Apr 5, 2018, 3:58 am
Last edit by: Globaliser
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.
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-CIVU - 11 October 2019
G-BNLY - 24 November 2019
Mid-J 747 Cabin Refresh
Mar 7, 2019, 4:17 am
#346
Join Date: May 2017
Posts: 305
I've been tracking BA59 for tonight like you Hearingdouble (I'm also on it) and the good news is that Flightradar changed late last night from G-CIVP to G-CIVO - so it should be a refitted plane with new IFE.
G-CIVO arrived even earlier at 9:05am this morning from Denver- I guess that for the long layovers like that the plane is towed to engineering (I fear minimal hoovering based on the images on here) but for only just over 3 hours planes like G-CIVC will simply remain at the gate between flights.
G-CIVO arrived even earlier at 9:05am this morning from Denver- I guess that for the long layovers like that the plane is towed to engineering (I fear minimal hoovering based on the images on here) but for only just over 3 hours planes like G-CIVC will simply remain at the gate between flights.
To be honest though, this makes me all the more puzzled about frame allocation. Why would BA allow a 744 to sit unused at LHR all day? How do they choose which frames to allocate to which routes? Surely they’d want to avoid the effort of towing a frame off-stand if at all possible? Might be one for the “Ask The Staffer” thread...
Mar 7, 2019, 4:26 am
#347
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: London
Programs: Mucci. Nothing else matters.
Posts: 38,644
Mar 11, 2019, 7:26 am
#350
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: London
Programs: Mucci. Nothing else matters.
Posts: 38,644
I wonder whether the same drivers might bring her home tonight, then.
Mar 11, 2019, 9:35 am
#352
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: London, UK
Programs: BA GGL, HHonors Diamond
Posts: 910
Not a minute too soon! Flew her CPT-LHR on Saturday. IFE needed resetting twice, multiple issues trying to fast-forward and rewind also.
Mar 18, 2019, 7:12 am
#353
Join Date: May 2017
Posts: 305
For what it's worth, I ended up flying on a fully refurbished frame outbound (CIVO) and an un-refurbished frame inbound (CIVU).
To anyone reading this thread with gnawed fingernails, trying to work out whether they'll get a refurbished frame or not, I wouldn't worry too much (at least not in J). While obviously CIVO was great - just like flying on a Super-Hi J, with excellent IFE quality - both planes were equally clean and comfortable with equally good Mixed Fleet service (as usual). Lovely cool cabin temperature on both flights, too. The only thing I would say on an un-refurbished frame is to take your own entertainment -- it wasn't working on CIVU, and required multiple re-sets.
I'm guessing that the differences will be more pronounced in Y and W.
To anyone reading this thread with gnawed fingernails, trying to work out whether they'll get a refurbished frame or not, I wouldn't worry too much (at least not in J). While obviously CIVO was great - just like flying on a Super-Hi J, with excellent IFE quality - both planes were equally clean and comfortable with equally good Mixed Fleet service (as usual). Lovely cool cabin temperature on both flights, too. The only thing I would say on an un-refurbished frame is to take your own entertainment -- it wasn't working on CIVU, and required multiple re-sets.
I'm guessing that the differences will be more pronounced in Y and W.
Mar 18, 2019, 8:16 am
#354
Join Date: Nov 2017
Programs: BA Exec Gold, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 128
Looks like G-CIVE fired up for a couple of test flights over the weekend from CWL so hopefully she'll be back at LHR any day now. Off to MIA on BA207 on Thursday so the fingernails really are being gnawed as i'm in Y!
Mar 19, 2019, 4:23 pm
#356
Join Date: Mar 2019
Posts: 10
Hello everyone - I’m new to the forum but am excited about the great information available here.
It’s been 10 years since I was on a BA 747, but am flying PHX-LHR and return in mid-April. I noticed it’s going to be potluck on whether I get an Enhanced Refresh bird, but it seems likely that it will at least be a Basic Refresh. I put together a spreadsheet using Flightradar24 data about PHX-LHR aircraft distributions over the last three months. BA seems to pretty evenly distribute PHX-LHR among all of the older airframes (figures :-/ ), but that it looks like five Basic refreshes, six Enhanced and five “no-work-at-all” birds. If CIVL goes to Cardiff in April as I saw listed (and if CIVE comes back), that will take out one of the no-work-at-all’s, will add another Enhanced and make my odds better. One question I have is: CIVB (another no-work-at-all bird) has been in Dublin for about 10 days. I assume that’s a maintenance check, but I can’t find any reference online about it, nor does that mean any interior work is being done. Anything to make me feel better about flying BA right now? AA is starting PHX-LHR at the end of March (772); I kind of wish I’d known about BA’s quality issues, especially since I’m earning AA miles on BA anyway.
