Virgin Australia Delays/Cancellations

[Melburnian1]

On Thursday 29 June it was a chilly -1.1 degrees in Canberra at 0820 hours and fog had been forecast. A couple of QF aircraft were holding on approach to CBR.

VA628, the 0705 hours SYD - CBR took off at 0806 (ATR72 VH-VPI) and is forecast to arrive an hour late at 0905 hours. It went into a hold southeast of Goulburn NSW at about 0837, but the arrival time may become later if diversion is not required.

The 0700 hours MEL - CBR VA257 (B738 VH-YFK) was in the sky at 0809 and is nominally predicted to be at its CBR airport gate at 0903, 58 minutes behind the eight ball.

VA1209 (0720 hours CBR - BNE managed to take off at 0847, meaning suggested arrival at 1005 hours, 65 minutes late for B738 VH-YFP.

VA633 (0805 hours CBR - SYD, ATR72 VH-FVQ) took off at 0852.

UPDATE: VA257 had a missed approach into CBR at 0902 hours.

VA632, the scheduled 0905 hours arrival in CBR from SYD has been cancelled.

The 0620 hours CBR - MEL VA252 must not have managed to depart prior to the fog becoming heavier, as B738 VH-YFG took off at 0941, so it is about three hours late.

VA257 landed at 0946 hours in CBR.

 

[Melburnian1]

Monday 3 July sees many aircraft holding on approach into BNE with VA1207 (the 0620 hours CBR - BNE that was airborne about 20 minutes late at 0653 hours, B738 VH-YFU) likely to arrive at 0835, 35 late.

VH-YFC on the 0655 hours OOL down to MEL (VA726) did not become airborne until 0759. The inevitable result will be an arrival at about 1005 hours this morning, 45 minutes behind the eight ball.

 

[Melburnian1]

VA770 (Tuesday 4 July super early morning 0550 hours CNS to BNE that did not become airborne until 0633, B738 VH-VOM) should pull in to its allocated arrival gate at roughly 0833, 33 minutes late.

 

[Melburnian1]

Later on 4 July, VA978 (early evening 1805 hours BNE down to SYD that was not in the sky until 1954, B738 VH-VUU) should pull in to the mainland harbour city at approximately 2121, 101 minutes late.

 

[Melburnian1]

Wednesday 5 July saw the inaugural VA87 (which this morning was an 0940 hours MEL - HKG, A332 VH-XFD) depart at 0944 and take off at 1003 for a suggested arrival at 1720, on time, doubtless with Mr John Borghetti, Sir Richard Branson (a showoff in my book) and other 'luminaries' on board.

Both competitors were delayed: CX134 (0745 hours MEL to HKG, the 0745 hours) did not take off until 0901 while QF29, the 1020 hours, took off at 1046.

 

[Melburnian1]

The late evening of Thursday 6 July has VA1332, 1950 hours MEL down to HBA not having become airborne until a very late 2205. It is predicted to arrive at 2307, 122 late with B738 VH-VUE.

The 2105 hours mid evening VA1696 from OOL to CBR - not a city pair that would have been viable 20 years ago - took off at 2207 with B73(7?) VH-VBY suggested as arriving at 2339 late tonight, 54 minutes late.

VA353 (2000 hours MEL up to BNE that did not point skywards until 2052, B738 VH-VUS) is arriving at 2248, 38 minutes late.

 

[Melburnian1]

Friday 7 July sees the relatively short flight VA277, 1520 hours mid afternoon MEL up to CBR that was not in the sky until 1705 (B738 VH-YFK) likely to arrive at 1754, 89 minutes late.

VA869 (B738 VH-VUJ that was in the air 62 minutes after its timetabled 1715 hours pushback) should arrive at 1926, 46 late on its ex MEL flight.

 

[Melburnian1]

It looks like fog may be creating chaos at BNE during the mid evening of Friday 7 July.

VA341 (1700 hours MEL up to BNE, B738 VH-YFS was airborne at 1741. It appears to have 'enjoyed' a missed approach at BNE and then one at OOL, and then has had a 'squiggly' route down towards SYD to which it looks to be diverting with an arrival at around the 2200 hours mark although there is a stack of aircraft in the queue for landing in SYD. This flight is normally scheduled into BNE at 1910 hours.

VA1225 (1725 hours CBR - BNE that was in the sky at 1824 hours, B738 VH-VOO) was in a holding pattern just south of OOL but has turned back (diverting) to either SYD or CBR and passed above Walcha NSW at about 2050. This flight was nominally due in BNE at 1905.

VA973, the 1800 hours SYD - BNE that was pointing skywards at 1832 - only about 15 - 20 minutes late - with B&38 VH-VUE may have had a missed approach at both BNE and OOL, which might be close to some sort of record shared with VA341 above. It too is diverting to SYD with suggested arrival at about 2140 compared with its timetabled BNE arrival of 1930 hours.

