Virgin Atlantic Flying Club - Aircraft Withdrawal

According to wikipedia, with its various sources, VS is withdrawing its 4 A343s in late 2012-2013 and 4 of its A346s from Oct 2012 onwards. But Virgin don't have any aircraft orders coming soon enough to replace them
Before anyone mentions A333s, the other 3 that haven't been delivered yet are apparently supposed to be leased out to China Airlines. And in my knowledge of mathematics 2 < 8.
To confuse me further the China Airlines page only claims that 2 are on order. I'm not sure whether that's due to the VS page not being updated recently enough.

Anyone know more about what VS are planning?

The 330s start arriving next month or April (I can't remember which).

The 330s start arriving next month or April (I can't remember which).

But aren't they being leased out to China Airlines?

They're being accepted by VS from March/April.

Will SYD-HKG-LHR vv change to a A330 or will they keep the A346 for this route?

Will SYD-HKG-LHR vv change to a A330 or will they keep the A346 for this route?

I don't think a 333 has the range for the HKG-LHR sector.

I don't think a 333 has the range for the HKG-LHR sector.

The A333 has just enough range (10,830km fully loaded, LHR-HKG is 9639km) of course that does not mean that it would be suitable to operate the route.

The A333 has just enough range (10,830km fully loaded, LHR-HKG is 9639km) of course that does not mean that it would be suitable to operate the route.

It's more problematic going in the opposite direction (although maybe it could still just make it).

Edit: Actually China Southern seems to use an A333 from Guangzhou so maybe it would be possible although I can't see why it would be necessary unless VS reinstated the second service to HGK.

The A333 has just enough range (10,830km fully loaded, LHR-HKG is 9639km) of course that does not mean that it would be suitable to operate the route.

The 333 will not operate the HKG route as it has not Pilot crew rest the the flight crew would not have enough hours for it to be a 2 man operation 0- unless they reserved some UPPER seats for them but I doubt it.

http://www.breakingtravelnews.com/news/article/virgin-atlantic-to-create-500-new-jobs-in-uk/

Here it says that they are due to take delivery of seven aircraft this year?
Anyone know more, cos the wikipedia page definitely needs to be corrected.

It's more problematic going in the opposite direction (although maybe it could still just make it).

Edit: Actually China Southern seems to use an A333 from Guangzhou so maybe it would be possible although I can't see why it would be necessary unless VS reinstated the second service to HGK.

From CAN to where in Europe? I know that this summer they're starting the service to LHR with an A332, but that has less passengers and longer range.

http://www.breakingtravelnews.com/news/article/virgin-atlantic-to-create-500-new-jobs-in-uk/

Here it says that they are due to take delivery of seven aircraft this year?
Anyone know more, cos the wikipedia page definitely needs to be corrected.

Wikipedia is hardly ever accurate. There are 5 new build 333's to come to VS.

Then 2 are lased out to China Airlines and 1 to Ryan International.

What mix of those make up the 7 is anyones guess.

Wikipedia is hardly ever accurate. There are 5 new build 333's to come to VS.

Then 2 are lased out to China Airlines and 1 to Ryan International.

What mix of those make up the 7 is anyones guess.

I think Ryan international have already received theirs and China Airlines are yet to receive theirs. So I would guess that out of the 7 to be received 5 are destined for VS and 2 for China Airlines?

I think Ryan international have already received theirs and China Airlines are yet to receive theirs. So I would guess that out of the 7 to be received 5 are destined for VS and 2 for China Airlines?

China Airlines received 2 on short term lease from VS last year.

China Airlines received 2 on short term lease from VS last year.

Any sources for me to put for the wikipedia edit?

Any sources for me to put for the wikipedia edit?

G-VLUV
http://www.planespotters.net/Production_List/Airbus/A330/1206,G-VLUV-Virgin-Atlantic.php

G-VGEM
http://www.planespotters.net/Production_List/Airbus/A330/1215,B-18392-China-Airlines.php

They are in the original VS delivery configuration of

Y-W-Y

Check out last seatmap here
http://www.china-airlines.com/en/check/a330.htm

http://www.china-airlines.com/ch/check/imgs/2011a330b.jpg

Given if they just pull out Y from the front cabin on new A330 deliveries AND the new UCS is similar in size to the current one I would expect a config for the new 3 class 330's as

25J (based on 25J seats in the similar sized A340-300 front cabin)
48W
181Y

From CAN to where in Europe? I know that this summer they're starting the service to LHR with an A332, but that has less passengers and longer range.

