Virgin Australia Delays/Cancellations

[Silvia]

Tuesday Nov 12 sees VA886 SYD-MEL with revised arrival at 22 05, 60 tardy (B738 VH-YFC).
VA986 BNE-SYD 19 05 hours service was cancelled.

 

[Melburnian1]

Another cancellation during the evening of Tuesday 12 November 2019 was VA882, the timetabled 1900 hours SYD down to MEL. Winds are gusting up to 54kmh in Sydney at its airport.

 

[Melburnian1]

VA824, the 0900 hours SYD - MEL on Wednesday 13 November is estimated to depart about 50 minutes late.

 

[Silvia]

Also today, VA686 PER-MEL (A332 VH-XFC) has a suggested arrival at 20 50, 130 min late.

 

[Melburnian1]

VA1429 on 13 November is the 1915 hours SYD - CNS (B738 VH-YFZ) airborne at 2009 hours, so at gate arrival is suggested as 2202, 42 minutes behind.

 

[Melburnian1]

VA867, the 1700 hours MEL - SYD on Friday 15 November has been cancelled.

VA970 (scheduled 1705 hours BNE - SYD airborne at 1753 with B738 VH-YFY) looks to be arriving at gate at 2103, 33 minutes tardy.

Further south, VA872 (the 1745 hours SYD - MEL in the sky at 1824) arrived at 2002, 42 late.

VA37, the 1840 hours SYD up to DPS did not point skywards until 1951. B738 VH-YIZ should arrive at 2318, 68 minutes behind the timetable.

 

[Melburnian1]

On Monday 18 November 2019, VA278, the 1700 hours CBR down to MEL took off at 1738 with B738 VH-VOP. Expected arrival is 40 late at 1850 hours. The flight may have been slowed down by ATC as it's taken an indirect flight path, but hasn't been 'held' in the usua;l 'racecourse circuit' formation.

VA168 from AKL to MEL is slightly worse, with arrival suggested as 55 late at 1905 hours for B738 VH-YIQ.

 

[Melburnian1]

VA809, the 0645 hours morning MEL - SYD on Tuesday 19 November 2019 was cancelled.

VA807, the preceding flight from MEL to SYD at a scheduled 0630 hours has B738 VH-YIA but is extremely late, not having pushed back until 0851. Arrival will be at least two hours late. This aircraft must be substituting for a defective sister, as it arrived in MEL on VA1361 (ex LST) only a minute late at 0721 hours.

This aircraft is showing as next on VA834, the 1100 hours SYD back down to MEL, so that also may be delayed given the queue waiting for takeoff in MEL as at 0906 hours.

The 0830 hours MEL - SYD, VA833, took off at 0933 with B738 VH-VFJ. Arrival should be at about 1041, 46 late.

UPDATE: VA807 is arriving in SYD at 1016 hours, 141 minutes late.

 

[Melburnian1]

B738 VH-YIT on VA99 at the traditional TransTasman eastbound time of a scheduled 1835 hours departure meaning a 2355 'before Cinderella' arrival is opeerating this MEL - CHC on Tuesday 19 November, but as at 1926 hours remained in the queue for takeoff, so should be more than half an hour tardy arriving at its nominated gate.

VA168 (VH-YIR, the 1600 hours AKL - MEL in the air at 1711) is also late, with arrival likely shortly at 1943, 93 behind. Unusually, flights to MEL are arriving from the west. There are typical 10 to 30 minute delays.

 

[Silvia]

Wednesday 20th of November sees VA759 MEL-OOL (B738 VH-VON) with a revised arrival at 21 23, 58 tardy.

 

[Melburnian1]

Another 19 November tardy flight is B738 VH-YIR on the ZQN - MEL VA188, arriving two hours late at 2105 mid evening. Earlier today, VA189 (1130 hours MEL - ZQN) had been cancelled, so this aircraft came in from CHC to run the MEL flight.

 

[Melburnian1]

Mid morning on a hot MEL day (Thursday 21 November), there are gusts at the airport of up to 61kmh (33 knots). AT AVV (to which VA does not normally operate), winds are gusting to 83kmh (45 knots). HBA has winds to 44kmh.

VA1519, the 1025 hours SYD - TSV northbound has B738 VH-VOT, taking off at 1116 hours. Arrival should be 1242 hours, 32 minutes tardy.

VA555, the 0935 hours SYD - PER (A332 VH-XFE) was at 1130 hours still queuing for takeoff, so expected arrival is 1244 hours, 64 minutes late, subject to revision if the takeoff is further delayed.

 

[Melburnian1]

B738 VH-YIR on the Thursday 21 November VA185 (1030 hours MEL - NAN) was close to taking off at around 1235, so it will be at least 90 minutes late.

A thunderstorm looks like it will hot MEL at about 1455 hours. This may not assist timekeeping.

