Virgin Australia Delays/Cancellations

[Melburnian1]

With storms in and around MEL seeing domestioc flights departing to the east - quite unusual - VA9949 is preparing to depart for SIN with B773ER VH-VOZ. It was supposedly due to depart at 1400 hours on Saturday 18 November but by 1530 had yet to do so,.

 

[Melburnian1]

In further on 18 November, MEL received a quick drenching with 32mm of rain around 1700 hours, so VA278 which took off from CBR 22 minutes after scheduled departure is arriving in MEL at 1841, 31 minutes late.

VA341, the 1700 hours from MEL up to BNE was in the sky at 1825; B738 VH-VUK should arrive at roughly 1926 hours, 76 late.

 

[Melburnian1]

The redeye from HKG down to MEL, VA86 should arrive on Sunday 19 November at 1035 hours, 140 minutes late with A332 VH-XFC. This was because Saturday 18's VA87 did not take off until 1421 hours despite the schedule calling for an 1100 departure. It also took about two hours to turn around in HKG, but some of this may have been due to a slot being unavailable given its unpunctuality.

 

[Melburnian1]

ATR72 VH-FVQ on Sunday 19 November's VA291, the 2005 hours MEL - CBR that took off at 2050 should be at its destination at 2217, 42 late.

 

[Melburnian1]

VA1753 (Monday 20 November 2017 - 1150 hours MEL up to HTI, B738 VH-YFW) took off at 1253. Consequently expected arrival has become 1427, 37 late.

 

[Melburnian1]

A lot later on Monday 20 November, VA569 (scheduled 1900 hours from SYD to PER that was not airborne until 2210 hours, A332 VH-XFG) should pull in to the western capital at roughly 2328, 143 minutes late.

 

[Melburnian1]

VA346 (Tuesday 22 November 2017: 1755 hours BNE down to MEL that was in the sky at 1837 with B738 VH-VUO) should pull in to its designated arrival gate down south at about 2145, half an hour tardy.

 

[Melburnian1]

Bali's Mt Agung volcano was reported as erupting (in a small way) as at 1700 hours local time on Tuesday 21 November 2017, but so far there has not been any adverse effect on flights to or from DPS or nearby Indonesian airports.

 

[Melburnian1]

Wednesday 22 November sees VA817, the 0745 hours MEL - SYD with B738 VH-VUO took off at 0830. Arrival should be at 1001, 51 minutes late as SYD is quite busy with many aircraft holding.

The following VA819, the 0800, took off at 0835. VH-VUJ should be at its allocated gate at roughly 1003, 38 minutes behind schedule. VA1555 (1020 hours morning SYD - HVB, also with VH-VUJ was airborne at 1100 so arrival is anticipated at 1135, half an hour tardy.

The 0955 hours tourist conveyance from SYD to expensive AYQ took off at 1107 with VH-VUO. Red Centre equivalent to 'at gate' arrival should be 1302 hours, 62 late for this VA1627.

 

[Melburnian1]

Thursday 23 November's VA9925 (is this an empty working, or a special carrying passengers?), the 0815 hours PER - MEL with A320 VH-YUD looks to have had a missed approach at MEL at about 1453 this afternoon.

VA853 (B738 VH-YWA, the mid afternoon 1500 hours MEL up to SYD) took off at 1555; arrival should be at 1705, 40 minutes behind.

 

[Melburnian1]

Thanks to a stormy Thursday 23 November 2017 evening in and around MEL, VA883 (B738 VH-VUS, the 1900 hours MEL up to SYD that took off at 2000 hours) should arrive at 2108, 43 minutes late.

Still on Thursday 23 November, VA899, the 2115 hours MEL up to SYD (B738 VH-VUW) did not take off until 2149 hours. Touchdown is estimated as a minute after curfew at 2301 tonight so 'the delegate' must be in a good mood. JQ518 is slightly ahead and also estimated as landing at 2301: both cannot do this within 60 seconds on the same runway.

 

[Melburnian1]

A332 VH-XFG on VA86 (1950 hours Thursday 23 November that took off at 2105) from HKG to MEL should pull in on Friday 24 at 0854 hiours, 39 late.

 

[Melburnian1]

VA274 on Friday 24 November (B737 VH-VBZ, the 1500 hours mid afternoon from CBR down to MEL that was airborne at 1539) should arrive at 1646 hours, 36 minutes tardy.

In October 2017 MEL - MCY was the worst performing route (served by two or more airlines) for punctuality. VA1511, the 1705 hours departure that was in the sky at 1757 is continuing that tradition. B738 VH-VOO should arrive at roughly 1909, 44 minutes late.

VA337, the 1600 hours scheduled MEL up to BNE (B738 VH-YFX) that took off exactly an hour later is delayed in its arrival until (as luck would have it), 1800 hours, 50 late.

 

[Melburnian1]

Again, there are storms in and around Melbourne, this time mid evening on Friday 24 November 2017 with VA874 (B738 VH-YFE), the 1800 hours ex SYD that took off about 20 late at 1834 hours suggested as arriving at 2023 hours, 48 late. The loss of time was partly due to the aircraft being held above Omeo for quite a while.

VA287 (the 1845 hours MEL - CBR that took off at 2005, B748 VH-VUU) should arrive at 2059 hours, 69 minutes late.

 

[Melburnian1]

Continuing with the storm aftermath of delays in MEL on Friday 24 November's evening, VA1382 (B738 VH-VOQ, the 2100 hours MEL - LST) took off at 2215. Arrival should be at around the 2313 hours mark, 68 minutes tardy.

VA1465 (1955 hours MEL - DRW) has a far greater delay with VH-VUK becoming airborne at 2221 hours, slightly more than two hours late. Suggested arrival is 0113 hours on 25 November, 143 minutes behind the eight ball.

 

[Melburnian1]

In more on Friday 24 November, VA997, the 2100 hours SYD up to BNE took off post-curfew at 2301; arrival should be at 2312 hours, 102 late for B738 VH-YFT.

VH-YFY on VA999, the 2130 hours SYD - BNE took off at about 2313, so it too must have a curfew exemption. Arrival should be at 2326, 86 minutes tardy.

 

[Melburnian1]

Sunday 26 November's VA242 (B738 VH-VUI, the 1905 hours ADL - MEL that was airborne at 1953) should arrive at 2136 tonight, 41 minutes late.

 

[Melburnian1]

On Monday 27 November by 1030 AEDT, DPS had closed due to ongoing volcanic activity of Mt Agung so all VA flights are cancelled. The far smaller neighbouring LOK airport is also supposedly closed, though I just observed a Citilink flight that appeared to have taken off at about 1300 hours Sydney time. There is plenty of information on the Internet so I won't duplicate that here.

Suffice to say that VA (and competitors) will review the situation tonight, so it is very fluid.

This must cost airlines a lot of money as with passenger numbers building at either end - especially so given many schools or universities have broken up for the 2017 scholastic year and so holidays are uppermost in minds - relief flights will have to eventually be operated. This could be challenging as we move into December given it is (for outbound travel from Oz a peak travel month.

 

[Melburnian1]

VA has advised that its flights to and from DPS are also cancelled tomorrow, Tuesday 28 November 2017.

 

[Melburnian1]

On Tuesday 28 November, VA889 (1715 hours MEL - SYD) was cancelled.

Due to the ongoing 'close to erupting' Mt Agung, Bali situation, VA cancelled all Oz-DOS-OZ flights today and will do so again tomorrow (Wednesday 29.) Its updates are comprehensible unlike one of GA;s efforts.