JosephJarvis From UK - England, joined Apr 2011, 131 posts, RR: 0 Posted (1 year 4 months 2 weeks 1 day 6 hours ago) and read 4243 times:
Hi everyone,
Virgin Atlantic used to serve BOS (VS011/VS012) and EWR (VS017/VS018) from London Gatwick with 747s. I have taken a look through various pages on the website below, which I found to be very useful:
It shows on several pages that the Boston/Newark flights, which operated in 2000 and 2001, arrived early in the morning and departed mid-afternoon (15:00/16:00). Sometimes the same aircraft was used, sometimes not.
If the same aircraft that came in as the early morning flight from BOS/EWR was the same aircraft that operated the mid-afternoon departing flight on the same day to BOS/EWR, was it towed to a remote stand and then towed back to the terminal later that day?
What I'm trying to find out is the scheduled departure and arrival times of the BOS and EWR flights in 2000 and 2001 at LGW and whether they were daily flights or not?
I would very much appreciate it if anyone knows anything about this or has any of this information?
ASA From Bangladesh, joined Dec 2010, 384 posts, RR: 2 Reply 1, posted (1 year 4 months 2 weeks 1 day 4 hours ago) and read 4116 times:
I flew the BOS-LGW route in Dec 99 and also in Dec 2000. Very early arrivals in Gatwick ... around 6:30 AM or so. Flight back from UK was around 1:30 PM if I recall correctly ... reaching BOS around 3:20 PM. I remember LGW had all those HSBC painted bridges even then. VS was considered one of the best TATL services then ... with those tiny IFE screens in Y class.
sevenheavy From United Kingdom, joined Mar 2004, 1126 posts, RR: 10 Reply 2, posted (1 year 4 months 2 weeks 1 day 1 hour ago) and read 4028 times:
The departure times varied but the BOS or EWR flights were usually the last to depart from the LGW operation. EWR was usually 13:00 or 13:30 and BOS 15:00.
At the time there was more flexibility with the turns at LGW as all of the flights could be operated with one aircraft, so turn times at LGW were higher. Usually, the BOS and EWR flights would turn off one of the MCO trips ( sometimes caribbean, but they all arrived early morning aswell) but they could spend the morning on the ground if mx was required. In this instance they would probably tow off to a remote, but again, not necessarily!
Ultimately, the LGW operation was all interchangeable. There were some minor config differences at the time, but not enough to impact flexibility
legacyins From United States of America, joined Aug 2003, 1835 posts, RR: 0 Reply 11, posted (1 year 4 months 2 weeks 6 hours ago) and read 2933 times:
They also serve SFO 4x weekly from LGW to compliment their LHR daily service.
sevenheavy From United Kingdom, joined Mar 2004, 1126 posts, RR: 10 Reply 13, posted (1 year 4 months 2 weeks ago) and read 2747 times:
Quoting JosephJarvis (Reply 10): I see, that's helpful, thank you. Did the 15:00 departure time to BOS move around slightly as well or was it always 15:00?
As far as I remember it was mostly a 15:00 departure, but I believe there were also times it went at 15:15, and sometimes earlier.
nclmedic From United Kingdom, joined Oct 2009, 325 posts, RR: 0 Reply 14, posted (1 year 4 months 2 weeks ago) and read 2730 times:
They definitely used to fly MIA as well at some point (I'm assuming in the Summer). I remember flying with them to UVF in summer 2004 (when they used to be a half-decent airline!) and MIA was checking-in alongside us.
sevenheavy From United Kingdom, joined Mar 2004, 1126 posts, RR: 10 Reply 15, posted (1 year 4 months 1 week 6 days 23 hours ago) and read 2702 times:
They did fly LGW-MIA from the late 80's until the late 90's.....sorry, I'm a bit vague on the exact dates.
When the flight moved up to LHR it initially had to operate from T2 (as did the IAD flight for a while).. G12 was the gate used, as it was one of only a couple at the time that coult accommodate a B747. Later on the newer Europier gates were used.
In the past, LGW has seen EWR, JFK, BOS, MIA, LAX, NRT, NAS, SFO and PHC flights. Today, only MCO and LAS remain to the U.S.
LGW has however seen gradual expansion overall. Caribbean destinations include ANU, BGI, UVF, TAB, GND, HAV, MBJ and KIN (soon to be replaced by CUN)
skipness1E From United Kingdom, joined Aug 2007, 2374 posts, RR: 0 Reply 17, posted (1 year 4 months 1 week 6 days 17 hours ago) and read 2482 times:
Quoting sevenheavy (Reply 15): When the flight moved up to LHR it initially had to operate from T2 (as did the IAD flight for a while).. G12 was the gate used, as it was one of only a couple at the time that could accommodate a B747. Later on the newer Europier gates were used
They ARRIVED at Terminal Two, I think the BOS did this at one time as well, all departures were from T3. Remember seeing the B747 on that gate Did they really use the EuroPier? I don't remember that at all, that's Terminal One territory.
I could be wrong, but I don't recall SFO ever being at LGW, was it not launched from LHR post the move in 1991?
sevenheavy From United Kingdom, joined Mar 2004, 1126 posts, RR: 10 Reply 18, posted (1 year 4 months 1 week 6 days 17 hours ago) and read 2463 times:
There was a period where flights arrived at T2 and got towed for a T3 departure, but there were also at least two summers when there were T2 departures. Once capacity allowed they moved over to T3
The LGW flight was the VS41/42 (hence the additional LHR-SFO flights taking the same flight numbers) This was when the VS43 operated 4 x weekly and the VS41 operated on the other 3 days. The departure time was around 12:30, arriving back into LGW around 11:30.
