Virgin Australia Delays/Cancellations

[Melburnian1]

The 1100 MEL - SYD, VA837 is suggested as departing at about 1130 on Thursday 21 April.

VA555, the 0935 hours transcontinental from SYD west to PER was airborne at 1102. With A332 VH-XFH undertaking the task, arrival should be at around 1325, 40 minutes behind schedule.

 

[Melburnian1]

The 1500 hours MEL - BNE, VA333, on Tuesday 26 April did not take off until 1646.

 

[Melburnian1]

Looks like the Sunday 1 May 2016 scheduled 1715 hours departure of VA182 from NAN became an airborne time of 1120 on Monday 2 May with the aircraft (B738 VH-YIO) due into SYD at about 1406, about 18 hours behind the timetabled Sunday evening arrival of 2015 hours.

 

[Melburnian1]

On Thursday 5 May 2016, VA811, the 0700 early morning MEL to SYD did not take off until 0808.

VA323, the 1100 MEL north to BNE has been cancelled as has VA814, the 0745 hours from SYD to MEL.

 

[loflo]

The dire bookings situation (down eight per cent for April and 15 per cent for May 2016) that QF outlined on Monday 18 April must also logically affect VA.

While VA's flight frequencies on most routes are less than QF's (thus making it more difficult to cancel flights), one mighht expect more flights to not run if VA's bookings are similarly suffering from low consumer confidence and what pundits constantly claim happens in the run-up to Federal elections.

One can understand that elections delay decision making on projects but it is debatable if Aunt Mabel who is off on a trip to see her best friend interstate thinks to herself 'Mr Turnbull and Mr Shorten are fighting an election campaign so I must not travel until it's over.'

Given the huge leasing costs associated with running aircraft, airlines are extremely reluctant to actually cut their schedules, mid season (of the 2 seasons: Northern Summer and Northern Winter). They'll usually keep flying all aircraft, with perhaps some minor cancellations on heavy routes eg. a lunch-time MEL-SYD flight which is full of discount fares anyway. What they do instead is discount given air travel is so demand elastic i.e. if you price low enough, you'll fill the plane. 15% though is a huge reduction, and they'd be looking into it I'd imagine. The much bigger question at HQ is 'do we cut the schedule back for the next season (Northern Winter, we're in Summer or just about to start now). It's always a serious board discussion too, not something the scheduling/network areas can decide on their own. They'll be modelling/predicting like crazy and presenting numerous board papers before they decide. If they do cut the schedule, and can free up an aircraft, you can bet it will be subleased eg. to Hajj operators for a couple of months, assuming their lessor allows it (depends on the deal). There is now way on earth a nice new 737-800 will be not flying hard, even during a bad season. One interesting side effect of a schedule reduction is that it involves increasing ground stop times (given they'll continue to use all the aircraft) - this means better OTP, much better. Fat ground stop times were the reason QF used to win OTP every month, year on year, till they tightened them up to get better aircraft utilisation. So there's a silver lining - your flights will be more on time if demand causes flying reductions!

 

[Melburnian1]

Excellent observations loflo, particularly the comment about subleading to say an Indonesian airline for charter type work. I agree (particularly internationally) that since QF tried to increase its utilisation hours per day per aircraft, its punctuality has decreased (though not on every route.) VA has also 'won' the punctuality race most months in the last few for planes 'arriving on time' (for which there is an allowance of 15 minutes before a flight is counted as late, which for short sectors is extremely generous.)

VA1485 (1105 hours PER to BME, aircraft Fokker 100 VH-FNN) took off at 1215 with likely arrival at around 1435, an hour late.

 

[Melburnian1]

VA814 (0730 hours SYD to MEL, B738 VH-YFI) did not take off until 0855 on Friday 6 May and hence is not arriving until 1020, 75 minutes late.

VA9054 from WLP to PER, the 0830 hours (F100 VH-FNN) took off at 1004 and therefore will not arrive until about 1150, 90 minutes late. Other AFF members might like to advise whether such flights are 'legitimate' to be in this delays forum as if I am not mistaken such a flight may only be available for (in this case) Rio Tinto employees and contractors booked by the mining company, not the general public.

UPDATE: VA887 (1930 hours MEL north to SYD) has been cancelled as has the following flight, VA891, the 2000 hours. Advice from any booked AFFers as to how VA deals with passengers travelling on these flights when there are not many more departures for SYD left tonight with any airline, and these could conceivably have far fewer available seats than passengers offering from the two cancelled flights.

