G-VBUG withdrawn?

Noticed that G-VBUG has been out of service at LGW since 2/21, anyone know if this is a fleet exit? Also, when will the rest of the A340s and 747s be leaving?

We’ve been moved from a 789 to 340 for our flight from LAX this April. Seems that 340’s are idown to operate the VS7/8 all summer, so they’re not going quite yet!

We are due to fly on a a340 on 2nd of August LHR - JFK and I believe is at least one other a340 operating the same route on the same day so definitely still operating up until summer

We’ve been moved from a 789 to 340 for our flight from LAX this April. Seems that 340’s are idown to operate the VS7/8 all summer, so they’re not going quite yet!

Scared me this! My July trip on 7 & 8 is still showing as a 789 albeit two hours earlier out and an hour earlier back. Much as I like the 346 I booked ex LHR in order to go on the 789 as opposed to the 332 from MAN.

Would that be for capacity increase because they used to have 3 flights a day there? If so it'll likely be an A350 route when they get them.

V Source is reporting she has....

I hate the word 'scrap' with regards to VS metal. Another keyring to order.....

http://thevssource.com/withdrawn-virgin-atlantic-a340-600-g-vbug-leaves-uk/

It's interesting that it made financial sense to resurrect G-VNAP rather than extend the lease on other 346's

Only 12 years old
https://www.airfleets.net/ficheapp/plane-a340-804.htm

Indeed, it strikes me that these A346s are really not that old, compared to the 747s say.

True, the A346's leaving the fleet are relatively young - but it's all down to economics (& end of leases). The A346's hold 308 passengers in a very J (Upper Class) heavy configuration, so are ideally suited for business-centric routes, i.e. NYC. They also have 4 engines, so are relatively expensive to operate when compared to the newer A333's & B789's - which only offer about 45 fewer seats in total.

The 744's are very J-light (only 14 Upper Class seats) but much heavier in Premium Economy & Economy - as such they are suited to the leisure routes like Orlando. Sure, they have 4 engines too, but if you saw some of the Economy fares VS can charge at peak demand times, e.g. the school holidays, you can soon work out it makes financial sense to keep them flying for now. 441 Premium & Economy seats in total on the 744's that will pretty much all sell out during the school holidays.

As she was leased then it would have been the lessors decision to scrap her and send her to San Bernadino rather than Virgins.

It was likely she was due a heavy D check - which are very expensive - so the lessor likely with no prospect of being able to lease her out again took the decision to scrap her and sell her for parts.

SImilarly, I believe G-VWIN had actually flown to the scrappers (TUP airport) by the lessors before Virgin brought her back home and she has been flying ever since.

Presuming that it's getting scrapped, what do they do with seats/interior... wouldn't mind owning a VS upper class bar

No idea about the seats & fittings - but I would imagine they are left in situ.

Normally if an aircraft is being returned to the lessor with a view to it being leased to another customer, the current lessee has to pay for a plain white exterior paint-job & any heavy maintenance check that is due. This ensures the aircraft is pretty much "good to go" to a new lessee.

A good example of this is a couple of the ex-SQ A380's that have gone to Hi Fly. They are flying in Hi Fly livery, but with the SQ seats / hard product that were acquired with the aircraft (3 class config).

I guess VS could have stripped some internal stuff from G-VBUG if the lessor agreed - but from the info on www.thevssource.com it seems the aircraft only spent a day or two at most at LGW before departing to meet it's maker. Hardly very long to remove an awful lot.

Maybe the lessor will do an eBay auction for items like the Upper Class bar that cannot be sold onto another operator with any level of ease? I dread to think what the shipping costs would be though - think I would need a LOT of stiff drinks to contemplate those costs.

I suspect G-VBUG will just be slowly broken down & parted-out / recycled. Look out for the inevitable luggage tags from the planes skin to appear in due course.

Indeed, it strikes me that these A346s are really not that old, compared to the 747s say.

Unfortunately for the A340-600, it came out at a time when a) oil prices began to rise, and b) going up against the Boeing 777-300ER which could do and carry pretty much everything an A346 could do but for less cost by virtue of having only 2 engines instead of 4.

These reasons are all still valid today, plus with older 777-300ER's becoming available on the used market combined with the aircraft still being in production, the future for A340-600's when airlines dispose of them is bleak. It's little wonder G-VNAP happened to be available when VS needed cover for the 787's after a couple of years in storage. You only really need a 4 engined aircraft for the small number of routes where an ETOPS twin jet is insufficient.

It probably made sense for VS to order them at the time due to oil being lower, A340-300's already existing in the fleet eliminating the need to introduce an all-new type with the costs that come with it and nicely plugging the capacity gap between the A343's and 747's. I have little doubt that common type rating was a factor in VS going for the A330-300's when the 787's were delayed.

The only case VS could make for keeping the owned examples long-term is if they were re-configured to close to their maximum capacity for routes such as MCO, but I can't see that happening when A350's are on order for that role and will be able to do them much more efficiently.

Good reply, thanks for the insight

She had a heavy check 6 months ago. She was out of service for a month last summer. Maybe Virgin could, if necessary, buy her from Unical Aviation before they start breaking her up, as she is still perfectly serviceable. She is still on the UK register with no change of ownership indicated.
They bought G-VWIN from the salvage company that bought her for parting out. As far as stripping out fittings goes, many aircraft leasing companies stipulate that an aircraft has to be returned in a 'Full Life' condition, regardless of its fate.