New route to Atlanta

mentioned on the VS web site:

http://www.virgin-atlantic.com/gb/en/id ... lanta.html

I'm actually thinking this is positive personally. The lack of an ATL connection was odd - personally I was miffed I didn't make Gold last year due mostly to round trips in BA PE, mostly to ATL - all because I didn't want to take the DL Econ+ option. ATL is a great hub airport.

Unfortunately for me I still unlikely on to be the ATL route this year as my next 2 BA trip to ATL are already booked. But I suppose it'll be good for a Gold run in 2015.

Personally I found it odd they swapped an LAX for this - I'd have personally preferred another route.

I would hope DL realise they need a proper PE option on the LAX transatlantic and take some VS seats in this new arrangement.

It started on March 29th - DL36/37

Did it stop? Because delta.com lists no direct flights between Manchester and Amsterdam on the dates I chose in June, all via Amsterdam or Heathrow.

It started on March 29th - DL36/37

Did it stop? Because delta.com lists no direct flights between Manchester and Amsterdam on the dates I chose in June, all via Amsterdam or Heathrow.

Some confusion here. I was talking about the Delta flights to Seattle from LHR which replaced the LHR-MAN Little Red.

[preiffer]

Delta haven't told VS to do anything.. Just because they're bigger in size doesn't mean they bark orders around. They're only 49% stakeholders remember.

That may be so, but on the face of it DL are coming out of this much better than VS.

So far, since the joint venture was announced:

VS have given up a Little Red MAN slot at LHR for Delta to launch its SEA service.
VS have retimed several of their NY flights and their BOS flight to fit in with DL's schedule.
VS have ended one of their flagship routes (albeit an unprofitable one) - SYD.
VS have stopped serving Accra and Tobago.
VS have given up one of their flagship flights, VS23, to DL in order to access one of DL's hubs and provide DL with feeder traffic for its ATL domestic network.

Now it's perfectly possible that some of those would have happened anyway, and I'm not questioning the commercial sense of them. But I don't see DL making many sacrifices - so far this joint venture does seem somewhat one sided.

BINGO.

The end is nigh...

The end is not nigh. Singapore's alliance with Virgin wasn't as obvious in regards to impact, since their routes are mostly in Asia. Delta is US-based, so it's just more obvious when changes are made.

If Richard Branson lets Virgin Atlantic slip away, the Virgin brand is dead. Period.

The ATL route makes sense. Losing one of the LAX routes less so, particularly worrying for the already bad UC award availability from the west coast.

Interesting that it's the start of the winter schedule when the changes take effect, I wonder if we might see an extra VS operated LAX flight come next summer.

Related question - am I right in thinking that there's no way of checking availability or booking flying club reward availability on DL operated services without phoning?

Looking at the schedule for the new DL35 in the article julmops linked to upthread (depart LHR 1500 arrive LAX 2031):

Will it really take 13.5 hours? The VS23 is timetabled for 11.5.

Maybe it's some quirk of BST ending on a different day to American summer time? But even if that's true it's still 12.5 hours for the DL35 - does a 767 need a whole extra hour compared to a 346?

I have just come off the phone with a VS AU agent who was unaware of any changes to the LAX flights, I referred them to the website regarding the changes on Oct 26th, after a chat with their supervisor I was told that the changes will be going ahead but my booking is still showing as VS023 on a 346, as I'm on a G I cannot at present be switched to the VS007 as there is no G availability so I guess I'll geyt to experience a DL 767 in Business Elite with the extra 2 hour flight time.

I was however advised that by the time I fly all DL flights ex LHR will be from T3.

Looking at the schedule for the new DL35 in the article julmops linked to upthread (depart LHR 1500 arrive LAX 2031):

Will it really take 13.5 hours? The VS23 is timetabled for 11.5.

Maybe it's some quirk of BST ending on a different day to American summer time? But even if that's true it's still 12.5 hours for the DL35 - does a 767 need a whole extra hour compared to a 346?

As you say, daylight savings ends at slightly different times causing a discrepancy for 26th Oct - 2 Nov, during which 20:31 PDT (local time in LA) is 03:31 local time in the UK.

So it's a 12.5 hour flight time, which you're right is longer than the current timetable.

I have just come off the phone with a VS AU agent who was unaware of any changes to the LAX flights, I referred them to the website regarding the changes on Oct 26th, after a chat with their supervisor I was told that the changes will be going ahead but my booking is still showing as VS023 on a 346, as I'm on a G I cannot at present be switched to the VS007 as there is no G availability so I guess I'll geyt to experience a DL 767 in Business Elite with the extra 2 hour flight time.

I was however advised that by the time I fly all DL flights ex LHR will be from T3.

Thats a joke IMO. How can VS go public with this before all the staff are aware, especially those on the gold/ UC line!

I have just come off the phone with a VS AU agent who was unaware of any changes to the LAX flights, I referred them to the website regarding the changes on Oct 26th, after a chat with their supervisor I was told that the changes will be going ahead but my booking is still showing as VS023 on a 346, as I'm on a G I cannot at present be switched to the VS007 as there is no G availability so I guess I'll geyt to experience a DL 767 in Business Elite with the extra 2 hour flight time.

I was however advised that by the time I fly all DL flights ex LHR will be from T3.

Thats a joke IMO. How can VS go public with this before all the staff are aware, especially those on the gold/ UC line!

Have they gone public?

Yes. Well sort of.

http://www.virgin-atlantic.com/gb/en/id ... lanta.html

Incidentally, does no-one proof-read their web articles before they hit publish? Captial?

