Virgin B747 Seating

[BMM389EC]

Anyone know the seat numbers on Virgins B747-400 giving more leg room? The ones by the emergency exits or near the bulkhead? Long flight!!!

[Wycombe]

I've just flown VS in economy on the 744 (to/from St Lucia, returned earlier this week).

Don't know the seat no's, but be aware that if you want to occupy these seats (at least the ones with legroom by the exits) you will have to pay! (50 GBP per sector I believe). Seats by the bulkheads will normally be reserved for people travelling with babies (as this is where the skycot shelves are)

Letters re. this "offer" were being handed out at check-in at LGW.

Bear in mind that if you go for the window seat by the exit, you will have a very large box (which contains the emergency slide) in front of you! Also, quite a few of these seats are right alongside the galley.

The CC I discussed it with considered it a rip-off themselves!
(most of these seats on the sectors I flew were empty).

[Departures Beckham]

Here's your SEAT PLAN (http://www.frequentflyer.oag.com/images_air/Virgin%20Atlantic%20747-400.gif). If you are seated in 25a you will probably be invited to the First Class bar for an orange juice while boarding, as if seated your legs tend to block the aircraft entrance (L2).

EDITED November 23rd to show seat plan link rather than seat plan itself (reduces load time)

[Wycombe]

DB,

Don't think all the VS 744's are as per the above.

Returning from UVF on Sunday, we were in airframe VGAL in row 22 (economy) in a place that's shown as part of Upper Class on your plan (forward of the internal stairs, between doors L1 and L2)

I'm thinking that some of the LGW-based a/c have a different config (ie, more economy, less premium/upper) so that more of us can be carried to the beach!

[Departures Beckham]

Wy,

I guess that would make sense, it would give them a little more flexibility. I think we'll have to wait for VS crew to reply to this one for the actual answer. Thanks for putting me right though :)

Becks

[bealine]

Don't knock Virgin for taking this step!

British Caledonian (anyone remember?) used to reserve a small section, which included the Exit seats, for "Premium Economy" passengers (ie) those who had paid the full "S" economy fare. Little touches were added, special head rest cushions, slightly better dinner menu etc.

Given that, nowadays, hardly anyone pays the full fare, who can blame VS for extra revenue generation. It also alleviates problems at check-in! (I guarantee that if 300 pax are booked on a flight, at least 200 will ask for the Emergency Exit seats!)

After all, if having the Exit seats is important to you, £50 is not a lot to pay is it?

:p

[High as a Kite]

The charge for exit seats is currently being trialled on flights from LGW (except Orlando).

The seat map above is quite accurate for the LHR based B744s except that rows 25-30 have been replaced by extra Premium Economy seats.

Hope this helps. :D

[The_Banking_Scot]

Hi,

On the 747-400's operating the LGW routes, the Upper Deck is all Premium Economy, on the main deck Upper Class has the nose section ( forward of doors 1L & 1R and 2 rows in between doors 1 & 2) with a partition then 2-3 rows of Economy in front of doors 2L & 2R ( the boarding doors)
THe LGW aircraft also do not have the Inflight beauty therapist nor the onboard bar nor the fully reclinable seats in Upper Class ( unlike the LHR aircraft which has all the mega features :) )

Regards
TBS

[Crepello]

How the world has changed...

Back in '99 (all those years ago... ;) ), I flew JAL from Amsterdam to Sydney, via Narita. Turned up 3 hours before checkin and scored bulkhead seats for all 4 sectors. NRT-AMS was the best, economy-class bulheads on the upper deck of a 743.

Found it more comfy than business class, but it sounds like the beancounters are getting wise. Still, that's what they're paid for...

[Wycombe]

TBS - Yep, the 2-3 rows of economy forward of 2L and 2R is where we were (quite a nice little cabin, and quiet too as it's so far forward).

