MEL - HKG moves to daily 11am flights

[maccaisking]

I was looking to book a WP guaranteed family reward trip from SYD - HKG on Wednesday 2 January next year. I am in MEL but was happy to fly to SYD as I preferred the daytime flight outbound, and Melbourne doesn't have a Wednesday service. When checking flights today, I found VA69 on Wednesday 2 January was available at 11am. I rang and booked the guaranteed reward trip (really only using the guarantee coming back to MEL as the outbound had availability). This wasn't an issue when booking.

From memory and google, when VA announced SYD was adding the HKG route, Melbourne lost Wednesdays and went to o/night flights. I looked at dates on the VA site and it seems that from Sunday 28 October VA69 is moving to 11am daily, and (for the first few weeks at least) has reward availability in both cabins almost every day.

 

[AIRwin]

Coincidentally I was checking out MEL-HKG flights in 2019 this morning and also noticed the daily frequency. But I prefer the overnight flights although I haven't seen any official announcements. Wonder if it's because the timetable still reflects the previous timing given 28 October is the start of the Northern Winter?

 

[serfty]

Bugger! I liked the 1:30am departures .... I have a booking and it's obviously under the change process with the same segment listed more than once.

 

[jase05]

Bugger! I liked the 1:30am departures .... I have a booking and it's obviously under the change process with the same segment listed more than once.

I too like the 1:30am departure. We are booked on VA69 for October 13th so thankfully just before the changeover

 

[texanaust]

My flights in November have already been changed to the 11am flight-no formal notification yet. Now I have a 17hour layover...

 

[Pleb Status]

I actively avoid any overnight flights in any class and therefore ruled out the VA MEL-HKG option for an upcoming HKG trip.

I may need to reconsider with this nice improvement in flight schedule...

 

[texanaust]

Does anyone know if VA will pay for a hotel on a 17 hour layover? (due to the schedule change).

 

[Must...Fly!]

Bit of a shame. I liked the choice, as I personally have no problem flying up to SYD first then on to HKG. No choice makes it a bit boring, I think!

Does anyone know if VA will pay for a hotel on a 17 hour layover? (due to the schedule change).

More luck getting blood out of a stone.

 

[Saab34]

Has this been confirmed or just a glitch?

What will be interesting to see if this is confirmed , is they have obviously picked up another 7 slots for a 2nd evening arrival. Now I wonder if they will use those new short lived MEL morning arrival slots for a BNE-HKG run.

I think A330s on transcon will soon be a luxury (is going to happen at some point). Great thing with this is potentially a new 737 Premium Seat.

 

[maccaisking]

Has this been confirmed or just a glitch?

What will be interesting to see if this is confirmed , is they have obviously picked up another 7 slots for a 2nd evening arrival. Now I wonder if they will use those new short lived MEL morning arrival slots for a BNE-HKG run.

I think A330s on transcon will soon be a luxury (is going to happen at some point). Great thing with this is potentially a new 737 Premium Seat.

I expect (and hope as I have a 5yo and 3yo in tow) it is correct as the flight only appeared in the last day or so. Disappointing to me is only 8 Economy X seats on the 330, all in an exit row so no use to me with kids. Has anyone had experience with row 10 on these (bulkhead). Any ideas when they become available?

 

[Pleb Status]

I expect (and hope as I have a 5yo and 3yo in tow) it is correct as the flight only appeared in the last day or so. Disappointing to me is only 8 Economy X seats on the 330, all in an exit row so no use to me with kids. Has anyone had experience with row 10 on these (bulkhead). Any ideas when they become available?

What is the 'disappointing' difference in the YX seating arrangement on the VA 332 aircraft operating the old timing versus the VA 332 aircraft operating the new timing?

 

[maccaisking]

What is the 'disappointing' difference in the YX seating arrangement on the VA 332 aircraft operating the old timing versus the VA 332 aircraft operating the new timing?

Sorry, I probably wasn't clear with this. It is a disappointment with the aircraft in general, not timing. This will be my first flight on this aircraft, I had expected that there would be a higher number of seats available, including some not in exit rows, as per the 737 or 777.

 

[Jonesaus]

i was booked on the mel to hkg October 29. and got notified of a change to 1am departure. because of this i called and got us on the 11am out of Sydney instead....

time to call again and see if we can go on the original 11am...

 

[Isochronous]

I miss the ex-Aus overnight flight...

 

[Ausbt]

Thanks maccaisking, you've just saved us from an 13 hour layover from 10 pm until 11 am at MEL. We had been scheduled for a December jaunt SYD-OOL-MEL-HKG on those bargain J fares of a few months back. I hadn't received any corro at all from VA about the change. Called them and we are now SYD-HKG a day earlier, much easier. Will miss a few SCs but that's fine.

 

[etops1]

Spent an hour on hold trying to modify an adl-mel-hkg booking, o/s agent flatly refused and abruptly hung up on me. Ugh, I'm absolutely livid! Is this typical for VA?
WP/LTG on QF, for all their faults they've never actually hung up on me!

 

[AIRwin]

Is this typical for VA?

It may just have been a bad day with all the disruptions in Bali and domestically... Try again another day?

Posting this using in-flight WiFi on VA after a 3+ hour delay due to weather.

 

[texanaust]

Talking with VA's filipino call center is humorous. I asked about Virgin paying for a room overnight at Mel due to the 17 hour layover. "No problem, just ask at the counter when you get into Melbourne." My reply, "Can you assist with arranging accommodation?" Their reply, "They can do it in Melbourne." My reply, "I don't think 'they' are going to give me a room." Their reply "Probably not!"

So I had them change my flights to the same date with a 3 hour layover...

 

[Must...Fly!]

Talking with VA's filipino call center is humorous. I asked about Virgin paying for a room overnight at Mel due to the 17 hour layover. "No problem, just ask at the counter when you get into Melbourne." My reply, "Can you assist with arranging accommodation?" Their reply, "They can do it in Melbourne." My reply, "I don't think 'they' are going to give me a room." Their reply "Probably not!"

So I had them change my flights to the same date with a 3 hour layover...

I'd report that sort of an exchange as feedback. What a joke.

 

[serfty]

With my 11am (changed from 1:30am) same day flight getting into HKG too late, I waited a couple of days due to the Bali Volcano thing.

In preparation, I made sure the fare class was available on flight I wanted (The day before) and called. Took about three minutes to be moved and e-ticket email received a minute later.