Virgin Australia Delays/Cancellations

[JohnK]

Both the 5:00pm SYD-BNE and SYD-MEL have been cancelled. Dodged a bullet there.

Interestingly there are 2 x 4:40pm to MEL, a 5:15pm, a 5:30pm, a 6:00pm etc. These are related to Grand Prix right? Isnt that over by now?

 

[Melburnian1]

....Interestingly there are 2 x 4:40pm to MEL, a 5:15pm, a 5:30pm, a 6:00pm etc. These are related to Grand Prix right? Isnt that over by now?

JohnK, the Grand Prix - in which I, like the majority of Australians have no interest except that it's an annual A$60 million lossmaker for the Victorian government that ought be spending it on other things like better railways or hospitals - is on as I write.

These planes will be coming down to MEL to form extra flights taking Grand Prix fans (and the usual Sunday night travellers) back north. As the race concludes at just before 1830 hours on Sunday 17 March, there'll then be the winners' presentation and after that, patrons have to exit and catch a tram to the city (mostly) or Uber/taxi/private vehicle.

Realistically with traffic and finding one's vehicle even a door-to-door transfer wouldn't see one at the airport much before 1945 so with a safety margin one wouldn't be on a flight until 2030 hours ex MEL.

 

[Melburnian1]

Sunday 17 March 2019's VA180 (1440 hours NAN - SYD airborne at 1658 with B738 VH-YIM) is arriving at about 2025, two hours late.

VA2982 from PQQ up to BNE has F70 VH-NKU (a QQ plane) with this scheduled 1900 hours airborne at 1951 for expected arrival at 1953, 48 late.

 

[Melburnian1]

VA302, the Monday 18 March early morning 0500 hours BNE down to MEL that took off at 0609 has had a bad start to the day. B738 VH-VON looks to be arriving at 0916, 56 late.

The 0800 hours peak period VA816 from SYD down to MEL was in the sky at 0854 with suggested arrival 1010, 35 late.

 

[Melburnian1]

Later on 18 March, the SYD - CBR VA648 (ATR72 VH-FVR) is the 1305 hours departure airborne at 1402, so arrival should be at 1450 hours, 45 late.

As at 1400 AEST (1500 AEST), ferocious looking storms are approaching both BNE and OOL from the west, so expect delays.

 

[Melburnian1]

VA869 (Wednesday 20 March 2019, the scheduled 1715 hours MEL up to SYD airborne at 2002 hours with B738 VH-YFU) should arrive at 1917, 37 late.

 

[Melburnian1]

B738 VH-VUI on VA351 (the evening 1900 hours MEL - BNE in the sky at 1948) should arrive at 2046, 36 late.

VA95, the SYD - TBU took off 67 minutes after timetabled departure of 1845 hours so B738 VH-YIM should arrive 48 late at 0213 on Thursday 21.

VA437 (1825 hours ADL across to SYD airborne at 1914 has VH-YFT and should arrive at about 2124 hours, 34 minutes behind the schedule. Opposite number VA436, the 1815 ex SYD took off at 1931 so VH-VUY should arrive at 2047 hours tonight, 52 late.

VA543 (VH-YWD, the 1940 hours ex SYD airborne at 2025 hours) looks to have an OOL at gate arrival of 2033, 33 minutes behind.

 

[Quickstatus]

Pax told no hotels in MEL.

And news report that a Thursday night 14Mar saw a VA BNE-SYD land in MEL.
Nothing there except the dearth of hotel rooms (because of the GPrix? Or because of other diversions) forced VA to supervise 2 unaccompanied minors overnight at the airport.

The kids probably thought “adventure”. The parents probably thought “disaster”.

 

[Melburnian1]

Friday 22 March 2019 sees VA146 (B738 VH-YIT, the 1600 hours afternoon AKL - SYD airborne at 1657) arriving (after a brief Tasman Sea holding pattern) at gate at a projected 1811, 31 late.

 

[Melburnian1]

B738 VH-YIA on VA1497, the 1140 hours BNE - HTI that took off at 1306 should arrive 73 late at 1433 mid afternoon.

 

[Melburnian1]

Monday 25 March's MEL - CBR VA257 (B738 VH-VUZ) was not airborne until 0801 hours so will arrive at 0851, 46 late.

VA811, the 0700 hours MEL up to SYD (A332 VH-XFC) was in the sky at 0739 with suggested at gate arrival 0856, 31 minutes behind.

 

[Melburnian1]

The Sydney Airport tower evacuation of 20 key controllers and others from about 1140 hours on Friday 29 March with full operations restored by 1319 has caused significant delays.

