Virgin flights to Bali require technical stop in Darwin

[Rangalad]

For those that are curious about how this works in practice, I was on VA63 last Friday. It's pretty simple, the plane lands at Darwin and taxis to a remote stand. Everyone is asked to unbuckle their seatbelts but remain seated. The ground crew hooks up the fuel pumps and loads up the tanks. Stairs are pushed up to the door and a ground crew member then boards with the paperwork for the pilots. Ground crew leaves and you buckle up again and get another safety demonstration. The aircraft then taxis back to the runway and takes off again.
Total time on the ground was about 30 mins and it all seemed pretty smooth. It's not ideal but also not that big of a deal really. If you'd happened to be asleep at the time you could have slept through the whole process and not even noticed.

A.K.A "Gas n Go"

 

[Mattg]

Tomorrow's flights are still showing as non-stop, but flights from Sunday have been updated as running via DRW.

 

[Saab34]

Clearly PE VA2/Bain make their decisions based on financial gain so margin must be more beneficial with full cabin (uncapped) 1 stop Darwin over a capped direct flight.

Surely it’s more productive to go direct? What’s a heavy 737 burn from taxi/top of climb? 2000kgs? Not sure what currency fuel is paid for in, however $4/gallon USD today is $2k for fuel for takeoff/climb. Or $3k local currency. Then airport charges and so on, wages, ground staff, $5k per fuel stop wouldn’t be out of the question.

All for an extra 20 bodies at what $300 each way? Seems pretty marginal.

 

[henrus]

All for an extra 20 bodies at what $300 each way? Seems pretty marginal.

Some of these flights have been sold out for months. PR also plays a part on this because if VA started cancelling peoples tickets saying too bad our flight is overbooked then the media would catch on and cause a lot more damage in $$$ compared to a stop in Darwin.

 

[Dee#]

So I'm a VA platinum currently in Darwin. When will we be able to fly VA return to Bali? frustrating to see them landing and not taking on passengers. Why not fly the A320s.
I hate Jetstar.

 

[MooTime]

So I'm a VA platinum currently in Darwin. When will we be able to fly VA return to Bali? frustrating to see them landing and not taking on passengers. Why not fly the A320s.
I hate Jetstar.

Funny you ask, I too VA plat in Darwin. Thou we're heading back to Melbourne on sunday.
My bro here is heading to Bali on sh#tstar in couple weeks. Only option, see all the VA planes landing here in DRW everyday.

I think for now the VA planes are rather full, another issue on why they are landing here I realise.

 

[Dee#]

Funny you ask, I too VA plat in Darwin. Thou we're heading back to Melbourne on sunday.
My bro here is heading to Bali on sh#tstar in couple weeks. Only option, see all the VA planes landing here in DRW everyday.

I think for now the VA planes are rather full, another issue on why they are landing here I realise.

Yes we all call it Sh*tstar too. But at least from Darwin rhe flight isnt very long and currently its not travelling at antisocial hours.

 

[Saab34]

Didn’t Virgin operate a DRW-DPS? Only 2.5hrs couldn’t be too hard to fit in.

 

[Harrison_133]

Didn’t Virgin operate a DRW-DPS? Only 2.5hrs couldn’t be too hard to fit in.

They operated it as a seasonal service in 2019.

 

[Mattg]

They operated it as a seasonal service in 2019.

IIRC, Virgin was not planning to bring DRW-DPS back for another season even before COVID as the route didn't make any/enough money.

 

[HS-TQE]

From memory this was entirely on VA 1.0's own risk from memory, whilst the NT was willing to help with promoting the NT in Indonesia (despite the weak Bali-Australia market from the Indonesia P.O.S), the route was not subsidised by the Territory Government

Darwin to Bali airfares expected to drop, as Virgin Australia announces new route

A new air service between Darwin and Bali during peak season next year is expected to drive down airfares for travellers on the popular holiday route.

www.abc.net.au

 

[Saab34]

What about ADL-DPS and perhaps even CNS-DPS?

I would like it if Virgin could do PER-SIN, CNS-SIN with the MAX.

 

[jase05]

What about ADL-DPS and perhaps even CNS-DPS?

I would like it if Virgin could do PER-SIN, CNS-SIN with the MAX.

I miss the days of ADL-DPS with VA

 

[HS-TQE]

VA resuming non-stop SYD-DPS from 5 July, assuming VA has re-applied the pre-COVID method by putting load restrictions on the SYD-DPS sector.

Bumped passengers (if any) may be put on a later flight, or re-routed double-stop through MEL/DRW or BNE/DRW.

Virgin Australia Sydney – Denpasar Routing Adjustment From July 2022 — AeroRoutes

Published at 0500GMT 01JUL22 Virgin Australia starting next week plans to resume nonstop Sydney – Denpasar service in both directions, on board Boeing 737-800 aircraft. Since service the airline’s return on this market on 15JUN22, it has been operating Sydney – Darwin – Denpasar – Sydney routing

aeroroutes.com

 

[Harrison_133]

VA resuming non-stop SYD-DPS from 5 July, assuming VA has re-applied the pre-COVID method by putting load restrictions on the SYD-DPS sector.

Bumped passengers (if any) may be put on a later flight, or re-routed double-stop through MEL/DRW or BNE/DRW.

Not just the SYD flights. The BNE & MEL flights from 5 July are also showing as non-stop on the VA site and Expert Flyer. Seat maps are looking very full too, so not sure they’re capping. I read elsewhere the diversion airports needed for a full load were available again from next week. Of course, anything could change in the next few days…

 

[Dee#]

What about ADL-DPS and perhaps even CNS-DPS?

I would like it if Virgin could do PER-SIN, CNS-SIN with the MAX.

Virgin is good but do you really want to risk the MAX. Might force me onto Qantas.

 

[MooTime]

Virgin is good but do you really want to risk the MAX. Might force me onto Qantas.

Probably best to move over to Qantas.

The Max's will be falling out of the sky on a daily basis, wouldn't want to risk it.

Just hope they fall in unpopulated areas.

 

[AviatorInsight]

VA resuming non-stop SYD-DPS from 5 July, assuming VA has re-applied the pre-COVID method by putting load restrictions on the SYD-DPS sector.

Bumped passengers (if any) may be put on a later flight, or re-routed double-stop through MEL/DRW or BNE/DRW.

Virgin Australia Sydney – Denpasar Routing Adjustment From July 2022 — AeroRoutes

Published at 0500GMT 01JUL22 Virgin Australia starting next week plans to resume nonstop Sydney – Denpasar service in both directions, on board Boeing 737-800 aircraft. Since service the airline’s return on this market on 15JUN22, it has been operating Sydney – Darwin – Denpasar – Sydney routing

aeroroutes.com

Not just the SYD flights. The BNE & MEL flights from 5 July are also showing as non-stop on the VA site and Expert Flyer. Seat maps are looking very full too, so not sure they’re capping. I read elsewhere the diversion airports needed for a full load were available again from next week. Of course, anything could change in the next few days…

As far as I can see, Surabaya’s runway works will be going on until 21JUL and Lombok’s change of operating hours is NOTAM’d until 31AUG.

As a reinforcement to the above, my roster has now been changed to include the DRW stop on Thursday night.

 

[Quickstatus]

"Gas n Go"

In AFF parlance “Splash and Dash”

 

[jakeseven7]

Virgin is good but do you really want to risk the MAX. Might force me onto Qantas.

Virgin don’t have any max yet thankfully.
I think Bonza will be the first domestic airline in Australia to roll the dice with them.