VA868, the 1715 hours SYD to MEL was also cancelled, as was VA872, the 1845 hours south ex SYD on the same route. Quite unusual.

Occasionally at night it's not such a bad idea to travel on the XPT train instead - at least it will get one most mornings to the centre of SYD or MEL by around 0700 - 0745!

VA1464, the 2300 hours Friday 6 May arrival in MEL ex DRW should instead arrive at 0510 hours on Saturday. For most of us a six hour delay is insufficient to book into an hotel for a catnap as by the time one deducts the 'dead time' of locating and travelling to an hotel and back, there's little time left. Unfortunately especially for the majority of passengers who do not have access to a lounge, six hours is also quite a long time to 'kill.'

VA820, the 0830 hours SYD - MEL on Saturday 7 May has also been cancelled.

 

[Melburnian1]

The 0800 MEL - BNE (VA313) has been cancelled on Saturday 7 May.

 

[Melburnian1]

With the inclement weather present in Melbourne for a fair bit of Sunday 8 May and its approach towards Sydney, there are quite a few delays affecting evening VA flights.

VA870, the 1730 hours SYD down to MEL departed 24 minutes late but was expected to arrive 35 late at 1935. VA874, the 1800 hours departure is forecast to be 43 minutes behind in arriving MEL at 2018. VA878, the 1830 hours is 32 minutes late while VA894, the last of the night is not expected to depart from SYD until 2220, 80 minutes later than its scheduled 2100 hours with consequent arrival at the MEL gate at about 2355 hours.

Northbound VA879 is suggested as departing MEL at 2020 hours rather than 1830 for a SYD arrival at 2145 instead of 1955, probably explaining the projected delay to the southbound VA894.

 

[Melburnian1]

The Monday 9 May 2016 VA814, the 0745 hours SYD - MEL (E190 VH-ZPT) is in a hold with two other VA flights over Mt Buller - nice scenery if it was clement - and as a result should arrive at about 1005, 45 minutes late.

Encountering a holding pattern when arriving MEL between 0900 and 1000 is fairly frequent, and sometimes worse than for arrivals in the hour before which one might assume was busier.

VA816, the 0800 SYD to MEL took off at 0837 and after encountering a similar hold should arrive at roughly 1018, 43 minutes behind time.

VA733, the 0910 hours MEL up to OOL (B738 VH-VUJ) was airborne at 1002 and should arrive at about 1149, 34 minutes behind time.

Oh for a reliable, efficient Japanese style high speed train between BNE - SYD - CBR - MEL and other intermediate cities.

UPDATE: VA865 (the 1645 from MEL to SYD) took off at 1746 (B738 VH-VUO) and should be about 45 minutes late at the gate at 1855.

VA284 (1830 hours CBR - MEL) took off at 1931 (E190 VH-ZPN) and is about to arrive at approximately 2038, 58 minutes late.

 

[Melburnian1]

VA809, the 0645 hours MEL - SYD has been cancelled on Tuesday 17 May 2016.

 

[Melburnian1]

On Wednesday 18 May, VA872 (1745 hours SYD - MEL) did not operate.

Earlier, VA552 (early morning 0545 hours PER - SYD) diverted to ADL after a male passenger began kicking and screaming, eventually being removed from the plane by AFP in ADL. He attributed his behaviour to bad dreams.

It appears that the flight arrived in SYD at just before 1400 this afternoon, not far shy of two hours late.

 

[Melburnian1]

On Saturday 21 May 2016, VA8 (Thursday 19 May 2350 hours LAX to BNE) is arriving half an hour late at 0720 with aircraft B773ER VH-VPE.

 

[Melburnian1]

On Monday 23 May, the 1150 hours OOL - MEL (B738 VH-VBZ) took off at 1239 so instead of arriving at 1415 hours it should be at the arrival gate at rounghly 1448, 33 minutes late.

VA326 (1155 hours BNE down to MEL, B738 VH-YFI) was airborne at 1247 this afternoon and is expected to arrive at the MEL terminal at about 1459 hours, 39 minutes. It is within the usual procession of aircraft landing in the 1430 - 1500 timespan in MEL ex various ports in Queensland.

UPDATE: VA858, the 1600 hours SYD down to MEL took off at 1652. It should arrive at roughly 1806, 31 minutes late. Aircraft is (unsurprisingly) a B738, VH-VOL.

