Virgin Australia Delays/Cancellations

[Melburnian1]

While perhaps minor compared to what north and some other parts of Queensland have been experiencing, as at around 1940 hours on Tuesday 17 January 2023, a summer storm was adjacent to and perhaps over MEL,.

VA874, the 1800 hours SYD-MEL airborne at 1826 had a missed approach at about 1944. Aircraft is B738 VH-YFK.

VA746 from OOL and VA878 from SYD were running close to or on time but given they're in holding patterns along with a gradually growing number of others, they're likely to be more than 15 minutes late arriving at gate.

 

[tomlee1986]

Thunderstorms are in the East of Melbourne at the moment @ 8pm - I assume it will impact the airport

 

[flydoc]

Ongoing delay to VA1741 this afternoon, the twice-weekly scheduled 1300 ADL-ASP; it missed the revised departure of 1445 which has just been further pushed back to 1640. The return VA1742 will be proportionally affected.

Aircraft is B738 VH-VUT which appears to have been in ADL a full 24 hrs, after operating a return service to HBA yesterday.

 

[flydoc]

Ongoing delay to VA1741 this afternoon, the twice-weekly scheduled 1300 ADL-ASP; it missed the revised departure of 1445 which has just been further pushed back to 1640. The return VA1742 will be proportionally affected.

Aircraft is B738 VH-VUT which appears to have been in ADL a full 24 hrs, after operating a return service to HBA yesterday.

Update- 4 hr delay to both inbound and return flights held, with the aircraft landing back in ADL as VA1742 just before 2200 ACDT. According to crew, the delay was due to an interior emergency light cover in the cabin requiring replacement, with the part flown into ADL from MEL.

IMO a good recovery from VA for the 20-odd pax on 1742 who missed connections onward from ADL : all rebooked to first VA departures Sat morning + accom at the Ibis Grenfell St, $30 F&B credit and coach transfer into the city. Pickup scheduled at 0400 for the transfer back to the terminal

 

[Melburnian1]

Pickup scheduled at 0400 for the transfer back to the terminal

An '0400 pickup' would mean arrival at the airport in Adelaide, even allowing for 10 minutes to load passengers at the Ibis, at 0420.

Why on earth do passengers need to be back at the airport so early? Airlines seem to do this all the time when they provide overnight stays due to airline problems. Sure, a bit of padding is OK, but not to this extent.

 

[Melburnian1]

Storms look to have been adversely affecting MEL on the afternoon of Tuesday 24 January 2023, as VA863 (1630 hours MEL-SYD, B738 VH-YVA) was airborne at 1730.

VH-VUJ on the earlier 1600 hours on the same route (VA859) was in the sky at 1705 so its at gate arrival is estimated as 1818 hours, 53 minutes behind schedule.

 

[Ade]

VA236 ADL-MEL is delayed by 20 mins so far, which leaves me less than 20 mins to catch the next VA291 MEL-CBR Fingers crossed!

Update: Moved to ADL-CBR direct at 1810. Luckily was able to take the last available J seat.

 

[Melburnian1]

I assume there is some fog at MEL this morning (Friday 10 February) as two NZ flights have diverted to SYD by the looks of things.

VA1313, the 0635 hours HBA-MEL was airborne at 0650, on time (with B738 VH-VUX) but has been in a holding pattern above Korumburra and Wonthaggi for many minutes. Estimated MEL arrival becomes an hour late at 0850 hours.

 

[Melburnian1]

In more on Friday 10, VA274 with B738 VH-VOO sure has a 'VOOdoo' over it as takeoff was not until 1949 hours this evening. Expected at gate arrival is an extraordinary 267 minutes late at 2042.

This aircraft has been badly late all day as its roster started with VA259 (0845 hours MEL-CBR in the sky at lunchtime - 1252 hours). FR24 implies it should be spending tonight in Sydney, not Melbourne as VA816, the Saturday 11 February 0800 hours SYD-MEL displays as 'cancelled' on its page.

VH-VUL on VA274 (1800 hours peak period SYD down to MEL) was in the sky at 1942 hours for suggested arrival at 2058, 83 behind.

 

[Melburnian1]

Although apart from a bit of rain, weather doesn't appear overly adverse in Sydney from what BOM suggests, there's a lot of holding going on for entry to this airport, so as a result quite a few flights are half an hour late or more.

VA813, the 0715 hours MEL-SYD took off at 0833 (only about five minutes late) but is arriving at 0913, 33 late with B738 VH-VUE.

VH-VUT on VA921, the 0830 hours morning SYD-BNE was still taxiing in Sydney at 0914 AEDT.

VA815, the 0730 hours MEL-SYD was airborne at 0817 with VH-YFU, so estimated at gate arrival becomes 0934, 39 late.

