Virgin Australia B737 Max 8

[Harrison_133]

Depends if they do KOA-NAN-BNE in one hit.

That’s what is currently scheduled.

 

[Harrison_133]

Depends if they do KOA-NAN-BNE in one hit. Otherwise it will be Saturday arrival.

Skipping Nadi now. Currently enroute Kona to Brisbane non-stop. Estimated flying time 9 hours 46 minutes.

 

[AIRwin]

For example, a tail swap is scheduled for Monday, making use of existing flights. VBY will operate VA775 BNE-CNS arriving at 11:10am, before taking over VA77 to Haneda at 1:15pm.

VH-VBY is now on its maiden voyage to HND!

 

[Harrison_133]

Virgin just posted a video on their Tiktok about the MAX delivery flight to Australia. The cabin was briefly shown and the seats are indeed the same as the new ones installed on IJQ and IWQ.

 

[Saab34]

Virgin just posted a video on their Tiktok about the MAX delivery flight to Australia. The cabin was briefly shown and the seats are indeed the same as the new ones installed on IJQ and IWQ.

Good catch. When you pause one shot you can see there is no J divider.

Either they are having issues with CASA doing that or they just can’t be bothered.

 

[_flyer]

Good catch. When you pause one shot you can see there is no J divider.

Either they are having issues with CASA doing that or they just can’t be bothered.

It seems odd that they aren't installing the divider, the business cabin doesn't feel private. Has IJQ and IWQ been installed yet, or still missing the divider?

 

[Saab34]

It seems odd that they aren't installing the divider, the business cabin doesn't feel private. Has IJQ and IWQ been installed yet, or still missing the divider?

No divider yet. If it’s not coming with it already installed , safe to say it will never come at all. Crew can’t control everyone trying to walk past, or every child going for a walk up the aisle.

Should rename it from Business to Economy Plus or something. Reminds me of the Spirit setup in the US, big upfront seat or something they call it, no divider.

 

[Harrison_133]

It seems odd that they aren't installing the divider, the business cabin doesn't feel private. Has IJQ and IWQ been installed yet, or still missing the divider?

I had heard that the MAX was supposed to have a divider, maybe not true then? Or, fingers crossed, one is fitted in Australia like the Wifi should be.

IJQ & IWQ (and the other Silk aircraft) are still missing the divider. I think the issue there is the size of the forward bulkhead and galley. They take up a lot more space compared those on the legacy VA fleet, literally a row’s worth of seats. Maybe they could refit the galleys like they did to the KLM 700s before they joined the fleet?

At least one benefit is unlimited legroom and under seat storage in Row 3.

 

[MooTime]

No divider yet. If it’s not coming with it already installed , safe to say it will never come at all. Crew can’t control everyone trying to walk past, or every child going for a walk up the aisle.

Should rename it from Business to Economy Plus or something. Reminds me of the Spirit setup in the US, big upfront seat or something they call it, no divider.

Which other airlines have the divider?
QF in their 737's?
Shoulder they change to economy plus too?

 

[AIRwin]

IJQ & IWQ (and the other Silk aircraft) are still missing the divider. I think the issue there is the size of the forward bulkhead and galley. They take up a lot more space compared those on the legacy VA fleet, literally a row’s worth of seats.

That may be why there is no row 12?

 

[Harrison_133]

Initial domestic sectors for the “Boeing 737-8” are starting to appear in the system. The ones I’ve found so far are:

Mon 10 Jul
VA308 BNE 6:55 AM MEL 9:20 AM
VA833 MEL 10:00 AM SYD 11:25 AM
VA943 SYD 1:00 PM BNE 2:30 PM

Tue 11 Jul
VA908 BNE 6:05 AM SYD 7:40 AM
VA820 SYD 8:30 AM MEL 10:05 AM

Wed 12 Jul
VA841 MEL 12:00 PM SYD 1:25 PM
VA850 SYD 3:00 PM MEL 4:35 PM

Thu 13 Jul
VA303 MEL 6:10 AM BNE 8:20 AM
VA932 BNE 9:05 AM SYD 10:40 AM
VA838 SYD 12:00 PM MEL 1:35 PM

As usual, subject to change

 

