VA Cancellations, Delays growing?

[Must...Fly!]

Most organisations where staff require certifications will have some kind of specialised software to manage license and certification expiry. There would also be notifications and lead time prior to actual expiry. But I know airlines can be antiquated...maybe they're just using Excel!

Indeed, I've seen similar before. Got no idea of the VA backend so I'm just randomly guessing some potential scenarios.

 

[PERLHR]

Got no idea of the VA backend so I'm just randomly guessing some potential scenarios.

I suspect that is exactly what VA are saying as well!!

 

[TheInsider]

Again, if it's true then I'm surprised the F/O didn't pick it up themselves.

They did and supposedly asked before the flight. Crewing cleared him and said it was okay and nothing was needed. Rumour of course.

 

[Saab34]

Isn’t an extra rating required to fly into ZQN?

 

[bcworld]

Isn’t an extra rating required to fly into ZQN?

Yes, as discussed a few posts ago.

 

[bcworld]

I had a whinge (complaint form) to VA about the Queenstown farce. Mainly about the lack of communication and failure to follow the ground services manual with respect to announcements / vouchers.

They came back and told me to go away and that the delay occurred despite their 'best efforts'.

I challenged the idea that sending a first officer to operate the flight who wasn't qualified to land at the destination and turning back half way across the Tasman really represented their "best efforts"!

They countered with 5k points for me (Plat) and 2.5k for my partner (Red).

 

[PERLHR]

challenged the idea that sending a first officer to operate the flight who wasn't qualified to land at the destination and turning back half way across the Tasman really represented their "best efforts"!

Ha...I hope the challenge was quite condescending of their so called "best efforts". Think it's worth as Platinum 10k points...

 

[Catweazle]

We're flying to get to a funeral on Friday. Here's hoping things will be smooth. The flight we booked has had 14+ days of being on time and, in some cases, being strangely early!

 

[latawiec]

December OTP figures were released today:

Table 1: Total Industry On Time Performance for December 2023​

Reporting Airlines	Sectors Scheduled	Arrivals On Time %	Departures On Time %	Cancellations %
Individual operating entities
Bonza	701	55.0	52.6	19.4
Jetstar	8,193	63.0	62.1	5.5
Qantas - all QF designated services	18,807	67.8	69.5	3.7
Rex Airlines	5,429	70.6	74.3	0.6
Skytrans	312	76.4	76.4	9.0
Virgin Australia - all VA designated services	12,182	54.0	56.5	7.5
All Airlines	45,624	63.6	65.2	5.0

Source: Airline On Time Performance Statistics —Monthly

I think that VA performance is still terrible, as my flight from Perth to Sydney on 31 January 2024 at noon was cancelled early morning without any explanation.

Alternatively I need to fly via Adelaide and with landing in Sydney over 3 hrs later than originally planned.
And the return evening flight VA571 from Sydney to Perth on 13 February 2024 was delayed by 1 hr because the flight crew arrived from Melbourne by 1 hr later than should. Their response was as usually somewhat pathetic, because of blaming the Melbourne's unexpected weather and the climate change.

There is definitely no improvement in the VA flight performance, as per my experience.

It seems to me that only competition from another airline on the PER-SYD route could force real improvement in performance of the both Qantas and Virgin airlines on this presently neglected route.

 

[PERLHR]

Alternatively I need to fly via Adelaide and with landing in Sydney over 3 hrs later than originally planned

Also check to make sure especially if you were on a business ticket that the PER-ADL if the sector is operated by Virgin Regional on an all Y class A320.

 

[MooTime]

the climate change.

Please don't tell me they blamed "climate change"..….
If so it's all over, a plane never required to be on time again!

 

[latawiec]

Please don't tell me they blamed "climate change"..….
If so it's all over, a plane never required to be on time again!

I was greatly surprised hearing from a senior VA staff that the reason behind delayed departure of VA 571 from Sydney on 13 February 2024 was a storm at Melbourne resulting from the climate change and that the flight crew for VA 571 was from the Melbourne.

But for me, (retired power systems engineer), it seems that there is a lack of adequate contingency in VA's operation planning.

 

[Must...Fly!]

I was greatly surprised hearing from a senior VA staff that the reason behind delayed departure of VA 571 from Sydney on 13 February 2024 was a storm at Melbourne resulting from the climate change and that the flight crew for VA 571 was from the Melbourne.

But for me, (retired power systems engineer), it seems that there is a lack of adequate contingency in VA's operation planning.

The storms on the 13th were wild. No one can plan around that.

 

[Must...Fly!]

The storm in Melbourne on Tuesday was probably once of the worst for years...but localised as well...I can't say what it would've been like at the airport...but in many suburbs they're still picking up the pieces.

Max wind at MEL airport according to BOM was 102kph. Friend lives nearby the airport and had trees literally snap in half in his backyard. There were a number of diversions for airlines, it wasn't a fun day. VA could do a lot of things better but Tuesday is not a great example.

 

[N860CR]

Max wind at MEL airport according to BOM was 102kph. Friend lives nearby the airport and had trees literally snap in half in his backyard. There were a number of diversions for airlines, it wasn't a fun day. VA could do a lot of things better but Tuesday is not a great example.

I guess they could launch off into a storm and crash, but then people here would complain that “never arriving inbound aircraft due 180 fatalities” wasn’t a valid reason for a delay.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I guess they could launch off into a storm and crash, but then people here would complain that “never arriving inbound aircraft due 180 fatalities” wasn’t a valid reason for a delay.

Absolutely the first priority should be safety.

But with VA very few of the delays seem to be safety related… lack of crews, short turnarounds, maintenance.

If VA was only affected by bad weather, not sure there’d be so many complaints, or scepticism around their excuses for poor performance.

 

[Saab34]

lack of crews, short turnarounds, maintenance.

This has been talked about on here for a while now. It does not appear the dial is shifting either.

I really do wonder what state the business will be in post float.

 

[aussieboozer]

Had 4 staff flying from Canberra to Gold Coast on Saturday afternoon for an event starting Sunday morning. Flight cancelled and no options to rebook until Monday! Requested reroute to Brisbane and was offered a refund of original fare and pay for new tickets at 3 times the price of the original tickets. Today 2 Virgin flights from SYD-OOL cancelled with some of our customers scheduled. No other airlines flights to OOL from SYD were cancelled today.

Atrocious performance and service that makes Jetstar look good.

 

[latawiec]

Had 4 staff flying from Canberra to Gold Coast on Saturday afternoon for an event starting Sunday morning. Flight cancelled and no options to rebook until Monday! Requested reroute to Brisbane and was offered a refund of original fare and pay for new tickets at 3 times the price of the original tickets. Today 2 Virgin flights from SYD-OOL cancelled with some of our customers scheduled. No other airlines flights to OOL from SYD were cancelled today.

Atrocious performance and service that makes Jetstar look good.

Unreliable flight service from both major airlines needs now an extra day or even two days contingency to prevent missing deadlines for:

scheduled events
cruise departure
scheduled procedures in hospitals
all events you can't miss

In my opinion we need to open Australia to more competition not only in the airline market, but also in many other areas.

 

[PERLHR]

Not only competition but as others have said accountability for cancellations within their control like Europe needs to be activated now. They take little.or no interest in disruption and need to be held responsible. Equivalent to EU 261 is needed without further delays. Amazing what a difference it could make.