LGW Refits FAQ

Well VTOP it is...
On the upside, we're being we'll looked after in the Clubhouse - AND - we managed to get row 75, so all is not lost; will do a trip report on my return!

The potential to get VTOP is stopping me booking VS for a trip to Cuba in Feb, imho refunds should be given for flying in it. It seems wrong to be charged the same for what is a new iterior to one which whilst air worthy is a dump!

As a regular watcher of VTOP, hoping not to be on the old donkey in a couple of weeks,

Has anyone been upstairs in the PE on her? what state is she in?

Flew out to HAV and back on VTOP in the last few weeks. Out was PE in the bubble and its all looking very worse for wear. Screen falling out of seat in front and seats very uncomfortable. I'm sure they used to recline more and when fully upright the head rest pushes you into a really weird uncomfortable position almost like the back of the seat has lost some padding/support. Removing the head rest helps a bit. Flew back in UC which again is tired and a bit shabby but didn't stop me sleeping.

Can't say I'd compare it to Ryan Air though..

As a regular watcher of VTOP, hoping not to be on the old donkey in a couple of weeks,

Has anyone been upstairs in the PE on her? what state is she in?

Flew out to HAV and back on VTOP in the last few weeks. Out was PE in the bubble and its all looking very worse for wear. Screen falling out of seat in front and seats very uncomfortable. I'm sure they used to recline more and when fully upright the head rest pushes you into a really weird uncomfortable position almost like the back of the seat has lost some padding/support. Removing the head rest helps a bit. Flew back in UC which again is tired and a bit shabby but didn't stop me sleeping.

Can't say I'd compare it to Ryan Air though..

HAV getting the VTOP treatment again, 34% chance now,

Apologies if its already been mentioned but when does VTOP leave? I'm abut to book a HAV trip in March next year and would like to see the new PE on outbound.

Apologies if its already been mentioned but when does VTOP leave? I'm abut to book a HAV trip in March next year and would like to see the new PE on outbound.

You should be ok by then, I seem to remember seeing February mentioned for when she is due to leave, although the Ruby Tuesday should be ready within the next couple of weeks. Not sure what they will do with V-TOP between December and February though.

[Neil]

Apologies if its already been mentioned but when does VTOP leave? I'm abut to book a HAV trip in March next year and would like to see the new PE on outbound.

You should be ok by then, I seem to remember seeing February mentioned for when she is due to leave, although the Ruby Tuesday should be ready within the next couple of weeks. Not sure what they will do with V-TOP between December and February though.

Fly her, makes no sense not to, especially over the very busy Christmas and New Year period.

We have travelled PE in the bubble a few times and with the new config wonder how it works with PE passenger disembarking first at MCO with a economy section in PE has anyone had any experience of this or would be better better staying downstairs there are 3 in our party.

We flew back from Orlando on a refit on Saturday upstairs in PE. It was very definitely not as good as when it was exclusively PE - the EC area was very cramped and the stewardess said that they were getting complaints from passengers. I did not notice PE service being worse and there were few visitors to the toilets as the seatbelt sign was on for the last 90 mins! The EC passengers definitely disembarked before us, and by the time that we got downstairs, the main EC passengers were also disembarking.

Thanks janeclar we will stick downstairs I think Va need to sort that out as the premium is more and your not really getting the full service I.e to leave the plane before ec passengers

It's priority boarding though not priority disembarkation :-s

Apologies if its already been mentioned but when does VTOP leave? I'm abut to book a HAV trip in March next year and would like to see the new PE on outbound.

You should be ok by then, I seem to remember seeing February mentioned for when she is due to leave, although the Ruby Tuesday should be ready within the next couple of weeks. Not sure what they will do with V-TOP between December and February though.

How reliable is the information that VTOP is being retired? I can see it being used for many months more. I am very new to these boards, but which new plane is arriving or which routes are being dropped to account for the loss of a plane.

Apologies if its already been mentioned but when does VTOP leave? I'm abut to book a HAV trip in March next year and would like to see the new PE on outbound.

