VS A346 Routes Winter schedule 19

Hi

Just looking to burn some miles in November and trying to avoid the A346 but it seems I don't need to worry as after checking various dates to USA East coast destinations including MIA & NYC they are either A330 or B787, so I did a few other VS destinations and again no A346 as far I can see, have I missed something re the retirement or is this because of the A350 coming into service?

Thanks

The A346s and the B747's will start to dissapear once the A350's start to enter the fleet on a phased basis.

Of course should there be a delay in the A350's arriving or further problems with the 787s that timetable could change and VS can still swap in the A340s.

Thanks Tonty, I was just surprised how the quick retirement schedule was being actioned, but I suppose once the A350 comes into service it will be a fairly painless process

Just a note of caution. I booked VS153/4 back in June - was an A333. Around Christmas it changed to an A346. I've heard VS load final aircraft nearer the time.

Just a note of caution. I booked VS153/4 for this May last June - was an A333. Around Christmas it changed to an A346. I've heard VS load final aircraft nearer the time.

And I thought I should check - it's changed again - now a 789 outbound but remains a 340-600 inbound. Annoying the change also scattered us to 11A and 11K, when seats are available together - why does the system do this?

[mitchja]

New York routes are notorious for switching A/C type.

A/C type is never guaranteed on any route unfortunately.

Our return flight from LAX in April has been switched from 789 to 346 :(

Flight to Nashville on 18th April had time changed a couple of months ago leaving me 3 hours 15 mins in Atlanta now the plan changed from a330 to a346 it just getting better

[mitchja]

Someone posted on A.net the other week claiming the last VS A346 flight will on November 1st this year. No idea if there's any truth in that?

There seems to be. I cannot find any VS flights served by the A346 after November. The usual suspects like NYC are a 333/789 mix, Lagos is 333 too.

hiving been subjected to a 346 for a many years but have it on return from JFK the August- why are they so bad?

I think the thing most people complain about are the small fuzzy IFE screens. Besides that I don't mind the A346s.

[mitchja]

The last 2 A346's I flew on (in 2018); different ones both had broken IFE screens in Premium (several seats in multiple rows). At least 3 or 4 iPads where handed out in just Premium alone. The Premium seats where not in great condition either with broken lumbar support in the seat I had.

The A346's also only have EmPower power points but the crew will hand out USB to EmPower adapters in both Upper Class and Premium if you ask for one which allows USB devices to be plugged in.

G-VNAP wasn't in great condition inside. Shabby washrooms and shabby cabin interior in several places. G-VWIN was in much better condition though.

G-VNAP doesn't have WiFi installed either.

I got both the retired and brought back into service A346's to/from ATL last year!!

[mitchja]

Grrrrr, just checked my VS103 flight in June and it’s just switched from an A333 to an A346. It’s not until you go and look at the seat map though does it show the change.

On the front page it still says A330-300, but the seat map now shows an A346 now

I did see the lease end dates- some were this year and some in 2020.

I wonder if they might keep a couple of aircraft as backups even if they are not in the schedules to mitigate any on going 789 issues.

As I posted elsewhere heard 747s will remain in the fleet until at least 2022.

I would expect that would almost certainly be done. GVNEW is due back into service tomorrow and should op the JNB but the summer schedule looks very intense as it really starts to kick in especially now that the LAS has cut over to a 787.

VS have stated that we will have 4 350's by the end of the year and I imagine that they will go onto LAX and SFO and keep the 346's almost exclusively on the east coast.

It makes sense to me to retain some A346 as spares, particularly where VS is in expansion mode and the B789 issues are fresh in the memory.

They may offer (like the A332) a relatively cheap means of testing the water on new routes or adding capacity (I believe they are all owned outright and not leased).

Tugpilots info re the B744s remaining to 2022 also makes sense.

By that point I expect VS to have made a decision and commitment on the replacement for the A333 and A332 fleet - either an order for new aircraft or sourcing second hand ones.

Also, it should be clearer whether LHR will be able to expand this time or not, which plainly will impact VS’s plans moving forward.

So finally confirmed that VS are retiring the A346 towards the end of the year;

https://www.aerotime.aero/merve.kara/23 ... nd-of-2019

[mitchja]

It’s interesting that VS positioned G-VYOU back to LGW earlier this week after sending her to Newquay for ‘storage’ a few months ago.

[buns]

It’s interesting that VS positioned G-VYOU back to LGW earlier this week after sending her to Newquay for ‘storage’ a few months ago.

I wonder if she will be utlisied for shipping over NFL Teams in October /November

buns

It’s interesting that VS positioned G-VYOU back to LGW earlier this week after sending her to Newquay for ‘storage’ a few months ago.

Anyone know whether this is a fleet exit or return to service?

[mitchja]

VS have just extended their A346's flights until least Dec 8th now; posted today via Routesonline:

London Heathrow – Delhi 29OCT19 – 31OCT19 (Delhi departs the following day)
London Heathrow – New York JFK
VS003/004 27OCT19 – 02NOV19 Day 67
VS045/046 27OCT19 – 08DEC19 Daily (Except selected dates between 27OCT19 and 05NOV19; 19NOV19 from JFK operates as VS138)
VS009/010 29OCT19

VS have just extended their A346's flights until least Dec 8th now; posted today via Routesonline:

London Heathrow – Delhi 29OCT19 – 31OCT19 (Delhi departs the following day)
London Heathrow – New York JFK
VS003/004 27OCT19 – 02NOV19 Day 67
VS045/046 27OCT19 – 08DEC19 Daily (Except selected dates between 27OCT19 and 05NOV19; 19NOV19 from JFK operates as VS138)
VS009/010 29OCT19

I would have thought if they're extending A340 flying into December they may as well extend it to the end of the Festive period and enter January (typically a quiet time of the year for flying demand) without the A340's in the fleet for the first time in over 25 years,

It would seem it’s RR 787 engine issues that are being cited as the reason for the A340’s stay of execution into December...

https://www.flightglobal.com/news/artic ... a3-461002/