Virgin Australia Delays/Cancellations

[Melburnian1]

Delays from the mid afternoon MEL storm are continuing into the mid evening on Thursday 29 December but are highly variable.

VA238, the early evening 1805 hours ADL - MEL took off at 1929 hours with VH-YVD, a ubiquitous B738. After incurring a holding pattern above Rupanyup, Victoria, it should arrive at about 2134, 99 minutes late.

VA691 (1735 hours MEL - PER) is one of the worst affected flights with takeoff of A332 VH-XFG at 2121 and arrival suggested as 2202 tonight, 192 minutes tardy.

VA342 (1655 hours late afternoon BNE - MEL that was in the sky at 1851, B738 VH-YIG) should arrive at 2157, 102 minutes behind schedule.

In contrast, VA346 (1755 hours departure that was airborne on the same southbound route at 1836) should arrive 35 minutes late at 2150. VH-VUE is the aircraft.

VA134 (1905 hours early evening from SYD across the ditch to CHC, B738 VH-YIO) was airborne at 2117 so arrival should be 0201 hours instead of 0010 on Friday 30 December.

The late night VA1465 (1955 hours from MEL up to DRW) took off at 2059, so it should arrive with B738 VH-VON at around 2344 hours, 54 minutes past the allotted.

VA897, the 2100 hours from MEL to SYD was cancelled.

The 1805 hours from ADL across to MEL, VA242 took off at 2208. Arrival of B738 VH-YFQ should be at 2357, 182 minutes behind schedule.

 

[Melburnian1]

On Friday 30 December 2016, VA823 (0830 hours MEL - SYD) has been cancelled.

VA329, the 1300 hours MEL - BNE took off at 1356 with E190 VH-ZPO. It should arrive at about 1455 hours, 45 minutes late.

 

[Melburnian1]

Monday 2 January 2017 has VA326 (1155 hours from BNE down to MEL, B738 VH-YFI) not having taken off until 1247. Resultant arrival should be at 150, 35 minutes tardy.

 

[Melburnian1]

Later on 2 January, VH-YFT on the 1555 hours BNE - MEL was in the sky at 1709. Arrival is forecast for 2028, 73 minutes behind schedule.

There must have been a huge rainstorm in Brisbane from about 2000 hours local time tonight but one of the radars on the BOM site is unavailable. VA985, the 1930 hours SYD to BNE was in three holding pattern near Kempsey and then Grafton City NSW, and then Tabulum in Queensland. It is the 1930 hours ex SYD that took off on time or a bit early at 1950, but got as far as Mt Lindesay and appears to be turning back to SYD with probable at gate arrival at something like 2247 hours. B738 VH-VOQ is the conveyance.

VA989, the 2000 hours SYD - BNE was airborne at 2019 but with the storm is expected into BNE shortly at 2135. VH-VUQ is the B738.

The 2235 hours arrival in SYD ex OOL, VA546 has been cancelled.

VA992 from BNE down to SYD is predicted to land at 2301 after curfew starts: VH-YFF is the craft operating this 2006 hours departure that was in the sky at 2054.

VA355 (2000 hours MEL up to BNE) took off at 2105; B738 VH-YFT should arrive at 2214, 64 late.

 

[Melburnian1]

The 'Sydney Morning Herald' online on Tuesday 3 January is reporting extraordinarily long queues at the VA SYD terminal but putting it down to passengers arriving from cruise ships and checking in early for flights at say 1300 this afternoon. There are accompanying pictures. Flights do not appear to be late from what FR24 tells us.

 

[Quickstatus]

The 'Sydney Morning Herald' online on Tuesday 3 January is reporting extraordinarily long queues at the VA SYD terminal but putting it down to passengers arriving from cruise ships and checking in early for flights at say 1300 this afternoon. There are accompanying pictures. Flights do not appear to be late from what FR24 tells us.

The airline reports that all checkin counters were manned.
Were the self checkin kiosks properly manned to expedite the self checkin process?. I find that most people (who only travel once a year) are quite slow at the self checkin process especially when bag tags need to be attached.

