Virgin, 747 or 340?
 

If you were lucky enough to get a choice between the two, which would you choose?

LHR or LGW, roster, destinations and crew culture would seem to be the main deciding factors. Any input gratefully received.

Cheers, FF

Not sure that you will get a choice. However, if you do, 340. In my opinion better routes & a growing fleet although I am sure you'll enjoy either.

Do VS 747 pilots get a choice between LGW/LHR? Assumed they were all 'dual' based.

Presumably all A340 crews are LHR based?

I would take the Virgin.

Loc Green

Currently all 744 pilots are rostered trips from any of LHR, LGW or MAN. It is up to the individual to arrange roster swaps to suit their prefered airfield.

The 340 folk are currently rostered LHR & LGW trips.

LHR is the contractual base for all VAA pilots. The company is responsible for transport arrangements to all other airfields.

Hope that's of help.:cool:

You will not get a choice which aircraft type you fly. (Edit: at least, that is the company line. You may now be asked which type you'd prefer, but whether your preference carries any weight, I don't yet know.)

All Virgin pilots are LHR based. However, more and more 744 flights are ex-LGW. The 744 also flies from Manchester, and that operation will be expanding as well.

With 18 A340s on line, 7 more arriving next year, and plenty more to come after that, versus 14 B744s and no more to come, you are far more likely to go to the Bus than the Boeing.

The bus is better for long haul because it has a side stick and a table. You will spend most of your time in the cruise and to have the control column getting in the way of the really important activities such as eating and reading the newspaper is a real pain in the bum.

Amen! :p :cool:

Dan, i guess you've found the real reason for the side stick then???

The A340 at VS is just a means of transport between pi$$ ups, the 744 crews are a bit more mature & serious;)

Flying Falcon

744 for USA and Caribbean
340 for everything else and USA

Once on the "bus" you'll probably remain there but having flown the Boeing for a while, you may find yourself moving fleets in a few years anyway.

You could always use staff travel to watch the 7's!

Like staff travel would be available at that time of the year, and anyway I am just looking for any excuse not to fly with you Shanwick!!

wrt commuting, the 744 seems to be predominantly morning reports and gravitating towards Gatwick. Granted it's only 4/5 times a month but does this necessitate a night at the Holiday Inn the night before?

Amen to that! Particularly NRT, HKG-SYD, PVG, JNB :E

FF,
You'd be fine from Beds but if you wanted to live further afield we'd be competing for the very few discounted hotel rooms.

Forget the LGW Holiday Inn. I haven't managed to get a room there this year.