Goodbye UCDS?

Just spied this on the news banner - looks like the Dream Suite is being yanked from the A330s!

http://www.runwaygirlnetwork.com/2015/1 ... eam-suite/

Little sad to see as I always found them comfortable enough, but given the wider view that it's an inferior product (as well as complaints and general ill-feeling among the crew) perhaps it's for the best.

If true it will be interesting to see how this is achieved - a simple refit would mean losing around 8 seats - a new UC cabin behind the bar perhaps like on 343.

I believe it will be a loss of 3 or 4 seats, I can't quite remember what I was told!

Shame not even flown it. I have flown on the A330 but it had no upper class back then just premium economy in it's place. I believe I saw Nick Lusardi say somewhere that it helps add 3 additional seats over the original upper class product. So that would drop it down to 30 upper class seats. What I want to know is how are they going to pull this refit off because when the did the LGW refit they used the A330 as a stop gap. Think we could see some aircraft changes for shore maybe a 787 will run the ATL route for a wile. I use the MAN to ATL flight the most so would like to see that happen only time will tell.

on the one hand it's nice if seating improves, but if the number of UC seats is reduced there'll presumably be that many fewer UC reward seats available

on the one hand it's nice if seating improves, but if the number of UC seats is reduced there'll presumably be that many fewer UC reward seats available

That was my first thought! I'll be watching this change over with interest.

Any update on refit schedule?

I'd be interested as well. I'm flying back from the US in 1A on 5 August but guessing it will still be the UCDS config. Will be interesting to compare with the original product as I've not flown UC in the A330 before.

I seem to remember someone saying that they were scheduled to begin in October. Whether that is still the case who can say!

I am not due to fly on the 330 until May 17 so will keep a look out for updates

The pessimist in me thinks the Brexit vote has lowered the chances of any major investment by VS so this project may not materialise. Hopefully I'm wrong.

A key indicator will be the Farnborough airshow next week. Everyone's expecting VS to announce its order for A350s to replace the LGW 747s. But SRB suggested a couple of weeks ago that a major Virgin Group deal had been cancelled because of Brexit. Was it that? We'll see. Again, hopefully not.

It was nothing Virgin Atlantic related. It was the acquisition of a company.

The first aircraft is booked in for October. All 330s apart from 2 at gatwick will be done by next summer. The 787 won't fly from MAN in near future as MAN based crew are not trained on it