QANTAS747-438 From United States of America, joined Jan 2001, 1800 posts, RR: 2 Posted (12 years 2 months 2 weeks 3 days 6 hours ago) and read 1459 times:
Hey! Soon, I'm going from Los Angeles to London on a Virgin 747-400 on the 545pm flight. I have two questions:
1) This is my first international flight, so are the 744 seats larger for the 10-12 hour flight? Will they be uncomfortable in coach?
2) What can I expect to see out of my window? Or will it be mostly dark the whole way?
Thanks!
---QANTAS747-438
My posts/replies are strictly my opinion and not that of any company, organization, or Southwest Airlines.
Lax2000 From United States of America, joined May 1999, 541 posts, RR: 0 Reply 1, posted (12 years 2 months 2 weeks 3 days 6 hours ago) and read 1402 times:
Lets see now, The seating is average to cramped in economy, service is pretty good and it will be dark untill about 3 hours out of LHR. The flight goes by pretty fast if you can sleep for half of it. Hopefully you will be able to find an empty row of seats. Keep your eyes peeled for an empty row and snag them after everyone is seated but before you take off. They go fast...Unfortunately on VS the LAX-LHR flights are almost always full.
Iainhol From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 2, posted (12 years 2 months 2 weeks 3 days 5 hours ago) and read 1384 times:
Well if you flight is soon, you will be lucky if you go. There flight crews are going on strike in 10 days unless the management gives them a better deal.
Virgin economy seats (rif raf) are very small, very cramped and ver uncomfortable! The airplane you will be going on will probably be V-GFAB which the interior is falling apart, and some PTV's are not working. My granny flew with them iin early Jan, and told me this, I also flew with them however I was on the A340.
There is nothing much to se eout the window, and the FA will probably make you close the shutter.
I recommend you to take a pack lunch as there food is horrible!!
QANTAS747-438 From United States of America, joined Jan 2001, 1800 posts, RR: 2 Reply 3, posted (12 years 2 months 2 weeks 3 days 3 hours ago) and read 1374 times:
Iainhol---
Whats this about a strike? I leave March 16th, and return March 25. Will I be affected?
My posts/replies are strictly my opinion and not that of any company, organization, or Southwest Airlines.
Early Air From United States of America, joined Jan 2001, 611 posts, RR: 1 Reply 4, posted (12 years 2 months 2 weeks 3 days 1 hour ago) and read 1363 times:
The seats of the 747 are actually smaller than most of the aircraft you are pry used to. Most domestic aircraft have a width of 18", the 747's have width of 17". It does not sound like much but it is a big difference. You will also find that there is less leg room. The 747 owners are notirous on getting the maximum number of seats in the ecomomy class cabin. Actually, you should see light out of the window for the majority of the flight. When you take off it will be dark in Los Angeles. About 3 hours after flying north you will come around the north pole, it will be light there. You will fly around the arctics for most of the time an it will be light up there the whole time. Then, when you decend out of the arctics into europe it will be about 10:00 am european time so it will be light out. It should only be dark out on the first three hours of your flight. It is very strange flying from the west coast to europe because they go over the arctics. I hope I was of assistance to you.
Iainhol From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 5, posted (12 years 2 months 2 weeks 2 days 19 hours ago) and read 1336 times:
Here is the newspaper article, and if they do go on dtriek you will be effected! The story has got quite queit over here, so I am not sure what the current status is.
24 February 2001
Sir Richard Branson's Virgin Atlantic airline faces strike action after 95 per cent of its pilots rejected a pay offer.
Sir Richard, anxious to avoid cancellations by passengers seeking to avoid industrial action, intervened personally but failed to persuade flight crew to accept a 5 per cent pay rise.
An internal memo reveals that Virgin tried to ensure that news of the strike threat did not leak out. The confidential letter warned that the business would be damaged and Virgin's image tarnished if passengers "get wind of potential disruption".
Virgin management will make a final attempt to reach a deal on Monday but members of the British Airline Pilots' Association (Balpa) said there would need to be a significant improvement in the pay offer. The union, which recently secured recognition by Virgin, is preparing for a ballot on industrial action if there is no breakthrough.
Pilots want a two-year deal worth 12 per cent above inflation and a 3.5 per cent boost to pensions. Pilots' representatives argue that Virgin's flight crew are paid 25 per cent less than their colleagues at British Airways, where senior captains earn more than £100,000 a year.
The letter, by Malcolm Wagstaff, Virgin Atlantic's flight operations director, conceded that the airline was "not a market leader" for pay but said it could not afford a bigger rise. "The commercial damage ... starts from the moment customers get wind of a potential for disruption," he wrote. "Our reputation and image, as well as opportunities for growth and stability, will be jeopardised."
The day has not been quoted in the article however we have all heard it is the 16th of March.
Ikarus From United Kingdom, joined Jan 2001, 3524 posts, RR: 2 Reply 6, posted (12 years 2 months 2 weeks 2 days 18 hours ago) and read 1323 times:
Well, all I can say is I really enjoyed my Virgin flights two weeks ago. Seating was okay (width/distance from seat to seat), the entertainment was great and no one ever asked me to shut the windowshutter. The food was fairly acceptable (on the level of good microwaveable food). The approach to Heathrow is fun as you are likely to fly over most of central London on the way.
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