VS076 is it a 747 or 330?

[Petermgrady]

We are flying with Virgin from Manchester. The outward plane is VS073 and we have book our seats online on a 747 plane. On the returning plane VS076 we have also booked our seats, again it is a 747. But when I check the Virgin app the VS076 is a 330. Does anybody know what plane the VS076 is?
We are flying out on the 7 August and returning on the 23 August if that makes any difference.

 

[wayneg]

Last year we had same flights.
Outbound VS073 747
Inbound VS076 A330

But if your seatmap is different then they might have changed for some reason.

Just checked SeatGuru for your date and it does indeed say 747 so they must have changed it.
76 MCO 7:10p MAN 8:20a Boeing 747-400

http://www.seatguru.com/ (Click on route rather than flight # and you can enter your dates)

 

[ChipnDaleRule]

For the past few months the earlier Orlando to Manchester planes have been the A330, and the later 8.45 planes have been the 747s.If you go onto the VA site and look at the seat configuration it will show you which plane it is.
We flew back on the 8.48 flight in June and it was the 747

 

[Petermgrady]

Yeah I agree with you both I think we will be on a 330, But on the Virgin site when I check our booking it still say 747. Very Werid.

 

[ChipnDaleRule]

I got a call from Virgin just before we were due to fly out to tell me my departure time had changed, which it had, but i was also told that my plane had change too, so losing my seat reservations. Cut a long story short, a few calls later it turned out the plane hadn't changed at all, just the time
So if you've pre booked seats and your concerned, a call might be in order

 

[wayneg]

Yeah I agree with you both I think we will be on a 330, But on the Virgin site when I check our booking it still say 747. Very Werid.

If your booking says 747 then it will be a 747, might change again (keep checking) but that will be the plane they are planning at this stage.

 

[chmurf]

also, you need to remember that airlines operate with a fleet, and fleets are made of several types of planes.

VS operates both B747 and A330 on this route.

Usually the type of plane is known several months in advance, but this might change.
There are many factors (including the expected number of passengers) that can have the airline change the type of plane

Your plane's tail number will be known only a few days before your flight.
Unscheduled maintenance, delays, cancellations and so on, can have an effect on the tail number of your plane
the tail number is like your car's license plate, the same flight number can be operated by several planes (different number)

So, up until check in, the airline can change your plane, and in some cases it also involves a plane type change. (It happened to me at least on one leg each and every time I went to the US. changed from 767 to 330, from 767 to 757 and so on)

 

[Petermgrady]

Thanks everybody. I will keep checking.

 

[flortlebap]

It will be a 330.

The "linked" flights are actually VS075 and VS076, both of which use the same plane (and which will fly the same staff back from 75 on 76). So the 73 and 74 are also "linked" and use 747s and the same crew.

I learned this from a hostess, she told me the crew prefer flying out on the 75 as they then get 3 days in Orlando with the 73, they have to fly back the next day.

But to answer the original question without procrastinating, it will be a 330 on the 76, as it was for us two weeks back. It's a nice plane.

 

[Petermgrady]

Yeah I think it will be a 330 its just when I go to manage my booking on the Virgin site it says its a 747.

 

[wayneg]

Keep us informed, I am intrigued now.

 

[Petermgrady]

Yeah me to.