A330 - XFA/B - Refit?

[Must...Fly!]

It looks like XFA went to Manila yesterday
VH-XFA

Finally! It will be nice when they fix a lot of the issues with the aircraft.

 

[mannej]

Finally! It will be nice when they fix a lot of the issues with the aircraft.

Is it getting refitted though?

It is funny the mx has been mentioned, one of the Dubai airport shows does a segment on an EK A330 getting a fairly extensive MX check to the point where it was stripped back to bare inside. Interesting that it's almost like leggo inside a plane.

 

[robbie1984]

Is it getting refitted though?

It is funny the mx has been mentioned, one of the Dubai airport shows does a segment on an EK A330 getting a fairly extensive MX check to the point where it was stripped back to bare inside. Interesting that it's almost like leggo inside a plane.

Just a 'C' check…..

 

[lovestotravel]

Complained about this recently after a flight on XFA last month. Got this response:

LOL - Doesn't address your exact issues at all, it's pretty much a cut and paste reply, slightly better than what I got....

 

[maninblack]

It will be a pretty poor effort from VA if these planes go in for C check and don't at least get a J cabin upgrade to the new product, it will at least in part indicate whether VA is serious about delivering customer service or whether they will choose to get away with whatever thay can to save money. Even most cough airlines manage to upgrade their aircraft interiors eventually, even Qantas manage to do it every 10-15 years.

 

[lovestotravel]

Agree mib

VA could have a sensational consistent product if they fixed these 2 aircraft up!

It's a shame it seems it's not happening

 

[docjames]

It will be a pretty poor effort from VA if these planes go in for C check and don't at least get a J cabin upgrade to the new product, it will at least in part indicate whether VA is serious about delivering customer service or whether they will choose to get away with whatever thay can to save money. Even most cough airlines manage to upgrade their aircraft interiors eventually, even Qantas manage to do it every 10-15 years.

That'd give VA around 7-12 years to complete the upgrade in that case. ;-)

 

[docjames]

Agree mib

VA could have a sensational consistent product if they fixed these 2 aircraft up!

It's a shame it seems it's not happening

Instead they'll have to settle for a product that's better than QF's....

 

[lovestotravel]

Instead they'll have to settle for a product that's better than QF's....

They are instead settling on having 2 aircraft that disappoint customers they are trying to keep

 

[maninblack]

That'd give VA around 7-12 years to complete the upgrade in that case. ;-)

The aircraft and their cabins are now over 13 years old.

Instead they'll have to settle for a product that's better than QF's....

A race to the bottom is not a race one tries to win.

 

[lovestotravel]

That'd give VA around 7-12 years to complete the upgrade in that case. ;-)

The QF A330 upgrades should be all finished by the end of 2015, and VA will probably still be flying XFA/XFB around in their current state

A race to the bottom is not a race one tries to win.

Except with J*....

 

[docjames]

They are instead settling on having 2 aircraft that disappoint customers they are trying to keep

They are disappointing a few AFFers.

 

[docjames]

The QF A330 upgrades should be all finished by the end of 2015, and VA will probably still be flying XFA/XFB around in their current state

So they are 13 years old.

2014+2 = 2016

Conveniently a year after QF refits.

I expect they'll wait to see the new QF seating and go from there.

Given the domestic market fare and capacity war at the moment, I'm not surprised they aren't rushing to refit (read: spend a ton of money on) these aircraft which are currently better than the QF product. By 2015/2016 - who knows?

 

[maninblack]

I expect they'll wait to see the new QF seating and go from there.

Why? They already have their own new product. All they need to do is install it. They already know what the new QF product looks like.

 

[lovestotravel]

They are disappointing a few AFFers.

Nope, most of the other people in the cabin also complained why the plane was so different/old to what they had flown before and the FAs were clearly sick of explaining it

That would be replicated many times over so more than just a few AFF's

Yet again VA dropping the ball on something they could easily and cheaply blow QF out of the water on.

It would not cost "tons" to refit 2 aircraft

 

[lovestotravel]

Why? They already have their own new product. All they need to do is install it. The already know what the new QF product looks like.

Exactly, they (VA) have a great product and could easily put it in 2 aircraft

Nothing to do with waiting for the new QF product

 

[docjames]

I disagree it's easy or cheap. Interior refits are expensive, on top of the time the aircraft is out of service.

If it was easy or cheap, then on that basis, shouldn't also QF have consistent product across their fleet? They don't.

I'd rather the XFA/B than the 2-3-2 QF A330s or indeed even the 2-2-2 non-skybed A330s.

Line-ball to the 1-2-2 763s however.

 

[lovestotravel]

I disagree it's easy or cheap. Interior refits are expensive, on top of the time the aircraft is out of service.

If it was easy or cheap, then on that basis, shouldn't also QF have consistent product across their fleet? They don't.

QF will have a consistent product on the A330's.....

 

[docjames]

QF will have a consistent product on the A330's.....

Some time towards end 2015/early 2016.

That's a long way away in aviation.

Who knows what can happen by then? VA may even update XFA/B by then.... ;-)

 

[lovestotravel]

Some time towards end 2015/early 2016.

That's a long way away in aviation.

Who knows what can happen by then? VA may even update XFA/B by then.... ;-)

Thought you just said it was too expensive and took too long