VA route suspensions due to Omicron outbreak Jan/Feb 22

[antycbr]

VA have suspended from 24 Jan the following:
Adelaide – Darwin
Adelaide – Cairns
Adelaide – Sunshine Coast
Coffs Harbour – Melbourne
Hamilton Island – Melbourne
Sydney – Townsville
Melbourne – Townsville
Gold Coast – Launceston
Gold Coast – Hobart
Sydney – Fiji

Most of these have some options to allow consolidation (e.g. OOL to LST/HBA can be served through MEL, TSV to SYD/MEL can be rerouted via BNE). NAN i assume is getting rerouted over BNE (has that started?)

Source: Virgin cuts a quarter of flights as Omicron hits crew and travel demand

 

[TMP]

NAN i assume is getting rerouted over BNE (has that started?)

SYD-NAN will need to be routed via MEL if that service continues.

 

[astrosly]

The ABC blog lists the anticipated resumption dates, some not till June!

The temporarily suspended routes include:

• Adelaide to Darwin - from January 25 with an anticipated return on June 22
• Adelaide to Cairns - From January 25 with an anticipated return on June 23
• Adelaide to Sunshine Coast - from January 24 with an anticipated return on March 29
• Coffs Harbour to Melbourne - from January 24 with an anticipated return on March 31
• Hamilton Island to Melbourne - anticipated return on March 24
• Sydney to Townsville - from January 25 with an anticipated return on June 23
• Melbourne to Townsville - from January 25 with an anticipated return on June 21
• Gold Coast to Launceston - from January 25 with an anticipated return on March 29
• Gold Coast to Hobart - from January 24 with an anticipated return on March 30
• Sydney to Fiji - From January 31 with an anticipated return on March 10

 

[ole nimeton]

I’ve booked a few flights with Virgin recently and all have been changed/cancelled.

Mid afternoon MEL-CBR flight on the weekend was consolidated into a very full 5pm flight.

Direct CBR-ADL flight on Thursday evening was cancelled and I’m now on a morning flight via Melbourne (at a significantly more inconvenient time for me).

Seems lots of the direct CBR-ADL flights have been given the chop with only the peak time fridays etc remaining.

The consolidation also seems to be impacting chances of business upgrades. I put in requests for CBR-MEL-CBR and all rejected. Unsurprising with the flights they are running so full.

 

[jase05]

I’ve booked a few flights with Virgin recently and all have been changed/cancelled.

Mid afternoon MEL-CBR flight on the weekend was consolidated into a very full 5pm flight.

Direct CBR-ADL flight on Thursday evening was cancelled and I’m now on a morning flight via Melbourne (at a significantly more inconvenient time for me).

Seems lots of the direct CBR-ADL flights have been given the chop with only the peak time fridays etc remaining.

The consolidation also seems to be impacting chances of business upgrades. I put in requests for CBR-MEL-CBR and all rejected. Unsurprising with the flights they are running so full.

My direct ADL-SYD on Friday night got changed to ADL-MEL-SYD with 30 minutes connection in MEL. Kept my 1A & 1C seats for both legs.
Only a slight inconvenience with the earlier departure but the extra SC’s and grog on board will make up for it. For $299 I’m not complaining

 

[Lynda2475]

With the suspensions not taking place til Late Jan, seems to be more about reduced demand once school holidays end than Covid per se.

 

[ole nimeton]

With the suspensions not taking place til Late Jan, seems to be more about reduced demand once school holidays end than Covid per se.

The message on one of my cancelled flights was “due to crew operational limitations” or some such. Make of that what you will…

 

[Harthagan]

With the suspensions not taking place til Late Jan, seems to be more about reduced demand once school holidays end than Covid per se.

This is always the case it seems. Even when covid isn't the driving force they are only too happy to cancel/consolidate when it makes fiscal sense on their end

 

[Lynda2475]

This is always the case it seems. Even when covid isnt a driving force they are only happy to cancel/consolidate when it makes fiscal sense on their end

Of course and its convenient to use Covid as an excuse to minimise noise re disruption

 

[jase05]

Of course and its convenient to use Covid as an excuse to minimise noise re disruption

They are running low on staff, that much is true.
Staff levels are getting dire

 

[twinaisle]

They are running low on staff, that much is true.
Staff levels are getting dire

It is true, we're exhausted. Had someone rude pax onboard the other day... Was about to pull the plug and offload myself. Flight would of gotten cancelled if I did

 

[Lynda2475]

They are running low on staff, that much is true

Yes now, but anyone off with Covid now will be cleared to fly again well before 24th, given only 7 days iso needed for a positive and no clearance before returning to work.

 

[jase05]

Yes now, but anyone off with Covid now will be cleared to fly again well before 24th, given only 7 days iso needed for a positive and no clearance before returning to work.

Your assuming for no new cases. No good if you get 10 back from ISO one day and lose 10 the next day. They are manoeuvring staff interstate that’s how dire it is

 

[Andrew Curran]

My direct SYD-TSV flight this weekend on VA was canceled last week and is now going via BNE. This flight was booked several months ago and this was the 4th change.

This morning QF sent me an email axing my early February direct TSV-DRW flight. I'm now via BNE and a 06:00 flight out of TSV - so not overly thrilled about that. I suspect QF has quietly deferred the start of the TSV - DRW service.

I'm now waiting for the third leg - DRW - ADL to fall into a heap as well.

 

[jakeseven7]

With the suspensions not taking place til Late Jan, seems to be more about reduced demand once school holidays end than Covid per se.

Also I mean look at most the routes, they aren’t exactly the cream of the crop in terms of density and yield.

With the exception of Fiji it reads like a Jetstar flight map. VA2 in normal times would have had a marginal business flying them in a heavy 737.

I would not be surprised if a few of these permanently die.

 

[jakeseven7]

Some more coverage of the cuts in flying:

Virgin Australia to cut capacity by 25% as COVID-19 cases rise | Fox Business

Virgin Australia said on Monday it would reduce capacity across its network by around 25% for the rest of January and for February due to reduced travel demand and staff being required to isolate as COVID-19 case numbers rise in Australia.

www.foxbusiness.com

Virgin flights cut and venues closed as omicron rips staff

Virgin Australia will cut one in every four flights from late January as the omicron strain rips through staff and quells demand.

www.afr.com

Virgin Australia cuts massive list of flights from due to Covid crisis

Virgin Australia has suspended nine internal routes and its sole international service - to Fiji - and reduced the number of flights on some other routes.

www.dailymail.co.uk

 

[Saab34]

Also I mean look at most the routes, they aren’t exactly the cream of the crop in terms of density and yield.

They all remind me of Bonza routes

 

[jakeseven7]

They all remind me of Bonza routes

I almost wrote that as well.

Agree.

 

[Saab34]

Doesn’t say much about the market Bonza is chasing lol!

 

[jakeseven7]

Doesn’t say much about the market Bonza is chasing lol!

Ha yeah…. But planning to have a much lower cost base than VA2 and hopefully in a slightly more ‘normal’ market…