Old Apr 5, 2018, 3:58 am
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Last edit by: Globaliser
Mid-J 747 Refurbishments
In April 2018 BA announced that they had started a programme to refurbish the cabins on the Mid-J 747-400 fleet. In January 2020, this programme was completed.

As part of the refurbishment all of the aircraft involved have undergone a basic refresh which consisted of:

* Full aircraft deep clean
* Seats in WT/WTP refurbished with new seat foams and cushions as on Super Hi-J aircraft

9 of the aircraft received an ENHANCED refurbishment to bring the cabin up to the same standard as the Super Hi-J 747-400 fleet. This consisted of what is listed above plus:

* New carpets fitted throughout
* All curtains replaced
* New Panasonic IFE fitted in all classes

Note: It was initially believed that the enhanced refurbishment included LED mood lighting throughout, but this is not the case. All retained standard lighting. There were no plans to install WiFi to any Mid-J configured 747-400 aircraft.
Refurbishment Progress
Note: Aircraft that have undergone an ENHANCED refurbishment are shown in red

Aircraft are listed below in the order that they were refurbished and show return to service date, along with retirement date where applicable.

G-CIVM - 03 April 2018 - Retired 16 Mar 2020
G-CIVN - 22 April 2018 - Retired 16 Apr 2020
G-CIVD - 28 June 2018 - Retired 8 August 2020
G-CIVO - 14 October 2018 - Retired 11 September 2020
G-CIVT - 11 November 2018 - Retired 3 April 2020
G-CIVA - 14 January 2019 - Retired 3 April 2020
G-CIVJ - 28 January 2019 - Retired 15 April 2020
G-CIVC - 03 March 2019 - Retired 6 November 2020
G-CIVE - 24 March 2019 - Retired 16 September 2020
G-CIVP - 08 April 2019 - Retired 21 September 2020
G-CIVL - 20 April 2019 - Retired 14 April 2020
G-CIVU - 11 October 2019
G-CIVK - 25 October 2019 - Retired 26 September 2020
G-BNLY - 24 November 2019
G-CIVB - 25 January 2020 - Retired 8 October 2020



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Mid-J 747 Cabin Refresh

Old Jan 16, 2019, 5:06 pm
  #286  
 
Join Date: Feb 2010
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Smile

Originally Posted by TraciBaker
I just discovered this great forum! I will be traveling in Nov. 2019 - LHR to PHX in Premium, Economy (I think you refer to it as WTP?) - After MUCH looking and asking--I have settled on seats 15 AB (I'd prefer 12 AB, but they won't assign bulkhead ahead) - anyway-- I am so excited--after reading thorough zillions of pages -- to have learned about the equipment names (G-CIVD, etc.) - it's fun! I have really heard bad things about the BA 747-400's - but I am encouraged to see that I have a shot at least of getting one with an updated cabin with better IFE-- although since we in Phoenix are low of the food chain for BA...I am not holding my breath. But I will hope... I was so paranoid about the old planes that I booked one leg (Going over PHX to LHR on AA- once of their 777-200s. That was not an option for me on the way home...so, I am on the 747-400 with BA. I used basoource.com to see the PHX equipment history using the tracker--that was fun--and I really enjoyed all the information shared here--you guys are MUCH nicer than the Cruise Critic forum I am on! :-)

So.... what I learned about the seats in the Premium Economy (WTP?) cabin on the 747-400 (52 WC seats) - I think all this research is PRE any refurbishing
Row 15 seats on an aisle seem to have movable armrests-- seem like no others do
Most of the foot rests seem to be broken.
IFE screens are suckey--small and 90's distorted - when working
Bathrooms are not an issue in row 15, although you are served food & drink last, but apparently there is an ability to recline well in this row (?) - oh and the Club seating Galley snacks could be easily obtained (LOL)
By all accounts the lack of movable armrests make seat feel narrower and if someone is reclined in front of you (except bulkhead of course) standing up is not happening and one must bend a great deal and awkwardly slide to get out of the seat
Generally all reports cited good legroom in all seats
Location of this cabin in apparently near to some exit stairs...so getting off first is usually talked about as a plus in what I read

Would love to hear any more you guys have on the planes used for Phoenix routes and the WTP class on the 747-400s on BA...

