"heap of junk" = hardly appropriate.
An A343 is still VERY MUCH a "current" aircraft and newer than a lot of other airlines average fleet! Beyond this, J2000 STILL beats
many International Business Class products flying today.
Although I feel it's correct that VS should compensate passengers who were expecting the Suite product when this plane is substituted (assuming operational reasons), would your colleagues have preferred not getting to their destination at all that day over having to endure the
nightmare which must have ensued for them being sat in a relatively pleasant environment for 10 hours...?
UCS is a great product - but let's not forget, J2000 was also pretty good in its day, and as I say, STILL beats many other airlines' products still in the sky.