The 1810 hours from BNE all the way down to LST, VA1123 (B738 VH-VON) took off at 2022 so arrival is suggested at 2253 hours, 133 minutes behind schedule.

B738 VH-YFX on VA977 (1830 hours SYD - BNE that was airborne at 1905) held for quite a while doing a few circuits above Grafton NSW but also looks to be heading south as at 2058 hours.

VA981 (1900 hours SYD - BNE, E190 VH-ZPH) took off at 1947 but turned back north of PQQ, so its SYD arrival will be after 2145 given the large number of aircraft ATC in SYD has to deal with.

The 1905 hours from BNE down to SYD, VA986 (B738 VH-VOQ) was in teh sky at 2023; arrival is suggested at 2208, 88 minutes late due to the large number of aircraft preceding it.

VA1226 (1915 hours BNE - CBR, B738 VH-VUA) took off at 2124 hours. Arrival may be at 2238 tonight, 93 minutes behind schedule.

The 1930 hours SYD down to MEL (VA886, B738 VH-VOL) was airborne at 2146 hours; arrival should be at 2212 hours, 67 minutes tardy. VA884, the 1915 hours did not take off until 2145, so arrival down in MEL will not be until about 2307, 137 minutes tardy with B738 VH-VUJ. VA888 (2000 hours SYD - MEL that was in the sky at 2143) should arrive at 2303, 88 late: VH-YIG has the task.

The 1950 hours BNE - TSV, VA383 took off at 2210 with B738 VH-VUH. Arrival should be at approximately 0007 hours on Saturday 8 July, 132 minutes behind the timetable.

VA474 (A332 VH-XFG, an increasingly rare appearance on a BNE - PER, this being the scheduled 2020 hours Friday 7 July departure) was in the sky at about 2158 hours so it will be at least 80 minutes late into the WA capital.

VA357 (2100 hours MEL - BNE) was cancelled on 7 July.

There may be some aircraft out of position on Saturday morning 8 July meaning cancellations and late running.

 

[Melburnian1]

Probably due to last night's mid evening fog in BNE noted above, VA9909, which may be an empty or special (with passengers) working is operating on Saturday 8 July with this 0600 hours SYD - BNE having taken off at 0815. Arrival of B738 VH-YFX should be at 0929 instead of the nominally timetabled 0735, so 114 minutes late.

B738 VH-YFU on VA314, the 0755 hours BNE down to MEL on 8 July took off at a delayed 0925 hours. Anticipated arrival is 81 late at 1141 late this morning.

VA917 (B738 VH-VOT, the 0800 hours SYD - BNE that was airborne at 0849) should arrive at 1007 hours, 37 late.

VA1174 (0805 hours SYD - ABX that was in the sky at 0824 only 10 minutes late if that with ATR72 VH-FVP) should arrive at 1000 hours, half an hour tardy.

VA9903 (which may be a special or a ferry working, B738 VH-YIR), the 0800 hours AKL across to BNE that was in the sky at 0818 is estimated to arrive at roughly 1025 hours, 45 minutes late die to congestion in BNE.

The 0850 hours SYD CNS VA1413 (B738 VH-VUZ) took off at 1020 so arrival should be 65 late at 1310 this afternoon.

 

[Melburnian1]

In further on Saturday 8 July, VA185 (0945 hours MEL - NAN) is expected to depart four hours late. A332 VH-XFJ (featuring 'The Business') is the aircraft. Earlier it arrived on VA698, the redeye from PER so the reason for this significant delay is unclear.

VA838 (B738 VH-YIF, the 1200 hours 'high noon' SYD down to MEL that took off at 1310 hours) should arrive at 1427, 52 minutes late. Lat night (7 July) this aircraft was supposed to operate VA1405, the 1840 hours early evning ADL - BNE but this was cancelled due to the BNE fog. It should then today have operated VA912 (0630 hours BNE - SYD) but that was also cancelled; it operated VA413 from ADL across to SYD this morning but this 0900 scheduled departure did not take off until 1005, so it was delayed getting to Sydney - hence VA838's unpunctuality.

Ramifications of the BNE Friday 7 July 2017 fog remain severe for passengers with VA suggesting that some are having to wait until Monday for a flight. Quicker to travel on the NSWTrainLink XPT train or drive:

http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/...y/news-story/ed86a7b0623ebd03cf461058c3ba24e7

 

[Melburnian1]

Continuing with Saturday 8 July, VA1220 (1500 hours mid afternoon flight from BNE down to CBR that took off at 1621, B738 VH-VOM) is predicted to arrive at 1805 hours, 75 minutes late.

The 1530 hours BNE - ROK (VA1245, F100 VH-XWM) was airborne at 1606 so arrival should be at about 1713 hours, 33 late.

