Virgin Australia Delays/Cancellations

[AviatorInsight]

Managed to make up an hour on arrival in SYD (VH-VUH) after being more than 2.5hrs late into MEL.

 

[Melburnian1]

VA1594 (B738 VH-VUE, the 1425 hours mid afternoon NTL down to MEL in the sky at 1524) should be at its destination ramp at 1650, 50 late.

 

[Melburnian1]

Tuesday 15 January 2019's VA849 (1400 hours afternoon MEL - SYD) should depart half an hour late.

 

[Melburnian1]

Managed to make up an hour on arrival in SYD (VH-VUH) after being more than 2.5hrs late into MEL.

While not favoured by shareholders wanting maximum utilisation, this shows how some greater than minimum time turnarounds can be very handy, a comment that applies to surface as well as air transport.

There was 85 minutes allowed in the timetable between the scheduled arrival of VA816 and the departure of VA837 on the SYD - MEL - SYD rotation, and then an even more generous 125 minutes in SYD between the timetabled arrival of VA837 at 1225 and departure of VA1092, SYD - LST at 1430.

Even though VA816 had to turn back yesterday due to the false fire alarm, VA1092 arrived LST only eight minutes late at 1623 and the two subsequent sectors yesterday were punctual.

It's a balancing act as having long layovers may reflect lesser demand during the off peak middle of some weekdays, but it also ties up airport gates for longer per aircraft stay, fine as long as there is not IRROPS. Longer timetabled stays at airports probably increases passenger satisfaction as (in theory) there's less late running.

 

[AviatorInsight]

While not favoured by shareholders wanting maximum utilisation, this shows how some greater than minimum time turnarounds can be very handy, a comment that applies to surface as well as air transport.

There was 85 minutes allowed in the timetable between the scheduled arrival of VA816 and the departure of VA837 on the SYD - MEL - SYD rotation, and then an even more generous 125 minutes in SYD between the timetabled arrival of VA837 at 1225 and departure of VA1092, SYD - LST at 1430.

Even though VA816 had to turn back yesterday due to the false fire alarm, VA1092 arrived LST only eight minutes late at 1623 and the two subsequent sectors yesterday were punctual.

Absolutely! The aircraft was scheduled to do SYD-PER at 1355 is my memory serves me correctly. So at some stage they obviously made an aircraft swap to get it back on schedule. Unfortunately with any kind of diversion, it'll never be a quick gas'n'go as the ground staff available are already dealing with the scheduled aircraft. Now all of a sudden there's 2 or more that need attention so it's a bit of a slower process.

Definitely a team effort and glad to hear that it ended up on its subsequent flights on time.

 

[Melburnian1]

... Unfortunately with any kind of diversion, it'll never be a quick gas'n'go as the ground staff available are already dealing with the scheduled aircraft. Now all of a sudden there's 2 or more that need attention so it's a bit of a slower process...

Yes, good effort.

AviatorInsight, I've never travelled on a diverted domestic flight as the couple of times I've been significantly delayed due to causes like fog (one time seven hours when trying to travel MEL - CBR) I switched flights and went to SYD instead.

Given that unless someone on board was sick you don't need to have passengers or others boarding or alighting, if you divert to say CBR as yesterday, am I correct that your aircraft usually won't be allocated an aerobridge even if the airport concerned has them and there's one or more spare? Or on occasion even though all you need to do is wait for ATC clearance to depart after refuelling, are you allocated a gate with an aerobridge?

 

[AviatorInsight]

Given that unless someone on board was sick you don't need to have passengers or others boarding or alighting, if you divert to say CBR as yesterday, am I correct that your aircraft usually won't be allocated an aerobridge even if the airport concerned has them and there's one or more spare? Or on occasion even though all you need to do is wait for ATC clerance to depart after refuelling, are you allocated a gate with an aerobridge?

If they can give us an aerobridge it'll make it easier, however it's not a necessity. We were allocated bay 10 on the QF side. To be honest we didn't really think we would get one but because we made the decision early we were the first ones in there and there was plenty of room.

 

[Melburnian1]

VA277 (Tuesday 15 January 2019, the mid afternoon scheduled 1515 hours MEL - CBR with B738 VH-VUL) was not in the sky until 1724 so will be a little less than two hours late arriving.

 

[Melburnian1]

As at 1545 hours on Thursday 17 January, MEL looks to be down to single runway (27) ops. It isn't creating major delays but may if it continue. There have been and are storms.

 

[Melburnian1]

There have been storms around MEL so this may be a contributor to why VA327 (B738 VH-VUH, a plane that AviatorInsight recently flew as noted a few posts back and made up time in) and on Friday 18 January the 1200 'high noon' MEL - BNE did not take off until 1311. Arrival in the Sunshine State capital should be at 1409, 59 late.