It’s been 10 years since I was on a BA 747, but am flying PHX-LHR and return in mid-April. I noticed it’s going to be potluck on whether I get an Enhanced Refresh bird, but it seems likely that it will at least be a Basic Refresh. I put together a spreadsheet using Flightradar24 data about PHX-LHR aircraft distributions over the last three months. BA seems to pretty evenly distribute PHX-LHR among all of the older airframes (figures :-/ ), but that it looks like five Basic refreshes, six Enhanced and five “no-work-at-all” birds. If CIVL goes to Cardiff in April as I saw listed (and if CIVE comes back), that will take out one of the no-work-at-all’s, will add another Enhanced and make my odds better. One question I have is: CIVB (another no-work-at-all bird) has been in Dublin for about 10 days. I assume that’s a maintenance check, but I can’t find any reference online about it, nor does that mean any interior work is being done. Anything to make me feel better about flying BA right now? AA is starting PHX-LHR at the end of March (772); I kind of wish I’d known about BA’s quality issues, especially since I’m earning AA miles on BA anyway.
Mar 19, 2019, 4:24 pm
#357
Join Date: Jul 2018
Location: London, UK
Programs: BAEC Gold
Posts: 1,020
Hello everyone - I’m new to the forum but am excited about the great information available here.
It’s been 10 years since I was on a BA 747, but am flying PHX-LHR and return in mid-April. I noticed it’s going to be potluck on whether I get an Enhanced Refresh bird, but it seems likely that it will at least be a Basic Refresh. I put together a spreadsheet using Flightradar24 data about PHX-LHR aircraft distributions over the last three months. BA seems to pretty evenly distribute PHX-LHR among all of the older airframes (figures :-/ ), but that it looks like five Basic refreshes, six Enhanced and five “no-work-at-all” birds. If CIVL goes to Cardiff in April as I saw listed (and if CIVE comes back), that will take out one of the no-work-at-all’s, will add another Enhanced and make my odds better. One question I have is: CIVB (another no-work-at-all bird) has been in Dublin for about 10 days. I assume that’s a maintenance check, but I can’t find any reference online about it, nor does that mean any interior work is being done. Anything to make me feel better about flying BA right now? AA is starting PHX-LHR at the end of March (772); I kind of wish I’d known about BA’s quality issues, especially since I’m earning AA miles on BA anyway.
It’s been 10 years since I was on a BA 747, but am flying PHX-LHR and return in mid-April. I noticed it’s going to be potluck on whether I get an Enhanced Refresh bird, but it seems likely that it will at least be a Basic Refresh. I put together a spreadsheet using Flightradar24 data about PHX-LHR aircraft distributions over the last three months. BA seems to pretty evenly distribute PHX-LHR among all of the older airframes (figures :-/ ), but that it looks like five Basic refreshes, six Enhanced and five “no-work-at-all” birds. If CIVL goes to Cardiff in April as I saw listed (and if CIVE comes back), that will take out one of the no-work-at-all’s, will add another Enhanced and make my odds better. One question I have is: CIVB (another no-work-at-all bird) has been in Dublin for about 10 days. I assume that’s a maintenance check, but I can’t find any reference online about it, nor does that mean any interior work is being done. Anything to make me feel better about flying BA right now? AA is starting PHX-LHR at the end of March (772); I kind of wish I’d known about BA’s quality issues, especially since I’m earning AA miles on BA anyway.
Mar 19, 2019, 4:53 pm
#359
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Arizona
Programs: BA (GGL G4L), AA (Gold), HH (Diamond); Marriott (Gold)
Posts: 3,011
Hello everyone - I’m new to the forum but am excited about the great information available here.
It’s been 10 years since I was on a BA 747, but am flying PHX-LHR and return in mid-April. I noticed it’s going to be potluck on whether I get an Enhanced Refresh bird, but it seems likely that it will at least be a Basic Refresh. I put together a spreadsheet using Flightradar24 data about PHX-LHR aircraft distributions over the last three months. BA seems to pretty evenly distribute PHX-LHR among all of the older airframes (figures :-/ ), but that it looks like five Basic refreshes, six Enhanced and five “no-work-at-all” birds. If CIVL goes to Cardiff in April as I saw listed (and if CIVE comes back), that will take out one of the no-work-at-all’s, will add another Enhanced and make my odds better. One question I have is: CIVB (another no-work-at-all bird) has been in Dublin for about 10 days. I assume that’s a maintenance check, but I can’t find any reference online about it, nor does that mean any interior work is being done. Anything to make me feel better about flying BA right now? AA is starting PHX-LHR at the end of March (772); I kind of wish I’d known about BA’s quality issues, especially since I’m earning AA miles on BA anyway.
It’s been 10 years since I was on a BA 747, but am flying PHX-LHR and return in mid-April. I noticed it’s going to be potluck on whether I get an Enhanced Refresh bird, but it seems likely that it will at least be a Basic Refresh. I put together a spreadsheet using Flightradar24 data about PHX-LHR aircraft distributions over the last three months. BA seems to pretty evenly distribute PHX-LHR among all of the older airframes (figures :-/ ), but that it looks like five Basic refreshes, six Enhanced and five “no-work-at-all” birds. If CIVL goes to Cardiff in April as I saw listed (and if CIVE comes back), that will take out one of the no-work-at-all’s, will add another Enhanced and make my odds better. One question I have is: CIVB (another no-work-at-all bird) has been in Dublin for about 10 days. I assume that’s a maintenance check, but I can’t find any reference online about it, nor does that mean any interior work is being done. Anything to make me feel better about flying BA right now? AA is starting PHX-LHR at the end of March (772); I kind of wish I’d known about BA’s quality issues, especially since I’m earning AA miles on BA anyway.
