MEL-PER (and v.v.) schedule changes

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Bofter

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It looks like overnight there were some noticeable changes to the MEL-PER and PER-MEL schedules. I am not sure whether this is to make do with A332 (depending on how XFA/B retirement works) or because they thing the flight times work better. I will cover here the flight that affects me most - the afternoon departure out of Perth back to Melbourne which I take on something like 20-25 Fridays a year.

Before: dep 1700 arr 2235 (so I get home about midnight)
After: dep 1730 arr 2305 (get home after midnight, but only an extra 30 mins)

The real problem however comes after daylight saving ends. On last year's schedule (and the schedule when I booked) the 5pm Perth departure was instead a 4pm Perth departure, so the arrival time to Melbourne was maintained.

The 1730 departure time remains, however it becomes a 0010 arrival, which now means a pretty damn late home time for me.

For a moment I was optimisitic, thinking that the current 1400 departure might then become a 1500 departure which would be a better choice for me. No such luck, the daylight savings schedule now is:

VA676 PER 0505 1140 MEL
VA682 PER 0905 1540 MEL
VA686 PER 1205 1840 MEL
VA694 PER 1730 0010+1 MEL
VA969 PER 2235 0510+1 MEL

So I now have the choice of basically not working on the Friday (leave the office at 10am for the 1205 departure) or getting home in the small hours of the morning (0010 arrival, around 0130 at home). Unfortunately (for me) the Qantas schedule is not heaps better, although having 1250 and 1645 departures at least reduces that gap. Tiger also has a 1645 departure, but I am not sure that will still appeal to me.

I am weighing up whether to request refunds on the basis of significant unfavourable schedule change (1.5 hrs is pretty noticeable for me) and rebook on Qantas' best fit option (1645 departure), if I do it's quite a few flights that would have been on Virgin that now will not be. I know schedule changes happen, but this particular change is a real ongoing pain in the backside for me.
 
I understand the feeling. Always an issue finding a good departure time from Per to over East if you work that day. I've given up, sleep at home and first am flight out. If I can "guarantee" J then I may do a red eye but the departure time and short flight means broken sleep anyway.

Good luck changing/cancelling.
 
How much is the flight change fee?
I know QF charged me Aud$80 to change a flight once, just for me to catch a wide body (plane)!
IF VA will forgo the fee because of your status, then change the flight.
Personally, I would just take the flight as booked, and then consider it when the next booking cycle starts.
Don't think VA will/would forgo their change fee, for a VA PS, but with your many trips, you would be VA WP, eh?
Ring them and ask anyways.
 
How much is the flight change fee?
I know QF charged me Aud$80 to change a flight once, just for me to catch a wide body (plane)!
IF VA will forgo the fee because of your status, then change the flight.
Personally, I would just take the flight as booked, and then consider it when the next booking cycle starts.
Don't think VA will/would forgo their change fee, for a VA PS, but with your many trips, you would be VA WP, eh?
Ring them and ask anyways.

so you actually think QF only charged you a change fee because of the different type of aircraft??? NOT because of your fare conditions??....some people make me laugh :D
 
And now 22Aug is down to 4 flights not 5, so I got moved 3.5 hrs forward to 2pm, which is better than backwards onto the redeye.

I am glad to have the myflights app to keep on top of this.
 
And now 22Aug is down to 4 flights not 5, so I got moved 3.5 hrs forward to 2pm, which is better than backwards onto the redeye.

I am glad to have the myflights app to keep on top of this.

i'm guessing there will be some VA a330 schedule 'tweeking' between AUG-DEC2014...as XFA and XFB will be 'retired' over this period...AND only 1 new a330(XFJ)aircraft will be delivered in SEPT..a net loss of one a330 in the fleet... all this 'activity' MAY have an effect on your flights
 
Posts elsewhere indicate that BNE is already scheduled to be cut to be one each way pet day.
 
Sydney changes have also been made. My 7am to Perth is now a 737.
 
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Ah yes the good old Virgin schedule changes

A major reason why I don't fly with them

I guess you don't fly much then?

Any airline has schedule changes - look at those PE PAX that Qantas has been regularly dumping into economy for the last 18 months due to such changes ...
 
I've got a flight in October SYD->PER VA569 dep 8pm, which, my Velocity account tells me, has changed to VA567 dep 6:30pm.

This is a free flight redemption I booked through American Express travel. Would the notification have reasonably come through Amex Travel or VA? Because I haven't received any notice yet.
 
I haven't received any notifications yet for the six or so flights of mine that changed, all but one of which were booked direct through Virgin. This is one reason to have a booking monitoring tool setup - in my case the MyFlights app has proven useful.
 
I haven't received any notifications yet for the six or so flights of mine that changed, all but one of which were booked direct through Virgin. This is one reason to have a booking monitoring tool setup - in my case the MyFlights app has proven useful.

Thanks for the tip for the My Flights app, Bofter. Looks good.
 
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