Virgin Australia Delays/Cancellations

[Melburnian1]

On Monday 22 February, the 0115 hours VA40 from DPS to BNE (B738 VH-YIR) took off at 0311 and should arrive at about 1045, an hour and 35 minutes late.

VA555, the 0935 SYD to PER (A332 VH-XFC) at 1053 was still lined up in the queue to take off, so will be quite late into the West with an estimated 1257 arrival, 77 minutes later than the 1140 scheduled at gate.

 

[Melburnian1]

The Wednesday 24 February VA100 (1835 hours early evening departure) did not take off until 2011 from MEL to CHC.

 

[Melburnian1]

On Thursday 25 February, VA1321 from HBA to MEL, the 1035, took off at 1112 and should arrive at about 1221, 31 minutes behind time: B738 VH-YFH is the plane.

 

[Melburnian1]

VA213, the 0810 MEL to ADL on Saturday 27 February is expected to take off at 0900, about 35 minutes behind time.

VA1315, the 0815 arrival in MEL ex HBA will be two hours late this morning while the 0935 hours arrival ex SYD into MEL, VA816 is about 50 minutes late.

VA326, the mid afternoon 1515 hours arrval in MEL from BNE has been cancelled.

 

[Melburnian1]

The 1300 hours MEL to BNE, VA329 on Sunday 28 February did not take off until 1353 while VA9537 - presumably a special working evidenced by its four digit flight number, the 1550 hours on the same route is not forecast to take off until 1635.

The 1730 hours MEL to PER, VA691 and VA877 (1815 hours MEL - SYD) are both cancelled.

 

[Melburnian1]

More cancellations between MEL and BNE today (Monday 29 February 2016) with VA313, the 0800 ex MEL and later in the day the 1400 hours northbound, VA331, suffering the same fate.

It would be good to know if these are due to a defective plane, low bookings or other problems such as insufficient available staff.

A MasterCard survey came out yesterday that suggested Australians were less willing to purchase big ticket household items such as lounge suites. How this feeds into airline (and other) travel is not clear although to some extent with business travel and to a much greater extent with leisure travel it is a 'discretionary' item for many consumers.

 

[Melburnian1]

Wednesday 2 March sees VA867, the 1700 hours MEL to SYD cancelled. ear;ier, VA322, the 1315 hours arrival in MEL ex BNE also had not run.

 

[Melburnian1]

On Thursday 3 March, a number of flights to MEL have got the gong. These include VA806 from SYD, the 0820 hours arrival; VA308 from BNE normally due in at 1015; VA322 from BNE (1315 hours arrival) and VA342 also from BNE (2015 hours tonight arrival.)

Are these due to low bookings or the sudden unavailability of one B738? It is midweek, non school holidays. Business travel is present but leisure travel would be relatively low given that it is a small number of weeks until Easter and school holidays.

If one refers above, there is reference to other MEL - BNE flights having been recently cancelled.

 

[Melburnian1]

VA633 on Friday 4 March did not take off from CBR until 0852 despite a timetabled departure of 0805. SYD arrival should be about 0940 hours, 35 late. Aircraft is B738 VH-VOY.

 

[Melburnian1]

The Sunday 6 March VA357 (B738 VH-YFK) took off at 2202, 62 minutes after its 2100 hours pushback time. It should arrive at approximately 2255, 45 minutes late.

 

[Melburnian1]

VA827 (0900 MEL to SYD) is cancelled on Monday 7 March as is VA321, the 1000 MEL - BNE.

VA271 (1320 hours MEL to CBR) has also received the axe today. This is not impressive as VA lacks the flight frequency of QF between MEL and CBR.

 

[Melburnian1]

On Thursday 10 March, VA827, the 0900 hours MEL to SYD has been cancelled. As luck would have it so has 'the competition', QF418: just a coincidence.

VA319 (B738 VH-VUI, 0900 MEL north to BNE) took off at 0957 with forecast arrival at about 1047, 37 minutes late.

The 1200 MEL to BNE, VA327 (B738 VH-VUQ), did not take off until 1252. It should be at its destination gate at roughly 1350, 40 minutes late.

