VA Cancellations, Delays growing?

[33kft]

Was the weather in MEL bad this morning?

A significant storm rolled through around 6am, sounds like it has cascaded on from there.

 

[elanshin]

pretty much a melt-down this morning on the SYD-MEL route… most flights either cancelled or delayed by 90+ minutes.

Was the weather in MEL bad this morning?

seems like it, generally I'd take a peak at both QF and VA to see if its the airline or the airport(s).

 

[Harrison_133]

pretty much a melt-down this morning on the SYD-MEL route… most flights either cancelled or delayed by 90+ minutes.

Was the weather in MEL bad this morning?

There was quite a bit of storm activity this morning. Low visibility procedures are in place for an extended period, and the flow rate was reduced to 15 throughout the morning. Also a ground stop at one point too.

Currently:

seems like it, generally I'd take a peak at both QF and VA to see if its the airline or the airport(s).

All carriers are getting hammered out of MEL today. Even the Rex jets have 1-2 hour delays.

 

[RooFlyer]

The view from HBA

 

[Flyfrequently]

Up in town for dental appointments in Eastern suburbs 12 km from CBD, still haze/fog/rain.
Hard to see the city buildings.
This is perhaps having an impact at Tulla.

 

[Scarlett]

Hmmmm. 9 VA fights booked for the family Scarlett over late Dec/ early-mid Jan…

Might have to try a good luck spell; anyone got some spare ‘eye of newt’?

 

[luckypierre]

The view from HBA

View attachment 357245

Some relatives will be sharing the same view as you, awaiting VA1323 HBA - MEL, guess they will be hoping to catch their next flight MEL to ADL as well ??

 

[jase05]

Some relatives will be sharing the same view as you, awaiting VA1323 HBA - MEL, guess they will be hoping to catch their next flight MEL to ADL as well ??

ADL about to cop it again it seems with another storm on its way

 

[MEL_Traveller]

My departure to MEL this afternoon is showing ‘delayed’ due to the late inbound aircraft.

Only problem is that the aircraft is coming from BNE, and actually arriving early. With over an hour and a half at the gate.

What they probably mean is something like ‘the operating crew are arriving late’.

 

[RooFlyer]

Some relatives will be sharing the same view as you, awaiting VA1323 HBA - MEL, guess they will be hoping to catch their next flight MEL to ADL as well ??

I’m on the flight to Sydney on Virgin. We backed out on time but had to return to the bay with a technical issue which they say is now fixed.

 

[Saab34]

Probably doesn’t bode well for Pilots wanting to get their old pay back. You can almost guarantee that Pilots will be heading to strike after reading the below.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/aviation/last-chance-virgin-australia-boss-jayne-hrdlicka-warns-against-strike-action/news-story/2ef352501bc630258cd812c1df3c5baf#story-comments

Virgin Australia boss Jayne Hrdlicka has warned that threatened strike action by cabin crew could hurt the long term viability of the carrier.
In an email to staff on Monday, Ms Hrdlicka said Virgin was unlikely to get another chance if it did not keep costs under control in the brutally competitive airline business.

Virgin, which was rescued out of administration by Bain Capital in 2020, has reported its first positive result in 11 years after losing an estimated $2bn in the previous decade.

Crisis talks in the Fair Work Commission last week failed to resolve the threat of industrial action by Virgin cabin crew during the busy Christmas holiday period.

Ms Hrdlicka said she hoped that strike action did not occur given the ongoing constructive negotiations and the need to build a sustainable airline.

“It is just over three years since Virgin Australia came out of administration, and through your combined efforts and commitment, and the backing of our investors, we are rebuilding a stronger, more sustainable airline,” Ms Hrdlicka wrote.

“Under our new ownership, Virgin Australia got a second chance and thousands of jobs were saved. In fact, every person who lost their job has been given the opportunity to come back. We have all, collectively, done an incredible job of turning this airline around. The airline industry is anything but easy. We have just posted our first positive financial result in 11 years after losing $2bn over that decade.”

