Virgin Australia Delays/Cancellations

[Melburnian1]

VA323 (Thursday 5 July scheduled 1100 hours MEL up to BNE that took off at 1154 with B738 VH-YFF) should arrive at 1351, 41 late.

 

[Melburnian1]

Much later on 5 July, VA885 (1915 hours MELup to SYD that took off at 2101 hours with B738 VH-VON) should arrive at 2214, 94 minutes late.

VA242 (VH-YIA, the 1905 hours ADL across to MEL that took off at 1951) is arriving at 2125, half an hour behind the timetable. VA238 on the same route has VH-VUP but is arriving much later, at a deficit of 97 minutes: 2132 hours instead of 1955.

A332 VH-XFE on VA897, the 2045 hours mid evening MEL - PER did not become airborne until 2205, so arrival has been put back to 2359, 54 late.

VA351 (B738 VH-VOP, the 1900 hours MEL - BNE that was in the sky at 2043) should arrive at 2232 hours, 82 minutes late.

The NAN - MEL VA184 has VH-YID and should be at its international gate at 2219, 64 late.

The CBR - OOL VA1695 (VH-VBY) should arrive at 2250, half an hour behind time.

 

[Melburnian1]

VA816 (Friday 6 July scheduled 0800 hours SYD - MEL that was in the sky at 0848 with B738 VH-VUR) should arrive at 1009 hours, 34 late.

The SYD - ABX VA1174 has ATR72 VH-FVR and is set to arrive at 1005, a similar 35 late.

 

[gaz0303]

VA119 BNE to ZQN on 6/7 cancelled as pilot is ill. Thought VA would have a standby system. Passengers put on tomorrow’s flight.

 

[Must...Fly!]

VA119 BNE to ZQN on 6/7 cancelled as pilot is ill. Thought VA would have a standby system. Passengers put in tomorrow’s flight.

I think ZQN has some special elements/training approvals for the approach, perhaps related to that.

 

[Melburnian1]

Also on Friday 6 July 2018, VA875 (1800 hours MEL up to SYD, B738 VH-YFF) took off at 1844, so arrival is suggested as 1957, 32 minutes late.

VQ1512 has B738 VH-YIG and is the 1525 hours mid arvo MCY down to MEL that did not become airborne until 1757. Its arrival looks to be 2009 hours, 134 minutes behind time.

 

[AviatorInsight]

VA119 BNE to ZQN on 6/7 cancelled as pilot is ill. Thought VA would have a standby system. Passengers put on tomorrow’s flight.

VA do have a standby system. The problem is, that's usually crewed by NZ crew so BNE is an outport for them. The standbys are all in NZ, and as Must...Fly said ZQN has certain approvals that need special qualified crew to operate in which a lot of Aus based crew don't have. The other problem is that NZ crew and Aus crew can't fly together due to separate operator check and training cyclics.

 

[Melburnian1]

On Saturday morning 7 July 2018, MEL has been down to using a single runway (27) so VA219, the 1005 hours MEL - ADL (B738 VH-VUY) took off at 1051 with expected arrival half an hour late at 1130.

VA185 (the 0945 hours MEL - NAN that was in the sky at 1041, A332 VH-XFD, probably this plane due to school holidays) should arrive at 1714 hours, 49 late.

The 0920 hours MEL - OOL, VA733, took off at 1023. B738 VH-YFV should be at its destination gate at 1212 hours, 47 minutes behind the timetable.

 

[Melburnian1]

AQlso on Saturday 7 July, flagship VA1, the 0930 hours SYD - LAX with B773ER VH-VPF took off at 1120 so arrival is anticipated at around 0725 hours, 80 minutes late.

 

[Melburnian1]

Winds have picked up at MEL between 1200 and 1300 on Saturday 7 July with gusts up to 70kmh. VA834, the 1100 hours SYD - MEL took off at 1147. B738 VH-VQN is arriving at 1311 hours, 36 minutes behind the schedule.

 

[Melburnian1]

On Sunday 8 July 2018, VA23 (1135 hours MEL - LAX) had not departed by 1235 (B773ER VH-VPE.)

UPDATE: It took off at 1255 hours.

 

[Melburnian1]

Later on Sunday 8 July 2018, VA333, the 1500 hours MEL - BNE took off at 1645. B738 VH-VUL looks to be arriving 95 late at 1845 this evening.

