B77W Business Class Seat Map - Updated!

[clipped_wings]

Thanks clipped_wings, we're looking to be on one of the early flights of the refurb'd birds – but out of respect for (unspoken) wishes of AFF owner and mods I'm choosing to not post links to Australian Business Traveller here on AFF... I leave that to others AFF members to do, as and when they consider it appropriate.

All good David, I know you will provide an impartial and detailed trip report that will assist newbies like me to make more informed choices, and I understand your position. I wish you a safe but exciting flight!

 

[iambents]

Seat maps on VA1 and VA2 have disappeared off Expert Flyer for the next couple of weeks again - and seat selection has been disabled for my upcoming flights in late May. Wonder if this points to yet another delay.

 

[Cruiser Elite]

We have 2 seats booked LAX-BNE-MEL Oct 4 - am really looking forward to trying VA new J - BUT - best I don't cancel the 2 X QF F seats booked same day - with these delays we might need them after all.

 

[juliusg]

Latest news is that VPD is still at Lake Charles, 7 weeks after arriving for a 5 week refit. Word is first flight April 29. This amounts to a serious delay, you'd have to wonder how the Abu Dhabi service will recover when it eventually comes back online after the fifth and final frame is fitted out - God knows when! Must be causing serious heartburn at the worst possible time, cascading international losses exactly when the share book is in critical play.

https://flightaware.com/live/flight/VHVPD

 

[Bagpuss]

you'd have to wonder how the Abu Dhabi service will recover when it eventually comes back online after the fifth and final frame is fitted out.

I wonder in VA have previously (even prior to refurb) or will consider moving an A332 onto the Abu Dhabi service. You'd have to weigh up what revenue this would bring in.
I'm totally pee'd that all my upcoming East / West coast weekday flights have been switched to the B737 (seems to have been caused for upcoming schedule changes and targeted my preferred departure times), so and arguments about keeping product consistency are awash.

 

[iambents]

Seat maps have come back and still showing Saturday 23rd with the new configuration for VA2; and still showing daily SYD-LAX from around mid-May. Given the delays on this first frame - you would think they would be a bit more conservative on given people expectations of flying on a refit when that is looking increasingly unlikely.

 

[Bagpuss]

We have 2 seats booked LAX-BNE-MEL Oct 4 - am really looking forward to trying VA new J - BUT - best I don't cancel the 2 X QF F seats booked same day - with these delays we might need them after all.

You "should" be fine.
My expectation:
1 - End April
1 - Mid June (full SYD service)
1 - End July (1 x BNE / VA2 "fall back")
1 - Mid Sep (full BNE service)
1 - End Oct (AUH return)

 

[Bagpuss]

Seat maps have come back and still showing Saturday 23rd with the new configuration for VA2; and still showing daily SYD-LAX from around mid-May. Given the delays on this first frame - you would think they would be a bit more conservative on given people expectations of flying on a refit when that is looking increasingly unlikely.

It would be totally messing with their revenues. The refurb is more business seats, so they could easily oversell if the refurb isn't completed... Then "bumping" business passengers... Not good. Then you have the flip side of not selling and missing out on potential income. It's a standard risk with refits and nothing new. (IE SIA had issues with PE on A380's)

 

[juliusg]

It really is all a dogs breakfast these days, things have slipped. My Saturday Perth > Syd flight at 4pm on May 14 is now a 737 (it is A330 on Sunday at the same time). I do not look forward to what I am certain will be limited catering, limited wine, and a hard coughpy seat with bugger all recline and not much foot space. Hopefully they will have a pillow and a blanket for me. I'll look for some compensation as this is miles away from The Business experience that I anticipated. And paid for.

 

[iambents]

And since you are delayed, probably best not to put a photo of the new seat on your Facebook page with "The world awaits. Where to next?" (implying international travel) on April 13th as you continue pushing back the first flight with the new product.. [Edit - I guess it might have been for travel to Fiji]

 

[Bagpuss]

It really is all a dogs breakfast these days, things have slipped. My Saturday Perth > Syd flight at 4pm on May 14 is now a 737 (it is A330 on Sunday at the same time). I do not look forward to what I am certain will be limited catering, limited wine, and a hard coughpy seat with bugger all recline and not much foot space. Hopefully they will have a pillow and a blanket for me. I'll look for some compensation as this is miles away from The Business experience that I anticipated. And paid for.

