Virgin Australia Delays/Cancellations

[Melburnian1]

Later on Friday 11 August, the 1300 hours SYD - MEL (VA842) took off at 1355. With B738 VH-YFI, arrival in the southern capital should be at 1507 this afternoon, 32 minutes tardy.

VA684 (A332 VH-XFC, the 1135 hours PER - MEL) that took off at 1246 should arrive at 1747, 42 minutes late.

VH-YFX (another B738) on VA876 (1815 hours late afternoon SYD - MEL that was in the sky at 1856) should arrive at 2021, 31 minutes late.

VA669 from CBR the short distance up to SYD, the 1905 was not airborne until 1955 hours. VH-FVI (ATR 72) should arrive at 2042, 37 late.

 

[Melburnian1]

Continuing with Friday 11 August, VA288 (the evening 2005 hours CBR - MEL that was not pointing skywards until 2053, ATR 72 VH-FVZ) is predicted to arrive at 2203, 33 minutes down.

 

[andyhui01]

VA895 (Mel-Syd) was cancelled on the 11 aug. I was booked on 897 and due to the cancellation, resulted in me getting an op up. I don't think I've had an op up on VA Dom. Nice of VA to recognize status and move me into J rather than just giving it all to random pax from the previous cancelled flight.

 

[Melburnian1]

On Saturday 12 August, VA8 into BNE (ex LAX: B773ER VH-VPD) should arrive at 0824 hours, 94 minutes late.

AFF member Simo has suggested that there will be delays at BNE due to fog. At least for domestic flights, as at 0750 hours I cannot see any delays.

VA151, however, from AKL across to BNE (B748 VH-YIR) should arrive at 0918 hours, 43 minutes behind its schedule.

 

[Melburnian1]

Sunday 13 August has VA569, the 1900 hours SYD across to PER that was in the sky exactly at 1930 suggested as arriving at 2254, 44 minutes late. Aircraft is A332 VH-XFC.

 

[Melburnian1]

VA838, the Monday 14 August 1200 'high noon' from SYD down to MEL that took off at 1313 hours with B738 VH-VOS should arrive at 1433, 48 minutes tardy.

VA559 (1305 hours SYD across to PER, VH-VUF) was in the sky at 1328: arrival is suggested at 1650 hours, half an hour behind schedule.

In the opposite direction, A332 VH-XFH (VA556), the 1045 hours PER - SYD that was pointing skywards at 1304) should arrive at approximately 1819 hours, 84 minutes late.

VA1142 (B738 VH-BZG, the scheduled 1555 hours BNK down to SYD that was in the sky at 1640 hours) looks to be arriving in the big smoke (particularly appropriate today given the government controlled busrning off that has been creating smoke haze, and which around lunchtime resulted in flight delays of an hour or so) at 1830 tonight, 75 minutes tardy.

UPDATE: The arrival of the PER - SYD VA556 has been affected by air traffic congestion into SYD so arrival has become 1858, 123 minutes late, a 50 per cent blowout from that predicted above.

 

[Melburnian1]

Continuing with Monday 14 August 2017, VA1628 (1350 hours AYQ - SYD that was airborne at 1451) should be in at 1824, 64 late with B738 VH-YFS.

VA867 (B738 VH-YFU, the 1700 hours MEL - SYD took off at 1721. Arrival is suggested at 1902, 37 late as this aircraft had emerged from a hold by 1835.

The 1625 hours HBA up to SYD VA1535 (B738 VH-VUU) took off at 1732, so with congestion in SYD its arrival will at the earliest be 1904 hours, 49 minutes late, but could be later as at 1836 hours it appeared to have entered into a hold just south of Crookwell NSW.

VA436 (1815 hours early evening SYD - ADL, B738 VH-BZG) was still taxiing in SYD at 1923 hours.

 

[Melburnian1]

The LAX - BNE VA8 (B773ER VH-VPH) is arriving on Tuesday 15 August at 0744 hours, 54 late.

A332 VH-XFE on VA677 (0715 hours MEL - PER) took off at 0745, about 15 minutes late but arrival is not predicted until 1006 hours, 31 late.

 

[Melburnian1]

Later on 15 August, VA328 took off from BNE at 1327 hours with B738 VH-VUE. This scheduled 1255 hours BNE - MEL should arrive at 1603 this afternoon, 43 minutes late.

VA336 (1555 hours scheduled departure on the same route, VH-VUP) was in the sky at 1611, only marginally late but is not expected to arrive until 1900 hours, 40 minutes late.

The 1700 hours CBR down to MEL, B738 VH-YFQ (VA278) did not take off until 1815. Arrival is delayed until 1935, making it 85 minutes tardy.

 

[Melburnian1]

On Wednesday 16 August, VA1507, the 0930 hours MEL - MCY did not take off until 1032. B738 VH-YIB should arrive at 1225 hours, 35 minutes tardy.

 

[Melburnian1]

Later on 16 August, the 1600 hours afternoon VA337 from MEL to BNE (B738 VH-YIB) was airborne at 1658. Arrival should be at approximately 1843, 33 minutes late.

 

[Melburnian1]

Thursday 17 August has VA677 (comfortable, well regarded A332 VH-XFH), the scheduled 0715 hours from MEL across to PER not taking off until 0753. Arrival is estimated at 1019 hours, 44 late.

