Virgin Australia Delays/Cancellations

[Melburnian1]

VA811 (Tuesday 25 June, the 0700 hours MEL - SYD airborne at 0746) is arriving with B738 VH-BZG at 0905, 40 minutes behind schedule.

 

[Melburnian1]

VA68 is the 1915 hours HKG - MEL that on Tuesday 25 June has A332 VH-XFE, taking off at 2020. Arrival on Wednesday 26 is 0735, 50 minutes tardy.

VA1, the 0930 hours SYD - LAX should depart at 1000.

B773 VH-VPE on VA8 should arrive BNE this afternoon at about 1655 hours (ex LAX). Normally this flight arrives at 0530 but with the continuing unavailability of one of the fleet under repair in Victorville (see above), many flights are being significantly 'adjusted' - delayed.

 

[Melburnian1]

VA185 (Thursday 27 June, the MEL - NAN due to depart at 1105 in the latish morning) did not push back until 1223, so arrival for B738 VH-YIQ is suggested as 1851, 56 late.

 

[Melburnian1]

Canberra Airport had fog at an unusually early time on Friday 28 June with VA628, the 0705 hours ex SYD not airborne until 0851. ATR72 VH-FVP should arrive at 0939, 94 late:

Heavy fog forces cancellations at Canberra Airport

Four flights have been cancelled on Friday morning due to the weather conditions.

www.canberratimes.com.au

 

[Melburnian1]

VA1510, Friday 28 June 2019 as the 1325 hours late lunchtime MCY down to MEL (B738 VH-VUE) took off at 1400 but thanks to a holding pattern east of Bendigo, arrival is likely at 1639 hours, 44 late.

The 1425 hours NTL down to MEL, VA1594 (VH-YFP) was airborne at 1449, only about 10 - 15 late, but with it also having to hold close to MEL, arrival is estimated as 1630, half an hour behind. If its roster doesn't suddenly alter, as a result the 1645 hours MEL - SYD (VA865) and the 1850 hours SYD to CNS (VA1429) will each be delayed by at least 20 minutes.

A few flights in total from all airlines are half an hour or more late this afternoon into MEL.

UPDATE: VA865 did not take off until 1726 so SYD arrival is expected at 1842, 32 late.

 

[Melburnian1]

With the ongoing unavailability of one B773ER due to an alleged major fuel tank problem necessitating Victorville, California USA specialist repairs, on some days VA7, the 1110 hours morning BNE - LAX has morphed into an 1805 hours departure. On Friday 28 June, B773ER VH-VPF took off at 1824 with arrival estimated (same day) as 1357 hours, 407 minutes late.

VA169 (Friday 28 June, 1855 hours evening MEL across to AKL) was not in the sky until 2004 so its aircraft, B738 VH-YIM is expected to be at its arrival gate at roughly 0122 on Saturday 29, 52 late.

 

[Melburnian1]

Saturday 29 June 2019 sees VA1529 (morning 0630 hours HBA to SYD, B738 VH-YFQ) taking off on time at 0645 but arrival is delayed until 0919, 59 late as the aircraft had to hold for quite a while above Goulburn due to earlier fog in SYD that has created a very large aircraft arrivals backlog.

VA401 (0600 hours ADL - SYD) was airborne at 0641. VH-VBZ is arriving at gate at 0918, 58 late as it had also held in the same area.

VA508 (0800 hours OOL down to SYD) took off at 0833 with VH-VOO, but arrival is predicted as an hour late at 1030 due to an extensive holding pattern just west of Cessnock.

The 0700 hours MCY - SYD, VA476 with VH-YFF was in the sky at 0821, about 65 late. Its first holding pattern was above Muralla but it has then had to hold above Mt Thorley, so arrival is a forecast 1046, 131 minutes late.

Another B738, VH-VUI on VA924, the 0805 hours BNE down to SYD took off at 0842. After its holding pattern, it has an estimated arrival 62 late at 1042 hours.

 

[Silvia]

VA2 LAX-SYD (B777 VH-VPD) diverted to BNE. It is currently flying back as BNE-SYD, with predicted arrival at 11 02, 212 min tardy. This will delay VA1 SYD-LAX which has a revised departure at 13 25, 235 min behind schedule.

 

[Melburnian1]

Saturday 29 June's VA409 (B738 VH-YIF, the 0800 hours ADL across to SYD) was in the sky at 0826, only about 10 - 15 late. Arrival should be at 1057, 37 late as like many others, the aircraft had to hold above Gunning.

 

[Silvia]

Also continuing today, VA43 BNE-DPS (B738 VH-YIJ) has a revised departure at 13 15, 185 min behind schedule.

VA925 SYD-BNE (B738 VH-YFU) has a tentative arrival at 11 28, 58 min tardy.

VA504 OOL-SYD (B738 VH-VUA) arrived at 10 27, 117 min late. That will have an effect on VA555 SYD-PER which has a revised departure at 11 24.