Totally agree. If you book on a330 and subbed to b737 there was a thread which mentioned you could get $$$ or points credit.
I wasn't impressed when I selected the Saturday 6am approx flight PER > SYD as it was an a330 and planned to use points to upgrade (business paid ticket) as it was an a330. Now it's a B737 and the mid morning flight is the A330. Totally bummed, waking up early for a friggin B737!

 

[Bagpuss]

And since you are delayed, probably best not to put a photo of the new seat on your Facebook page with "The world awaits. Where to next?" (implying international travel) on April 13th as you continue pushing back the first flight with the new product.. [Edit - I guess it might have been for travel to Fiji]

Yes, I thought it was totally misleading. (Bit like "Seven Year Switch" last night which the lead-up ads kinda made out it was the last episode.)

 

[clipped_wings]

Wouldn't it be easier if there was some transparency with the VA Marketing Department? Could the collateral damage be any worse if they actually published the lead time on these retrofits? That way, we'd probably have something tangible to deal with. I think the biggest disappointment with passengers is that they just don't know what is going on. I feel for anyone who has purchased or redeemed a ticket under the assumption that it was going to be a new seat. I have an transpac itinerary for August and at the moment, I am going to consider it old configuration. That way, if things don't work out and there are more delays, I won't be shattered with my PE seat expectation.
I know it's glass half empty, but I am going crazy here waiting for these modifications and I need to reconcile my angst!

 

[theevilmuppet]

Well, I feel like a complete and total numpty.

I called the Guest Contact Centre this morning when I saw a Reward Seat become available on VA1 for April 27 and moved my reservation to take advantage. The Virgin staffer on the phone indicated it was the new Business Class and moved things around.

To my infinite horror, the seat map still shows the 2-3-2 layout. I have managed to achieve 10 less status credits for my trip, transiting SYD instead of BNE, having to get up even earlier for the MEL-SYD connection than I would have for the MEL-BNE connection and been laughed at by my points-and-upgrades savvy girlfriend for the last 15 minutes all for the bargain price of $100.00!

At least I earned 300 Velocity Points I guess.....

 

[smit0847]

I wonder in VA have previously (even prior to refurb) or will consider moving an A332 onto the Abu Dhabi service. You'd have to weigh up what revenue this would bring in.
I'm totally pee'd that all my upcoming East / West coast weekday flights have been switched to the B737 (seems to have been caused for upcoming schedule changes and targeted my preferred departure times), so and arguments about keeping product consistency are awash.

EY are operating the VA29/30 service for VA while they are refurbish aircraft. Assuming they're selling seats, I can't imagine EY being too concerned about operating the flight instead of VA

 

[Bagpuss]

EY are operating the VA29/30 service for VA while they are refurbish aircraft. Assuming they're selling seats, I can't imagine EY being too concerned about operating the flight instead of VA

Thee is no VA29/30 service at the moment.

Also VA2 seat map for 24th April has reverted back to the original business class. So further delays.

 

[serfty]

Report on FT that first scheduled service with new seating is now VA2 on Apr 29.

That's three weeks of reverting to old.

 

[Homer]

I'm on VA1 on 24 June and currently showing the new config. Just reading this thread for the first time, it looks as though there's a fair chance this won't happen. This is going to be nail-biting stuff!

 

[serfty]

Going by information gleaned from seat maps late last year, those on VA1/VA2 in late June should be ok (if the 29th Apr holds and there are no further delays) - by that time it should be 100%.

It's those on VA7/VA8 in June who may have issues with the three week slippage:

Below are dates with the updated seat maps


VA1 SYDLAX APR [-]09 11 13 15 17 19 21 23 25 27 29[/-] 01 03 05 07. From the 9th May onwards, everyday.
VA2 LAXSYD APR [-]07 09 11 13 15 17 19 21 23 25 27[/-] 29 01 03 05. From the 7th May onwards, everyday.

VA7 BNELAX JUN 06 08 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26 28 From the 30th June onwards, everyday.
VA8 LAXBNE JUN 04 06 08 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26. From the 28th June onwards, everyday.

Days in between still have the original seat map.

 

[Spacetravel]

I have a flight may 5th, still showing new config. But its going to be very close.. If no more delays I'll be one of the first few to experience the new business class.