New Upper Class 'Dream Suite'

[Neil]

Thanks Neil, can see it now! Must of scrolled over it earlier

Easy to do on the new 'pages' layout, the old style was soooo much better for companies on FB.

[preiffer]

Here's the direct link, Hamster - I gave a little "prod" today, as it's at risk of disappearing into the "too hard" pile....

https://www.facebook.com/virginatlantic ... 9415257679


And the Upper Class pens...

https://www.facebook.com/virginatlantic ... 9509712679

So as Howard's reply was next to useless, we need to start taking tape measures onboard our selves to get a true size comparison.

I find it hard to believe that virgin dont know the dimensions of the old and new suite for each aircraft type.

Me being skeptical, I think they do have the figures, but don't really want to release them after saying the new suite is the biggest...

I'm surprised at the decision to not refit the a346 fleet if they're staying for a few more years (not the new ife but just the new suite) surely with the smaller footprint they'd be able to bump the uc capacity up by at least ten seats? Surely would help to recover the costs assuming they could fill them!

I think we'll start to see the A346 start to be moved out of the fleet as the 787's start to come online.

Not particularly surprisingly, there are 15x 787's ordered and after the 4 leave the fleet this year, there will be 15x A346 left. So I'm expecting a straight swap for the planes.

Just to sort out any misunderstanding, the official word is that the suite in bed mode is wider at the shoulders on the A330 than it is on the A340-600. It's not quite as wide as the 747, which is understandable as the 747 is a much bigger aircraft.

Two comments: 1) Where is the inflight wi-fi? 2) The LGW B747's are being refitted starting this year - surly they'll have the new UCDS?

Two comments: 1) Where is the inflight wi-fi? 2) The LGW B747's are being refitted starting this year - surly they'll have the new UCDS?

Nope, the LGW 747 UCSs will just be cleaned up and given the new IFE.

Looking forward to trying it out. Just came back from a UC to and from SFO, I have two issues;

1- The bed - I think its mainly the sub-standard pillows plus I never find the mattress all that comfy.

2- vPort - I cannot wait to try JAM, I have experience in user interfaces and vPort is terrible. Its chunky, the controls aren't consistant and it can be slow.

But don't get me wrong, I do still love the Virgin UC experience!

Just to sort out any misunderstanding, the official word is that the suite in bed mode is wider at the shoulders on the A330 than it is on the A340-600. It's not quite as wide as the 747, which is understandable as the 747 is a much bigger aircraft.

Who's official word, last time I checked VS couldn't muster the will to answer Lord Preiffer's questions on FB.

And the Upper Class pens...

https://www.facebook.com/virginatlantic ... 9509712679

This matches with the 'stay tuned' message about the Amenity Kits. Why do we have to have this game of 'Guess' with VS? If there are new new Amenity kits coming (and the hint is there are. Why not announce 'New Amenity kits coming in xxxxx' Sure the contents (or maybe supplier) may not have been finalised, but it would start to build interest. Yes, I know it's only an amenity kit, (yet note how often the little touches are mentioned as a differentiator) but we've had this with other things (New meal service, refits, (god forbid) IT etc.

I just came across an old PE kit from 2009, I've flown UC 3 return trips since then and finding that PE pen did make me feel as if I should have an Upper pen at least...

Perhaps they feel a plastic pen wouldn't do Upper justice, but won't spring for a real pen. I'm fine with a plastic one...

[Darren Wheeler]

And the Upper Class pens...

https://www.facebook.com/virginatlantic ... 9509712679

This matches with the 'stay tuned' message about the Amenity Kits. Why do we have to have this game of 'Guess' with VS? If there are new new Amenity kits coming (and the hint is there are. Why not announce 'New Amenity kits coming in xxxxx' Sure the contents (or maybe supplier) may not have been finalised, but it would start to build interest. Yes, I know it's only an amenity kit, (yet note how often the little touches are mentioned as a differentiator) but we've had this with other things (New meal service, refits, (god forbid) IT etc.

