aaccessable

I've previously posted a link to the relevant piece of US legislation that applies to new aircraft flying to the US.

phpBB/viewtopic.php?f=23&t=267943

My 10p worth, hi by the way.

New suite or old I will be happy with one thay works, isnt covered in snot spit n salt with a screen I can see and a fully loaded bar and kitchen.

Oh and I fly to bucket n spade routes mostly its costing me £3k per person
not a fully flex price but not peanuts either. Have flown to MIA and JFK for less in UCS, I am no more or less discerning from either departure point nor derserving of any more or less good service or product from MAN LHR or LGW. I am no snob but I like nice things and I expect what I pay for from any departure point just like anyone in any other cabin.

I am thankful VS seems to be looking towards a positive future lets face it not many businesses are right now.

New to V-Flyer. If everyone is so upset about this refit just don't fly with Virgin anymore, fly British Airways, Virgin will soon change if people stop using them, it's called PEOPLE POWER