VA Cancellations, Delays growing?

[andrewpf]

If VA didn't do this, there would be no competition on the route and the airfare on Qantas would go through the roof.

It's not as if it's a long flight and the Saab is fine. Though each to their own.

That's fine, I knew what I was booked on. I only mentioned it was a Saab because someone suggested they can't switch from a 737 to something larger.

What isn't fine is moving me to a flight two days later because they cancelled two of the multiple flights they run.

 

[MooTime]

Depends on the route. As a frequent flyer on the MEL-SYD route, which seems to bear the brunt of these cancellations, together with flights to Perth, I’d say it is ‘constant’. And if your flights isn’t cancelled, it’s almost certainly going to be delayed.

Exactly why I mentioned in my post to check that particular flight history.

The original poster was talking about SYD-DPS specifically, so not sure why you mention syd-mel.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Exactly why I mentioned in my post to check that particular flight history.

The original poster was talking about SYD-DPS specifically, so not sure why you mention syd-mel.

I thought you were saying 5.3% shouldn’t be considered ‘constant’. But on key routes it is exactly that

 

[MooTime]

I thought you were saying 5.3% shouldn’t be considered ‘constant’. But on key routes it is exactly that

I was saying 5.3% isn't constant. And it's not. Constant would be more often than not.

On your referring syd-mel route we'd agree it's much more than 5.3%.

Anyway the syd-dps route VA timings we could say are exceptional. As someone posted above international may be more on the money.

 

[SeaWolf]

Had a cancellation yesterday on CBR-SYD, was originally on the 16:05 and woke up to find I'd gotten a cancellation SMS and I'd been rebooked on the 19:05 instead. Clicked the email link and moved myself onto the 14:35 service instead and got back home to Sydney early. Pretty happy with that outcome, especially since there was both storms and Swifties to contend with.

Roughest flight I've ever been on though, was definitely not good flying weather.

 

[MooTime]

Had a cancellation yesterday on CBR-SYD, was originally on the 16:05 and woke up to find I'd gotten a cancellation SMS and I'd been rebooked on the 19:05 instead. Clicked the email link and moved myself onto the 14:35 service instead and got back home to Sydney early. Pretty happy with that outcome, especially since there was both storms and Swifties to contend with.

Roughest flight I've ever been on though, was definitely not good flying weather.

Nice outcome, so you made that change via that be virgin app thing making it easier to change? Is that for flights changed within 3 hours?

Turbulence, so no hot drinks.

 

[kyle]

Just a heads up, forecasted storm in SYD this arvo is big. Likelihood of huge delays / cancellations is high.

QF is considering running a380 service for SYD - MEL if that is any idea.

And then there's Channel 9 on socials calling for ppl who are affected to contact them.

 

[SeaWolf]

Nice outcome, so you made that change via that be virgin app thing making it easier to change?

When you get rebooked you get an email and a SMS notifying you of your new flight details. There's a link in those that you can select to "View Other Options" that takes you to a webpage with the alternatives displayed. You just select the one you want and it moves you onto it, all very simple.

Turbulence, so no hot drinks.

No cold drinks either! The FA managed to scramble round and hand everyone a snack in a brief gap but then had to strap back in, she couldn't even do a rubbish run until after we'd landed it was so rough.

 

[MooTime]

And then there's Channel 9 on socials calling for ppl who are affected to contact them.

Where would be without media and socials?
We did have a post here on AFF to see if a AFF member in the A380 flight.

No cold drinks either! The FA managed to scramble round and hand everyone a snack in a brief gap but then had to strap back in, she couldn't even do a rubbish run until after we'd landed it was so rough.

I'm not a fan of strong turbulence.

 

[jasrulz63]

Virgin kindly cancelled our MEL to SYD (VA 607) flight at 0630 on Thursday with just under two hours notice (i.e. 0430). Was a scramble as the best flight they could initially book us on got there ~12 hours later via Launceston. Ended up calling back at getting lucky/more useful CS rep who was able to get us seats on the 0730 flight.

Looking at flightradar, it looks like that flight was cancelled 5 times in a row from Saturday to Thursday.

EDIT: our trip home was also cancelled today, and shifted to an earlier flight.

