Virgin Australia Delays/Cancellations

[Melburnian1]

VA827, the 0900 hours MEL to SYD on Monday 20 April 2020 has been cancelled. VA863, the 1630 hours is the only other northbound flight on this route scheduled today during coronavirus.

 

[Melburnian1]

VA had seven flights scheduled ex SYD on Monday 20 April, but the Sydney Airport website suggests all bar one (VA517, the 1100 hours to OOL) cancelled, which is odd.

These were or are VA917, the 0800 to BNE; VA830 - 1015 hours down to MEL; VA836, an 1130 hours also to MEL; VA951, 1500 hours up to BNE and VA854, 1530 hours down to MEL.

Given these are 'government-backed' flights, it's mystifying why they've been or are to be cancelled. In contrast, QFd has 18 domestic flights listed ex SYD today, a tiny number compared with normal, but so far, all seem to be operating.

UPDATE: At about 1645 hours, Nine Group newspapers suggested the VA Board was meeting and that an announcement that VA is set to go into voluntary administration was 'imminent.' So now we know why most flights did not operate today.

Given it's a publicly listed company, the ASX will have to be formally notified but as usual, trading for the day finished at 1600 AEST.

FURTHER UPDATE: One other AFFer suggested VA operated three flights ex SYD today, not one. And media was reporting from about 1630 hours on 20 Aoril that by tomorrow, VA will be advising the ASX that it's under administration.

 

[Melburnian1]

On Tuesday 21 April 2020, VA827, the 0900 hours MEL - SYD has been cancelled but a report online in 'The Australian' says 'Virgin will continue to operate its scheduled domestic and international flights.' Ex MEL, the only ones showing toady as running are one each to BNE, CBR, PER and SYD, all after 1200 hours.

That report also named four Deloitte accountants as adminsitrators but mentioned that the Velocity Frequent Flyer operation is a separate company and (unlike Virgin Australia) not in administration.

 

[Melburnian1]

A bleak Friday 1 May 2020 - autumn but a very wintry feeling - sees VA223, the 1215 hours MEL - ADL suggested as departing at 1320 hours, while VA685, the 1245 hours to PER has a similar forecast delay of 50 minutes in pushback. The latter is because VA318, the scheduled 1120 hours arrival from BNE is not predicted to arrive at gate until 1252 hours, 92 minutes late. However VA826 from SYD arrived MEL on time at 1105 and should be forming the Adelaide departure, so not sure why it's delayed.

Later, VA863, the 1630 hours MEL - SYD is expected to depart at 1715.

These are the only VA departures timetabled ex MEL today, a far cry from pre-COVID-19.

 

[Melburnian1]

During coronavirus, VA163, the scheduled Sunday 24 May 2020 SYD - ZQN at a proposed departure of 1030 hours was cancelled.

 

[Melburnian1]

On Thursday 11 June 2020, VA863, the 1630 hours MEL - SYD was operated by B738 VH-YIL. It took off at 1733 so arrival was at 1841 hours in the early evening, 46 minutes behind the timetable. The aircraft was 17 minutes late arriving MEL as VA684 ex PER, which was its only other flight today, so not sure why it was delayed departing MEL.

VA313 to BNE, VA269 to CBR and VA685 to PER to were the only other passenger-carrying VA flights that departed MEL today.

Including all operators, there were only 16 domestic flights and two international flights (EY to AUH and QR to DOH) today ex MEL. QFd is much bigger than VAd but it had only five flights in total from the southern mainland capital. Minimal.

 

[Melburnian1]

Saturday 13 June 2020 sees VA925, the 0900 hours morning SYD to still 'border closed' Queensland (BNE) with B738 VH-VFL. It was airborne at 1115 hours so projected arrival at 1227 will be 117 minutes tardy. This aircraft had stabled in Sydney overnight so not sure why it is so badly late today.

As a consequence, VA942, the 115 hours BNE to SYD will be at least 90 late. The aircraft is then to apparently sit idle in SYD on Sunday 14 before journeying to OOL on Monday 15. Once again, even when aircraft are operational domestically during coronavirus, it doesn't always mean that they're flying intensive schedules.

 

[p--and--t]

Saturday 13 June 2020 sees VA925, the 0900 hours morning SYD to still 'border closed' Queensland (BNE) with B738 VH-VFL. It was airborne at 1115 hours so projected arrival at 1227 will be 117 minutes tardy. This aircraft had stabled in Sydney overnight so not sure why it is so badly late today.

