Main VS 787 Thread

G-VYUM is ready for delivery

Customer acceptance test flight took place yesterday (7 May). Wonder how big the snag list is.

Just been informed that my Jan 16 LHR-LAX VS7 has been downgraded from 787-9 to 346, how very disappointing. Any ideas why anybody?

According to http://www.routesonline.com/news/29/bre ... perations/

Having been scheduled for a 789 this summer, the VS7/8 will revert to an A346 throughout the Winter 15 timetable (25 Oct - 26 Mar). It was supposed to switch back to a 789 from 16 Jan but now won't.

VS are clearly still tinkering with the 789 routes as Boeing appear to be behind schedule with their delivery.

According to http://www.routesonline.com/news/29/bre ... perations/

Having been scheduled for a 789 this summer, the VS7/8 will revert to an A346 throughout the Winter 15 timetable (25 Oct - 26 Mar). It was supposed to switch back to a 789 from 16 Jan but now won't.

VS are clearly still tinkering with the 789 routes as Boeing appear to be behind schedule with their delivery.

Tell me about it ! ,I've 2 bookings that were 789s at time of booking which got changed yesterday to 333s ,not impressed really

The moral of the story is never book a flight based purely on aircraft type!

The moral of the story is never book a flight based purely on aircraft type!

Ha ha I know GS !
I guess I should know better but I had had a drink , I was always a bit sceptical about the Dubai flight anyway but I thought the NYC one would be safe , hey ho at least it will probably stop me from doing a silly priced upgrade to UC

Thanks for the explanation guys, shame though, any ideas on the duration of the delays and when the A340-600 will finally leave the fleet?

How bad is the 346 these days?

Thanks for the explanation guys, shame though, any ideas on the duration of the delays and when the A340-600 will finally leave the fleet?

How bad is the 346 these days?

Nothing wrong with them whatsoever, certainly the ones I've flown on have all been in good condition (especially compared to the 744s)

^ +1

True the IFE isn't the latest touchscreen version and the UC cabin feels too big IMHO but give me one over an A330 any day!

I may be wrong but I suspect they'll be around for a good while yet.

Bloody annoyed to see that my DXB flights next Feb have been switched to a 343.
Any thoughts on the likelehood of this switching back to the coveted 787 before then

(First post here, hope I am doing this OK...)

I fly to/back from BOS from LHR once/twice a year. A couple a weeks ago I took a trip (first time in UC!) and we were on a VS 787; I've just booked the next trip for December/January and the seat layout is showing it's a A330. Is there any reason why VS would had reverted back to an older model of plane for this route? Thanks!

Bloody annoyed to see that my DXB flights next Feb have been switched to a 343.

Really? I thought they'd all left the fleet now. Do you mean an A346 or an A333?

I fly to/back from BOS from LHR once/twice a year. A couple a weeks ago I took a trip (first time in UC!) and we were on a VS 787; I've just booked the next trip for December/January and the seat layout is showing it's a A330. Is there any reason why VS would had reverted back to an older model of plane for this route? Thanks!

Hi and welcome.

I'm guessing here but BOS was a good route on which to introduce the 789 because it's short with long layovers at each end, allowing plenty of recovery time in the event of a tech problem.

Now it's proved itself, and the 789 fleet's steadily expanding, VS is moving it on to the mid & long haul routes it was intended for. The A333, which has no crew rest, is better suited to the short east coast hops.

As I said above though, over the next couple of years as the 789s continue to come on stream and the 747s (and maybe A346s) start to be phased out, we can expect a lot of chopping and changing and it would be very unwise to book a flight based purely on aircraft type.

[Darren Wheeler]

Bloody annoyed to see that my DXB flights next Feb have been switched to a 343.

Really? I thought they'd all left the fleet now. Do you mean an A346 or an A333?

G-VSUN left the UK today, Gatwick to Lourdes as VS819 and G-VELD left yesterday. Dubai is far more likely to be on a A333.

(First post here, hope I am doing this OK...)
Is there any reason why VS would had reverted back to an older model of plane for this route? Thanks!

3-off A330s delivered 2011, refurbed into 3-class config 2014
7-off A330s delivered end 2012.

They're not that old!

My bad, a 333 it is. So at least a modern-ish plane, but not the 787 I was shooting for

Makes me chuckle when people talk about old planes in the context of VS, who's fleet is around virtually all less than 10 years old. However BA are flying many 747's over 20 years old!

Makes me chuckle when people talk about old planes in the context of VS, who's fleet is around virtually all less than 10 years old. However BA are flying many 747's over 20 years old!

And you can tell though they are getting rid of many and refurbing a few of them.

Oldest BA 747 was delivered in Feb 1990 and youngest delivered in April 1999, Virgins first 747-400 was delivered in April 1994, last October 2003
BA average fleet age: 12years (if exclude short/medium haul its more like 14.79 years)
VS average fleet age (exl little red): 9.33 years

Bloody annoyed to see that my DXB flights next Feb have been switched to a 343.

Really? I thought they'd all left the fleet now. Do you mean an A346 or an A333?

G-VSUN left the UK today, Gatwick to Lourdes as VS819 and G-VELD left yesterday. Dubai is far more likely to be on a A333.

My Feb booking to Dubai has just changed to an A333

My December LHR to JNB flight is still showing as a 787-9, waiting for that to change.... if it does!

My December LHR to JNB flight is still showing as a 787-9, waiting for that to change.... if it does!

I think that may stay like it is , it was always the intention to use the 789s on longer routes like that I believe , they just started them on shorter routes like Boston etc to 'run them in ' so to speak

one of the previous posters had mentioned that the staff board said the 787 wouldnt be used on the JNB route this winter but I havent seen anything from virgin publicly which is why I am keeping a close eye on this thread

G-VYUM is on its way to LHR

http://flightaware.com/live/flight/VIR827

Hi

I've seen mentioned on here that 7A/K have no window - can someone please confirm? - had put myself in 7 but just moved to 9 on that basis (1 thru 6 and 8 already taken). Seat Guru doesn't reflect this.

Is the 787 standard on the DEL now or do I still have a chance of ending up on a 333 in July?

Behind the seat there is no window.

Flew on 787 on Monday and my other half had no window behind her in 7A