Virgin 737-8 Max Business Class - No Divider

[PERLHR]

"2025"

So..it's now 2025! ,

 

[simmomelb]

So..it's now 2025! ,

New air divider & curtain are being tested on a couple of aircraft in the first quarter of this year.

Once testing is complete, roll out to the rest of the fleet this year.

Others on here (such as twinaisle) may have more updated info on this.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

New air divider & curtain are being tested on a couple of aircraft in the first quarter of this year.

Once testing is complete, roll out to the rest of the fleet this year.

Others on here (such as twinaisle) may have more updated info on this.

lol.. the “air divider”… is that like air guitar? Completely invisible?

 

[PERLHR]

For the first time in ages I was not in biz (cost was crazy) but I was in a very spacious legroom row 3 seat on a 11 year old 737 today from PER to MEL ...well it's tennis time!! It was beautifully furnished with a rope divider that actually worked and detered all those pax thinking about using the front loo. The lucky biz passengers had their own toilet....shame the CSD seemed to.diaappear down the back for.half the flight though!! Glad I was not on Row 1 or 2..

 

[twinaisle]

For the first time in ages I was not in biz (cost was crazy) but I was in a very spacious legroom row 3 seat on a 11 year old 737 today from PER to MEL ...well it's tennis time!! It was beautifully furnished with a rope divider that actually worked and detered all those pax thinking about using the front loo. The lucky biz passengers had their own toilet....shame the CSD seemed to.diaappear down the back for.half the flight though!! Glad I was not on Row 1 or 2..

Could have been going on their break and checking up on the team. You can't just not see your team and stay hiding at the front of the aircraft.

Call bell is there for a reason so I'm sure if J needed something they could have pressed it.

 

[Bagpuss]

Call bell is there for a reason so I'm sure if J needed something they could have pressed it.

As part of business class experience you would expect that you don't really need to press the call button as the crew member would scan and check every 15 minutes or so.
I have also experienced flights to PER where the business class crew member would be gone for upwards of an hour. Sometimes to return and then disappear again for a long time.
Though you are correct, you should press the call button at will.

 

[PERLHR]

I agree with Bagpuss. Checking on staff at rear is one thing but not to such extended times and regularly that it is so noticeable to pax at the expense of high paying biz pax! It's pretty common on Perth services to and from MEL and SYD.

 

[Rayesfeg]

New air divider & curtain are being tested on a couple of aircraft in the first quarter of this year.

What do you think testing of 'air divider' and 'curtains' includes?

Staff training can be done on the ground, safety material all done in the office, engineering plans can be drawn up on the ground, installation will be done in the hangar. What is there to test?

 

[PERLHR]

What else is there to test?

The determination of Y breaching the "threshold" into Biz! ...who knows ...but no doubt VA will do it all the hard way.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

What do you think testing of 'air divider' and 'curtains' includes?

Staff training can be done on the ground, safety material all done in the office, engineering plans can be drawn up on the ground, installation will be done in the hangar. What is there to test?

I guess it includes things like ease of use (deploying and securing in an ‘on board’ environment), checking for passenger comfort (for example, during climb, does the curtain angle mean it intrudes on seat 3C), testing whether crew can still perform their duties while the curtain is closed, both safety-wise, and service wise (when the cart is brought to row 3 to start service, could it knock a passenger standing at row 2?), ease of opening overhead lockers with the curtain rail… does it impact, or not.

Lots of feedback, but nothing that couldn’t be done in a week give. the number of flights and number of crews operating the planes in those times.

 

[Rayesfeg]

I guess it includes things like ease of use (deploying and securing in an ‘on board’ environment), checking for passenger comfort (for example, during climb, does the curtain angle mean it intrudes on seat 3C), testing whether crew can still perform their duties while the curtain is closed, both safety-wise, and service wise (when the cart is brought to row 3 to start service, could it knock a passenger standing at row 2?), ease of opening overhead lockers with the curtain rail… does it impact, or not.

Lots of feedback, but nothing that couldn’t be done in a week give. the number of flights and number of crews operating the planes in those times.

I suppose only VA would know for sure but these scenarios do seem like something that could be done on the ground if they put in the effort to do so - use FAs in training as 'dummy' customers in seats and have the crew perform their duties and observe the outcomes.
Customer experience-wise probably not the best to have customers, especially those in J, as guinea pigs to test out new processes on.

Either way, it will be good to have the dividers finally installed.