As a consequence, VA942, the 115 hours BNE to SYD will be at least 90 late. The aircraft is then to apparently sit idle in SYD on Sunday 14 before journeying to OOL on Monday 15. Once again, even when aircraft are operational domestically during coronavirus, it doesn't always mean that they're flying intensive schedules.

Stabled overnight in SYD, an eerily quiet airport, with almost empty air corridor. Nobody to blame but the airline for these ongoing delays. Maybe they no longer care.

 

[Melburnian1]

Stabled overnight in SYD, an eerily quiet airport, with almost empty air corridor. Nobody to blame but the airline for these ongoing delays. Maybe they no longer care.

p-and-t, very good point but I didn't check, but is it possible a connecting flight was late and because of the incredibly minimal schedules this flight had to be held for some?

One would really wonder what staff morale at VA (and QF/JQ) would be like, with employees perhaps thinking about whether they will be part of the inevitable redundancies to come.

 

[Melburnian1]

VA811, the 0700 hours MEL up to SYD on Saturday 27 June 2020 has been cancelled. Only four other VAd departures are scheduled for Saturday.

 

[Melburnian1]

VA863 (the afternoon 1630 hours MEL - SYD) on Sunday 28 June 2020 has been cancelled. Again, that leaves just four other VAd departures ex Melbourne tomorrow: two to BNE and one each to PER and SYD. Not much of a timetable compared to pre-administration and pre-COVID-19 days.

The 0900 hours SYD - BNE (VA925) has also been given the flick, as has VA846, the 1400 hours early afternoon SYD down to MEL. This also means just three flights ex Sydney on Sunday for VA.

 

[Melburnian1]

On Monday 29 June 2020, VA808 (0700 hours coronavrus era SYD down to MEL) has also been cancelled, as has VA858, the 1600 hours.

Similarly a SYD north to BNE flight, VA931 that was timetabled to push back at 1000 hours mid morning is no more.

This leaves VAd with three flights to BNE tomorrow and one each to MEL, PER and a newbie that may not have operated for many weeks, OOL. Six flights on a Monday ex what used to be Oz's busiest airport is a very small number.

 

[Melburnian1]

Tuesday 30 June 2020 will see VA321, the 1000 hours MEL - BNE cancelled. VAd has six other timetabled flights ex MEL tomorrow.

 

[Melburnian1]

VA321 (1000 hours morning MEL - BNE) was again cancelled on Wednesday 1 July 2020. Queensland is shortly reopening its borders, but not to Victorians.

VA9001, an 1130 hours on the same route also got the flick. Was this to be a special for AFL footballers?

 

[Melburnian1]

VA879, the Friday 3 July 2020 scheduled early evening 1830 hours MEL - SYD has been cancelled.

So has VA858, the 1600 hours SYD - MEL that would have formed 'the 879.'

 

[Melburnian1]

On Saturday 4 July 2020, VA313 (0810 hours MEL - BNE) and VA841 (1200 'high noon' MEL - SYD) were cancelled, leaving only three scheduled VAd flights ex MEL: VA811 (the 0700 hours early morning to SYD), VA685 to PER at 1245 and lastly VA331 at 1400 hours up to BNE.

Sunday 5 sees the 0930 hours MEL - SYD, VA829 and VA341, a 1700 hours afternoon flight MEL up to BNE also getting the chop. Only five other Sunday VAd departures remain ex MEL.

These cancellations may be indicative of VA being unable to attract sufficient bookings while it's in administration.

 

[AviatorInsight]

These cancellations may be indicative of VA being unable to attract sufficient bookings while it's in administration.

Not quite. The cancellations are due to the increasing COVID cases in MEL. Because of this flights originating ex SYD are being cancelled. Utilising MEL based crew to do the returns. From what I’ve seen, our loads are actually doing quite well.

 

[Melburnian1]

Not quite. The cancellations are due to the increasing COVID cases in MEL. Because of this flights originating ex SYD are being cancelled. Utilising MEL based crew to do the returns. From what I’ve seen, our loads are actually doing quite well.

Interesting, but QF and JQ do not appear to be cancelling projected flights.

 

[Melburnian1]

On Sunday 5 July 2020, VA939, the 1200 hours 'high noon' SYD - BNE has been cancelled.

Later, VA846, the 1400 hours SYD - MEL has also got the chop.

 

[Melburnian1]

Monday 6 July 2020, still during coronavirus, will see VA313, the 0810 hours MEL - BNE, cancelled. Later on the same route, VA321, the 1000 hours scheduled pushback is also not operating. Only the 1700 hours is running on this sector.

In total this means, barring any further cancellations, VAd should operate a paltry nine flights ex MEL tomorrow.