A330 Old Config J seating

[tuapekastar]

I'm off to PER on Friday and at this stage appear to have the old config A330 outbound -|) and the new one inbound )).

My understanding in the past has been that on the old config seat 2E was never allocated. This, from memory (and that's the basis on which I'm querying this) has been borne out by 2E being 'occupied' on seat maps yet unoccupied when I've sat in 2D. I selected 2D on the basis that I read somewhere that 2E was never allocated, but currently not able to find the same reference, and am a little unsure if that ever was/still is the case.

Does anyone else have experience/knowledge of this? I like 2D because of the empty middle seat (that I have so far had) but would equally dislike it if 2E was actually occupied.

 

[wenglock.mok]

Strangely enough, everytime I've gotten the old config A332, it's shown 2E as being occupied and it really is occupied (with nobody in 2D or 2F) when we got on. I was also under the impression that they were not going to sell the middle seat but I might have been wrong.

 

[jhamill]

I did two flights on the 330 last week in and out on perth.I am not sure if it was the same physical aircraft, but both times the middle seats were empty. they have a tray arrangement over the seat. I reckon it's more like premium economy seats than business, but at least it's only 4-5 hours.

I'm off to PER on Friday and at this stage appear to have the old config A330 outbound -|) and the new one inbound )).

My understanding in the past has been that on the old config seat 2E was never allocated. This, from memory (and that's the basis on which I'm querying this) has been borne out by 2E being 'occupied' on seat maps yet unoccupied when I've sat in 2D. I selected 2D on the basis that I read somewhere that 2E was never allocated, but currently not able to find the same reference, and am a little unsure if that ever was/still is the case.

Does anyone else have experience/knowledge of this? I like 2D because of the empty middle seat (that I have so far had) but would equally dislike it if 2E was actually occupied.

 

[DJSYD81]

Um we are talking Virgin here not the Jetstar config Qantas A330s.

Each time I have been on the Virgin A330 with the old config, the middle seats have been empty.

 

[Noob]

I did two flights on the 330 last week in and out on perth.I am not sure if it was the same physical aircraft, but both times the middle seats were empty. they have a tray arrangement over the seat. I reckon it's more like premium economy seats than business, but at least it's only 4-5 hours.

This one?

 

[ataline]

I flew MEL-PER last week on the old A330 - the middle seat was taken. There was only 1 spare seat in J and that was at the back.

I agree - the older A330's J product is more like premium economy.

 

[TonyHancock]

I agree - the older A330's J product is more like premium economy.

Not sure I would agree with that. The older J is not as nice as the new, but it is significantly better that the Y+ seats on some of the QF A330's.

 

[ataline]

Haven't experienced the QF Y+, but have Air NZ's premium economy. Think it's definitely similar. Not comparing apples with apples of course. I think the problem is that I travelled on the new A330 J product before the old, so I expected more.

 

[Moopere]

I flew MEL-PER last week on the old A330 - the middle seat was taken. There was only 1 spare seat in J and that was at the back.

I agree - the older A330's J product is more like premium economy.

Really? Thats weird. I thought that the 3 way middle seats only had 2 IFE screens between them. How does this work when there are 3 pax in there?

I loved the old 330 seating coming as I was off the back of mainly QF 767's But for sure the new A330 J seating is superior.

 

[tuapekastar]

Really? Thats weird. I thought that the 3 way middle seats only had 2 IFE screens between them. How does this work when there are 3 pax in there?

I loved the old 330 seating coming as I was off the back of mainly QF 767's But for sure the new A330 J seating is superior.

There are only 2 seatback IFE screens for row 2 in the old config, as row 1 only has 2 centre seats (as you clearly know ), but I think there is a screen in the armrest for 2E.

Thanks for the replies...my past 4 flights on these old config planes have had maybe 6 or 7 pax in J at most, so I've left myself in 2D for the moment and will check the map later in the week. And I agree with TonyHancock that even the 'old' seating config on the VA 330 is noticeably better than any PE product. The pitch is brilliant!

 

[dk4]

I flew MEL-PER last week on the old A330 - the middle seat was taken. There was only 1 spare seat in J and that was at the back.

I have also been on one flight where someone was "actually" sitting in the row 2 middle seat, on the old configuration (i.e. the first row of 3, behind the row of 2 in front of it as below).

and similarly to you it was a full flight as below (except one seat - and that seat ended up being middle at the back i.e. platinum alley on the old config).

I agree - the older A330's J product is more like premium economy.

Please advise which domestic airline markets a 60 inch seat pitch as Premium Economy, 'cause I'll fly them!

The reverse reality is, the only airline marketing a "Premium Economy" seat as "Business Class", on Wide Body aircraft within Australia, is Qantas Group.

Virgin is the market leader Coast to Coast. It is quite simply, the best domestic business class configuration - and while IMO the new seats as below are better then the old

Either of the Virgin configurations, fit just 4 rows of seats, into the same space (on the same aircraft type) that Qantas P.E. (sold & priced as Business) jams in 6.

 

[under the radar]

Get them while you can...just been looking at various dates/months on the MEL/PER run... and March - Sept 2013 the 737 makes a very prominent and regular scheduled appearance

 

[drewbles]

Get them while you can...just been looking at various dates/months on the MEL/PER run... and March - Sept 2013 the 737 makes a very prominent and regular scheduled appearance

JB has said by end of the year it'll be A330's only from PER to MEL/SYD and vv. Perhaps one of the 330's is going in for maintenance, so it's probably just temporary (indeed around Christmas time, it's all 330's as I have to book at trip back there).

 

[oz_mark]

Could also be that the timetabling after March isn't completed yet.

 

[ajw373]

I flew MEL-PER last week on the old A330 - the middle seat was taken. There was only 1 spare seat in J and that was at the back.

I agree - the older A330's J product is more like premium economy.

It is a DOMESTIC offering.

 

[dk4]

I knew I had a pic somewhere, so please compare the Qantas Group (dual brand-hot swap) A330 Business Class cabin (picture shows the seats and trimmings in Jetstar motif, but just change the colours around and presto - welcome aboard Qantas domestic business class)...

Qantas Group A330 Business Class (latest config, hot swappable between QF Domestic & JQ International)
with

Virgin Australia A330 Business Class (latest config, DJ Domestic )

 

[dsotm]

Flying with the family MEL/PER on Boxing Day in J and I hope the the config is the new one.

 

[hobo]

How can you tell prior to your flight if it's the new A330 or the old one?

 

[dsotm]

How can you tell prior to your flight if it's the new A330 or the old one?

I think you cant know until you check your seat allocation 14 days before departure. The old ones have an "extra" seat in the middle.

 

[hobo]

ah makes sense now

So it's 14 days before departure, that we get given the option to select seats? I think this is the first time i've made a booking so far in advance!