VA437, the 1100 hours ADL - SYD took off at 1224 with B738 VH-YFI. Arrival should be at 1434, 69 minutes late.

 

[flyingfan]

My VA SYD-MEL has been delayed 85 minutes at this stage. The SYD VA lounge is the most under pressure I’ve ever seen it, had to make a few circuits upstairs and down to eventually get an empty seat.

 

[Melburnian1]

Continuing with the Friday 29 March 2019 delays, VA1510 (1340 hours afternoon MCY down to MEL, B738 VH-VUO that was airborne at 1516) should arrive at 1833 early this evening, 88 minutes behind the scheduled 1705 hours arrival.

VA854 has VH-YFW and is the 1530 hours SYD - MEL in the sky at 1630, with arrival suggested as 1807, 62 late.

VA559 (1355 hours SYD - PER) took off at 1653 hours with B738 VH-VUX, so arrival is delayed until a projected 1831 hours, 151 late.

 

[Melburnian1]

On Friday 30 March 2019, VA68, the 1950 hours HKG to MEL did not depart until 2125 with VH-XFG shortly to arrive (Saturday 30) at 0924 hours, 54 late.

Also on Saturday, VA1529 (B738 VH-VOT, the 0630 hours HBA - SYD that did not become airborne until 0810) is arriving at 0945 hours, 85 late.

The 0600 OOL - SYD VA500 (VH-VUQ) was airborne at 0730 so delayed arrival is likely at 0946, 76 minutes late.

The 0600 hours BNE down to SYD, VA908, took off at 0736. VH-VOS should be at its destination gate at 0957, 82 late.

VA476, the 0630 hours MCY - SYD was in the sky at 0745, with VH-VYD arriving at a suggested 1017 hours, 72 late.

VA815, the 0730 hours MEL - SYD was up up and away at 0832 so arrival should be at 0946, 51 late.

Some of these delays may be carryover from yesterday's smoke on the ground floor of the Sydney ATC control tower caused by a faulty airconditioning unit, although the Sydney weather is rainy with far more expected today.

 

[docjames]

Between the weather in SYD and MEL today not surprising there are delays.

 

[Melburnian1]

Between the weather in SYD and MEL today not surprising there are delays.

docjames, were any of the early morning delays due to ATC's 'controlled departures'? (That is, holding planes at origin due to lack of slots).

Saturday morning is not as quiet as Sat arvos, but it's not as busy as weekday peaks. I had thought some delays were to do with yesterday's muckup at Sydney (smoke in the control tower) and inability of aircraft to make up time all day, hence meaning late in at night...but perhaps weather, on reflection, was most likely. Hour long or 90 minute delays are pretty serious, though.

 

[Melburnian1]

The overnight HKG - SYD, VA82, is timetabled in at 0740 but on Wednesday 3 April as at 0741 it was holding west of Pokolbin so arrival is more likely at 0812, 32 minutes behind. A332 VH-XFD has the task.

VA2 from LAX to SYD (B773ER VH-VPF) is worse with expected arrival 57 late at 0927 hours.

 

[Melburnian1]

Continuing with a fog affected in SYD Wednesday 3 April, VA809, the scheduled 0645 hours MEL - SYD was in the sky at 0959. B738 VH-VUR should arrive at 1117 hours, 187 minutes past the timetable.

The 0600 hours OOL - SYD did not take off until 0858, so VH-VUA should be at its allocated SYD ate at about 1114 hours, 164 minutes late.

In these circumstances if the delay is continually being revised by ATC, does VA insist that passengers are on board by the usual time of 0550 and they then have to sit on the plane for three hours prior to takeoff, or is it more likely that the delay would be estimated as 'at least two hours' and patrons would board a lot later? Given the need to be able to push back as soon as ATC clears an aircraft for departure yet uncertainty over exactly when fog will lift sufficiently, it's a difficult situation. Can AviatorInsight please share with us his experience of this?

VA912 (0630 hours BNE - SYD, B738 VH-YIJ) was up up and away at 0927 hours so claimed arrival is 1146 hours, 166 minutes tardy.

 

[Melburnian1]

Late running is continuing into the Wednesday 3 April afternoon due to this morning's SYD fog. VA946, the 1205 hours lunchtime BNE - SYD was in the sky at 1348 hours. B738 VH-VUG should arrive at 1605, 85 minutes down.

Opposite direction VA943, the 1300 hours ex SYD took off at 1401. VH-YFR should arrive at 1414, 49 late.

The MCY down to SYD VA482 has VH-VUA and is the 1035 hours airborne at 1309. Arrival is predicted for 1531 hours, 141 late.