A330 Refit Begins

Think you're going to be right as our config is still showing 1-1-1 but as we are flying from Manchester in 3 weeks I don't think it will stay that way, still showing only 12 seats booked though so might not be too busy if it is the old layout, or am I clutching at straws

You might be alright
Depends what happens when Champagne Belle returns to service
I am still hopeful for 18/7 SFO>MAN ( which is showing no reservable seats remaining on the seat map now).

We're on VS137 next Wednesday, 28 June, still in our chosen seats, and VS26 on 22 July, again still our chosen seats and both are showing 1-1-1.

Fingers crossed they stay that way.

Wonder if the new config means no ghastly Gardet?????

I had two flights on the new config last month and the champagne was Canard Duchêne, Cuvée Léonie

However, I doubt this only applies to the new config. Hopefully all UC flights no longer serve Gardet.

Ok, so old version versus new. I'll be on the new one in August (hopefully, they've switched back and forth about three times so far).

I found the old one not _that_ bad. I'd not avoid flying to a destination because of a A330. It was claustrophobic (something which flying always is to me, but Upper/Business mitigates that). The shoulders were always too narrow, footstool a bit small, but mainly the corridor was horribly narrow.

Now with the refit everyone seems happy. Yet, I hear it's only lost one seat from the last one, and pictures to me show it looking as narrow down the aisle as the pre refit version. It was bad enough trying to avoid feet on any VS plane, but it was a very delicate operation going to the loo in the middle of the flight on an A330 previously...

Anyone flown the new one, and can say if the aisle has got better? A lot better?

I didn't have an issue with the aisle width, when flying the refit A330 out/back to St Lucia last month. Plenty of space in both aisles, but can't compare it to the 1-2-1 config, which was supposed to narrower, and naturally, with it being 4 seats wide.

I am flying to NYC at the end of July

Out is showing an A333 in a 1-2-1 layout, back is a 789 which obviously has the new layout.
I hope they keep it this way, if they do i'll do a trip report and be able to comment on new vs. old layouts.

PS if anyone is on VS9 on the 27th July that is in ECONOMY or PE that wants a guest into the lounge let me know. Same applies to VS4 on the 30th July.

Converted
SXY LUV GEM VINE

Not converted

KSS RAY NYC UFO GBR WAG

Thanks!

So a 40% chance of landing a converted aircraft at this point.

Depends on your route really
Much higher chance on some and much lower on others
Good luck

Welcome to the forum Nick. Do you mean seats? If so there are 31 on the refitted A330s, those with the Dream Suite have 33.

Ah, haven't noticed your answer. Thanks! And yes, I meant seats

Converted
SXY LUV GEM VINE

Not converted

KSS RAY NYC UFO GBR WAG

Thanks!

So a 40% chance of landing a converted aircraft at this point.

Isn't KSS converted too (very recently)?

No the new parts didn't arrive in time while she was undergoing maintenance so she couldn't be refitted as scheduled. She's.booked back in later in the year.

That is unfortunate was relying on thevssource.com tracking the version that was used .....

Vs77 still showing as 1-1-1 for the 17th, but not holding out much hope as Mondays VS77 changed to 1-2-1 yesterday.

Still really looking forward to our UC debut and I'm sure it will be a fantastic experience whichever aircraft we end up with.

9 more sleeps and still not counting

VINE is on her way home from Xiamen.

And G-VINE landed at LHR this afternoon.

I, like others posting who have posted here, hope G-VINE ends up based in MAN and is on the MAN-SFO-MAN route in September.

I am hoping for some feedback from people who've experienced the switch from the new A330 seat configuration to the original seat configuration a few days before departure. Do all seats become open? Or does VS assign seats to passengers? If VS assigns seats, do original seat requests impact seat assignments? Our current seats from MAN to SFO in September, 8A and 9A, are decent in the new configuration but would be suboptimal in the old A330 configuration. Should I pick seats that work well with either A330 seat configuration? Seats 6A and 7A are not available on our flight, and 1A to 5A are blocked for crew rest.

That would be a sensible precaution.

There is no guarantee where VS will put you if the config changes.

Checked in online in Dubai on Tuesday and did not give option to view seats booked or change seats. Boarding pass showed completely different seats to seats originally booked. Told at airport yesterday that it was a last minute change to a refurbished 330. People complaining about seat allocation but nice plane !!

Config changed to 1 2 1 for Monday, managed to split the 5 of us up, but been back in and changed it so we are back together.

Roll on Monday

Config changed to 1 2 1 for Monday, managed to split the 5 of us up, but been back in and changed it so we are back together.

Roll on Monday

Damn shame about the change back to the 1-2-1 config, but as this is your first UC trip, I am sure you will still enjoy the experience. The problem is, if you enjoy it too much, there will be no going back to PE let alone Y in the future

Eat, drink, sleep (in a flat bed!) and be merry!

Have a great trip.

Unless I have missed this being mentioned, have there been any A330s with the new configuration ex Man yet?

Thanks Shirley honestly can't wait

Nothing ex Man yet with new config

[mitchja]

Unless I have missed this being mentioned, have there been any A330s with the new configuration ex Man yet?

G-VINE op'ed the VS128 JFK>MAN this morning so MAN finally gets a re-fitted A333

Unless I have missed this being mentioned, have there been any A330s with the new configuration ex Man yet?

G-VINE op'ed the VS128 JFK>MAN this morning so MAN finally gets a re-fitted A333

At last! Great news for 'Our Friends in the North'

James, thanks for the heads-up.

Meanwhile the 787 on Sunday that was meant to be operating the VS3 has been swapped out for an old 333 which I try to avoid at all costs. PRAYING for a last min change.