I have just come off the phone with a VS AU agent who was unaware of any changes to the LAX flights, I referred them to the website regarding the changes on Oct 26th, after a chat with their supervisor I was told that the changes will be going ahead but my booking is still showing as VS023 on a 346, as I'm on a G I cannot at present be switched to the VS007 as there is no G availability so I guess I'll geyt to experience a DL 767 in Business Elite with the extra 2 hour flight time.

I was however advised that by the time I fly all DL flights ex LHR will be from T3.

Thats a joke IMO. How can VS go public with this before all the staff are aware, especially those on the gold/ UC line!

Apparently they had received an email regarding the VS ATL changes flight but no information about DL taking over the VS023 LAX flight, I'm sure by the end of the week there will be further clarification.

I have just come off the phone with a VS AU agent who was unaware of any changes to the LAX flights, I referred them to the website regarding the changes on Oct 26th, after a chat with their supervisor I was told that the changes will be going ahead but my booking is still showing as VS023 on a 346, as I'm on a G I cannot at present be switched to the VS007 as there is no G availability so I guess I'll geyt to experience a DL 767 in Business Elite with the extra 2 hour flight time.

I was however advised that by the time I fly all DL flights ex LHR will be from T3.

Thats a joke IMO. How can VS go public with this before all the staff are aware, especially those on the gold/ UC line!

Apparently they had received an email regarding the VS ATL changes flight but no information about DL taking over the VS023 LAX flight, I'm sure by the end of the week there will be further clarification.

In all fairness this was announced internally yesterday and then made live today. The LAX VS flights affected are yet to be cancelled and so in theory any changes you want to make at the moment would be as per normal fare rules. Once the change is actioned I'm sure there will be a range of options available and staff will know about it.

And from past experience, there is no magical FC gold or Upper Class department - all appropriately trained agents answer all calls and so it's likely one member of staff may not be as up to date with their latest news than another, particularly as it was only announced internally yesterday...

Delta haven't told VS to do anything.. Just because they're bigger in size doesn't mean they bark orders around. They're only 49% stakeholders remember.

That may be so, but on the face of it DL are coming out of this much better than VS.

So far, since the joint venture was announced:

VS have given up a Little Red MAN slot at LHR for Delta to launch its SEA service.
VS have retimed several of their NY flights and their BOS flight to fit in with DL's schedule.
VS have ended one of their flagship routes (albeit an unprofitable one) - SYD.
VS have stopped serving Accra and Tobago.
VS have given up one of their flagship flights, VS23, to DL in order to access one of DL's hubs and provide DL with feeder traffic for its ATL domestic network.

Now it's perfectly possible that some of those would have happened anyway, and I'm not questioning the commercial sense of them. But I don't see DL making many sacrifices - so far this joint venture does seem somewhat one sided.

Just to put this into some perspective -

VS have given up a Little Red MAN slot at LHR for Delta to launch its SEA service. - Delta gave VS their slot which they used for an additional MAN service until the SEA launch

VS have retimed several of their NY flights and their BOS flight to fit in with DL's schedule. - DL also changed the times of their flights to better suit the VS schedule

VS have ended one of their flagship routes (albeit an unprofitable one) - SYD. - this was nothing to do with DL at all.

VS have stopped serving Accra and Tobago. - again, nothing to do with DL

VS have given up one of their flagship flights, VS23, to DL in order to access one of DL's hubs and provide DL with feeder traffic for its ATL domestic network. - DL have also given up one of their flagship routes to give to VS to give them access to 100's of more connecting flights.


It's quite easy to make things look as though they are going downhill if you're only looking at it with that frame of mind. It's worth mentioning that the partnership with DL isn't just a 49% stake (like SQ had), but a Joint Venture. If a passenger travels on ANY of the VS or DL flights across the Atlantic, within the US, Caribbean, Mexico or the UK, both DL and VS will share the same profit. It all looks good to me!

I see this as simply Virgin and Delta each expanding their 'footprint' in the States to provide more comprehensive competition to the Star Alliances and OneWorlds... I note for Atlanta connections via New York, Boston, Manchester, Washington and Orlando etc. are offered as well as the non stop flights.

The LA Clubhouse is a done deal. They've needed one for years and regardless of it being one or two flights it's going ahead.

The VS103/104 ATL route is going on sale tomorrow on the web - in a small way it's a shame they don't have G-VATL now, it would have been perfect to launch the route lol

A fun new route in my book.... will be aiming for the inaugural Atlanta flight in October for fun and games

As a regular visitor to Atlanta and not a great fan of Delta, I am delighted at the change!

Roll on October.

Also looking forward to trying it, but not until 2016 unfortunately as I've already bought tickets to MCO for 2015.
Dick D

http://airlineroute.net/2014/05/22/vsdl-lhr-w14/

According to Airliner Route, the VS7/8 seems to be retimed as well, which I'm not particularly pleased about if it's true ...
Especially on the VS8 as I will be flying back from Hawaii on the same day and will have to get back to LA much earlier ... Not even to mention the move back to A346

I suspect the 747 used for VS7/8 is being redeployed from LAX to JNB for the winter season.

ISTBC but LHR 747 destinations this winter will be: NYC (VS45 & 9,) SFO and JNB.

I don't understand why people are excited by ATL?

I've been to Atlanta for more than just connecting flights before and think it appeals as a stand alone destination. But I think for most the appeal is being able to better connect at Delta's main hub on VS metal...opening up places like New Orleans, the Carolinas and maybe Texas without connecting further afield or on DL (for people like me who would much prefer VS long haul connecting to DL internal rather than DL all the way). At least thats why I think its great...just sad it came at the expense of the popular 2nd LAX run.