 

[Melburnian1]

On Friday 18 August's morning there is a fair bit of holding for MEL arrivals but VA252 (ex CBR) as at 0752 hours was yet to enter one. However since ATR72 VH-FVI did not take off until 0830 despite a timetabled departure of 0745 hours, arrival will be delayed until at least 0837, 52 late.

 

[Melburnian1]

Continuing with the windy (SYD) and wet (MEL) Friday 18 August evening, there are many cancellations on routes like MEL - SYD and return due to the high winds that have been buffeting SYD - the highest recorded gust was at 1400 this afternoon - 104 kilometres an hour.

VA883 and VA893 (1900 and 2015 hours MEL - SYD) have been cancelled.

VA854 (1530 hours from SYD down to MEL) was cancelled earlier today, as were VA858 and VA862, the 1600 and 1630 hours southbound departures. VA868 and VA870, the 1715 and 1730 hours also got the gong, as have VA878, VA882 and VA892, respectively the 1830, 1900 and 2030 hours SYD - MEL flights.

VA879 (1630 hours early evening MEL up to SYD) was airborne at 2021; B738 VH-YFI may arrive at 2157 hours, 122 minutes tardy.

For good measure VA352 (2120 hours scheduled arrival in MEL ex BNE) has also been cancelled.

VA667 (1830 hours early evening CBR up to SYD) took off at 2150 on Friday 18 August, so arrival has become 2244, 194 minutes late for B738 VH-VUS. Defintely quicker to travel by train or drive.

This is the most number of peak period weekday cancellations on what is often the world's fourth busiest air route that have been observed since this thread commenced.

A large number of passengers at either end (MEL or SYD) will surely be spending the night at the airport tonight as there would not be 1000 plus hotel rooms (for visitors - locals can mostly return home if they wish) available (and QF is just as badly affected, as are other airlines.

A well built high speed rail network would handle weather challenges like this far better than our airports and domestic airlines. Building Badgery's Creek is unlikely to solve this, but our politicians and bureaucrats refuse to fund or build high speed rail in Australia.

The VA cancellations on the SYD - MEL - SYD route look 'unbalanced' but I have not looked at the operations for the whole day so that may explain some of the apparent imbalance.

There may also be many flight and cabin crews (and perhaps aircraft) out of position tomorrow morning, although thankfully Saturday is the least busiest day overall on the major routes so that will aid recovery.

Perhaps there may have to be extra flights put on tomorrow.

 

[Melburnian1]

Continuing with Friday 18 August, VA894, the timetabled 2100 hours SYD down to MEL (B738 VH-YFI) took off at 2255 so a post-midnight arrival will be the result.

VA998 (2015 hours BNE - SYD that was airborne at 2120 with B738 VH-VUX) is landing post-normal curfew at about 2313, so presumably it has a dispensation from the Federal Minister's delegate.

The 1905 hours CBR - SYD (VA669, B738 VH-VUR) was airborne at 2214 and looks to be landing at about 2316 against a timetabled gate arrival of 2005 hours.

VA569 (1900 hours transcontinental SYD - PER that was airborne at 2017) should see A332 VH-XFC arrive at about 2343, 93 minutes behind schedule.

B738 VH-YFS, the 2005 hours OOL - SYD (VA546) that was pointing skywards at 2129 should touch down at about 2318.

VA246 (B738 VH-YFC, the 2035 hours ADL across to MEL that was not in the sky until 2220 tonight) is arriving at 2354, 89 minutes tardy.

VA897 (2115 hours MEL up to SYD that took off at 2145, B738 VH-YFQ) should arrive at 2331 hours, 51 minutes late. VA895, which according to teh timetable should be ahead of VA897 as 895 is due to depart MEL at 2030 tonight saw its takeoff at 2155: arrival is expected at 2335 hours, 100 minutes late (meaning touchdown at about 2330, normally half an hour after the curfew commences.)

The 2100 hours SYD - MEL that was airborne at 2253 (VA894, B738 VH-YFI) should arrive at 0009 hours, 94 minutes late.

 

[Melburnian1]

The overnight HKG - MEL, VA86 (A332 VH-XFG) is arriving an hour late at 0820 on Tuesday 22 August 2017 as on Monday evening it was airborne at 2107 compared with its scheduled pushback time of 1950.

 

[Melburnian1]

Typhoon Hato is close to bearing down on HKG, but in a precursor, the Tuesday evening VA86 from HKG to MEL (A332 VH-XFE) should arrive on Wednesday 23 August at 0807 hours, 47 minutes late.

XFE is next to operate VA87 (0940 hours MEL - HKG) but due to the typhoon, departure has been delayed until a predicted 1300 hours. This will also delay tonight's VA86 ex HKG from the normal 1950 hours to a predicted 2310.

 

[Melburnian1]

Continuing with Wednesday 23 August, VA887 (B738 VH-VUV, the 1930 hours evening MEL - SYD that was in the sky at 2016 hours) should pull in to its allocated airport gate at 2129 hours, 34 minutes late.

 

[Melburnian1]

On Thursday 24 August, VA1222 (B738 VH-VOM, the 1655 hours BNE down to CBR that was in the sky 59 minutes later) is predicted to arrive in the chilly national capital at 1934, 49 minutes late.

 

[Wanderlust_tim]

A colleague today advised me that her flight on Sunday 27 August on VA286 from Canberra to Melbourne was delayed 3 hours and 40 minutes due to a passenger passing away on the inbound flight, with a replacement plane being sent to Canberra.

What a tragic reason for a delay.