 

[milehighclub]

Virgin Cabin Crew Accepted the proposed EBA - so no risk of any strike action from them now

 

[twinaisle]

Virgin Cabin Crew Accepted the proposed EBA - so no risk of any strike action from them now

Now it's the pilots turn )

 

[brokenagain]

And they a ready for a big fight. The Network Aviation PIA has had relatively little impact on the east coast, just wait until the VA pilots start (not to mention the other upcoming QF group EBA negotiations starting in the next 12-18 months)

 

[elanshin]

Bunch if delays Syd - MEL this evening. Poor old bloke on the bus from mascot panicking a bit that his 8:15 flight got cancelled and moved to 7:15 (around 6pm). Struggling to hear the call centre guy as well.

I would've helped him to show him alternatives if I wasn't also on the late side for my 7:00 flight with a bag drop.

 

[ThatMrBlake]

Casually looking at the BNE arrivals board - a bunch of late night cancellations into BNE from Virgin with Perth, Melbourne, Adelaide and Launceston all featuring. Other carriers have a few delays but no where near the same volume of cancellations.

 

[Saab34]

Not that great into Melbourne tonight either. Note to self- don’t fly VA on Friday nights going forward.

 

[Must...Fly!]

Not a great day for my family...one flying ZQN-xBNE-PER. Delayed out of ZQN due to late inbound (engineering), missed connection. Irrelevant in the end as VA474 was subsequently cancelled anyway. Hotel and cabcharges swiftly provided via email when misconnect was evident. Well handled overall.

Another flying MEL-PER, VA691 left over 3hrs late.

All part of the fun...!

 

[jase05]

My excellent gauntlet running skills of avoiding VA delays and cancellations came to a screeching halt today. We are heading OS in a couple of days and my parents are coming from the Snowy’s to house sit for about half the time we are away so I decided to take a flying visit and have lunch with them at CBR and give them keys and a gift.
So against better judgement and riding my luck I went for ADL-MEL-CBR with a 3hr stop at MEL and then 2hrs at CBR with my folks before CBR-MEL-ADL on the way home with 45 minutes at MEL. All in J except MEL-CBR way over which utilises the horrible 737-700.
So this morning I get the 0300 message from Flighty app that my ADL-MEL 0715 has been cancelled and a few minutes later VA sends the confirmation and that they have booked me on the 0815 in J so no problems. I get down to the airport at around 0600 and the plan was to have a coffee in the lounge but on checking in the staff member says if I have no luggage and want to run I can get the 0615 which is on final boarding call. I agree and she calls ahead to see if they will let me on. Kudos to VA as I got the last J seat and still got my meal order taken first.
I was feeling pretty chuffed at this point but about an hour into my MEL lounge break I get another Flighty app message saying my CBR-MEL leg is delayed by 2hrs and will land over an hour after my MEL-ADL flight has departed which also happens to be last MEL-ADL flight for the day. Sure enough I get a message from VA notifying me that the only option was to put me on the earlier 1415 CBR-MEL flight which I chose begrudgingly but I just couldn’t be bothered staying overnight as I have appointments tomorrow. So in the end I had a whole 20 minutes at CBR and guested my parents into the lounge and explained to the lounge dragon the situation and she said they could stay after I had departed. We exchanged small talk, house keys and gifts and I left them in the lounge to have a snack. Oh and to top it off I got straight back on the same coughpy all Y aircraft that I had flown up there on so copped an involuntary downgrade. I‘ve well and truly retained Platinum so probably won’t even bother with claiming ORC but I’ll send some feedback in and that will most likely be the end of it.
After dozens of recent flights with them I guess it had to happen eventually but after seeing other reports on here and elsewhere I’m glad I left 6hrs between my ADL-MEL and MEL-BKK flight this week as a precaution

 

[Cryptarcadian]

I'm booked on VA 858 SYD-MEL on a Saturday afternoon to connect with an international flight, and flightradar24 says it's only been cancelled once in the last few months.

What other data are you all looking at to guess at chances of cancellations?

I'll definitely be on the lookout for weather and inbound delays on the day itself regardless.

 

[jase05]

I'm booked on VA 858 SYD-MEL on a Saturday afternoon to connect with an international flight, and flightradar24 says it's only been cancelled once in the last few months.

What other data are you all looking at to guess at chances of cancellations?

I'll definitely be on the lookout for weather and inbound delays on the day itself regardless.

My tip for all International travel is to either do your domestic travel the day before and stay the night close by or allow at least one extra flight slot between your domestic and international so in your case is their at least one more VA SYD-MEL before or after yours that can get you there in time?