 

[Melburnian1]

The 0940 hours MEL - MQL on Tuesday 10 July, VA1615, took off at 1044 with B738 VH-YIG. Arrival should be 56 late at 1141 hours. I can't see any obvious reason for the delay as this plane had arrived on VA812 ex SYD in MEL four early at 0901 hours.

Fortunately after travelling back to MEL its next duty showing is the 1420 hours MEL - OOL, so that should depart on time. Luckily its Tuesday and even though it is school holidays in Vic and Qld, demand is less on Tuesdays.

 

[Melburnian1]

Later on Tuesday 10 July 2018, VA846, the 400 hours SYD - MEL that did not take off until 1544 (B738 VH-VOO) is predicted to arrive at 1653 hours, 78 minutes late.

 

[AviatorInsight]

The 0940 hours MEL - MQL on Tuesday 10 July, VA1615, took off at 1044 with B738 VH-YIG. Arrival should be 56 late at 1141 hours. I can't see any obvious reason for the delay as this plane had arrived on VA812 ex SYD in MEL four early at 0901 hours.

Fortunately after travelling back to MEL its next duty showing is the 1420 hours MEL - OOL, so that should depart on time. Luckily its Tuesday and even though it is school holidays in Vic and Qld, demand is less on Tuesdays.

I had brought in YIG on VA812, which was good going for MEL to be a couple of minutes early. Anyway, VA1615 taxied out towards the runway, however fog had rolled in at MQL and they had to taxi back to pick up more fuel.

 

[Melburnian1]

I had brought in YIG on VA812, which was good going for MEL to be a couple of minutes early. Anyway, VA1615 taxied out towards the runway, however fog had rolled in at MQL and they had to taxi back to pick up more fuel.

Thanks AviatorInsight. As usual, your information is most interesting (and well expressed.) I had idly wondered about weather conditions as the northbound flight took longer than normal.

That inbound MQL - MEL flight VA1614 ended up arriving about 74 mins late, but the long scheduled gap until its next flight, VA745 to OOL at 1420 ex MEL meant the aircraft was only 10 late arriving at the Gold Coast airport gate.

From observation (not backed by any detailed statistics for each hour), the 0900 - 1000 period for weekday arrivals at MEL seems one of the worst for delays at Oz's major east coast airports. It can be bad even if weather is benign. Then from 1000 to 1100 there are often departure delays, although JQ seems one of the worst affected at that time as flights timed for leisure travellers are scheduled to depart in that hour.

Does that broadly accord with your experience AviatorInsight?

 

[AviatorInsight]

Thanks AviatorInsight. As usual, your information is most interesting (and well expressed.) I had idly wondered about weather conditions as the northbound flight took longer than normal.

That inbound MQL - MEL flight VA1614 ended up arriving about 74 mins late, but the long scheduled gap until its next flight, VA745 to OOL at 1420 ex MEL meant the aircraft was only 10 late arriving at the Gold Coast airport gate.

From observation (not backed by any detailed statistics for each hour), the 0900 - 1000 period for weekday arrivals at MEL seems one of the worst for delays at Oz's major east coast airports. It can be bad even if weather is benign. Then from 1000 to 1100 there are often departure delays, although JQ seems one of the worst affected at that time as flights timed for leisure travellers are scheduled to depart in that hour.

Does that broadly accord with your experience AviatorInsight?

I would say that’s a fair assessment. Even coming in at 2am once, I had to get vectored off the STAR for the arrival sequence.

 

[Melburnian1]

Thursday 12 July 2018 finds VA816, the 0800 hours morning SYD down to MEL that was airborne at 0856 with B738 VH-YIB suggested as arriving at 1007 hours, 32 minutes tardy.

Like QF, VA flights on its highest frequency routes can be a lottery, especially during peak periods. Today, VA820, the 0830 hours ex SYD should be arriving in MEL at 1000, five early.

 

[Melburnian1]

Mid arvo on 12 July, VA841, the 1200 'high noon'; MEL - SYD (B738 VH-VOO) should arrive at 1407, 42 minutes tardy as it had not become airborne until 1306 hours.

The plane had only been 16 minutes late in arriving in MEL at 1151 on VA830, the schedule 1000 hours ex SYD so this looks like a case of another aircraft having become defective and VOO utilised to get passengers on their way as quickly as possible. Not a bad outcome if that's what occurred.

 

[Melburnian1]

On Friday 13 July,. VA308, the 0655 hours morning BNE down to MEL was not airborne untilo 0748. B738 VH-YVA looks to be arriving at 1000, 40 minutes tardy.