Virgin Australia Delays/Cancellations

[davidj]

Smoke haze from a number of prescribed burn-offs in WA has caused delays with some flights in/out of PER over the past few days.

Thanks - how long is this likely to last?

 

[Melburnian1]

Friday 14 October also has VA884, the 1915 hours evening from SYD down to MEL having taken off at a rather late 2115 with arrival suggested as 2234 instead of 2050, 104 minutes late. B738 VH-VOS is the plane.

VA545 (2010 hours SYD up to OOL, VH-ZPC, an E (for 'endangered') 190) took off at 2050. It should be at the Coolangatta arrival gate at around 2102, 32 minutes later than the timetable states.

 

[Jurahn]

Thanks - how long is this likely to last?

Almost impossible to say, unfortunately. The prescribed burns got underway later than normal this year as we've had so much wet weather, so I'd assume the burns will probably continue through until at least the end of this month and possibly longer. There's around 15 burn-off areas around Perth and across the south-west at the moment, and whether Perth itself is affected by the smoke haze depends on wind direction and strength, and if the wind drops, the smoke tends to "settle" over Perth and takes quite a while to clear. Then it's a matter of having to keep all doors and windows closed and turn off aircon (which is horrendous in the middle of summer) to try to keep it out of the house.

We live in the northern suburbs and haven't had any problems with smoke haze yet (touch wood), but with the areas that have been affected (the city and airport amongst them), the smoke has usually cleared by mid-morning as far as I'm aware.

 

[Melburnian1]

On Sunday 16 October, VA143 (0800 hours from AKL across to SYD, B738 VH-YIL) was not in the sky until a very late 1027; arrival is predicted at 1130, 110 minutes delayed.

 

[Melburnian1]

Much later on Sunday 16 October, VH-YIT on VA134 (1915 hours from SYD to CHC) did not take off until 2136. Arrival is a suggested 125 minutes late at the rather unseemly hour of 0225, meaning perhaps an 0400 - 0430 check in at a CBD hotel for any business travellers with dreaded 0900 hours meetings, NZ time (0700 AEDT).

VA1638 (1600 hours from KNX to PER) took off at 1729, so arrival should be at around 2053 instead of 1935. Plane is F100 VH-FNR.

 

[Melburnian1]

On Monday 17 October, VA811, the 0700 MEL - SYD (A332 VH-XFJ) did not take off until 0758, so arrival will not be until at least 0911, 46 minutes late.

I haven't examined its next flight but often the A332s then go off to Perth, so a flight to the west may be delayed.

 

[Melburnian1]

Tuesday 18 October sees VA1593, the 1225 MEL - NTL having taken off at 1400 hours. VH-YFG (B738) should arrive at 1516 instead of 1355, 81 minutes tardy.

VA862, the 1630 hours from SYD down to MEL did not take off until 1732; arrival should be at approximately 1850, 45 minutes late. Plane is B738 VH-YFP, which is close behind the punctual VA868, the 1715 hours southbound, showing again what a lottery betting that 'your' plane will be on time can be on the higher frequency routes.

 

[Melburnian1]

Wednesday 19 October has VA334, the 1455 hours from BNE down to MEL (B738 VH-VOT) having taken off at 1549. Arrival should be at 1905, 45 minutes late.

VA691 (1735 hours MEL - PER) took off very late at 1956. Arrival at the Perth terminal should be at roughly 2101 instead of 1855, 126 minutes late. B738 Vh-YFL is the less than optimum aircraft, given that many prefer the widebody A332s with 'The Business' and even fairly comfortable economy class seats.

 

[Melburnian1]

VA551, the 0715 hours SYD to PER (A332 VH-XFJ) took off at 0746 hours on Thursday 20 October which is only about 10 minutes late but is predicted to lose time on the sector with arrival suggested as 1021, 56 minutes behind time.