Bit disappointing that the LGW a/c (which I think are the newest 744's in the fleet) don't have the latest IFE fit either - have flown on older LHR based a/c that seem to have a much more impressive system (phones at every seat etc).

Still - shouldn't moan too much - it was VS who really pioneered this stuff and forced the rest of the industry (well, BA) to (slowly) follow suit.

Used to love the old safety video with the Lesley Phillips & Susannah York voiceovers.

[PAXboy]

I was on VS from LHR to JNB last week, the route is a mix of three 340-200 and four 747-400 per week, and the upper dfeck of the 744 was mixed Upper and P.E. which was the first time that I had seen this.

I took a wander around the whole machine during the night and there were a fair number of spare seats in Y but PE and Upper were full. Overall, for a Tuesday night out of peak season - they must have been better than 90%.

Talking about the new IFE, I must now get around to complaining that the fabled Air to Ground SMS and E-mail did not work.

Service was grand as always.

[The_Banking_Scot]

Hi Paxboy,

The Upper Deck mix of PE/UC is common on all LHR equiped VS 747-400's and has been for a while.

On LGW 747-400's the Upper Deck is PE only.


Regards

TBS ( going on VS21 PE 5th December):)

[BMM389EC]

In the end it did'nt matter but thanks for all the replies any way! The Thursday night flight delayed till Friday morning 09:15. Ended up going with Swiss via Zurich!

[PAXboy]

Thanks T_B_S, I guess that I have just always been on the lower deck with VS or on the 340.

I just learnt that one of my e-mails did get through! But the phone did not work, whereas I have had very good phone calls from VS before. May just be the luck of the draw and the particular channels you pick up and whether the ground systems return reasonable status conditions.

Fortunately, I am out here (South Africa) for a while, so no time to check out the IFE till next year. By which time, I shall have a report on all the internal flights here!

Just incase you wanted to know - the temp in Pretoria was 30 degs C. today. That said, they need the rain!

[The_Banking_Scot]

Hi PAXboy,

We up in Scotland will trade the rain for your 30 degrees C and sunshine. How about it???

:D

Update on the LHR 747-400- I think on some of these aircraft there maybe a couple of rows of PE on the main deck ( find out next week as I'm on VS 21 PE to IAD)

Regards

TBS

[PAXboy]

Hi T_B_S, there certainly are PE seats on the main deck of the VS LHR 744s.

I didn't count rows but something like about 15 rows of UC, then a dozen or more of PE before Y. The PE cabine went well into the wing root area.

Upstairs is three of UC then six (I think) of PE. My mother is going to be there tonight (28th) on the JNB. I suggested that she shold ask for a PE seat in the top deck as it is so much quieter. At age 77 she is still spry but dislikes children almost as much as I do. ;)

I hope youo enjoy IAD, I am hoping to get there next year for the first time.

Cheers,

[High as a Kite]

As I said in my earlier post there are Premium Economy seats on the main deck of the LHR based B744s.

There are twelve seats in total. Six (three rows of two) on each side of the cabin (row numbers 75-77)

On the upper deck there are twenty Premium Economy seats in total. Ten (five rows of two) on each side of the cabin (row numbers 70-74).

Hope this helps. ;)

[The_Banking_Scot]

Hi,

Thanks for that High as a Kite. On my last VS flight (744-LAX) I did see 2 or 3 ( must have been 3) rows of 2 on the left handside just behind the boarding door 2L with a divider and curtains separating PE with Economy.

Regards

TBS

[mr.777]

All very well talking about seating plans and the differences between them but at the end of the day it wont make any difference for 2 reasons:
(1) There is no guarantee that you'll end up on an LGW 744 as opposed to an LHR one because there are so many a/c changes at the last minute that a/c originally slated to do a particular flight end up going somewhere compltetly different

(2)Even if its the same a/c,you can't request exit seats anyway.They are given out at the gate at the last minute on a first come/first serve basis.Quite frequently staff will end up sitting there if Upper/Premium are full.

I should know,being an ex VS employee!