Upper on the A332??

Good evening.

Question for a one-time regular who's been away so long he's completely lost track of all things VS:

Is UC on the A332 as bad as it appears to be? Because from what I'm seeing online, it looks truly awful...

Asked a similar question the other day:

viewtopic.php?f=4&t=299387

Good grief - thought you’d sent sent to the colonies old chap ! Glad to see you back here ..
Tizer and Chunky Monkey must be old enough now to support you and Mrs Vipond in your dotage .Hopefully the oldies are still going strong?
Can’t help you with the query ( my travel these days is primarily Eastbound as Mr DL is Oz based) but can we have a TR ( anything) from the master ( pretty please.......)
DL

Asked a similar question the other day:

viewtopic.php?f=4&t=299387

Thanks, Mike. Much as I thought...

Good grief - thought you’d sent sent to the colonies old chap !

Hello DL. They haven't managed to get rid of me yet. Still buggering on, as they say. Delighted to see you're doing much the same. Trying to get out to Barbados to celebrate my forthcoming 'significant' birthday (don't ask), but struggling with the offerings from a somewhat lacklustre VS.

Tizer is 14 and insufferable (though we still love her so). Monkey turned 6 yesterday and appears to have no 'off' switch. Must say I miss you and the old V-Flyer gang; many good times (and much rambling) was had...

Tizer 14 years of age?

I still remember the TR where you took her for a walk around the plane from the rarified admosphere of Upper to econimy where she proclaimed - in loud voice - that the cabin smelt of eggs.

Personally I don't mind the 332 UC.

It isn't long enough (6ft6 my legs hang off the end!)

The cabin feels enclosed / claustrophobic and there is no bar.

But...the IFE is way better than the 333s. Seat reclining to bed without flip-over is great. Seat very comfy. You can look out the window without cricking your neck. And if you have a window seat it feels almost like your own little suite. I had 3 Windows all to myself if I recall correctly. Much more private than the herringbone.

All in...I'm ok with it. Would choose the 333 if the choice existed because we like the bar, but on the route we fly it doesn't. It's still a country mile better than BA club. We are happy with what we get for the ticket price and will continue to fly on them. I think the photos make it look a lot worse than it is.

Just make sure you get a window seat. Being next to the aisle on our first flight on a 332 was a mistake I won't make again.

[mitchja]

Yep, the A332 IFE screen is actually very good and comes in second place now beaten only by the newest A350 IFE. Way better screen than the A333 or the B789 IFE.

Tizer 14 years of age?

I still remember the TR where you took her for a walk around the plane from the rarified admosphere of Upper to econimy where she proclaimed - in loud voice - that the cabin smelt of eggs.

14 with an attitude to match. Remember far too well when she told the entire economy cabin it smelt. Didn't hang around long....

Thanks for the different perspective, Christo. The IFE sounds good, but worry about the claustrophobic nature of the cabin for 9 hours with a 6-year-old in tow. The only alternative would be BA Club, so stuck behind a rock and a hard place really.

Yep, the A332 IFE screen is actually very good and comes in second place now beaten only by the newest A350 IFE. Way better screen than the A333 or the B789 IFE.

Hello James. Nice to see you're still alive and flying! As I said to Christo, my worry is the smallness of the cabin, and the fact that our 6-year-old will feel a bit isolated/trapped. Wish they were still doing the old-style 747s out of MAN...

[mitchja]

Thanks. Nice to see you again too

I've only flown the A332's twice. I was in a window seat both ways (3A) and the seat did feel very isolated from everyone else. I cannot comment on any other seat though sorry.

Here are some pics of 3A I took on the day flight on one of the A332's when I flew to BOS last year :

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IMG_0022.jpeg (1.59 MiB) Viewed 882 times

IMG_0023.jpeg (1.86 MiB) Viewed 882 times

IMG_0031.jpeg (1.8 MiB) Viewed 882 times

All in...I'm ok with it. Would choose the 333 if the choice existed because we like the bar, but on the route we fly it doesn't.

Unless we see it in the leisure config A350's, I think the bar's days are numbered. The neo's will probably have a Loft like the A350's and I can see the 787's following suit when the time comes to refurbish them.

[mitchja]

I really don’t mind the bar itself going......just as long as VS do carry on with their communal space area somewhere in the J cabin like the current loft on the A350’s.

IMHO just being able to get up from your seat and just get a little change of scenery for a while during the flight really breaks up a long flight and makes it pass quicker.

Thanks for the pics, James. Given me useful food for thought...

I really don’t mind the bar itself going......just as long as VS do carry on with their communal space area somewhere in the J cabin like the current loft on the A350’s.

IMHO just being able to get up from your seat and just get a little change of scenery for a while during the flight really breaks up a long flight and makes it pass quicker.

Couldn't agree more on that.

The bar seats on the 333 and 789 are not comfortable to sit on for a long period of time, but it is nice to stand around and chill there. I had a meal with a colleague on the A340 bar which has much better seats and he was thrilled with the novelty of it all.