Vietnam Airlines Delays/ Cancellations

[Melburnian1]

The overnight SGN to SYD VN773 is arriving on Tuesday 2 April 2019 with B789 VN-A870 at 0920 hours, 65 late.

VN-A862 on the same flight is arriving in SYD on Wednesday 3 at an estimated 1022, 127 late.

 

[Melburnian1]

Friday 5 April again has VN773 delayed, with SYD arrival for B789 VN-A870 (loves coming to Oz!) at an expected 0914 hours, 59 late.

 

[Melburnian1]

Again, the SGN down to SYD VN773 is delayed, this time on Saturday 6 April when arrival for B789 VN-A862 should be at 0911 hours, 56 late.

 

[Melburnian1]

On Easter Sunday, 21 April 2019, VN772 (1015 hours SYD - SGN, B789 VN-A864) took off on time at 1036 but due to adverse winds, arrival will be at 1620, 40 late.

Misleadingly, FR24 is showing this flight as a timetabled departure of 1115, an hour later than is the case.

FR24 has many good features but one has to be on the lookout for errors. I don't know why these occur. In contrast, Google Flights and FlightAware do not make the same mistake so often (if at all).

 

[Melburnian1]

On Friday 31 May 2019, VN772, the 1015 hours SYD - SGN took off at 1101 with B789 VN-A868. Arrival is predicted for 1622, 42 late. This is the sixth consecutive day that this flight has been 25 minutes to two hours late. Until yesterday, VN-A864 operated it for four consecutive days.

 

[Melburnian1]

Sunday 16 June 2019 sees VN773 from SGN down to SYD (B789 VN-A871) likely to arrive at 0940 hours, 85 minutes tardy,.

 

[Melburnian1]

VN772 on Tuesday 25 June, the 1015 hours morning SYD - SGN (B789 VN-A863) took off at 1057 but arrival is expected 36 minutes late at 1616.

 

[Melburnian1]

VN773, the 2045 hours mid evening Monday 5 August 2019 SGN down to SYD (B789 VN-A867) took off at 2251. On Tuesday 6, arrival should be at 0944 hours, 89 minutes late. The 1015 hours VN772 returning will be delayed until at least 1055 in pushing back.

 

[Melburnian1]

Sunday 11 August 2019's VN787 (2345 hours HAN down to SYD, B789 VN-A864) took off at 0208 on Monday 12 so arrival is at 1404 hours, 49 late.

 

[Melburnian1]

On Sunday 25 August, VN772 (1015 hours SYD up to SGN airborne at 1057) has B789 VN-A862 and should arrive at 1624, 44 late.

 

[Silvia]

Monday 26th of August shows VN772 SYD-SGN (B789 VN-A871) with a delayed departure at 15 28, arrival is now revised at 20 56, 316 min behind.

 

[Melburnian1]

Monday 26th of August shows VN772 SYD-SGN (B789 VN-A871) with a delayed departure at 15 28, arrival is now revised at 20 56, 316 min behind.

This aircraft keeps showing as an 1115 hours departure on FR24 but I gather it's really the 1015 hours. In its most recent six departures, it has been late arriving in SGN every day. Thursday 29 August is another such occasion with B789 VN-A863 taking off at 1058 for an expected 1622 hours, 42 late arrival.

 

[Melburnian1]

'The Age' online is reporting that VN781, last night's SGN to MEL (B789 VN-A870) was a minute from touchdown at MEL on Thursday 19 September (around 0800 this morning) when the pilots had to undertake a 'go around' because the landing gear had not been lowered (extended.)

The ATSB is launching an investigation:

Unstable approach involving Boeing 787, registered VN-A870 near Melbourne, Victoria, on 19 September 2019 | ATSB

www.atsb.gov.au

ATC in MEL observed the landing gear not showing and alerted the crew.

I'll leave the technical details to others but sounds like a very serious incident.

 

[dajop]

I'll leave the technical details to others but sounds like a very serious incident.

Sounds very serious. Wonder how that it could happen?

Although it has been done safely , if known about and prepared for (I presume emergency services on standby, fuel down to minimum levels, brace position etc etc) ..

 

[Melburnian1]

Sounds very serious. Wonder how that it could happen?

Although it has been done safely , if known about and prepared for (I presume emergency services on standby, fuel down to minimum levels, brace position etc etc) ..

From my reading of 'The Age' interesting report (that is now on other group websites like 'Brisbane Times'), the flight crew did not know until very close to landing, as they hadn't realised and it was ATC that alerted them.

So it's implied that the cabin crew would have been blissfully ignorant, there was no announcement made for passengers to brace and so on.

The aircraft has left Melbourne this morning (as one might expect) so I know how ATSB collects evidence such as every coughpit voice transmission.

One of our aviators has previously mentioned South Korean airlines and AirAsia as among those he's either observed doing questionable things or that are on his personal 'don't fly' list but no AFF aviator has ever mentioned VN if I recall.

In light of today, this past publicity may be worth reconsideration:

Vietnam Airlines achieves highest safety rating - Airline Ratings

Vietnam Airlines has been awarded the highest ranking for safety with 7-stars from the world’s only safety and product rating agency AirlineRatings.com After careful evaluation and feedback from the airline and aviation industry AirlineRatings.com has revised its seven-star safety rating system...

www.airlineratings.com

 

[Quickstatus]

1st question:
Was the aircraft below the minimum altitude where the aircraft should have been properly configured?. I’m not sure. That ATC mentioned it to the crew and there was a missed approach may indicate they were but I would like to see what the ATSB have to say about it.


My second question in this case is whether there is an incorrect landing configuration warning system on aircraft. (I understand confirmation lights come on to indicate landing gear down and locked - if LG is deployed).

But if LG is not deployed in the first place does a warning light eventually come on when certain configuration conditions are not met such as flaps deployment + altitude below a certain minimum + certain engine power settings (indicating an aircraft is about to land without LG).

I can’t imagine that modern aircraft do not have systems that alarm when LG is not deployed or when there is an incorrect aircraft configuration.
@jb747 @AviatorInsight do your aircraft start making noises in an improperly configured condition such as this?.

Edit:
This question has been answered:

Vietnam airlines landing gear not deployed at Melbourne airport

Well this could have been nasty https://www.smh.com.au/business/consumer-affairs/flight-was-one-minute-from-touchdown-at-melbourne-airport-without-landing-gear-down-20190919-p52t3j.html

www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au

 

[Melburnian1]

On Wednesday 1 July 2020, VN786, the coronavirus pandemic 2200 hours SYD - HAN has been cancelled. Four others of the remaining 10 international flights today have also got the flick. This is unusual: on many days recently, SYD has been down to about four international departures a day.

 

[Melburnian1]

Monday 6 July 2020, still during coronavirus, will see VN786, still a 2200 hours late evening SYD - HAN, cancelled. This may be due to the thtree east coast airports each limiting inwards passenger flights to 50 passengers with a total inwards handling of 450 international passengers per day. These are severe restrictions.

 

[Melburnian1]

VN786, the 200 hours late evening Saturday 18 July 2020 SYD up to HAN is cancelled.

 

[Melburnian1]

With the Monday 3 May 2021 fog (and smoke haze) in Sydney, inbound delays are endemic. On Sunday 2, VN773 (2145 hours SGN down to SYD) took off ahead of schedule at 2153 hours but Monday arrival for B789 VN-A864 looks to be about 1000 hours, 50 minutes tardy.