Cheers--Traci
I've flown 6 BA CW UD return flights from PHX and have never had a refreshed plane. After your trip, please compare the new AA flight with your BA experience for us. It's going to be a new frontier having a choice.

That said, I really have no complaints with BA. It's convenient to get on a plane, have dinner, rest a bit and arrive in London in the afternoon without changing planes! The food has been decent to good, the crew members have been friendly and helpful and my only complaint is that BA 288 and 289 seem to have a habit of departing late. The IFE is a relic but load up an iPad and all you are missing is the moving map. Be sure though to watch the safety video: it's a hoot. I would prefer to arrive at T5 since we usually connect out of there but it's not difficult to transit from T3.

I think many of the prolific posters here are very frequent fliers and, because they spend so much time in the air, differences between airline products are important to them. For many of us, these trips are an adventure and flying BA to or from PHX is about as low stress and convenient as it gets. And you get to fly on a 747!!! They ARE old but hey they won't be around forever and you will be glad to be able to say you flew on one.

Enjoy your trip! BA will be fine and in the end, I think you will be happy you have a nonstop trip home.

Last edited by drewaz; Jan 16, 2019 at 5:45 pm
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Old Jan 16, 2019, 6:43 pm
  #287  
 
Join Date: Jan 2019
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Drew--thanks so much for the good words....I will be sure to share the differences on the AA 777-200 on the way, vs. the 747-400 coming back. And yes, no stopping is a HUGE bonus. A LONG time ago I flew Virgin out of SFO )to London and got to be SUPER fancy and sit upstairs in a 747 - I think it was upper class (vs. business), I can't remember (my friend was a ticketing agent for them out of SFO and I got to go as a non-rev and he "upgraded" me) - it was FANTASTIC though! 747's are cool.
Smiles...
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Old Jan 20, 2019, 2:25 pm
  #288  
 
Join Date: May 2018
Posts: 59
Originally Posted by TCX69


Current planned cabin refresh dates:

GCIVM Complete
GCIVN Complete
GCIVD Complete
GCIVO Complete (New IFE)
GCIVT Complete (New IFE)
GCIVA 12Dec18 - 05Jan19 (New IFE)
GCIVC 06Jan19 - 24Feb19 (New IFE)
GCIVJ 08Jan- 23Jan19
GCIVE 23Mar - 12Mar19 (New IFE)
GCIVP 12Mar - 04Apr19 (New IFE)
GCIVL 04Apr - 17Apr19
GCIVU Sep19 (New IFE)
GBNLY Oct19 (New IFE)
GCIVB Dec19 (New IFE)

GCIVK TBC

didnt they forgot G-CIVG ?
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Old Jan 20, 2019, 2:37 pm
  #289  
 
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Originally Posted by Kenneth Jensen

didnt they forgot G-CIVG ?
G-CIVG is in Super Hi-J configuration and already features the updated IFE etc.
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Old Jan 20, 2019, 2:38 pm
  #290  
 
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Originally Posted by Kenneth Jensen

didnt they forgot G-CIVG ?
Don't think that's a mid-J.
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Old Jan 27, 2019, 7:33 am
  #291  
 
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Smile

I am due to fly one of these in November from Cape Town to Heathrow. Done so before and the last return flight was let down by poor ife. 3 hours frozen!

looking forward to the refurbishment!
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Old Jan 27, 2019, 10:08 am
  #292  
 
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Originally Posted by Captain Cessna
I am due to fly one of these in November from Cape Town to Heathrow. Done so before and the last return flight was let down by poor ife. 3 hours frozen!

looking forward to the refurbishment!
According to the wiki, by November, there will be 8 (from the 15 remaining) with the updated IFE.

