Virgin Australia Delays/Cancellations

[Melburnian1]

Continuing with Monday 20 March 2017, VA101, the 1600 hours CHC - MEL that was airborne at 1811 hours (B738 VH-YIO) should arrive at 1959, 129 minutes behind schedule.

 

[The Flying Brick]

VA 271 MEL - CBR cancelled today 21/03 (along with a few others).
Bumped to VA 277 for a 1520 dep. but already running late due to wait for connecting pax.

 

[Melburnian1]

Also on Tuesday 21 March, VA958 (1505 hours BNE - SYD that was in the sky at 1535) should arrive at about 1823 hours, 43 minutes tardy. VH-VUA is the B738.

VA867 (B738 VH-YFG, the 1700 MEL - SYD) took off on time at 1714 but at 1822 hours remained in a holding pattern (in which it was far from alone) west of Goulburn. It should arrive at 1905, 40 minutes late showing just how much time such holds can add to what should be a short 85 minute gate-to-gate northbound trip.

With the approaching SYD storm, VA1535 from HBA to SYD is forecast to arrive at around 1910 hours, 45 minutes late but history suggests such delays can be underestimated. VH-YFV is the B738. It will be interesting to see if any diversions to alternate airfields such as CBR result.

In heavy rain around SYD, VA973 (E190 VH-ZPQ) is arriving 66 minutes late at 1936 hours.

The 1730 hours MEL - SYD VA871 took off at 1807; arrival of B738 VH-BZG should be at around 1947, 52 late.

 

[Melburnian1]

VA1313, the first of Wednesday 22 March's offerings with a timetabled 0600 departure at 0600 hours for MEL (B738 VH-YFU) took off at 0649. Arrival should be at 0803, 47 late.

 

[Melburnian1]

Later on 22 March, the ADL - MEL VA236 should arrive at about 1934, 39 minutes late with B738 VH-YFE.

The 1730 hours SYD down to MEL (VA870) took off at 1830. B738 Vh-VOQ should arrive at 1947, 42 minutes late.

 

[Melburnian1]

In further 22 March 2017 delays due to stormy weather in SYD, VA875, the 1800 hours MEL - SYD (B738 VH-YFQ) took off at 2000 hours; arrival should be at roughly 2113, 108 minutes tardy.

VA881, the 1845 hours northbound was in the sky at 2017. VH-VUE should be at its destination gate at 2125, 75 minutes late.

The 1900 hours northbound, VA883 (VH-VUS) was airborne at 2024 so a 2136 hours predicted arrival would be 71 minutes late.

VA352 (1855 hours BNE down to MEL, B738 VH-VUT that took off at 2004) should arrive at 2318 hours, 63 late.

The 1905 hours BNE - SYD, VA986 (VH-VUH) was airborne at 2014; arrival is forecast for 2234 instead of 2140.

Northbound VA981 from SYD to BNE (VH-YFF) is about 85 minutes tardy with suggested arrival at 2055.

VA894 and VA997, respectively the 2100 hours departures from SYD to MEL and BNE were cancelled.

 

[Melburnian1]

On Thursday 23 March, VA905 from SYD to BNE, the 0630 hours, did not take off until 0727. Arrival is predicted at 0744, 44 late for B738 VH-VON.

VA806, the 0645 hours SYD - MEL has been cancelled as has VA833, the 1000 hours scheduled departure in the opposite, northbound direction.

 

[Melburnian1]

On Friday 24 March, with fog forecast in MEL, VA804 (0630 hours SYD - MEL that took off at 0736, A332 VH-XFH) should arrive at roughly 0852, 47 minutes late. This will delay the 0915 hours from MEL to PER, VA679.

VA204, the 0755 hours scheduled arrival in MEL ex ADL has been cancelled, as have VA806 and VA810, the 0820 hours and 0850 hours respectively arrivals in MEL ex SYD. VA322, the 1315 hours arrival in MEL from BNE has also got the red card.

Northbound, cancellations from MEL include VA809, the 0645 hours to SYD, along with VA819, the timetabled 0800 hours departure on the same route, VA313 (0800 hours to BNE) and VA213 (0810 hours to ADL.)

VA814 (B738 Vh-YFK, the 0745 hours peak time SYDF - MEL that was not airborne until 0843) should pull in to its designated gate at 0956, 36 minutes tardy.

 

[Melburnian1]

In further on Friday 24 March, VA319 (0900 hours MEL - BNE, B738 VH-VBZ) took off at 1003 so arrival is delayed until a predicted 1045 hours, 35 minutes tardy.

VA816, the peak hour 0800 SYD - MEL (VH-VUE) is arriving at 1020, 45 late while VH-VUL on VA820, the 0830 hours departure on the same route is expected to be at its designated gate in the southern capital at about 1050, 45 minutes late.

The 1405 hours BNE - SYD, VA954 (B738 VH-YFT) was airborne at 1512 hours; arrival is predicted as 51 minutes behind schedule at 1731 late this afternoon.

VA956 (1435 hours BNE down to SYD that took off at 1541) should arrive at 1803, 53 late with B738 VH-VUT.