UPDATE: By 1505 hours, winds at MEL were exactly what Silvia said earlier in the day: 50kmh, but were gusting to an extraordinary 87kmh (47 knots).

 

[Melburnian1]

VA736 was held for quite a while southwest of MEL due to the high winds. It has (on 21 November) B738 VH-YFY and is the 1100 hours OOL down to MEL airborne at 1206 hours, with predicted at gate arrival 1546 hours, 86 minutes behind the schedule.

While some departures have been punctual or close to it despite the unsettled MEL conditions, VA849 is an exception, with this 1400 hours MEL - SYD northbound airborne at 1524. B738 VH-YFH will be 70 late arriving at 1635 hours.

Southbound VA842 has VH-YFN and is the 1300 hours SYD - MEL in the sky at 1419 for a projected at gate arrival of 1609 hours, 94 minutes behind.

 

[Melburnian1]

VA224, the 21 November scheduled 1305 hours ADL across to MEL (B738 VH-YFS) was only about 5 to 8 late in becoming airborne at 1524, but given the high winds and hold it incurred over Werribee, the captain has diverted to CBR, with arrival suggested as 1601 hours, 66 minutes past its 1455 hours mid afternoon MEL timetabled arrival. It will be at least 1730 until these passengers arrive in MEL, perhaps later, as an AFFer Quickstatus famous 'splash and dash' awaits in the national capital.

The 1630 hours SYD down to MEL took off at 1653, only about 10 late, with B738 VH-VUR. However it had to hold slightly southwest of Khancoban, so predicted arrival is 1839 hours, 34 minutes behind the schedule.

The 1625 hours CBR down to MEL shorter flight (VA1034) has VH-VUT and was in the sky at 1715. Projected at gate arrival has become 73 minutes late at 1848 hours.

VA339 (VH-VUQ) is the 1740 hours MEL - ADL airborne at 1831, so its at gate time in wine city has turned into 39 late at 1909 hours.

UPDATE: VH_YFS on the diverted to CBR VA224 eventually arrived MEL at 2023 hours, 328 minutes late, not having taken off from CBR until 1904 hours, perhaps due to having to find a new crew, or lack of available landing slots in busy, high winds and thunderstorm-hit MEL. What a trip!

 

[Melburnian1]

Continuing with Thursday 21 November 2019, VA284 (B738 VH-YFF, the 1830 hours CBR - MEL) took off at 2020 so expected arrival is 2132 hours, 112 minutes behind schedule.

VA353, the 2015 hours MEL - BNE took off at 2125 hours. VH-VUE should arrive 58 minutes late at 2223 hours.

 

[Melburnian1]

VA859 (Friday 22 November afternoon MEL - SYD due to depart at 1600 hours) is to be cancelled while southbound VA862, the 1630 hours SYD down to MEL is also not to operate.

The 1105 hours late morning OOL to SYD, VA518, did not take off until 1213 hours, so B738 VH-VUS is arriving at gate at 1423 hours, 48 minutes behind the timetable.

VA1554 from HVB down to SYD (VH-VBZ) is the 1115 hours airborne at 1155 hours for projected mid afternoon arrival at 1432, 32 minutes tardy.

 

[Melburnian1]

In further on 22 November, VA33 (scheduled 1120 hours SYD up to DPS, uncomfortable for this length of trip B738 VH-YIJ) did not take off until 1330, so estimated arrival is 1645 hours, 115 late. There is not an obvious reason for the delay as the aircraft operated redeye VA34, arriving SYD this morning 29 early at 0711 hours.

VA1628 (B738 VH-VUT, the 1235 hours lunchtime AYQ across to SYD airborne at 1309 hours) should be at its harbour city aerobridge at about 1814 hours, 64 behind. However at 1734 hours it was holding just west of Goulburn.

 

[Silvia]

In further, VA188 ZQN-MEL (B738 VH-YIR) has a suggested arrival at 18 58, 53 behind schedule.
VA958 BNE-SYD (B738 VH-VUQ) has a revised arrival at 18 33, 53 late as well.
VA954 BNE-SYD (B738 VH-VUK) is currently diverting to CBR.
VA526 OOL-SYD (B738 VH-YWA) diverted to NTL.

 

[Melburnian1]

Additionally on 22 November 2019, VA556, the 1035 hours PER - SYD took off at 1054, only five minutes or so late, but arrival is estimated as 1829, 39 late, as the aircraft B738 VH-YFE had to hold above Gunning and then over Goulburn. Many other aircraft are holding in addition to the diversions Silvia above reported on.

Where's our high speed rail when we need it?

VA865, the 1645 hours MEL - SYD took off at 1706 - only about 10 late - with B738 VH-VUA and also after holding for quite a while above Gunning should arrive at 1856 hours, 46 minutes behind schedule.

Thanks to AFFer jeza for advising that these delays are due to SYD earlier being closed due to thunder and lightning.