Apparently Jetstar which shares the same terminal did not have any problems.

Airline blaming peak travel period for another problem?

 

[Melburnian1]

Airline blaming peak travel period for another problem?

Possible that it is a problem occurring only in SYD - otherwise there would be national coverage. If it was its reservation system having broken down, most often that would be a national problem.

I've also watched obviously occasional travellers struggle with the self check in machines, taking up to 10 minutes for what should take at maximum three minutes even if one is not the fastest.

 

[Quickstatus]

Possible that it is a problem occurring only in SYD - otherwise there would be national coverage. If it was its reservation system having broken down, most often that would be a national problem.

I've also watched obviously occasional travellers struggle with the self check in machines, taking up to 10 minutes for what should take at maximum three minutes even if one is not the fastest.

Im hopeless at attaching the bag tags. I just do the self checkin then print the bag tags then hold it up until an agent comes to the rescue.

 

[Melburnian1]

Wednesday 4 January sees VA551, the 0715 hours early morning from SYD across to PER (A332 VH-XFE) not having taken off until 0805. Arrival is predicted for 1002, 42 minutes late.

 

[docjames]

Status in MEL was similar from 8am - 10am, total scrum, and pulling tons out of queues to make flight checkin cutoffs (thus delaying those who allowed plenty of time).

Bag drop took 50mins.

No national news though.

Next time i travel VA on a peak travel day, i'll just front up 10min before checkin closes then get pulled to front of line. :evil:

 

[Melburnian1]

The early evening of Thursday 5 January has seen VA879, the 1830 hours from MEL up to SYD cancelled. There does not appear to have been any recent flight into MEL cancelled, which means it is unbalanced.

 

[Melburnian1]

It isn't just QF that runs late westbound between LAX and Australia. On Saturday 7 January, VA2 from LAX should arrive in SYD an hour late at 0850 with B773ER VH-VPH.

UPDATE: VA1368, the 1310 hours MEL - LST has been delayed for about an hour in its departure.

 

[Melburnian1]

On Wednesday 11 January 2017, VA1272 (F100 VH-XWT, the 0915 hours from ISA down to BNE) took off at 0952; arrival is suggested as 36 minutes tardy at 1206.

 

[Melburnian1]

The Wednesday 11 January VA662 (1735 SYD to CBR, ATR72 VH-VPJ) was airborne at an extremely late 2042 and is therefore about to arrive at 2140, 185 minutes late.

Quicker to travel on NSWTrainLink or drive!

 

[Melburnian1]

Thursday 12 January has VA8, the LAX to BNE flight suggested as arriving at 0752, 42 minutes late. B773ER VH-VPE has the task.

 

[Melburnian1]

VA1615, the 1015 MEL - MQL took off at 1330 on Thursday 12 January (E190 VH-ZPQ.) It should arrive at 1416, 186 minutes later than the scheduled 1110 hours.

VA1 (1140 hours SYD - LAX, B773ER VH-VPD) was airborne at 1307 so it should be at its destination gate at around 0724, 54 minutes tardy.

 

[Melburnian1]

On Friday 13 January, VA98, the 0645 hours MEL - CHC is expected to depart three hours late.

 

[Melburnian1]

The mid afternoon 1425 hours NTL - MEL VA1594 (B738 VH-YFS) took off at 1512 on Friday 13 January, so arrival should be 37 minutes late at 1637.

VA862 (1630 hours MEL - SYD) was airborne at 1726; arrival of B738 VH-YFE is predicted as 1839 early this evening, 34 minutes tardy.

 

[JohnK]

VA965 the 5:00pm SYD-BNE cancelled? VA's SMS mentions changes to VA965 and rebooked on VA973 an hour later. Unless VA965 downgraded to Embraer.

 

[oz_mark]

VA965 the 5:00pm SYD-BNE cancelled? VA's SMS mentions changes to VA965 and rebooked on VA973 an hour later. Unless VA965 downgraded to Embraer.

Cancelled..