Flight delay notifications

[BD1959]

For about 2hrs now Trip Case and BBT have been informing me of an increasing delay to tonight's 238.

The VA website insists this flight is operating to time on the Flight Status page.

Now out to a 50min delay...

Who's correct - would rather continue working in the Office, if possible!

Regards,

BD

 

[Tranga]

I hear ya BD. On flight VA flight MEL to PER tonight, and has now been delayed a couple of times. The lounge is choccas with no spare seat in sight. Rather find somewhere outside of the lounge with some room and a powerpoint...or like you said the office.

 

[docjames]

Mel is struggling with poor weather and one runway ops.

Expect delays.

 

[openseat]

QFlounges are absolutely full. Looking at a two hour delay here.

 

[BD1959]

OK, we expect delays.

Arrived at ADL airport at 5:35 for the 6:10 departure (panic because could not get a cab, thank goodness for mobile check in) , board still showing on time depature.

Get a call from colleague in Lounge to say they'd been told pushed back to 7pm.

Various lounge announcements as departure pushed back.

Finally get an email and text within a minute of each other at 7:44/7:55 apologising that new departure time is 7:50.

Really!?!

Push back was 8:15, then 30min hold before landing.

Delays happen, but how come 3rd Party Apps can keep me better informed of those delays than VA's own systems??

Regards,

BD

 

[Frostydog007]

BD1959 I would trust Trip Case - Ive been in the lounge and received updates from TC advising of flight delays even before the departure board was updated to reflect the same information - and everytime that TC has advised of a delay, they have been correct. In one recent event, the lounge advised the flight was boarding, TC advised of a 30 minute delay, so we went to the gate (just in case) only to find out from the gate agent that the flight was delayed by 30 minutes.

 

[JohnK]

I was informed by VA of a 1hr delay at 1:17pm to a 6:05pm flight. No further notification of a 1hr30m delay and then a 1hr45m delay.

And no mention that I was not going to make the connection in SYD.

If you are going to provide a service then provide it properly instead of pretending to provide it.

 

[danintas]

Virgin are woeful at communicating flight delays. Have been advised by the Lounge that flight is boarding, go to gate, see monitor saying flight boarding, then closed. But the aircraft hasn't even landed!!

 

[markis10]

Virgin are woeful at communicating flight delays. Have been advised by the Lounge that flight is boarding, go to gate, see monitor saying flight boarding, then closed. But the aircraft hasn't even landed!!

Thats not necessarily totally Virgins fault, more the airport you were at, as they are relying on the airports FIDs systems. Why doesn't that happen with Qantas, well at present many airports the QF FIDs systems is the terminals FIDs system. With terminals going back under airport ownership as QF sell them, I wonder what will happen .

 

[danintas]

FIDS?
Melbourne seems to be the worst offender.

 

[markis10]

FIDS?
Melbourne seems to be the worst offender.

Sorry - FID is flight information display. Basically the motors showing gates and status, Melbourne is the worse as it seems to run in its own universe. The trick is to check online with flightaware or similar, or use trip it, many of these tap into the airlines FID system, not the airports. It's not unusual for me to be aware of a problem or delay before the lounge staff doing that, often meaning I am first in the queue when new arrangements might be needed.

 

[danintas]

But why should we not be able to rely on the airline's own flight information ... I have witnessed elderly passengers quite distressed because they thought they had missed their flights ... It creates confusion and frustration at the gate when monitors are displaying incorrect information.

 

[markis10]

But why should we not be able to rely on the airline's own flight information ... I have witnessed elderly passengers quite distressed because they thought they had missed their flights ... It creates confusion and frustration at the gate when monitors are displaying incorrect information.

Because what's on the monitors is not the airlines info.

 

[danintas]

Well it bloody well should be!!!

 

[markis10]

Well it bloody well should be!!!

No, it's the airports info, that's why you pay them a fee each time as a passenger so they can provide that "service".

 

[JohnK]

But why should we not be able to rely on the airline's own flight information ...

That is OK. Virgin staff don't even know what flights are operating to help out connecting passengers.

 

[BD1959]

Because what's on the monitors is not the airlines info.

OK, I get that, but where does the VA website source it's incorrect information?

Regards,

BD

 

[danintas]

The lounge staff don't appear to know if flights are delayed or cancelled ... this is an area where Virgin can improve!

 

[OzEire]

Thanks to a quick Customs clearance this morning I was at the transfer desk very early for my BNE to MEL flight. Naturally I asked if there was an earlier flight available, I mean, that's why I have a flexi fare right ?

Well the response was that there is no earlier flight to MEL so I was checked in and went to the lounge. I got there about 1.5 hrs before my flight, only to discover that the earlier MEL flight was delayed and still hadn't started boarding.

Lounge said that despite the fact that the new departure time was over 45 mins away, and it hasn't started boarding, that there was no chance of switching to the earlier flight. But the lounge staff member didn't even check the system. I asked if my MEL would also be delayed... Assurred no, my flight fine again with no system check.

That flight was delayed again and again but no change, still no chance of getting earlier flight. After a third delay I was glad not to have switched.

But as my flight boarding time approached and passed I could see that there was no aircraft at the gate. Yep, delayed.

Stuff happens. I get that. But what is the point of a flexi when the VA staff won't even try to help out a frequent flyer on the most flexible ticket.

Rant over.

 

[JohnK]

Stuff happens. I get that. But what is the point of a flexi when the VA staff won't even try to help out a frequent flyer on the most flexible ticket.

In my limited experience with Virgin staff it would appear they do not have the same experience as Qantas staff.

I am not sure if it is simply the information at their disposal but it could also be the ability to use the system

e.g. inbound aircraft is delayed therefore outbound flight will also be delayed
e.g. at OOL if they can work out what time is the last flight of the evening SYD-MEL

That inexperience shows through when things start to go wrong.