New route to Atlanta

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

Personally I like the idea of an ATL route as it opens up the south to explore, a reasonable six hour drive to New Orleans.

I could be the starting point of many a good road trip.

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 hope this is true as the wife and I are on the 601 to JNB in November, in PE at the moment but hoping for a couple of G's to pop up.

I much prefer the B744 over the 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 hope this is true as the wife and I are on the 601 to JNB in November, in PE at the moment but hoping for a couple of G's to pop up.

I much prefer the B744 over the A346.

Got the Gs already to LA and would have loved the 744 ... Could already picture ourselves on 12 A/K

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 hope this is true as the wife and I are on the 601 to JNB in November, in PE at the moment but hoping for a couple of G's to pop up.

I much prefer the B744 over the A346.

Now that's a double edged sword as I have managed to swap from the DL035 to the VS007 to LAX in January.

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 hope this is true as the wife and I are on the 601 to JNB in November, in PE at the moment but hoping for a couple of G's to pop up.

I much prefer the B744 over the A346.

Got the Gs already to LA and would have loved the 744 ... Could already picture ourselves on 12 A/K

Congrats on the G's to LAX

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.

The 747 hasn't gone to JNB in winter for a couple of years now.

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.

The 747 hasn't gone to JNB in winter for a couple of years now.

Interesting, so is one being parked over the winter then?

I suspect the 747 used for VS7/8 is being redeployed from LAX to JNB for the winter season.
I much prefer the B744 over the A346.

Congrats on the G's to LAX

Thanks Hull, we were booked on VS7 on 24th Jan but had to move to 23rd in order to get 2 Gs ...

The JNB rotation utilises two aircraft as it is parked all day at JNB after landing in the morning then leaves in the evening so two 744s will be dedicated to it

The JNB rotation utilises two aircraft as it is parked all day at JNB after landing in the morning then leaves in the evening so two 744s will be dedicated to it

makes sense I guess for the least efficient plane type to be less utilised

Not seen the schedule mentioned here for ATL which will be
09:25 - 14:20 LHR-ATL and the return 17:30 - 06:35 ATL-LHR

Just because VS will only operate one flight doers not mean the lounges will be sitting empty the rest of the time. They seem to be a business of their own being rented out to other airlines when not in use - or rather granting access to other airlines (who obviously will pay for the privilege).

HKG is a great example where EVA Air uses it for their premium customers during the day and DL will use it when their SEA and NRT routes start.

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

The 7/8 was always a 346 on 3 or 4 days of the week during the winter wasn't it?

And the new 7/8 timings aren't that dramatic - the 7 departs LHR 20 mins earlier than today but the 8 departs LAX 20 mins later.

It does look like there'll be a net reduction in Business Class seats to LAX of about 10% though - VS's 346s have 45 but DL's 76Ws only have 34 or 36 I think.

So from Oct that's up to 70 fewer seats a week which doesn't bode well for reward availability.

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

I holiday in South Carolina.
I collect Virgin Miles.
Nearest Virgin route is currently MCO which is a 5 hour 335 mile drive. I don't mind it but,
Atlanta is a 287 mile 4 hour 20 drive.

Plus it will have the added advantage of more UC seats on the plane.

That's why I am excited.

Dick D

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

If you like Coke or cable news, it's paradise!

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

Because it's a hidden gem of a destination. Maybe.

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

It's a better connection to TPA than going via NYC.

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

And the new 7/8 timings aren't that dramatic - the 7 departs LHR 20 mins earlier than today but the 8 departs LAX 20 mins later.

Fro what I was reading the VS8 will leave at 1715 instead of 1850 currently (at least what's on my booking). I need to book flights to HNL from LAX and back and an earlier flight will seriously narrow my airline choices ...

Apart from being a nice place to go ATL gives great connections with DL throughout the USA.
LHR-DFW is a great example. Previously it was a tedious connection in IAD.

Apart from being a nice place to go ATL gives great connections with DL throughout the USA.
LHR-DFW is a great example. Previously it was a tedious connection in IAD.

I agree, I think being such a major hub for DL a lot of the connections work out better via Atlanta. Earlier in the year I went to visit family in Missouri and had to endure LHR-ATL-MCI all on Delta so at least now I can enjoy the first 9hr37mins of my journey

Atlanta is an amazingly well-connected airport - the busiest in the world. It totally makes sense to have a flight there - the feeder traffic alone will keep it full.

Really gutted about this. We are booked on the VS24 on 22nd November in UC so it now looks we are being moved to Delta. Really don't want to move to the earlier flight as we are on our way back from Hawaii and only have a few days in LA and moving to the VS flight will significantly shorten our last day.
To complicate things further we flying into Las Vegas in PE on the way there (8th) so I am hoping nothing gets messed up when they transfer over the return portion to Delta. I have only flown UC a couple of times before and this is our 10th wedding anniversary trip. How much worse is the DL flight going to be?

Bellef

Delta have just been voted airline of the year by airfinance journal so hopefully you shouldn't have too much cause for concern. Have heard several really good reports from people who have recently flown with them

Assuming the new DL LHR flight leaves from the usual DL terminal at LAX, the lounge actually isn't that shabby.

It's certainly no Clubhouse, but then you don't get a Clubhouse at LAX anyway (at least not yet), and by all accounts the VX Loft that VS currently use for VS24 passengers isn't up to much.

On the plane you'll get a flat bed I believe - you won't get that VS "flare" but it's a long night flight so you'll probably be asleep for much of it - so all in all yes it's annoying but I wouldn't worry too much.

As a family we flew to Orlando at the end of March with Delta and then back again on the 15th April. We had connections in Boston on the way out and Detroit on the way back. I was really impressed with Delta the flights we had I would probably rate better than Virgin, but it does depend on the crew you get. The only problem we had was our seats kept being changed on the Detroit to Heathrow flight because the plane type kept changing which resulted in out 9 year old daughter being seated on her own at one stage. The Delta staff at Orlando were very good and did what they could to re-arrange our seating (6 of us ended up in economy comfort). We didn't end up with all 8 of us together but it was fine.

I like it, as Hartsfield has excellent connections to all over the US and not have to fly via NYC