VA777 in AKL ?

[gwilli1]

Just noticed on Flightradar , its showing a VA 777 - VH-VPD , on approach to AKL - Flt 9508 . Does anyone know what the story is here ?​

 

[infinity]

Maybe winds too strong and needed fuel. Or mechanical issue?

 

[gwilli1]

It left SYD at 9.27am this morning. 9508 is a positioning flight number apparently . There is no VA1 to LAX today and no VA2 arriving back in SYD on Thursday . Do ANZ do 777 maintenance in AKL ?? or maybe a livery repaint in AKL ? just me speculating now .

 

[tuapekastar]

It left SYD at 9.27am this morning. 9508 is a positioning flight number apparently . There is no VA1 to LAX today and no VA2 arriving back in SYD on Thursday . Do ANZ do 777 maintenance in AKL ?? or maybe a livery repaint in AKL ? just me speculating now .

NZ does have a wide body engineering base in AKL (have visited it and 'toured' an NZ 777 undergoing maintenance) and certainly used to do maintenance for DJ 737s at CHC, so by extension you may well be correct.

 

[erkpod]

Didn't VPD have issues at LAX recently which led to delays & cancelations? Maybe repairs related to that?

 

[gwilli1]

It was for maintenance. This from the VA Source.... The VA Source - Virgin Australia News & Information

[h=2]30th July 2013 - VH-VPD Positions to Auckland Maintenance.[/h]Boeing 777-3GZER VH-VPD positioned Sydney -Auckland for maintenance this morning as VA9508