 

[Melburnian1]

A332 VH-XFD is making what must be an extremely rare appearance on a MEL - BNE flight with Sunday 9 July's 1000 hours VA321 having taken off at 1041; arrival is expected at around 1234 hours, 24 minutes late. Normally I do not include delays of less than half an hour but this is such an unusual working it is worthy of comment. One assumes that this is to pick up extra passengers in MEL or BNE who were unable to travel on Friday night 7 July due to BNE's mid evening fog. VA commented to the media that some passengers have been rebooked on a Monday 10 July flight but operating the A332 on Sunday helps to provide more seats.

Unfortunately a MEL - PER - MEL rotation has presumably been downgraded to a B738, much to the understandable chagrin of a number of regular AFF transcontinental passengers.

 

[Melburnian1]

Later on Sunday 9 July, VA869 (1715 hours MEL - SYD) was cancelled while an afternoon flight from MEL up to CBR also got the boot.

VA346 (1755 hours BNE - MEL that took off at 1958, B738 VH-VUY) should arrive at around 2210 hours, 110 minutes behind schedule.

 

[Melburnian1]

A332 VH-XFE on VA86 (Monday 10 July 1950 hours HKG - MEL that took off at 2120 hours) is arriving on Tuesday 11 at 0816 hours, 56 late. Competitor CX135 took off soon after and is 108 minutes late, while QF30 is 68 late. There may have been a systemic problem in HKG last night.

VA206 (early morning 0635 hours ADL - MEL that took off at 0727 hours, B738 VH-VOM) should arrive at 0905 hours, 40 late.

Presumably due to fog in CBR, VA257 (0700 hours MEL - CBR) and VA256 (0840 hours CBR - MEL) have been cancelled.

VA628 (ATR72 VH-VPJ), the 0705 hours SYD - CBR that was airborne at 0809 should arrive at about 0925 hours, 80 minutes late.

 

[Melburnian1]

VA2 (the scheduled 0620 hours Thursday 13 July arrival in SYD ex LAX) is arriving at about 0830 with B773ER VH-VPD. As VA1 is timetabled to depart SYD at 0930 back to LAX, expect it to be at least 40 minutes late in commencing its push back.

The 0900 hours MEL - SYD (B738 VH-VOT, VA827 took off at 0950 hours so will be at least half an hour late arriving, the prediction being 1055 hours.

 

[Melburnian1]

Much later on Thursday 13 July, VA882 (1900 hours SYD down to MEL that was airborne at 1927 with B738 VH-VOK) should arrive at around 2106 hours, 31 minutes late as it experienced a hold near the Victorian Alps.

 

[Melburnian1]

On Friday 14 July, VA2 is again late with this LAX - SYD flight due in at 0620 hours likely to arrive at about 0750 with B772ER VH-VPH.

 

[Melburnian1]

Friday 14 July's VA79, the 2100 hours SYD - APW looks to have been delayed until Saturday 15 July with B738 VH-YIV airborne at 1114 hours. Arrival is predicted for 1905 hours instead of the timetabled super early morning 0515 hours.

VA680, 0800 hours PER - MEL took off at 0855 (A332 VH-XFD) and should arrive at 1408 hours, 33 minutes late.

 

[Melburnian1]

On Sunday 16 July, VA324, the 1055 late morning BNE down to MEL (B738 VH-VUI) was airborne at 1151 so arrival should be at approximately 1357, 37 minutes late.

VA745, the mid afternoon 1415 hours MEL - OOL was cancelled. VA86 9 (1715 hours MEL up to SYD) has suffered the same fate.

Fairly stong winds in MEL during the 16 July early evening may see it down to one runway. VA862 (1630 hours SYD - MEL that was in the sky at 1736, B738 VH-VUR) should arrive at around 1904 hours, 59 minutes late.

ATR72 VH-FVP on VA660 (1705 SYD - CBR short hop that was in the sky at 1808) is predicted to arrive at 1903, 58 minutes late.

 

[Melburnian1]

Monday 17 July has VA628, the 0705 hours SYD down to CBR that was airborne at 0756 (B738 VH-YFJ) arriving at 0839, 34 minutes late.

B738 VH-VOK on VA206 (0635 hours ADL across to MEL that was in the sky at 0706, about 15 minutes late) should arrive at roughly 0905 hours, 40 minutes late as it experienced a hold to the south of Donald (Vic) and then has to approach from the south.

VA304, the 0555 hours early morning BNE - MEL took off at 0624 (B748 VH-YFW) and is predicted to arrive at 0903 hours, 43 late.

B738 VH-VUZ on VA808 (0700 hours SYD - MEL that took off at 0747 in what may be an ATC mandated 'controlled departure') is suggested as arriving at 0918 hours, 43 minutes late.