[MooTime]

Initial domestic sectors for the “Boeing 737-8” are starting to appear in the system. The ones I’ve found so far are:

Mon 10 Jul
VA308 BNE 6:55 AM MEL 9:20 AM
VA833 MEL 10:00 AM SYD 11:25 AM
VA943 SYD 1:00 PM BNE 2:30 PM

Tue 11 Jul
VA908 BNE 6:05 AM SYD 7:40 AM
VA820 SYD 8:30 AM MEL 10:05 AM

I'll be looking to getting onboard asap, beats stepping onto the oldest fleet this side of the solar system in QF haggle baggle metal.

 

[Human]

I'll be looking to getting onboard asap, beats stepping onto the oldest fleet this side of the solar system in QF haggle baggle metal.

Actually by international standards, both Qantas' and Virgin's fleets are relatively young. In Europe and North America you'll not infrequently find yourself in a 767, 757 or a 90s vintage 737 or A320. Last year I flew SAS in a 25-year-old A320 whose engine was making very strange noises ... I was very relieved when we landed! And that's not even talking about fleets in other parts of the world.

 

[MooTime]

Actually by international standards, both Qantas' and Virgin's fleets are relatively young. In Europe and North America you'll not infrequently find yourself in a 767, 757 or a 90s vintage 737 or A320. Last year I flew SAS in a 25-year-old A320 whose engine was making very strange noises ... I was very relieved when we landed! And that's not even talking about fleets in other parts of the world.

Yeah fair enough, I wasn't aware of that.
I know the alliance metal here can be 25yo+.

In Europe I prefer trains anyway, all aboard toot toot.

 

[justinbrett]

Actually by international standards, both Qantas' and Virgin's fleets are relatively young. In Europe and North America you'll not infrequently find yourself in a 767, 757 or a 90s vintage 737 or A320. Last year I flew SAS in a 25-year-old A320 whose engine was making very strange noises ... I was very relieved when we landed! And that's not even talking about fleets in other parts of the world.

And there's less than a 4 year difference in the fleet average age (737 specific), so hardly worth bragging about. Both fleets are being replaced.

 

[Saab34]

I'll be looking to getting onboard asap, beats stepping onto the oldest fleet this side of the solar system in QF haggle baggle metal.

Apart from the new place smell, is no difference between the MAX and the two retrofitted Silkair birds. The overhead bins sit a little lower, that's about it.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Actually by international standards, both Qantas' and Virgin's fleets are relatively young. In Europe and North America you'll not infrequently find yourself in a 767, 757 or a 90s vintage 737 or A320. Last year I flew SAS in a 25-year-old A320 whose engine was making very strange noises ... I was very relieved when we landed! And that's not even talking about fleets in other parts of the world.

SAS’s first a320 was delivered in 2012

 

[HS-TQE]

There's probably at least 1 or 2 ex-Ansett A320s still flying around in Europe, iirc.

 

[Human]

SAS’s first a320 was delivered in 2012

I stand corrected… it must have been an A321.

 

[Harrison_133]

Initial domestic sectors for the “Boeing 737-8” are starting to appear in the system.

For those interested, some additional sectors have appeared:

Tue 11 Jul
VA323 MEL 11:10 AM BNE 1:20 PM

Wed 12 Jul
VA314 BNE 7:55 AM MEL 10:20 AM

Fri 14 Jul
VA1293 MEL 8:45 AM CNS 12:10 PM
VA1294 CNS 12:50 PM MEL 4:15 PM

Sat 15 Jul
VA1293 MEL 8:45 AM CNS 12:10 PM
VA1294 CNS 12:50 PM MEL 4:15 PM

Sun 16 Jul
VA313 MEL 8:10 AM BNE 10:20 AM
VA326 BNE 11:55 AM MEL 2:20 PM
VA1297 MEL 3:50 PM CNS 7:15 PM
VA1298 CNS 7:55 PM MEL 11:20 PM

Again, subject to change