Manchester: Virgin Atlantic Route News & Base Updates

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This thread for topical discussions about Virgin Atlantic.

 

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Hi all,

I was just wondering if anyone had been on a VS service out of Manchester in the past weeks or so. Im flying with them to MCO very soon and wondered what IFE was being shown at the moment.

Type Rated B767.

 

[Aviador]

My sister is flying with them at the back end of the year so a heads up on what they're like would be good.

 

[backtrack]

My sister is flying with them at the back end of the year so a heads up on what they're like would be good.

I have flown with them before, but it was a number of years ago. I shall let you know when im back.

 

[Aviador]

My sister is flying with them at the back end of the year so a heads up on what they're like would be good.

I have flown with them before, but it was a number of years ago. I shall let you know when im back.

OK thanks, but hopefully someone can update us both beforehand! :beer:

 

[lbaspotter]

Do Virgin still use the Heathrow based Airbus 340's at the weekend for its Manchester to Caribbean services.

Also will Vigin still be basing 2 x Boeing 747-400's fulltime again this summer for the Orlando route?

 

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At the moment, VS have 2 based Boeing 747-400s at MAN, which are to be used on the Orlando route yes.
However, in summer at peak periods, a third B744 is scheduled to operate from MAN, whether that be part week based unit or Positioned in from LHR for example.

Indeed, at weekends only, VS use LHR based Airbus A340's.

 

[pilot_737]

How often do VS fly to MCO from MAN? Surely not enough for 3 based a/c?!
I thought they cut a 2 daily service to a 1 daily?

 

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How often do VS fly to MCO from MAN? Surely not enough for 3 based a/c?!
I thought they cut a 2 daily service to a 1 daily?

Twice daily VS073 and VS075 Flight numbers.

 

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Virgins, Boeing 747-400, G-VLIP, with its newly added Harry Potter decal added to the fuselage, arrived at Manchester May 27th. operating the MCO route. Its decal party advertises the newly opened area at Universal Studios Theme Park, Florida. (Makes sense perhaps putting it on the MCO)

[rimg]http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash1/hs534.ash1/31313_124636650892307_100000379194226_191333_8291262_n.jpg[/rimg]

 

[TheLocalYokel]

I like the Virgin livery.

My son and grandson flew with Virgin from Gatwick to Barbados on 5 May for the T20 Cricket World Cup and saw all the games after the preliminary round - lucky devils.

They flew out on 5 May and I tracked the early part of their flight on flightradar24 until it left the UK mainland at the south western tip of Cornwall. Aircraft was B747-400 G-VTOP Virginia Plain.

I don't normally record registration numbers but the details on fr24 remained with me as Virginia Plain sounds like a brand of cigarettes, though I don't smoke either.

 

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As of April 2nd, VS will operate their MAN - MCO route using their newly acquired Airbus A330-300 models, replacing the existing service on the B744's.

 

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As of Nov 1st, Servisair will handle VS at MAN and replace Swissport as the contract was decided this week.

 

[michael]

Does anyone know why VS75 is showing as 10hr 29 mins air time when its usually somewhere just less than 9hrs? Looking on flight tracker it's also gone well up in to Canada rather than sticking on the coast line down the eastern seaboard.

 

[pilot_737]

Are you referring to this flight?

http://flightaware.com/live/flight/VIR7 ... /EGCC/KMCO

My guess is that its either wrong, or it comes down to the weather! Winds may have been better away from the East coast or maybe there were storms on the east coast. Looking at this history it has taken that route before.

 

[michael]

having being lucky enough to fly to Orlando MCO from MAN three times in recent years on Virgin B744's (with 5 out of the 6 flights being full barring an odd empty seat so approx 450 passengers) it crossed my mind that once the A330's appear on the route in april Virgin are going to be carrying approx one third less passengers than with 744's. Does anyone know whether 744's are likely to be retained on some flights or is there a possibility of another carrier appearing on the route for the excess passengers? It also occurred to me if Virgin can regularly fill a 744 could MAN - MCO potentially be a route for an A380 in future?

 

[User0001]

As a result of the A330, a B744 will also fly 4 days a week, making the MAN-MCO 11 weekly (as opposed to 10 weekly in 2010).

On an interesting note, for January 2012 LGW-MCO will only be a daily A333 whereas MAN-MCO will be daily A333, plus 3 weekly B744. This will be the first ever time MAN-MCO has more capacity, level of service and frequency than the LGW-MCO.

 

[michael]

thanks for that world rep, certainly in my experience it's a popular route. would be interesting to know just how many of the 10 flights are week do go just about full

 

[michael]

Does anyone know if the new A330's have arrived at MAN yet, I think they're due this weekend from memory

 

[User0001]

Yes G-VSXY is in and will Operate the VS75 today. Richard Branson is also here today/tomorrow, with the launch of LAS also.
G-VKSS is also due to position into MAN over the next 2-3 days also.