VA1106 (1240 NTL - BNE, B738 VH-VUL) was airborne at 1352 and should arrive at 1355 AEST this afternoon, an hour behind time.

The 1355 hours from HTI to BNE, VA1496 was airborne at 1444 and should be in BNE at about 1612, 42 minutes late. Aircraft is B738 VH-VUD.

 

[Melburnian1]

VA853 (1500 hours MEL - SYD on Thursday 10 March) was not airborne until 1603. Arrival should be at about 1703, 38 minutes late. VH-VUI is the B738.

VA863 (B738 VH-YFG), the scheduled 1630 hours departure on the same busy route took off at 1717 and should arrive at about 1835, 40 minutes late.

The CBR-MEL VA278 had been stuck in a holding pattern northeast of MEL for some minutes but should arrive about 40 minutes late at 1850. It is B738 VH-VUT.

The 1730 hours VA1375 (LST- MEL), operated by B738 VH-YFE, should be in to its arrival terminal at 1911, 36 minutes late.

 

[Melburnian1]

VA870 and VA874 - respectively the 1730 and 1800 SYD to MEL flights - are both about 40 minutes late as being placed in a Mount Beauty (Vic.) holding pattern has been the order of the early evening.

The 1555 hours BNE - MEL VA336 was airborne at 1629 but due to being in a holding pattern above Berrigan NSW will arrive in the southern capital at about 2000 hours, 45 minutes late with B738 VH-VUK as the tasked craft.

 

[Melburnian1]

Friday 11 March sees the 0840 MEL to HBA, VA1316, delayed in departing for an expected half an hour with takeoff predicted as 0920.

 

[Melburnian1]

Also on 11 March, VA9900 (is this a 'ferry' flight?) was airborne from SYD, arriving MEL at about 1505 hours (B738 VH-VUY.)

VA264 (E190 VH-ZPQ) is badly late, having taken off at 1413. It is about to arrive in MEL at 1510 hours, two hours and 25 minutes late ex CBR.

 

[Melburnian1]

On Saturday 12 March, VA846, the 1535 hours scheduled arrival ex SYD was about 45 minutes late into MEL while VA328, the 1615 ex BNE to the same destination was more than 50 minutes late. VA277 (MEL - CBR) and the return VA278 (due into MEL at 1810) were similarly delayed.

VA1333 from HBA to MEL, which normally arrives at 1925 is about half an hour late.

While a multitude of reasons can result in delays, such an amount of late running on the least busy afternoon of the week is a tad surprising given the benign weather.

 

[Melburnian1]

The horribly timed VA696 - due out of PER at 2100 hours on Sunday 13 March - arrived MEL on Monday 14 at 0409, 34 minutes late.

This flight normally departs PER at 2235 so the timetable change may be a one off. An 0335 timetabled arrival into MEL must win an award for the most unpleasant time to arrive: a night of broken sleep in economy class across the continent, followed by an arrival home at say 050 in a Melbourne suburb. No thank you.

 

[Melburnian1]

On Monday 14 March, VA748 (1755 late afternoon OOL - MEL) did not take off until 2028 this evening. It should be in the Victorian capital at about 2331, two hours and 16 minutes late. Aircraft is B738 VH-VUQ.

 

[Melburnian1]

On Wednesday 16 March VA54, the 2230 hours DPS to MEL (B738 VH-YIL) was not in the sky until 2338. Hence it will shortly arrive at about 0845 on Thursday 17, an hour and 35 minutes late.

VA1385 (B738 VH-YIG) took off from ADL on Thursday 17 at 0632, 12 minutes after its scheduled departure time for BNE. However it appears to be diverting to SYD where it may be at the terminal at about 0910 given the large number of aircraft in the queues. The diversion commenced a little north of Coonamble NSW. Has there been a medical emergency with a passenger? It will mean that this rotation will run late all day unless VA cancels other flights.

UPDATE: Still on Thursday 17 March, VA1375 from LST arrived MEL at about 1935, an hour late. VA878 (SYD - MEL evening flight) was cancelled.