 

[JohnK]

A little while ago there was an announcement that VA986 the 7:05pm BNE-SYD will be delayed until 8:20pm. Checked up on the board and noticed that VA977 the 7:00pm arrival from SYD cancelled. Surely that's not the same aicraft that was going to operate VA986?

Then a few minutes ago there was an announcement that VA1253 the 8:10pm BNE-ROK has been cancelled. So it looks like that aircraft will do VA986.

Has VA been shuffling aircraft around? Weather in SYD has been shocking recently.

 

[Melburnian1]

Has VA been shuffling aircraft around? Weather in SYD has been shocking recently.

JohnK, as many of us know, the domestic airlines often shuffle aircraft around - where they can. An important precondition is normally like for like - it would be abnormal for a B738 to be replaced by an A332.

Another huge constraint is the SYD (and elsewhere: ADL is one other) 2300 hours curfew. While one cannot make the mistake of always assuming airlines are rational, they try not to have passengers stranded overnight in BNE, MEL and make every effort (and the priority getting aircraft at the end of the night down to SYD to beat the curfew.

Also on Friday 24 march, VA886 (E190 VH-ZPI, the 1930 hours SYD down to MEL that was airborne at 2026) should arrive at 2136, 31 late.

 

[JohnK]

My flight has been delayed by around an hour with 25 minutes holding coming into BNE and engineering issues.

No worries have ~6.5 hours in PER before next flight but don't have boarding passes for SQ flights and I now may miss the SQ check in desks for the flight just after midnight. Take my chances with rubbish seating in morning thanks to VA wiping out my SQ pre-allocated seats.

And I stupidly prepaid a hire care that I was going to use for ~4 hours. Not much time left to use hire car and I may even miss the counter closing as well.

There's a lot more to flying than getting from A->B. I'm supposed to be relaxing.

 

[Melburnian1]

On Monday 27 March 2017, VA677 (A332 VH-XFG, the early morning 0715 hours MEL - PER) did not take off until 0839. Arrival is predicted as 68 minutes late at 0943.

VA814 (0745 hours SYD - MEL) was airborne at 0836 with E1890 Vh-ZPQ. It should arrive at roughly 0952, 32 minutes late.

The 0900 hours MEL up to SYD, VA827 (B738 VH-VUT) was airborne at 0955; arrival should be at about 1105, 40 late.

 

[Bundy Bear]

Hi Melburnian1

Can you provide any useful information on cancellations for the flights in North Queensland due to Cyclone Debbie.

 

[Melburnian1]

Bundy Bear, you ought to know by now that I rarely provide 'useful' information- that's done by our aviators such as AviatorInsight (who is always pleasant) and contributors like you.

However if we look at the Townsville Airport website, many flights today have got the order of the not-so-royal boot:

Townsville Airport WebFids

It also looks to be the same at Mackay:

Mackay Airport

with the airport 'having entered its stage 3 cyclone plan' - it even has a 'cyclone committee':

Emergency Alert - Mackay Airport

I wouldn't have thought one needs an 'airport committee' to cancel flights: that's done by the airlines whose staff in operations departments look at weather patterns. Still, that's the way Australia is going: committees for this that and everything, bureaucracy everywhere...

At CNS the only cancellations appear to be one QF flight from HTI and two QantasLink ones from TSV.

The only cancellation at ROK seems to be the QantasLink flight that originates in CNS and does the 'milk run.'

 

[Melburnian1]

Continuing with Monday 27 March, VA274 (1505 CBR down to MEL that took off at 1536, B738 VH-VUC) should arrive at approximately 1650, 35 late.

VA691 (the very late afternoon scheduled 1735 hours from MEL across to PER) was airborne at 1911 with A332 VH-XFG; arrival is suggested as 79 minutes behind schedule at 2014 hours.

 

[Melburnian1]

On Wednesday 29 March, VA682 (0945 hours PER - MEL, A332 VH-XFC) should arrive 31 late at 1646 hours.

 

[straitman]

Today VA184 (VH-YIE) departed Nadi approx 65 min late. Showing arrival Melbourne at 2140 which is 65 min late.

 

[Melburnian1]

AFF member mannej suggests that the Hamilton Island airport (HTI) is closed until some time in June 2017 due to Cyclone Debbie's trail of destruction.

In contrast, the Hamilton Island Resort Facebook page talks of 'additional flights' on Thursday 30 March. However from what I can see, today's flights are indeed cancelled.

The media (such as News Ltd) is referring to these extra flights but I suspect mannej is correct.

Also on Thursday 30 March, VA213 (0805 hours MEL across to ADL that took off at 0904) should arrive at 0956, 56 minutes late. E190 VH-ZPT is the aircraft.

 

[Melburnian1]

Continuing with Thursday 30 March, VA946 (1205 hours BNE - SYD, E190 VH-ZPQ that was airborne at 1303) should be at its designated arrivals gate at 1514, 34 minutes behind schedule.

VA736 (the 1155 OOL - MEL that took off at 1315 hours, B738 VH-VUY) should arrive at around 1603, 43 minutes behind schedule.