VA819 MEL-SYD (B738 VH-YFN) is also running behind, with arrival suggested at 10 45, 80 min behind schedule. This will delay VA931 SYD-BNE, the originally scheduled 10 00 hours service, with with revised departure at 11 35.

VA823 MEL-SYD (B738 VH-VUK) also late, with arrival at 10 48, 53 min tardy.

 

[Melburnian1]

VA1174 on Saturday 29 June from SYD down to ABX is really badly delayed with ATR72 VH-FVZ taking off on this 0805 hours flight at 1242. Arrival should be 1353, 263 late.

 

[Silvia]

Sunday 30th of June continues with (B777 VH-VPD) badly delayed, with VA23 MEL-LAX having a tentative departure at 23 10.

 

[Melburnian1]

Also on Sunday 30 June, VA824 (A332 VH-XFH), the 0900 hours SYD down to MEL did not take off until 1007, so a 47 late arrival at 1122 hours is the prediction. The plane had arrived in SYD at 0740 hours, half an hour late on VA82 ex HKG. Fortunately its next duty, VA683 MEL - PER is not scheduled to depart until 1240 so that should be punctual.

VA1368, the 1405 hours afternoon MEL - LST should depart 40 late.

 

[Melburnian1]

On more re Sunday 30 June 2019, VA879 (1830 hours MEL - SYD) has been cancelled.

Later on 30 June, VA470, the 1745 hours BNE - PER that took off an hour later with A332 VH-XFD is likely to arrive at 2208, 38 late.

 

[Melburnian1]

Sunday 30th of June continues with (B777 VH-VPD) badly delayed, with VA23 MEL-LAX having a tentative departure at 23 10.

The latter may still be fairly close to the mark, as VA24 from LAX to MEL estimated to arrive at 2126 hours, 941 minutes late if one compares it to the usual early morning 0545 hours arrival. Mind you, a 1324 hours takeoff (as occurred on Saturday 29) from LAX and being home at say 2345 on Sunday evening is to me an attractive schedule, although multiple competing airlines prefer to continue with early morning arrivals in Oz. Sure, curfew considerations (for SYD) and aircraft utilisation efficiency comes into play, but the ovrerriding reason may well be an airline perception that early morning arrivals suit high-paying businessmen and women far more, and hence day flights won't sell. AFFer drron might disagree.

 

[Melburnian1]

Monday 1 July 2019's VA677 (A332 VH-XFG), the 0715 hours MEL - PER was almost two hours late as it took off at 0924 hours. Arrival looks to be 1118, 103 late. The aircraft had overnighted in Melbourne since arriving at 1802 hours, only two minutes late, on VA686 ex PER so no excuse such as 'delayed in from Hong Kong' stands out.

B773ER VH-VPE is on VA1, the 0930 hours SYD - LAX in the sky at 1038, so same day expected arrival is 32 late at 0637 hours.

VA219 (1005 hours MEL - ADL) was in the sky at 1057. B738 VH-VUK should arrive at 1134, 34 late.

The 1000 hours SYD - HKG (A332 VH-XFC) pointed skywards at 1059 with arrival suggested as 1818, 38 late.

VA735 (1020 hours morning MEL - OOL) was in the sky at 1118. Arrival for B738 VH-VUL should be at 1309, 44 late.

 

[Melburnian1]

Later on 1 July, the LST up to MEL VA1371 (B738 VH-VUI, the 1455 hours afternoon flight atht took off at 1534, about 25 late) is arriving at 1700, 65 late as it had to hold above Korumburra. Winds are fairly strong at MEL, gusting to 50kmh.

The 1300 hours CNS down to MEL was airborne at 1323 so VA1294 (VH-YIF) should arrive at 1712, 47 late after holding above Tocumwal (which the other day had a mini cyclone.)

VA850 (1500 hours mid afternoon SYD down to MEL) did not take off until 1631. VH-VUG should arrive 70 late at 1745.

Northbound VA859 (1600 hours MEL - SYD, VH-VYV) was in the sky at 1717 so arrival has become an estimated 1827, 62 late.

The HTI - SYD QF1573 has B717 VH-YQY and looks to be achieving a 1742 hours arrival, 107 late. As noted above, this aircraft was on an early morning SYD - CBR that was delayed due to fog in the latter: it hasn't recovered its timetable from that.

 

[Melburnian1]

VA1532, the Wednesday 3 July 1355 hours SYD - HBA was pointing skywards at 1532 with B738 VH-YFX. Arrival should be at 1706 hours, 76 late. If this aircraft sticks to its roster, this will delay QF1535, the 1630 hours HBA back to SYD by about 65 minutes while the 2000 hours VA989 from SYD to BNE may be marginally delayed in its pushing back.

 

[Melburnian1]

VA816 (Thursday 4 July 0800 hours SYD down to MEL, B738 VH-VUI) did not take off until 0908 so arrival has become an estimated 1026 hours, 51 late.

 

[Melburnian1]

VA1726, the 1320 hours Thursday 4 July KTA - PER took off at 1501 with arrival of F100 VH-FNN likely at 1558, 33 minutes behind the timetable.