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Old 22nd Mar 2022, 05:46
  #335 (permalink)  
rog747
 
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: UK
Age: 66
Posts: 801
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Originally Posted by Downwind_Left
Not quite accurate.

Air 2000 were the first to announce and introduce a Premium economy product (Classic Premium) on their first new build 767s, G-OOAL/M, to be delivered in 1999 and 2000. Total seats 312, W38Y274. These were ordered before the Leisure merger.
This caused both Airtours and Monarch to do an about-face with their newly ordered A330s, both planned an all Y380 seat layout but changed to include a Premium cabin by delivery.
The ex-Leisure pair 767 G-OOAN/O gained premium cabins the winter 1999/2000 season.
The Leisure order was only for 2 PW powered A330-200s, originally due to be delivered in 2000. Order cancelled shortly after the takeover.

G-OOAO left the fleet in 2001, G-OOAM in 2003. Leaving just the other pair to soldier on.

In late 2003 the company decided to go long-haul in a big way, and start to expand and roll over the whole long-haul fleet. The ex-Vietnam Airlines 767s were the interim lift, arriving from late 2004, pending delivery of the 787s which First Choice were the European launch customer for in early 2004. In fact it was still the 7E7 when the order was placed. The refurbishment of these aircraft was reportedly part of the 7E7 deal with Boeing. The Vietnam Airlines aircraft weren’t early build, being less than 10 years old at the time. Configuration was 258, W63Y195.
G-OOAL left the fleet in 2005, which left just G-OOAN which was reconfigured to W62Y196, note slightly different config to the others.
The EVA Air pair were acquired in 2006/7, which were slightly older but from the same era as the rest of the fleet (1992 build) while around the same time the 787 order was increased accordingly from 6 to 8.

By the time of the Thomson merger, First Choice had 12 787-8 orders due to the success of the new long haul programme, and all the refurbished 767s including G-OOAN became part of the Thomson fleet.

For 2006, which was the last full year of independence for First Choice.
Many thanks indeed for the corrections and filling in the gaps - cheers, all a long time ago.
I recall the older EVA or the Vietnam 767's (or was it both) could not, due to the floor weights take a high density load - was that correct>?
Also I always wondered as to why they let go 2 of the newer 767's AM & AO>?

Had Thomson (by the time of the merger) ordered any new Long Haul a/c in their own right or were the first Thomson 787's purely part of the original FCA order>?
Thanks.
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