You should be ok by then, I seem to remember seeing February mentioned for when she is due to leave, although the Ruby Tuesday should be ready within the next couple of weeks. Not sure what they will do with V-TOP between December and February though.

How reliable is the information that VTOP is being retired? I can see it being used for many months more. I am very new to these boards, but which new plane is arriving or which routes are being dropped to account for the loss of a plane.

We are nearly at the end of receiving 10 A330 a/c, three of which are now going to be LGW based. We were also one 744 over for the season and this was used to fill in the gaps when our 744's were being re fitted in HKG and Xiamen. G-VTOP will be retired in February.

G

Interesting, so 3 A330's are permanently LGW 2 class? By my reckoning that means 3 will need to be converted to 3 class to join the 4 already in service at LHR?

[Neil]

Interesting, so 3 A330's are permanently LGW 2 class? By my reckoning that means 3 will need to be converted to 3 class to join the 4 already in service at LHR?

I thought all current 2 class A333's were going to be refiited to 3 class?

Interesting, so 3 A330's are permanently LGW 2 class? By my reckoning that means 3 will need to be converted to 3 class to join the 4 already in service at LHR?

I thought all current 2 class A333's were going to be refiited to 3 class?

All 3 of the LGW 2 config a/c G-VKSS/SXY/INE will be refitted to 3 class config but will remain based at LGW until summer 2014 at the very least.

Hi,

I'm flying out of LGW on 7th Dec to Barbados. Any ideas if all the planes will be refit by then or is there still a chance that we could be on an old 747 ?

Also, am I right in assuming whilst I can't book my seats online until online check-in opens, I 'should' be able to see the seat configuration a couple of days before on the website ?

Cheers
Andy

Hi,

I'm flying out of LGW on 7th Dec to Barbados. Any ideas if all the planes will be refit by then or is there still a chance that we could be on an old 747 ?

Also, am I right in assuming whilst I can't book my seats online until online check-in opens, I 'should' be able to see the seat configuration a couple of days before on the website ?

Cheers
Andy

Hiya,

All the refits should be completed by then BUT V-TOP will still be in the fleet, so you should have a 7 out of 8 chance of getting a refitted aircraft.
Seat allocations depends on which class you are flying - both UC and Economy, you should be able to request seats from 90 days prior to flights. PE is at OLCI (for flights prior to Jan 6)

G-VTOPs lease ends on at the end of Feb. Aircraft have to go and be overhauled before they are returned to the leasor and this takes a few weeks as the aircraft has to be returned in the same state it was delivered in.

The aircraft was built in 1996 so it's still has a few years of flying left before she's ready to be scrapped.

Great thanks.
We are in PE, so have to wait for OLCI.

Would I get an idea of the aircraft at least via the website a couple of days before flying ?

Am flying on Fri to Montego Bay...able to choose my seats both outbound/inbound and is showing Boeing 747-400 (Seating configuration 1) . I sure hope it updates and isn't VTOP!

Yes, I am in a similar situation and wonder how "sticky" the seat map is once you are able to actually select seats. I have selected ours but every other seat in the downstairs PE is showing as open. Very very odd and a little worrying.

Does anyone know when G-VXLG (Ruby Tuesday) is due back from the refit?

Hi there, I realise that I may be shot down in flames if this has already been asked but I cannot find the answer in this rather large thread.
I am flying PE from Gatwick to Barbados on 10th Feb 2013 I have just gone on to choose seats as I am within 90 days of flying and the seatmap is for Configuration 4.
I assume all planes will be refitted by then and I was under the impression they would all be the LGW-1 configuration. Any ideas please?

Am flying on Fri to Montego Bay...able to choose my seats both outbound/inbound and is showing Boeing 747-400 (Seating configuration 1) . I sure hope it updates and isn't VTOP!

Not any more - it's showing a refit!

And I'm on it too!

That's interesting. So it showed the old config until 48 hours before and then switched. Did it hold the reservations you'd made?