I took the VS41 a couple of times. B747-200, G-VSSS. Just refitted after delivery from NZ. Great big comfortable old fashioned upper class seats, and at the time a still competitive odyssey IFE.
readytotaxi From United Kingdom, joined Dec 2006, 2596 posts, RR: 3 Reply 19, posted (1 year 4 months 1 week 6 days 16 hours ago) and read 2414 times:
Quoting sevenheavy (Reply 18):
I took the VS41 a couple of times. B747-200, G-VSSS. Just refitted after delivery from NZ. Great big comfortable old fashioned upper class seats, and at the time a still competitive odyssey IFE.
No. They were the recaro seats that were inherited with the cancelled AZ frames. The upper class seat fitted to the ex CX/NZ B742s were the same as the ones fitted to the A340s and B744s at the time. Not dissimilar, but more comfortable with better recline and adjustment.
BostonBeau From United States of America, joined Sep 2000, 459 posts, RR: 0 Reply 21, posted (1 year 4 months 1 week 6 days 16 hours ago) and read 2380 times:
I flew VS011/012 a number of times back then. Departure from Boston was I believe 8:20 PM for an arrival at LGW at about 8:00 AM (though we often arrived earlier). Once or twice we arrived so early that we had to wait for the agents in the passport control/customs area.
The return left LGW at 3 PM for most of the time I was regularly using this service, arriving in Boston around 5 PM. The main reason I flew with Virgin was specifically because the flight went to Gatwick. Once they moved the Boston flights to Heathrow, there was no great advantange to me in using Virgin.
readytotaxi From United Kingdom, joined Dec 2006, 2596 posts, RR: 3 Reply 22, posted (1 year 4 months 1 week 6 days 15 hours ago) and read 2324 times:
Quoting sevenheavy (Reply 20): Not dissimilar, but more comfortable with better recline and adjustment.
Okay. I got a flight back from MCO years ago with these purple seats, and I had the cabin to myself, felt like the PM.
Had great service and comfortable seating.
you don't get a second chance to make a first impression!
VS11 From United States of America, joined Jul 2001, 978 posts, RR: 0 Reply 23, posted (1 year 4 months 1 week 6 days 5 hours ago) and read 2074 times:
I do have the VS timetables from those years but unfortunately they are in Boston while I am in NYC now. Anyway, if memory serves me right, VS11 from LGW was departing around 1:30pm back then as ASA mentions earlier in the thread. It was not until after 9/11 when the BOS flight moved to LHR that the departure times were gradually moved later in afternoon. As far as I remember, the return flight VS12 has always been departing between 7:25pm and 8:25pm.
VS11 in 1998 when I first flew it departed LGW at 11:15am or so. I believe the service has been daily at least since then.
For the Summer of 2003 VS planned additional seasonal BOS service VS53/54 from LGW in addition to the regular VS11/12 from LHR. Tickets were sold but it never happened.
EDIT: I just found the Winter 99/00 timetable online (along with others) and VS11 was leaving LGW at 2:00pm.
skipness1E From United Kingdom, joined Aug 2007, 2374 posts, RR: 0 Reply 24, posted (1 year 4 months 1 week 6 days ago) and read 1995 times:
I did not know VS had ever re-allocated flight numbers, was out of circualtion for a bit in my uni years!
VS041 / 042 LGW-SFO?
VS043 / 044 LHR-SFO ? This is now LGW-LAS with VS019 / 020 on LHR-SFO.
25 VV701: Somewhat earlier in the summer of 1995 VS operated LGW-BOS (VS11) with a scheduled departure at 1500 hrs and arrival at 1710. This was a seven-days-a-
26 timz: In August 2000: VS 17 daily 747 lv LGW 1300 arr EWR 1540 VS 18 lv 1830 arr 0610 VS 11 daily 747 lv LGW 1500 arr BOS 1710 VS 12 lv 2020 arr 0750 In Sep
27 JosephJarvis: Has the Orlando departures from Gatwick (VS027/VS015) always been 11:15 and 12:30?
28 VV701: According to the ABC World Airways Guide the VS015 departure from LGW was at 12:30 back in April 1995. There was no VS027 listed at that time.
29 Gingersnap: I flew VS012 BOS-LGW in Feb 2001. Flight was 744 at that time, but I do remember a very early arrival into LGW. (Flew CO LGW-EWR-BOS codeshare with VS
30 flymia: VS 006 which is stil the flight number for the MIA-LHR flight they do now. I flew on this flight round trip I'm the summer of 2003. So they were flyi
31 anstar: And VS 41/42 makes a comeback this year as the second SFO flight.
32 JosephJarvis: When did Virgin Atlantic begin services from Gatwick to Las Vegas?
33 skipness1E: I wasn't aware VS had even changed an US-London flight numbers which is why I was surprised LAS got the old SFO numbers. Google says http://www.virgin
34 slinky09: June 2000, as the first scheduled flight from London to LAS, BA followed many years later. Started as 3x weekly and went 4x weekly in 2003 or 2004, t
35 JosephJarvis: Thanks for the reply. What time did the flight to Las Vegas depart Gatwick and arrive back at Gatwick in 2000? Also did the departure and arrival tim
36 sevenheavy: LAS didn't get the old SFO flight numbers. The original SFO service, which used LHR, has always been the VS019/020. The second SFO service, from LGW,
37 JosephJarvis: Thanks for the reply. What would happen if the Las Vegas flight (VS044) wasn't able to operate the Orlando flight (VS015) because of a late arrival o
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Did they really use the EuroPier? I don't remember that at all, that's Terminal One territory.
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