Sorry - I was getting confused between Eastern/Shanghai and Southern/Guangzhou of which only the former is a 300.

AN_Boy makes a good point about the crew rest.

Does anyone happen to know if the current VS A333s have central overhead lockers immediately after door 2? They are missing in the PE cabin between doors 1 and 2 because of the original plan being to fit J there. I'm just concerned that the J cabin won't extend past door 2 as it does with the A343s.

Well there is now a 3 class seat map on their site

http://www.virgin-atlantic.com/en/gb/allaboutus/ourfleet/index.jsp?type=15

Not sure how accurate it is as it is showing UPPER as 1-2-1 and with 9 rows at the windows and 8 in the centre.

Given the 330 with 2 class has 8 premium eco seats at the windows and 9 in the centre it would mean a lot less room for UPPER.

so I wonder if it is accurate???

Not sure how accurate it is as it is showing UPPER as 1-2-1 and with 9 rows at the windows and 8 in the centre.

Given the 330 with 2 class has 8 premium eco seats at the windows and 9 in the centre it would mean a lot less room for UPPER.

so I wonder if it is accurate???

Yes, we're all agog - is it real, is it a smokescreen, and if it is real, what will it look like.

I don't get the conclusion about a lot less room, there are many ways that the seat / suite could be designed, perhaps a shallower angled herringbone, perhaps like CV's new business class ... EK has or used to have six across in J on their A330s so four is better than that! BUT, all we have is a map, nothing else so I for one am very keen to see ...

Yes, we're all agog - is it real, is it a smokescreen, and if it is real, what will it look like.

I don't get the conclusion about a lot less room, there are many ways that the seat / suite could be designed, perhaps a shallower angled herringbone, perhaps like CV's new business class ... EK has or used to have six across in J on their A330s so four is better than that! BUT, all we have is a map, nothing else so I for one am very keen to see ...

It could be like CX's but they only have 7 rows of seats in the same space where as VS seem to be packing in the same amount of rows (9) that they currently do on the a340-300 as well as making it an extra seat across... so I just dont get it... how can you have the same rows but fit one more across??

Which makes me think the seat map is not accurate.

Intriguing.

I hope that isn't the seat map. Small UC cabin and too many seats in it.

On closer inspection the toilets seem to have moved behind door 2 and in front of door 1 so that could free up space for extra rows.

On closer inspection the toilets seem to have moved behind door 2 and in front of door 1 so that could free up space for extra rows.

Toilets are behind doors 2 on the current Leisure 330's.

Toilets are behind doors 2 on the current Leisure 330's.

I mean that unlike the A343 there are no toilets between doors 1 and 2 which may free up the space to fit an extra seat across while keeping the same number of UC rows in the forward cabin.

So with some spare time on my hands I had a look at other A330-300 operators.

What puzzles me is how VS can fit 33 UCS AND a bar in the same area that

KLM fit 30 J seats (that are not fully flat).

Delta manage to get 34 seats 2-2-2.

So Perhaps Virgin have found a way to put bunks in :D

So with some spare time on my hands I had a look at other A330-300 operators.

What puzzles me is how VS can fit 33 UCS AND a bar in the same area that

KLM fit 30 J seats (that are not fully flat).

Delta manage to get 34 seats 2-2-2.

So Perhaps Virgin have found a way to put bunks in :D

Ot it could just be a cock-up and they put the wrong seat map up. If you compare it to the others the suites on the A330 are a lot stubbier than on the other planes.

My money is on cock-up but we'll soon find out then the new 3 class 330s actually come into service.

So with some spare time on my hands I had a look at other A330-300 operators.

What puzzles me is how VS can fit 33 UCS AND a bar in the same area that

KLM fit 30 J seats (that are not fully flat).

Delta manage to get 34 seats 2-2-2.

So Perhaps Virgin have found a way to put bunks in :D

If correct I think it's because the toilets/closets have moved out of the area between doors 2 and 1 and the bar seems to only take up two rows rather than three (as on the A343).

Ot it could just be a cock-up and they put the wrong seat map up. If you compare it to the others the suites on the A330 are a lot stubbier than on the other planes.

My money is on cock-up but we'll soon find out then the new 3 class 330s actually come into service.

Config is confirmed as 33/48/185 from a mate at VS.. so seat map is correct.

Is it possible to change the name of this thread to
'Aircraft Withdrawal + A333 info'?

Is it possible to change the name of this thread to
'Aircraft Withdrawal + A333 info'?

Info may be a bit of a strong word. :p