The 0720 hours arrival in MEL ex LST, first of the day VA1361, must have failed on 20 October as it is not arriving until just after 1230. Perhaps engineer(s) have to fly from MEL to repair.

VA1362, the 0835 MEL to LST took off at 0926 and is arriving at 1023, 43 minutes late, perhaps with an engineer on board as per the previous paragraph. The conveyance is B738 VH-VOM. The 1015 LST - SYD, VA1151, took off at 1105 (also VH-VOM) and should arrive at 1241, 51 minutes late.

 

[Melburnian1]

On Saturday 22 October, VA939 (1200 'high noon' SYD - BNE) with E190 VH-ZPH took off at 1240. Arrival is predicted for 1304, 34 minutes late.

 

[Melburnian1]

The little known Sunday 23 October 2016 VA96 (0610 hours early start from obscure APW to SYD) took off at 0759, so B738 VH-YIL should arrive at around 1119, 94 minutes past the timetabled at gate marker of 0945 hours.

 

[Melburnian1]

In further on Sunday 23 October, VA281, the late afternoon 1705 MEL - CBR did not take off until 1807, so arrival of E190 VH-ZPB is not expected until 1900 hours, 50 minutes behind schedule.

VA180 (1430 hours mid afternoon NAN - SYD, B738 VH-YIM) did not take off until 1601; arrival should be 75 minutes late at 1945 this evening.

The NAN - MEL flight, VA184 (timetabled out at 1545) also did not leave until late, at 1720, so B738 VH-YIH should arrive at about 2149 tonight, 79 minutes tardy.

VA746 (B738 VH-YFI) took off from OOL at 1810, well after its timetabled pushback of 1655 - arrival in MEL should be at approximately 2145, an hour and 25 minutes late.

 

[Melburnian1]

Wednesday 26 October sees VA233, the 1635 hours from MEL across to ADL (B738 VH-VUH) having been airborne at 1753. Arrival at the ADL terminal should be at approximately 1837, 67 minutes delayed.

In turn this will delay VA238, the 1805 hours from ADL back to MEL until what Adelaide Airport claims is an 1850 hours departure but which in reality is more likely to become 'blocks off' at around 1910, 65 minutes behind schedule.

Unfortunately VA239, the 1735 hours same route westbound departure is also late, being airborne at 1826 for a suggested arrival at 1911, 41 minutes late. Aircraft is B738 VH-VUF.

On the same route but eastbound, VA236, the 1705 hours from ADL across to MEL (B738 VH-VUZ) took off at 1744. Following a couple of racecourse-like patterns, arrival should be 50 minutes late at 1950.

VA871 (1730 MEL up to SYD, B738 VH-YIB) did not take off until 1845, so arrival will be 59 minutes delayed at 1954.

VA869, the preceding 1716 hours from MEL up to SYD (B738 VH-VBZ) was airborne at 1820 with arrival suggested as 1928, 48 minutes behind the timetable. VA867, the 1700 ex MEL is fairly close on its heels, with takeoff at 1823 meaning a probable 1932 hours arrival of B738 VH-VOS, 67 minutes late.

In the opposite direction, VA868, the 1715 hours ex SYD took off at 1758. Arrival of B738 VH -VUV in MEL should be at around 1932, 42 minutes tardy.

These weekday and sometimes Sunday peak period delays are fairly common on the world's fourth most popular air route (SYD - MEL and v.v.) Nothing that a good high speed rail line between Melbourne and Sydney wouldn't solve....

VA341 (1700 hours from MEL up to BNE) took off at 1811, with arrival likely at 1858, 48 minutes late. B738 VH-VUT is the aircraft.

There are so many delays on the afternoon of Wednesday 26 October that one has to ask whether there has been a silly individual incorrectly going through a terminal such as MEL and requiring the gate areas to be cleared - although normally when that occurs, delays would be well upwards of an hour - or whether VA has had to manually process boarding passes due to a software failure, or loss of power in say the MEL terminal.

