VA Cancellations, Delays growing?

sitting at MEL tonight, this seemingly ridged adherence to ‘one take off one landing’ feels extreme.

3 mins and 28 seconds between the takeoff of one aircraft and the landing of the next… despite a queue for takeoffs a mile long.

Reports in the media today highlighted that in September there were 17 days with zero weather impacts for SYD and MEL, yet delays and cancellations were off the scale:

  • But in September, data shows there were 17 days without any weather or air traffic issues, and yet inbound and outbound traffic on the busy Sydney to Melbourne route saw 184 cancellations – or 52 per cent of the total number of cancellations for the month. (news.com)
maybe time to have a senate inquiry?
 
MEL_Traveller said:
sitting at MEL tonight, this seemingly ridged adherence to ‘one take off one landing’ feels extreme.

3 mins and 28 seconds between the takeoff of one aircraft and the landing of the next… despite a queue for takeoffs a mile long.

Reports in the media today highlighted that in September there were 17 days with zero weather impacts for SYD and MEL, yet delays and cancellations were off the scale:

  • But in September, data shows there were 17 days without any weather or air traffic issues, and yet inbound and outbound traffic on the busy Sydney to Melbourne route saw 184 cancellations – or 52 per cent of the total number of cancellations for the month. (news.com)
maybe time to have a senate inquiry?
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Saab34 said:
Throwing bribes out to hold the place together over the peak season.

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I guess it can be a bit rough on VA crew. Supposedly ‘full service’ but packed flights because of cancellations, rolling delays, wifi and entertainment often out of action, and having to nickel and dime your passengers for anything but tea, coffee and water.

But in the flip side… not like crew have that much to do, aside from the CM. My recent flight MEL-SYD was 1hr10mins flying time, and the crew announced due to the ‘short flight’ they wouldn’t be service hit drinks. Only water. So a pretty easy flight for them in that respect. Weather was fine en route, just as predicted by the captain in the pre-departure update.
 
MEL_Traveller said:
I guess it can be a bit rough on VA crew. Supposedly ‘full service’ but packed flights because of cancellations, rolling delays, wifi and entertainment often out of action, and having to nickel and dime your passengers for anything but tea, coffee and water.

But in the flip side… not like crew have that much to do, aside from the CM. My recent flight MEL-SYD was 1hr10mins flying time, and the crew announced due to the ‘short flight’ they wouldn’t be service hit drinks. Only water. So a pretty easy flight for them in that respect. Weather was fine en route, just as predicted by the captain in the pre-departure update.
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Interesting you point that out. We flew MEL-CBR last week and we were so impressed that they did the water run so quickly, plus purchases. On the other hand, my husband flew MEL-SYD today. They skipped rows, asked for water and… nothing. They had 1hr10m flight time with no weather issues so you would assume they would have had more than enough time to complete the service!
 
MEL_Traveller said:
I guess it can be a bit rough on VA crew. Supposedly ‘full service’ but packed flights because of cancellations, rolling delays, wifi and entertainment often out of action, and having to nickel and dime your passengers for anything but tea, coffee and water.

But in the flip side… not like crew have that much to do, aside from the CM. My recent flight MEL-SYD was 1hr10mins flying time, and the crew announced due to the ‘short flight’ they wouldn’t be service hit drinks. Only water. So a pretty easy flight for them in that respect. Weather was fine en route, just as predicted by the captain in the pre-departure update.
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They don’t get a paid a heck of a lot, work long shifts, 24/7 rosters, multi day trips, and long drives to/from airports. Then the fatigue. Sure, they sign up for the job, but 50/60k for such a job is sub par. The full time retail award is better $$ minus the ugly work hours and can live around the corner. The job should really be closer to 70k in this day and age, CMs 80k-90k.

Many Cabin crew across many airlines didn’t come back post Covid and remained in other jobs due to higher pay and 9/5.
 
Saab34 said:
They don’t get a paid a heck of a lot, work long shifts, 24/7 rosters, multi day trips, and long drives to/from airports. Then the fatigue. Sure, they sign up for the job, but 50/60k for such a job is sub par. The full time retail award is better $$ minus the ugly work hours and can live around the corner. The job should really be closer to 70k in this day and age, CMs 80k-90k.

Many Cabin crew across many airlines didn’t come back post Covid and remained in other jobs due to higher pay and 9/5.
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It’s not far off that according to this: https://www.news.com.au/travel/trav...b/news-story/67f14265e9c90540e57b439b7d0b4528

$1000 a week after tax, but that salary is with a shorter roster and minimal overnights. More money to be made with longer flights and being away overnight with allowances.

Agree the shift work could be gruelling.
 
A friend of mine got stuck in BNE overnight trying to get to NTL. They missed curfew. No accomodation given.

VA are using weather affecting the inbound flight as the reason, even though no weather restricting their outbound flight. Seems like BS to me.
 
justinbrett said:
A friend of mine got stuck in BNE overnight trying to get to NTL. They missed curfew. No accomodation given.

VA are using weather affecting the inbound flight as the reason, even though no weather restricting their outbound flight. Seems like BS to me.
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Don’t they have to give accomodation? Was it the origin or destination BNE?
 
jakeseven7 said:
Don’t they have to give accomodation? Was it the origin or destination BNE?
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Weather means they don’t. Even though the weather was 6 hours ago…. He’s on corporate travel so not out of pocket personally.

He’s NTL based, flying home after being in BNE for work.
 
Saab34 said:
They don’t get a paid a heck of a lot, work long shifts, 24/7 rosters, multi day trips, and long drives to/from airports. Then the fatigue. Sure, they sign up for the job, but 50/60k for such a job is sub par. The full time retail award is better $$ minus the ugly work hours and can live around the corner. The job should really be closer to 70k in this day and age, CMs 80k-90k.

Many Cabin crew across many airlines didn’t come back post Covid and remained in other jobs due to higher pay and 9/5.
Click to expand...
You should see what their and Qantas ground crew make!
QF is $51k for a new starter based on FT hours which they don't get!
 
SYD-HBA cancelled this evening, rerouted via MEL. Both flights late meant an arrival after midnight in HBA, loss of rental car booking with Sixt (thank you Budget for still being open) and delayed baggage despite reassuring messages that my bags would be automatically moved. As if.

To top this magical evening of aviating off, nearly hit a wallaby on the Tasman Highway in from the airport. Thanks Virgin.

The only thing that saved our itinerary tonight was that my partner and I are both platinums.

The airlines (all of them) are going to have domestic leisure travel demand fall off a cliff at this rate. I’d rather go international than deal with this kind of delay/cancellation on a regular basis. Weekends away and event travel will all be too hard.

Update: the Saturday VA1528 SYD-HBA has also been cancelled, no doubt a lot of pax displaced from yesterday have been delayed yet again.

Also VA baggage website link to SITA Worldtracer baggage tracker doesn’t work and upon calling informed the HBA reference hasn’t been created yet.

Buy AirTags.
 
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