Have air traffic controllers failed (again) to show up to work today, limiting flight numbers?

Not a patch on what CBD to CBD true high speed rail could deliver on punctuality and reliability but so far thanks to lobbying from major airlines, no government has funded or started construction.

 

[Ade]

weather doesn't appear overly adverse in Sydney

Hopefully things get better soon. I have got ADL-SYD-CBR tonight ...

 

[Ade]

Hopefully things get better soon. I have got ADL-SYD-CBR tonight ...

Update: ADL-SYD is delayed. So VA *involuntarily* moved me to ADL-CBR direct. Need to call VA customer service to get ORC.

 

[Melburnian1]

On Wednesday 8 March 2023, VA819 and VA827, respectively the 0800 and 0900 MEL to SYD flights, are cancelled.

 

[Melburnian1]

On Thursday 23 March 2023, while perhaps brief by Sydney and especially FNQ standards, MEL and environs has had thunderstorms at about 0845 AEDT.


Initially, delays for inbounds were not huge, but depending on the number of aircraft around, they tend to compound. As a micro example, VA812, the 0730 hours SYD-MEL (B738 VH-YFJ) did not become airborne until 0800, about 15 minutes late, and as at 0910 hours was holding in the oft-favoured position above Mt Buller, with a nominal arrival of 0938 hours, 33 minutes late at its gate.

I wonder if ATC controller 'shortages' are also playing their part in the late takeoff from Sydney?

 

[JohnK]

VA978 BNE-SYD due to depart 6:05pm.

Boarded early and waited and waited and waited close to 1 hour on board. Kept getting told waiting on paperwork.

Apparently crew out of hours. They've been negotiating to get dispensation. Not granted. Now looking for replacement crew. Surely this was known when they boarded everyone?

Now they have asked everyone to deplane. That's not a good sign. Sorry. Sorry. Sorry to everyone deplaning.

I wonder if sorry is going to get me back the $170+ I spent on non-refundable hotel in SYD? My daughter is crying as she was going to spend tonight with grandparents. My car is offsite in long term carpark.

 

[JohnK]

VA978 cancelled last night.

Hotels in BNE full. Virgin offering $200. Cheapest hotel I saw was $250+ for the night. Virgin also offered hotel on Gold Coast, coach on the way down and flights from OOL. 31 people took up offer.

Rydges we arrived 1:00am. A few hours sleep and we had booked 9:20am flight.

One Japanese person had been stuffed around 3 times and had flight to Japan 6:00am today. Apparently they chose to drive down. Not sure if they have made it.

 

[flydoc]

VA 1334, the scheduled 2120 MEL-HBA, earlier had an updated departure of 0112 and revised ETA 0227 but has now been cancelled, as has tomorrow morning‘s 0635 HBA- MEL VA 1313.

The aircraft that was to operate these flights VH-YQM appears to have departed BNE and then returned to there

 

[flydoc]

Approx 7 hour delay to today’s VA1023 BNE - ASP, currently halfway to destination following an ATD close to 1700 AEST rather than the scheduled mid-morning departure. Service still operated by the usual QQ F70

 

[henrus]

Approx 7 hour delay to today’s VA1023 BNE - ASP, currently halfway to destination following an ATD close to 1700 AEST rather than the scheduled mid-morning departure. Service still operated by the usual QQ F70

I'd love to know why.

Looking at the rego VH-QQX it seems that it flew a BNE-MCY-EMD-MCY-BNE during the day which probably indicates there wasn't a major tech issue with this specific aircraft (unless there was with another one).

I'm always sceptical of QQ operated VA services, after all QQ is 20% owned by QF who just last year tried to fully acquire QQ but in the last couple of weeks was opposed by the ACCC. Call me skeptial but if I were VA I'd be looking at reducing QQ reliance either through other options like more 737-700s or pulling thin regional routes all together (although the latter brand damaging) however I can't see 7 hr delays doing much brand good either.

 

[Melburnian1]

On Wednesday 3 May 2023 at just before 1900 hours, there's much holding occurring for inbound services to Sydney.

VA867 (B738 VH-YVA) took off from MEL as the 1700 hours at 1739 (about 20 minutes late) with suggested gate arrival becoming 1908 hours, 43 minutes late after it initially held above Bowning (a former station on the Sydney-Melbourne rail line) and then above Goulburn NSW.

VA281 (1705 hours MEL-CBR, VH-YWD) was not in the sky until 1825 so expected arrival in the capital becomes 1913, 63 minutes behind schedule.

The 1610 hours mid afternoon TSV down to SYD, VA1522, has VH-YIL. It pointed skywards at 1637, only 10 or so minutes late, but gate arrival should be at around 1927, 47 late.

Weather in Sydney seems benign although Melbourne had some brief thundery precipitation earlier.