But then, when what arrives doesn't meet an expectation, VS get pilloried for being "all style and no substance". The UCDS shows they cannot win. Little, if any information was released prior to launch, but when it did there were complaints that it wasn't what was expected.

OK, now it has been launch there have been some criticisms of it and we are still waiting for some further measurements, but the only hype has been down to individuals not VS.

Interesting reviews, was unaware VS have 3 other birds with the UCDS installed, I assume this was a typo!?

http://www.businesstraveller.com/tried- ... pper-class

http://www.ausbt.com.au/review-photo-ga ... eats-cabin

Interesting reviews, was unaware VS have 3 other birds with the UCDS installed, I assume this was a typo!?

http://www.businesstraveller.com/tried- ... pper-class

http://www.ausbt.com.au/review-photo-ga ... eats-cabin

Interesting bit about interference from Areomobile.

Interesting reviews, was unaware VS have 3 other birds with the UCDS installed, I assume this was a typo!?

http://www.businesstraveller.com/tried- ... pper-class

http://www.ausbt.com.au/review-photo-ga ... eats-cabin

There are a couple of things in the Business Traveller review that raised alarm bells with me, and I wonder if anyone can confirm:

- The table, which was always one of my personal strong points since it is large, sturdy and well able to support a laptop and a drink or two, now seems smaller and wobbly.
- In seat power and lighting, which goes off if too many people use it :0 , what kind of four year planning is that!

I'll still book a VS3 in a few weeks to try it, but I am increasingly wary.

In seat power and lighting, which goes off if too many people use it :0 , what kind of four year planning is that!

What's the max loading of users? - check.
What's the max number of devices per user? - check.

Hardly at the bleeding edge of technology capacity planning.

I predict that within three months we'll have gone from LGW pax complaining that their planes aren't getting the new UCS to LHR pax clamouring for the old one to come back!

Just goes to show - be careful what you wish for.

And never forget - everything any airline ever does is designed purely to make money. Any benefit to the customer is a nice bonus on top. But I suspect the main reason VS decided to design a new UCS was because they realised they couldn't fit enough of the old ones down the middle of the A330 and the Dreamliner.

In seat power and lighting, which goes off if too many people use it :0 , what kind of four year planning is that!

What's the max loading of users? - check.
What's the max number of devices per user? - check.

Hardly at the bleeding edge of technology capacity planning.

To be fair, a day flight full of journalists isn't really reflective of real use and no company would offer resources to the extreme maximum necessary.

To be fair, a day flight full of journalists isn't really reflective of real use and no company would offer resources to the extreme maximum necessary.

Erm did you read the article? There was a VS engineer on board who apparently said that if too many people use the system, it turns itself off. Not a journo ...

To be fair, a day flight full of journalists isn't really reflective of real use and no company would offer resources to the extreme maximum necessary.

Erm did you read the article? There was a VS engineer on board who apparently said that if too many people use the system, it turns itself off. Not a journo ...

Well UC was basically full of journalists all working on their laptops so no wonder there were power issues.

I'd be more concerned if there were problems on flights with a more normal mix of people.

To be fair, a day flight full of journalists isn't really reflective of real use and no company would offer resources to the extreme maximum necessary.

Not really sure why they wouldn't - it's not a perishable commodity and over the cost of an aircraft a wee bit more grunt in the electrics is surely a marginal element.

This has been commented on before, but looking at this seat map view:

Those two seats in the middle by the bar, and the rear one on the left hand side look like hell. I love the bar, and always try to respect people in their seats, but there are plenty of oafs who don't. As for the K seat, with the bottles in the cabinet behind their head that sounds dire too.

I love the 17K on an A346, some say to close to the bar but it's actually pretty private, looks like a new seat favourite needed on the A333.

Regarding the limited power supply, I think it likely it's an issue for all A330 aircraft, not just Virgin Atlantic A330 aircraft.

It also looks like the last two rows don't have windows ... another reason to avoid!

Found this selection of pictures whilst having a google, not sure if been posted already, apologies if so.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/businesstr ... 166815712/