VA966, the 1630 hours from BNE down to SYD took off at 1726 and is therefore likely to arrive at about 1845, 45 minutes late, with the conveyance VH-YIL, another B738.

 

[Melburnian1]

VA878, the 1830 hours Wednesday 23 May 2016 SYD down to MEL took off at 1924 with B738 VH-YFQ. With the stormy weather in MEL and quite strong for southeastern Australia (not 'cyclonic') winds, arrival should be 50 minutes or so late at 2055 this evening.

 

[Melburnian1]

The Thursday 26 May 2016 VA401 (0600 ADL across to SYD) did not take off until 0713 and so will not arrive until about 0907, 47 minutes behind time. E190 VH-ZPJ is the comfortable conveyance.

VA336, the 1555 from BNE to MEL very promptly took off at 1603 but the inclement weather in 'Mexico' has not assisted timekeeping. After a couple of holding pattern loops to the east of Bendigo, arrival of B738 VH-YFQ should be at about 1853 hours, 33 minutes late.

The 1700 MEL to SYD, VA867, was airborne at 1813 and hence with VH-YFL (another B738) as its aircraft should arrive about 52 minutes late at 1917 hours.

 

[Melburnian1]

VA1487, the 1510 hours from PER north to BME was airborne extremely late at 1822. VH-FZO, an F100, is the plane.

 

[Melburnian1]

On Friday 27 May, it looks like SYD is down to mostly using the 07/25 east west runway, with VA1528, the 0735 hours from SYD to HBA only taking off at 0813.

VA912, the 0630 hours BNE to SYD did not take off until 0730 and should be about 45 minutes late into SYD at roughly 0850, subject to further possible delays from what seems to be the restricted runeway operations. There is a fairly strong westerly wind at SYD airport.

 

[Melburnian1]

Delays are continuing this afternoon (Friday 27 May) due to the SYD airport west wind with the 1110 from SYD to OOL, VA517, not being airborne until 1308 hours; arrival should be at about 1350 hours, 80 minutes behind. Aircraft is B738 VH-YIA.

VA1473, the 1120 SYD north to MKY loks like it is about to be airborne at 1324 or so, with arrival suggested as 1505, 80 minutes behind time. Plane is E190 VH-ZPJ, a comfortable configuration threatened by VA"s intention to reduce its number of these excellent aircraft.

The 1200 SYD down to MEL, VA838, looks set for takeoff at about 1336 with B738 VH-YFT the aircraft and arrival forecast for 1443 or so, 68 minutes late.

VA939, also a 1200 departure is worse affected for its trip to BNE and is only taxiing at 1341, so arrival will be at about 1500. B738 VH-VOS is the conveyance.

The 1305 hours SYD to PER, A332 VH-XFC, is queued and may take off at about 1430 so arrival may be at about 1710, 55 minutes late. VA523 (1310 hours SYD up to OOL) is next so arrival should be at about 1525, 55 minutes late with Vh-YFE, a B738, the conveyance.

VA1134 (1430 hours SYD to LST, VH-YFL) is still taxiing at 1540 hours so will be at least 40 minutes late arriving in LST at 1700 hours or after.

 

[Melburnian1]

While SYD's north-south runways have reopened, delays are continuing into the evening of Friday 27 May.

VA1179, the 1635 ex ABX, took off at 1850 and should arrive in SYD at about 2010, 130 minutes late. Aircraft is VH-VPJ, an ATR.

VA342 (1655 hours BNE down to MEL) should arrive about half an hour late at 1951 (B738 VH-YVA).

The 1730 SYD - MEL, VA870, took off at 1826 and after being in a holding pattern should be in the southern capital at 1955, 50 minutes late. VA855, the 1600 departure on the same route, fared far worse with takeoff at 1830 meaning B738 VH-VUL should arrive at 2005 instead of 1735, a deficit of two and a half hours.

VA868, the 1715 ex SYD was airborne at 1850 hours and so with VH-ZPN, an E190 as its aircraft should arrive at approximately 2006 hours, 76 minutes late into MEL.

VA660, the 1705 SYD to CBR took off at 1852 and is about to arrive at about 1947, 102 minutes late with ATR 72 VH-FVN as the aircraft.

The 1825 hours ADL across to SYD, VA437 (B738 VH-VUQ) took off at 2000 hours and should arrive at 2208, 83 minutes late.