Virgin Australia Delays/Cancellations

[Melburnian1]

B773ER VH-VPE on the LAX to SYD VA2 looks to be arriving 73 minutes late at 1028 hours on Wednesday 29 November. Consequently VA1 (1115 hours from SYD back to LAX) should depart at around 1225 hours.

 

[Must...Fly!]

I presume an A330 went tech in Melbourne this morning. VA679 very late. VA686 is a B738. VA697 tonight has been downgraded as well. I was really looking forward to a row to myself. Glad I didn't put in for upgrade me bid!

 

[Melburnian1]

'Mt Agung special' VA9556 (Thursday 30 November, scheduled 1415 hours DPS - BNE, B738 VH-YIM) took off at 1609. Arrival is suggested at 2344 hours, 94 minutes late with a planeload of no doubt relieved passengers (and maybe airline crew who were also 'caught' there.)

 

[Must...Fly!]

I presume an A330 went tech in Melbourne this morning. VA679 very late. VA686 is a B738. VA697 tonight has been downgraded as well. I was really looking forward to a row to myself. Glad I didn't put in for upgrade me bid!

Received an SMS and E-Mail advising of equipment change

Been a long time since I have had this happen to me, is this a new feature? It's handy to know, I guess.

 

[Melburnian1]

VA has announced that it will be operating three flights from DPS to Australia tonight (3 December) but it has been confirm,ed that it is still not conveying passengers from Australia to DPS. (In contrrast, JQ has been silent on the latter.)

The latter is beginning to look a bit nonsensical as quite a few airlines have resumed operating in and out of DPS with passengers.

 

[Melburnian1]

VA208 (Monday 4 December 0735 hours ADL to MEL that took off at 0819, B738 VH-VOT) should arrive at 1001 hours, 36 minutes late.

 

[docjames]

VA691 Mel-Per 7/12 delayed tonight (1735hr A330 service).

Initially crew late inbound (weather), then engine warning light requiring initial hold after pushback to try and fix, then return to gate (pax stay on plane), then engine run up to check fix, then stop, then re-fuel, then wait in queue to depart due to storms in MEL.

All up, departure delay something like 2.5hrs and arrived ~2h20late.

Gotta love the joys of travel with that sequence, a shame as the aircraft had been at gate for over 2 hours prior to departure but then an engine warning light went presumably whilst starting up. Still, happy they fixed it rather than have it occur midway and have to divert.

So all up the ~7hr flight to Perth not ideal but happy safety first.

 

[Melburnian1]

docjames, great report on-the-spot. As a very minor point, aren't such warning indications 'electronic' rather than 'warning lights?'

The redoubtable and pleasant AviatorInsight may be able to share some of his knowledge.

 

[docjames]

docjames, great report on-the-spot. As a very minor point, aren't such warning indications 'electronic' rather than 'warning lights?'

The redoubtable and pleasant AviatorInsight may be able to share some of his knowledge.

No idea, captain announced it as a warning light.

 

[docjames]

So i’m 0/2 on this Perth trip with VA.

VA694 delayed from 1715 to an 1830 departure with MEL arrival now eta 0105hrs....

Lounge staff say mechanical and subsequent aircraft substitution.

 

[docjames]

And landed exactly at 0100.

Crew seemed a bit “over it”. One took some panadol (or similar) it appeared at one stage.

No onboard mention of the delay, let alone the reason.

 

[AviatorInsight]

docjames, great report on-the-spot. As a very minor point, aren't such warning indications 'electronic' rather than 'warning lights?'

The redoubtable and pleasant AviatorInsight may be able to share some of his knowledge.

Doc James, sorry to hear of the experience. I find it interesting they did an engine run up with pax on board but as you said, glad you got there in the end without having to divert.

Melburnian1, given it was an A330 and ECAM driven, a master caution light would have presented itself to the crew so I guess both would be correct in this instance? The B737 however, being much more archaic is full of warning lights!

 

[Melburnian1]

With the very summery, extremely heavy (for Melbourne) deluge that hit around MEL at roughly 2000 hours on Tuesday 19 December, VA746 from OOL down to MEL should arrive at roughly 2055, 35 late with B738 VH-VUF.

VA287 (B738 VH-VFY) is the 1845 hours MEL - CBR that was in the sky at 2042 tonight, meaning arrival at 2140 hours, 110 minutes late.

B738 VH-VOK on the 1940 hours MEL - ADL, VA243 took off at 2111 hours.

 

[Melburnian1]

Friday 22 December 2017 sees VA1897 (1220 hours KGI across to MEL that took off at 1320, B738 VH-VUW) arriving at roughly 1930, 65 minutes late as it was held for a while over Victoria.

 

[Melburnian1]

On Sunday 24 December, VA23 (1330 hours early afternoon MEL - LAX, B773ER VH-VOZ) did not take off until 1720. Arrival looks to be around 1215 hours, 195 minutes late. The aircraft had arrived in MEL 19 minutes late at 0744 this morning on VA24 ex LAX so unclear what this afternoon's delay was due to.

 

[Must...Fly!]

On Sunday 24 December, VA23 (1330 hours early afternoon MEL - LAX, B773ER VH-VOZ) did not take off until 1720. Arrival looks to be around 1215 hours, 195 minutes late. The aircraft had arrived in MEL 19 minutes late at 0744 this morning on VA24 ex LAX so unclear what this afternoon's delay was due to.

VA470 was delayed about 1.5hours out of BNE due to late inbound from NAN - tech related, I believe

 

[Melburnian1]

On Boxing Day 2017, VA770 (scheduled 0545 hours very early morning CNS down to BNE, B738 VH-VOS) took off at 0758 hours. Arrival is predicted for 0957 hours, 117 minutes late.

B773ER VH-VPE on VA2 ex LAX is arriving in SYD at about 1015, an hour late.

 

[Melburnian1]

On Wednesday 27 December 2017, VA1507 (0935 hours MEL - MCY) initially went to its destination, made a 'rough landing' according to passengers but diverted to BNE. Media coverage includes passengers claiming 'pilot incompetence: coming in too fast' and highlights alleged shoulder injuries.

 

[Melburnian1]

VA334 (Wednesday 27 July 1555 hours BNE down to MEL that took off at 1717 with B738 VH-VUI) should arrive at 2020 hours, 65 minutes late.

 

[AviatorInsight]

On Wednesday 27 December 2017, VA1507 (0935 hours MEL - MCY) initially went to its destination, made a 'rough landing' according to passengers but diverted to BNE. Media coverage includes passengers claiming 'pilot incompetence: coming in too fast' and highlights alleged shoulder injuries.

Oh don’t get me started on the media reporting. MCY is a 30m strip with basic slope guidance and only a visual approach from the southern end in class D airspace. The landings there will never be smooth. The runway end comes up pretty quick.

On Wednesday 27 December 2017, VA1507 (0935 hours MEL - MCY) includes passengers... ‘coming in too fast'

Again sub standard journalism, and the passengers would know this how?

I would have diverted to BNE too if I suspected a hard landing rather than try again into the narrow strip where the aircraft would be grounded.

To claim “pilot incompetence” is one of the most absurd things I’ve heard. If people think it’s easy I’ll gladly hand over the keys at top of descent (to give them plenty of time for the approach, I’m not that unreasonable).