The Transport Workers’ Union (TWU) said crew had resolved to continue negotiations this week with Virgin after some progress was made in the talks on Friday but more needed to be done to reach a resolution.

The TWU said cabin crew had for months been raising concerns that included back-to-back rosters forcing them to skip rest breaks and fight fatigue.

Ground crew recently settled an agreement with more full-time jobs, better hours for part-timers and classification levels reinstated, lifting pay by as much as 20 per cent for the most experienced workers after pandemic settings disbanded seniority levels.

However, Ms Hrdlicka warned staff that they “won’t get a third chance” if costs could not be controlled.

“It is critical that we all stay united in ensuring Virgin Australia is set up for long-term success,” she said. “Our current offer to cabin crew … includes very attractive base salary increases as well as increases to allowances and changes that help address the lifestyle and fatigue issues that have been raised.”

She said she had spent time with Virgin founder Richard Branson in the last two weeks who told her that in 50 years of building businesses worldwide, “not one of the companies that carries the Virgin name today has ever had strike action taken that has harmed guests and the team more broadly”.

“He has started hundreds of businesses and also seen some of them fail,” she said. “What is clear is that whilst treating each other with respect and fairness is critical, if we cannot keep our costs competitive against low-cost carriers and new entrants, we will not have a sustainable airline for the long term.”

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Errr… there’s one easy way… how about valuing your customers??

I’ve said this before… not a single email in 70+ flights on VA this year to say ‘hey, thank you for flying with us’.

Nothing. Not a jot.

They could even auto-generate an email like that.

The only time I get a feedback survey after a flight is if the flight was on time. How many have I had this year? About 10.

If you can’t / don’t care about your passengers, you’re going to lose them.

 

[justinbrett]

SRB being a little melodramatic (and/or trying to protect his stake)

 

[N860CR]

Given Bain reportedly pulled some 700mil in “consultancy fees”, I think predicting a collapse because they can’t pay their staff above the poverty line may be a little extreme.

 

[MooTime]

Given Bain reportedly pulled some 700mil in “consultancy fees”, I think predicting a collapse because they can’t pay their staff above the poverty line may be a little extreme.

I didn't see any prediction of collapse in the article by Bain.

A mention of this can change quickly by Branson.

I'm sure there's many ppl on the 'real' poverty line that would be happy on ~$50k with a 15% pay rise on the table.

 

[TheInsider]

I'm sure there's many ppl on the 'real' poverty line that would be happy on ~$50k with a 15% pay rise on the table.

The minimum wage is approx $46k a year.

The minimum cabin crew wage is $50731 a year.

Most cabin crew aren't getting more than PT hours and are not FT workers. Half the above wages or even take 25% away, it's not much.

 

[MooTime]

The minimum wage is approx $46k a year.

The minimum cabin crew wage is $50731 a year.

Most cabin crew aren't getting more than PT hours and are not FT workers. Half the above wages or even take 25% away, it's not much.

So exactly what I posted.

 

[N860CR]

I'm sure there's many ppl on the 'real' poverty line that would be happy on ~$50k with a 15% pay rise on the table.

I suspect they’d prefer the billions Bain is raking in at the staffs expense

 

[MooTime]

I suspect they’d prefer the billions Bain is raking in at the staffs expense

You change your narrative each post.
Billions.... You say their earning billions!

You moved away from them poverty line call.

 

[N860CR]

You change your narrative each post.
Billions.... You say their earning billions!

You moved away from them poverty line call.

I believe they’re up to just under a bil. One would assume it’s ever increasing.

Minimum wage, especially in Sydney, it’s the poverty line.

But you’re right. It’s these greedy flight attendants who are at fault. My heart bleeds for the private equity firm who is so hard done by. Why should a flight attendant get more than minimum wage, no penalties and operate in a 24/7 environment (and cop the brunt of those whinging when they don’t get a glass of wine during boarding)