Looks like the Bills are Flying Virgin Atlantic to London

[Royale with Cheese]

10 minutes ago, Mr. WEO said:

 

Seat guru says there are only 44 seats in "upper class" on their 350's

Do you think they draw straws to see who gets the upper class?  

[sherpa]

8 minutes ago, Beck Water said:

 

Yeah, but this is likely a charter plane.  They can have it configured as 100% bed chair seating, and extra-long extra large ones at that. 

 

Not true and not done.

[Warriorspikes51]

2 minutes ago, Royale with Cheese said:

Do you think they draw straws to see who gets the upper class?  

All starters then the rest by seniority.

[Mr. WEO]

8 minutes ago, Beck Water said:

 

Not sure what you mean by "not very big plane".  Airbus A350-1041 can hold 350-400 passengers and has  ~700,000 lb takeoff weight.

 

But, since the Bills intend to have a practice tomorrow, I would expect that they sent much of their equipment ahead on a cargo flight, so it could get unloaded, clear any customs, get it trucked to the practice facility or field, and get it unpacked and set up.

 

 

Yeah, but this is likely a charter plane.  They can have it configured as 100% bed chair seating, and extra-long extra large ones at that.  I'm sure the Bills aren't the only sports team or other group flying across the ocean and wanting to arrive there reasonably rested.

 

 

I suppose, but that particular plane has flown at least 1 long haul leg nearly every day the past 2 weeks----lots of back and forth JFK/Atlanta/west coast to Heathrow, even Lagos Nigeria.  I can't believe they are all ferrying pro sports teams or groups late enough to need 100+ 1st class seats.  Reconfiguring the plane for 100% lay flat 1sts would take easily a day or more and could only be done at an airport where Virgin had such equipment stored.

 

The turnarounds one these flights suggests that's impossible. 

[Beck Water]

22 minutes ago, sherpa said:

 

Not true and not done.

 

https://www.acj.airbus.com/en/creative-design

 

One of the Airbus ACJ options is an Airbus 350-1000 series

 

Edit: other people's comments that this is a fleet workhorse leads me to believe you're talking about how it wouldn't be reconfigured between flights, which was actually not what I was intending to suggest.  It can get purchased (or retrofitted, a lengthy process) in just about whatever configuration the customer desires within broad limits, that was my point.   

Edited October 5, 2023 by Beck Water

[Mr. WEO]

6 minutes ago, Royale with Cheese said:

Do you think they draw straws to see who gets the upper class?  

  rookies in Econ

[Beck Water]

6 minutes ago, Mr. WEO said:

 

 

I suppose, but that particular plane has flown at least 1 long haul leg nearly every day the past 2 weeks----lots of back and forth JFK/Atlanta/west coast to Heathrow, even Lagos Nigeria.  I can't believe they are all ferrying pro sports teams or groups late enough to need 100+ 1st class seats.  Reconfiguring the plane for 100% lay flat 1sts would take easily a day or more and could only be done at an airport where Virgin had such equipment stored.

 

The turnarounds one these flights suggests that's impossible. 

 

If that's the case, then you're right, it's not been customized like that.

 

No they wouldn't reconfigure the plane between flights.  That isn't done.  The plane would have to go out the Airbus door configured that way, or else be re-fitted in a process that takes much more time and a lot of FAA paperwork (or whatever the EU equivalent is)

Edited October 5, 2023 by Beck Water

[BillStime]

11 minutes ago, Beck Water said:

Yeah, but this is likely a charter plane. 

Nah - it is one of their work horses

 

[Royale with Cheese]

4 minutes ago, Warriorspikes51 said:

All starters then the rest by seniority.

I think it goes by girth and not by length.

[Mr. WEO]

7 minutes ago, Beck Water said:

 

https://www.acj.airbus.com/en/creative-design

 

One of the Airbus ACJ options is an Airbus 350-1000 series

 

This isn't an ACJ.  It's a Virgin fleet plane.

[PromoTheRobot]

2 hours ago, Dan Darragh said:

A350-1000 is huge, holds more than 400 passengers

 

I guess the runway at KBUF was long enough. I had heard Niagara Falls airport could handle big planes like 747's

[sherpa]

It simply isn't done on these charters.

It is not only not possible, as the floor is not configured to do such a thing, but it would take the airplane out of service for a day or two on both sides of the trip, if it was possible.

[Ridgewaycynic2013]

1 minute ago, PromoTheRobot said:

 

I guess the runway at KBUF was long enough. I had heard Niagara Falls airport could handle big planes like 747's

Atlas Air / Dolphins team plane is a 747, and they flew in and out last weekend.  However, I saw elsewhere that main runway 5/23 was being worked on, and flights were using 14/32.  I don't know if the work has been completed.

10L/28R at the Falls is easily 3 kilometres.

[Beck Water]

8 minutes ago, sherpa said:

It simply isn't done on these charters.

It is not only not possible, as the floor is not configured to do such a thing, but it would take the airplane out of service for a day or two on both sides of the trip, if it was possible.

 

I edited post above, but my point was that that particular make and model of aircraft could (theoretically) be sold kitted out as "all first class" essentially.

 

But yes, of course, if it's a fleet workhorse plane that left Airbus with the seats installed in one of the standard certificated configurations, they wouldn't and couldn't reconfigure it on any sort of short-turn timeline, in fact I don't think OOS for a day would do it - probably a month to complete all the necessary paperwork.

 

 

[Captain_Quint]

I hopped a private jet to Paris and have plans to be "Fan Man'ed" in at the end of the first quarter. 

 

 

 

 

[sherpa]

1 minute ago, Beck Water said:

 

I edited post above, but my point was that that particular make and model of aircraft could (theoretically) be sold kitted out as "all first class" essentially.

 

But yes, of course, if it's a fleet workhorse plane that left Airbus with the seats installed in one of the standard certificated configurations, they wouldn't and couldn't reconfigure it on any sort of short-turn timeline, in fact I don't think OOS for a day would do it - probably a month to complete all the necessary paperwork.

 

 

 

No. I get it.

But there is no way the NFL would pay the cost associated with reconfiguring.

On your "paperwork" point, that wouldn't be how it would be done.

The airplane would be certified for multiple configurations, and as long as the certification standards were upheld with the change, there would be no additional certification process.

 

Anyway, on another note that has come up, BUF and IAG have runways that are suitable for up to 747's with fuel loads that could handle this charter.

IAG's is a bit longer.  

[K-9]

2 hours ago, DrDawkinstein said:

Interesting theyre going 7pm to 12:30am on this flight. Thought they would leave a bit later and land later into the day so they could go right into it.

 

If this is the team plane, I'm not a fan of these times.

They are gonna get right into it upon landing. First a practice and then media obligations. 

[Chandler#81]

3 hours ago, Logic said:

I've never had the pleasure of climbing aboard a Virgin before.

Ya didn’t miss much. It’s overrated.🤷‍♂️

[BillStime]

22 minutes ago, PromoTheRobot said:

 

I guess the runway at KBUF was long enough. I had heard Niagara Falls airport could handle big planes like 747's

They flew a 747 out of BUF the last time they flew to London…

 

 

[K-9]

1 hour ago, Gugny said:

What if your balls caught on fire and a naked Roseanne Barr rushed in to save you, then proceeded to fart in your face whilst pouring gasoline on your nuts to put the fire out?