 

[Melburnian1]

B738 VH-VUX on 18 January 2019's scheduled 1500 hours SYD - MEL was airborne at 1621 so arrival has been delayed to an expected 1726 hours, 51 late.

The BNE to SYD VA954 is similarly late with VH-VUH (there it is again) suggested as arriving at 1715, 35 behind time.

 

[Melburnian1]

With AFF member Quickstatus suggesting there's a shortage of ATC staff in Sydney tonight allegedly due to more than expected calling in sick, VA895 (VH-VUE, the 2030 hours MEL - SYD that took off at 2054 only about 10 minutes late) is arriving at 2226 hours, 31 late.

The pER to SYD VA562 (A332 VH-XFE) touched down in SYD at 2301 hours, just after curfew, so arrival at 2306 will be 26 late.

 

[Melburnian1]

B738 VH-VUE on VA820, Saturday 19 January's 0830 hours morning SYD down to MEL had not departed by 0935. Scheduled arrival is 1005 so it will be at least 55 late.

VA815, the 0730 hours MEL - SYD has B738 VH-VUO and did not become airborne until 0953. Arrival should be at 1107, 132 late.

VA824 (0900 hours SYD - MEL, B738 VH-VUW) was airborne at 1001 with forecast arrival 1122, 47 late.

VH-YWD on VA479, the 0920 hours SYD up to MCY took off at 1002 with arrival at 1026 likely, 31 late.

VA319 (VH-YWA), the 0900 hours MEL north to BNE was in the sky at 1005. Arrival should be 1104, 54 minutes behind schedule.

The LAX to SYD VA2 (B773ER VH-VPF) is arriving on Saturday at 1016 hours, 81 late.

 

[samas]

Sunday evening 20th January.

I was on VA697, VH-XFH the 2030 scheduled departure MEL-PER

I received txt and email notifications at ~1640 saying that flight would be delayed till 2120. Upon arrival to VA lounge ~1915 screens said 2130.

At ~2125 VA melbourne lounge announced our flight was boarding and as it was the last departure the lounge was about to close. This resulted in about half an hour of waiting to board outside the lounge...... Poor form announcing the plane was boarding to kick everyone out the lounge and close it!!

Plane eventually started boarding about 2200 and departed 2245.

The incoming VA686 was 98 minutes late. but it then took nearly 2.5 hours to turn our aircraft around. Our departure 2.25hrs late, and our arrival into Perth 85 minutes late.

Was announced as "Engineering issue" but no further information provided. Was only one lounge announcement of delay early on and never any updated other than the premature boarding and lounge closure.



VH-XFH - Airbus A330-243 - Virgin Australia - Flightradar24

 

[Melburnian1]

On Wednesday 23 January 2019, VA551 (A332 VH-XFH, the 0715 hours SYD across to PER) was still as at 0805 waiting for ATC clearance to take off, while the identically timed departure down to MEL, VA810 (B738 VH-VUV) was also in this situation. Both will be late into their respective State capitals.

VH-VUS on the BNE - MEL VA304 should be at its destination gate at 0941, 46 minutes late.

VA812, another SYD down to MEL is also late, with takeoff at 0856, 86 minutes after scheduled departure. VH-VOO should arrive at 1006 hours, 61 late.

UPDATE: VA810 was airborne at 0808 hours.

 

[Melburnian1]

In more on 23 January, VA925 (B738 VH-YFW, the 0900 hours SYD - BNE in the sky at 0955 should be at its destination gate at 1005 hours, 35 late.

 

[Melburnian1]

ATR72 VH-VPI on Wednesday 23 January's VA269 (1235 hours lunchtime MEL - CBR) took off at 1341. Expected arrival is 1517, 72 late.

 

[Melburnian1]

23 January's VA43 is like its QF competition, a DPS-bound flight but in VA's case originating from BNE not SYD. B738 VH-YIR on this 1010 hours service took off at 1414 with arrival at 1803 hours the suggestion, 218 minutes behind the timetable.

The 0725 hours PER north to BME is another shocker, having become airborne at 1150 hours. Arrival for F100 VH-FZI looks to be 1415 hours, 250 minutes tardy.

 

[Melburnian1]

On a hot Thursday 24 January 2019 in MEL (although hotter in ADL!), VA679, the 0915 hours morning MEL - PER did not take off until 1317. B738 VH-VOK should arrive at 1408 hours, 218 minute late.

 

[Melburnian1]

Later on 24 January 2019, VA1594 (1425 hours NTL down to MEL, B738 VH-VUK) took off at 1531. Predicted arrival is 1702 hours, 62 late. Unless the roster undergoes a late change, this delay should adversely affect VA341 and VA352, respectively the 1700 hours afternoon MEL - BNE and the 1855 hours evening BNE back down to MEL.