Advice from any VA passengers would be helpful.

 

[Melburnian1]

Adding to the many evening delays afflicting VA (and competitors) on Wednesday 26 October, VA874, the 1800 hours from SYD to MEL took off at 1837 - about 20 minutes or slightly less late - but B738 VH-YFE is not likely to arrive until 2017, 42 minutes late.

VA1332, the 1940 hours MEL down to HBA took off at 2106. Arrival should be at 2206, 71 minutes late with B738 VH-VOK charged with this task.

The longish (for a domestic flight) VA1465 (1955 hours MEL - DRW) was airborne at 2038. Arrival of B738 VH-VUZ should be at approximately 2333 late this evening DRW time, 33 minutes delayed. This aircraft had been about 50 minutes late into MEL ex ADL (see the previous post) so the silver lining is it will have picked up a bit of time should it arrive in DRW at what is forecast.

VA882 (1900 hours from SYD down to MEL) was in the sky at 2020. B738 VH-VOS is suggested as arriving at the terminal in MEL at 2153 hours, 78 minutes behind schedule.

 

[Melburnian1]

Thursday 27 October sees VA8, the longhaul from LAX to BNE arriving at a likely 0729, 39 minutes tardy. Aircraft is B773ER VH-VPH.

VA811, the 0700 MEL - SYD is having a shocking start to its rotations with A332 VH-XFH still at the terminal in MEL at 0840 hours. It looks like this A332 is then proceeding on VA555, the transcontinental from SYD to PER that is timetabled to depart at 0935 hours but the VA website suggests that this will depart at 1040 - most unlikely if the A332 is not substituted by a B738, although the latter have fewer seats.

UPDATE: At 1000, VA811 was still shown as 'taxiing' on the FlightAware website, but it was airborne at 1007. Instead of the normal 0825 hours arrival, it should do so at 1124, 179 minutes tardy.

VA555 from SYD to PER is expected to depart at 1215 - perhaps a tad optimistic - instead of 0935 and arrive in the west at 1345 hours, two hours behind schedule. If it then forms VA688, the 1300 hours from PER to MEL, that will be delayed as well.

UPDATE TWO: VA555 ended up taking off at 1228, so VA's prediction was accurate in relation to pushback time. PER arrival should be at 1409 instead of 1145, 144 minutes behind schedule.

 

[Melburnian1]

Also on Thursday 27 October, VA1332, the 1940 hours from MEL down to HBA did not take off until 2120. B738 VH-YFN should arrive at roughly 2221, 86 minutes behind time.

 

[Melburnian1]

The morning of Friday 28 October has VA804, the 0630 hours from SYD down to MEL having not got out of bed promptly, leading to an 0800 takeoff and an expected arrival at 0914, 69 minutes late. Aircraft is A332 VH-XFE.

Yesterday it was a problem with a sister aircraft travelling north that led to a significant delay for VA555 from SYD to PER; today, it will probably be the turn of those travelling from MEL to PER if XFE forms a flight to the west after it arrives in MEL.

VA302 (0500 early start due to Queensland not having daylight saving time) from BNE down to MEL took off at 0616 (B738 VH-YFI) with arrival expected 70 minutes late at 0935.

 

[Melburnian1]

In further on Friday 28 October, VA824 (0900 SYD - MEL, 'threatened species' E190 VH-ZPC) took off at 0949: arrival should be at 1113, 38 minutes tardy.

 

[Melburnian1]

Much later on 28 October, VA761 (2010 hours from MEL up to OOL) took off at 2209; arrival of B738 VH-YFI should be at 2307 tonight instead of 2115, 112 minutes behind schedule.

 

[Melburnian1]

On Sunday 30 October VA314 (0755 hours BNE - MEL) took off at 0832 with arrival of E190 VH-ZPO likely at 1202, 47 late.

VA870 (1730 hours from SYD to MEL) has been cancelled.