Virgin Atlantic

[Jerry]

Very true - good point. Obviously UA offer business class to EWR, but not many. We think an equipment change is in the works but there is no concrete evidence of this.

Unless they send up an A340 then anything else would mean a cut in business class seats on an important business route. Another temporary option could be Delta send one or two of their retiring 747s over maybe.

 

[Land23R]

So MCO only daily, or a blank day with double on one day?
That would certainly be a drop in capacity, wouldn't it?

 

[Dobbo]

I don't see DL jumping in, but they did in ATL last year so you may be right!

 

[Jerry]

I don't see DL jumping in, but they did in ATL last year so you may be right!

I'm pretty sure that Delta are ending their EWR-AMS route so it could be possible they could take over Virgins EWR-LHR route and then VS can keep the A330 300 for MAN-JFK. It's only speculation on my part but could be good for both.

 

[Coathanger16]

Unless they send up an A340 then anything else would mean a cut in business class seats on an important business route.

A Virgin A340 was flown from storage in Toulouse to somewhere in China the other day (presumably its the place where Virgin do their maintenance - can't remember where though). I suspect the A340's will stay at LHR, and maybe if Virgin have any more in storage that may free up some more A330's for MAN.

Using Delta 747s seems like a no brainer to me. Surely it'd be better for Virgin to use them until the RR issue is sorted than for them to be retired?

 

[billboy80]

August JFK flights are scheduled, on most days at least for a 747. July JFK flights currently on an A330-300. The fact PE is still bookable on these flights suggests JFK will be either a 747 or A330-300. It looks potentially like in the peak school summer holidays (August) we will see 3 x 747's, (2 x MCO and 1 x JFK/LAS) and 2 A330-200's (1 x ATL and 1 x BOS/SFO) and June/July 1 x A330-300 (JFK), 2 x 747-400 (MCO/LAS) and 2 A330-200's (ATL/BOS). Just guesswork from looking at what is bookable. It very much looks like the MAN/LGW/GLA/BFS Beach fleet remains and the A330-200 will be an addition to it. LHR will be the only airport to not see it in action unless absolutely necessary

 

[Jerry]

A Virgin A340 was flown from storage in Toulouse to somewhere in China the other day (presumably its the place where Virgin do their maintenance - can't remember where though). I suspect the A340's will stay at LHR, and maybe if Virgin have any more in storage that may free up some more A330's for MAN.

Using Delta 747s seems like a no brainer to me. Surely it'd be better for Virgin to use them until the RR issue is sorted than for them to be retired?

Delta's 747s also have a big business cabin which would be ideal for JFK as cutting the business seats by half on that route seems commercially silly to me.
I believe Delta's 747s are currently doing a farewell tour so it'll be interesting to see where they end up.

 

[michael]

Moderators please amend if necessary;
Taken from the website www.thevssource.com,
Virgin Atlantic A340-600 G-VNAP Returns from Storage, Positions to Manila Maintenance.
Dec 13, 2017

Withdrawn Virgin Atlantic A340-600 G-VNAP, which has been in storage at Lourdes since February 24th 2015, positioned Lourdes – Manila for maintenance this afternoon prior to a return to service. The aircraft has been purchased outright by the airlines from the lessor.

 

[Land23R]

Thank you Jerry & billboy80 for your input. Perhaps it's a variance from early summer to peak summer, but Jerry has 7 weekly MCO and billboy80 reckons 2 B747s required for the route which suggests at least 10 weekly, probably more. Sorry to go on about this but in trying to gauge Virgin's overall summer schedules and capacity for MAN, it could prove significant.

I guess until Virgin can really clarify how long the A332s are here and when retrofitting with PE is happening, and schedules are firmly set for the whole summer, we shan't have a clear picture.

 

[Jerry]

It looks like in June MCO starts at 7 weekly then goes to 9 weekly. In July it's 10 weekly and August it's 11 weekly by the looks of it.

 

[Jerry]

Virgin Atlantic has become the first airline to provide a fully accessible inflight entertainment system for passengers with sight loss, this will allow people to enjoy the full range of onboard entertainment via special iPads.
http://www.heathrownews.com/2017/12...loss-passenger-inflight-entertainment-system/

 

[Dobbo]

Looks like two of the A333 will be based at LGW. Not sure where this leaves MAN, but I suppose one A332 can run SFO/BOS, and the second a mix of BGI/XXX with 2x B744 and perhaps an A333 covering the rest...

https://www.routesonline.com/news/3...ntic-outlines-a330-200-london-network-in-s18/

 

[ethanegcc]

So, from what I can see, the March-mid May schedule looks like this:

MAN-JFK daily - Airbus A330-200
MAN-ATL daily - Airbus A330-200
MAN-MCO 12-weekly - Boeing 747-400
MAN-LAS 2-weekly - Boeing 747-400
MAN-BGI - 2-weekly - Boeing 747-400

Then mid-May to June schedule looks like this:
MAN-JFK daily - Airbus A330-200
MAN-ATL daily - Airbus A330-200
MAN-MCO 10-weekly - Boeing 747-400
MAN-LAS 2-weekly - Boeing 747-400
MAN-BGI - 2-weekly - Airbus A330-200
MAN-BOS - 2-weekly - Airbus A330-200
MAN-SFO - 3-weekly - Airbus A330-200

Then June looks like this:
MAN-MCO - 9-weekly - Boeing 747-400
MAN-BGI - 2-weekly - Airbus A330-200
MAN-BOS - 2-weekly - Airbus A330-200
MAN-SFO - 3-weekly - Airbus A330-200
MAN-JFK - daily - Boeing 747-400
MAN-ATL - 6-weekly - Airbus A330-200

Although that seems to change again looking at a random date in August. Phew...

 

[Land23R]

Are you saying there are no LAS flights in June?
Based on your 3 time frames, March-mid May is 30 flights per week; Mid May-June is 33 and June only 29 a week.
I think another poster had MCO at 10/11 weekly in peak season.

It does suggest though that 5 a/c would only be required for part of the week over at least part of the summer. And in the circumstances, Virgin can't really afford to have a/c idle for several days. How that works out in terms of seats is another matter.

 

[ethanegcc]

No, LAS should be there in June, at two-weekly 747. MCO is up to 12-weekly in peak week (August)

 

[ethanegcc]

I'll do a full look at Jul, Aug, Sept etc. tomorrow

 

[Dobbo]

I suppose the A332 at LGW rather puts a hole in the "MAN specific fleet" theory/rumour - in the short term at least.

Perhaps 2019 and beyond will see more A332 and the A333's returning, but for now we probably should be pleased about the broad retention of capacity and frequency.

Ps - I'm not so sure SFO/BOS is year round just yet!

 

[ethanegcc]

Interesting also that I noted in June, JFK is showing as daily 747!

 

[ethanegcc]

It seems July remains broadly similar to June.

August:
MAN-MCO - 12-weekly - Boeing 747-400
MAN-ATL- 6-weekly - 3-weekly Airbus A330-300, 3-weekly Boeing 747-400
MAN-JFK - daily - 4-weekly Boeing 747-400, 3-weekly A330-300
MAN-SFO - 3-weekly - Airbus A330-300
MAN-BOS - 2-weekly - Airbus A330-300
MAN-BGI - 2-weekly - Airbus A330-300
MAN-LAS - 2-weekly -Boeing 747-400

So the -300 returns in August?!
September is identical, except MCO is only 9-weekly.

 

[ethanegcc]

Also, the first A330-200 are to be:
G-VWND Scarlet o'Hara
G-VMIK Honky Tonk Woman
G-VMNK Daydream Believer

from V-Flyer forum