By the way, welcome to FlyerTalk Captain Cessna, Im sure someone will be along shortly with an official welcome.
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Old Jan 27, 2019, 10:14 am
  #293  
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And I'm along with the official welcome. Welcome to Flyertalk and welcome to the BA forum in particular Captain Cessna. Hopefully you will get one of the newer IFE kits on your service, but I'd still take your own IFE just in case.....
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Old Jan 27, 2019, 11:31 am
  #294  
 
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So booked SAN-LHR in December (First). Is this normally a mid-J or High-J config? Seems one can no longer see seatmap by doing a fake booking?

On the return we are on 787-9 in F (SJC). Will monitor if I can find F out of SFO or SJC but otherwise the connection is worth it for me to get on a 747.

Did BA F round trip this last Christmas trip and we both really liked it. Yes the seat isnt Cathay but we found them very comfortable and the service was excellent!! And the FAs all super friendly.
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Old Jan 27, 2019, 11:40 am
  #295  
 
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Originally Posted by SF1K
So booked SAN-LHR in December (First). Is this normally a mid-J or High-J config? Seems one can no longer see seatmap by doing a fake booking?

On the return we are on 787-9 in F (SJC). Will monitor if I can find F out of SFO or SJC but otherwise the connection is worth it for me to get on a 747.

Did BA F round trip this last Christmas trip and we both really liked it. Yes the seat isn’t Cathay but we found them very comfortable and the service was excellent!! And the FAs all super friendly.
SAN typically gets the HI-J config, though one one flight I took, I did end up on a MID-J and yes, the IFE played up exactly as expected. That said, MID-J aircraft tend to seek me out. I got a MID-J on a LAX-LHR flight right before Christmas last year. Both MID-J flights did show up on the seating charts months before I actually flew, so at least I knew to load up the iPads.

if you want to post your flight date (or send me a PM) I can look up EF and let you know what’s currently scheduled.
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Old Jan 27, 2019, 12:03 pm
  #296  
 
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Originally Posted by Reetmafreen


SAN typically gets the HI-J config, though one one flight I took, I did end up on a MID-J and yes, the IFE played up exactly as expected. That said, MID-J aircraft tend to seek me out. I got a MID-J on a LAX-LHR flight right before Christmas last year. Both MID-J flights did show up on the seating charts months before I actually flew, so at least I knew to load up the iPads.

if you want to post your flight date (or send me a PM) I can look up EF and let you know whats currently scheduled.

Thanks. I always forget about EF. Looks like currently it is Hi J. Fingers crossed. Just for the IFE.
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Old Jan 27, 2019, 2:44 pm
  #297  
 
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Going by BA source, G-CIVJ has returned from its refresh, and was swapped with G-CIVE, though that isnt due it's major refurbish until march, so perhaps they're running ahead of schedule and dispatching this one to CWL earlier than expected?
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Old Jan 28, 2019, 10:12 pm
  #298  
 
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Originally Posted by Shenson
Going by BA source, G-CIVJ has returned from its refresh, and was swapped with G-CIVE, though that isnt due it's major refurbish until march, so perhaps they're running ahead of schedule and dispatching this one to CWL earlier than expected?
Looks like I may have the pleasure of VJ tonight CPT-LHR
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Old Jan 29, 2019, 2:37 am
  #299  
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Originally Posted by Shenson
Going by BA source, G-CIVJ has returned from its refresh, and was swapped with G-CIVE, though that isnt due it's major refurbish until march, so perhaps they're running ahead of schedule and dispatching this one to CWL earlier than expected?
Looking at the wikipost history, G-CIVJ was previously thought to be due back on 23 January 2019, so if anything the schedule has slipped slightly.

Mid-March was the planned completion date for G-CIVE, so there's nothing there either to suggest any radical change to the plans.
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Old Jan 29, 2019, 2:39 am
  #300  
 
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is CIVE just getting a paint job?
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