Virgin flights to Bali require technical stop in Darwin

[docjames]

I'm currently at DRW and QF43 + QF45 (Qantas' flights from Sydney and Melbourne to Denpasar) have just appeared on the departures board. Looks like they will both be stopping here this evening to refuel.

Current FR24 showing both nonstop to DPS with QF43 in particular looking like it was heading f to DRW but has veered back towards a nonstop to DPS routing - maybe weather improved? Other restrictions resolved?

QF45 too early to tell.

 

[Qantas747]

May be of interest to this thread that on Qantas' 737 Denpasar flights, seats 4, 5, 6 and 7 B & D (the middle seats) are blocked for load restrictions. (This knowledge also makes for a much more comfortable 6.5-hour 737 flight if you book A or C.)

Source: a flight attendant on the service in 2019, and it still appeared to be true as of last month.

 

[simmomelb]

So the technical stop for refuelling has finished now, right?
Has anyone here flown on VA to Bali in the last week or two?

 

[henrus]

So the technical stop for refuelling has finished now, right?

Kind of... VA's flight from BNE, SYD and MEL and have been non stop to Bali since the G20 wound up. During the G20 all VA and QF flights operated by 737's were stopping in Darwin just in case of increase holding due to airport closures whilst gov movements occurred.

That doesn't mean to say the stop in Darwin is gone for good, yesterdays QF 737 flights from SYD and MEL to DPS stopped in DRW.

Has anyone here flown on VA to Bali in the last week or two?

You can keep a close eye on the last couple of weeks worth of flights online
VA BNE-DPS - History ✈ Virgin Australia #47 - FlightAware
VA SYD-DPS - History ✈ Virgin Australia #65 - FlightAware
QF SYD-DPS - History ✈ Qantas #43 - FlightAware (noting QF will upgrade the SYD-DPS to an A330 from 5 Dec to 29 Jan)
VA MEL-DPS - History ✈ Virgin Australia #91 - FlightAware
QF MEL-DPS - History ✈ Qantas #45 - FlightAware

 

[Qantas747]

QF43 via Broome again tonight.

 

[henrus]

QF43 via Broome again tonight.

I suspect the Broome stop wasn't planned. If you look at the Flightaware track below, they left the Australian coast before turning back to Broome.

 

[HS-TQE]

VA's ADL-DPS services are also set to restart in just over 2 weeks. DRW is basically the default diversion port (although potentially less likely to be used when compared to the East Coast flights) as ex-ADL is a shorter flight than East Coast-DPS.

 

[bcworld]

Seems like this is happening again the past couple of days....VA MEL, SYD & BNE-DPS all stopped or stopping in DRW.

 

[AIRwin]

Seems like this is happening again the past couple of days....VA MEL, SYD & BNE-DPS all stopped or stopping in DRW.

ADL?

 

[bcworld]

ADL?

Seems not.

 

[jase05]

ADL?

ADL-DPS being a bit shorter than the others probably makes it unnecessary

 

[AIRwin]

ADL-DPS being a bit shorter than the others probably makes it unnecessary

Jinxed it?

VA113

Hi all, We’re on VA113 from Adelaide to Denpasar on 27/12. It was sold as a direct flight and has been since the service started on 14/12. I’ve just been advised our flight is stopping in DRE on the way up. Anyone know why? Merry Xmas all.

www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au

 

[simmomelb]

Jinxed it?

VA113

Hi all, We’re on VA113 from Adelaide to Denpasar on 27/12. It was sold as a direct flight and has been since the service started on 14/12. I’ve just been advised our flight is stopping in DRE on the way up. Anyone know why? Merry Xmas all.

www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au

Lombok and/or Surabaya must be temporarily closed, so no emergency re-route without running out of fuel, I really can't think of any other necessary reason for it, particularly true if the flight is full.
Will see what I can find is going on with these airports.

*Edit: Lombok and Surabaya are fully operational, that's puzzling... does anyone else have an idea?

 

[Digicola]

I wonder if they’ll prioritise East Coast to DPS routes when the MAXs come. That should make sure theres no more diversions.

 

[antycbr]

Lombok and/or Surabaya must be temporarily closed, so no emergency re-route without running out of fuel, I really can't think of any other necessary reason for it, particularly true if the flight is full.
Will see what I can find is going on with these airports.

*Edit: Lombok and Surabaya are fully operational, that's puzzling... does anyone else have an idea?

Possibly to pick up crew?

 

[virgintiger]

Looks as though today's VA91 MEL-DPS has diverted via DRW again, the fourth time in the past week.

Meanwhile, QF45 with the same routing and aircraft type has flown direct every day over the past week according to FlightRadar.

Would be interesting to know the real reason behind this, but it sure appears to be load related.

QF43 from SYD-DPS on the A330 would be a much better option, but seems to be impacted be departure delays on most days.

The joys of travel at the moment!

 

[twinaisle]

Storms, headwinds and full loads. Most flights will be stopping in Darwin until the 27th.

Qantas cap their pax loads, virgin don't.

 

[jase05]

Meanwhile, QF45 with the same routing and aircraft type has flown direct every day over the past week according to FlightRadar.

Check the pax loads on the QF flights.

 

[henrus]

Meanwhile, QF45 with the same routing and aircraft type has flown direct every day over the past week according to FlightRadar.

Total ton foil hat but I thought I’d seen somewhere that VA have stricter requirements than QF. There are insiders of both who may wish to confirm or deny my potentially wrong information.

 

[HS-TQE]

Total ton foil hat but I thought I’d seen somewhere that VA have stricter requirements than QF. There are insiders of both who may wish to confirm or deny my potentially wrong information.

QF is 'load restricted' on their 737 East Coast to DPS flights in the majority of cases apart from a few exceptions mentioned elsewhere in this thread. SYD this season is temporarily up-gauged to a A330 until the end of January.

VA chooses to fill up the 737s to full loads, hence the fuel stops.