Virgin Australia Delays/Cancellations

[Melburnian1]

Later on 19 January, VA103, the 1345 hours MCY - MEL airborne at 1428 hours (B738 VH-YFX) is arriving 34 minutes late at 1744 hours. Unusually, it is arriving from the west on runway 09 due to storms east of MEL. IIRC, this is MEL's least frequent mode of operation.

VA281 (VH-VOT) is on the MEL to CBR run and is arriving at gate at roughly 1829 hours, 34 minutes behind.

 

[esseeeayeenn]

On Thursday 16 January VA882 SYD-MEL scheduled for 19:00 was an hour late leaving at 20:01, landing at 21:11 instead of 20:35.
Apparently the crew was delayed on another aircraft leaving Perth which was held up by a runway closure due to an oil spill (allegedly from a QF aircraft).
The CSS on VA882 took great delight in (inaccurately) announcing several times that we were delayed "because Qantas closed the runway".
The following night Friday 17 January it was worse, departing at 21:07 and arriving at 22:11.
Not sure who they blamed for that.

 

[Melburnian1]

On Thursday 16 January VA882 SYD-MEL scheduled for 19:00 was an hour late leaving at 20:01, landing at 21:11 instead of 20:35.
Apparently the crew was delayed on another aircraft leaving Perth which was held up by a runway closure due to an oil spill (allegedly from a QF aircraft).
The CSS on VA882 took great delight in (inaccurately) announcing several times that we were delayed "because Qantas closed the runway".
The following night Friday 17 January it was worse, departing at 21:07 and arriving at 22:11.
Not sure who they blamed for that.

Whatever the cause or airline, it's sadly become routine for passengers on the fourth busiest domestic route worldwide, MEL - SYD, to suffer such delays.

Other nations invest in 350kmh or 300kmh trains (with likelihood of even higher top and median speeds in the future.) We don't.

 

[Melburnian1]

The CSM was 'correct' in one sense but I know from where you're coming, that it is an ATC decision.

 

[esseeeayeenn]

Whatever the cause or airline, it's sadly become routine for passengers on the fourth busiest domestic route worldwide, MEL - SYD, to suffer such delays.
Other nations invest in 350kmh or 300kmh trains (with likelihood of even higher top and median speeds in the future.) We don't.

We should just cancel the contract for the French submarines and ask them to build an LGV and supply enough TGVs to replace SYD-MEL flights for commuters entirely.

 

[Melburnian1]

With many storms around MEL, Sunday 19 January also sees VA1375, the 1700 hours LST short hop to MEL that took off at 1736 (B738 VH-VUZ) likely to arrive at gate at 1845, 40 down.

VA35 (B738 VH-YIU, the 1715 hours Sunday 19 SYD - DPS not in the sky until 1948) looks to be arriving at 2248 late tonight, 123 minutes behind the timetable.

The 1900 hours early evening VA752 took off at 1953 with B738 VH-YFR, so arrival is at 2252 hours, 32 late.

VA1429 (1915 hours SYD up to CNS) was not in the sky until 2205. VH-YFY should arrive at gate at 2352 hours, 152 late.

 

[Melburnian1]

AS VA35 was late yesterday, on Monday 20 January 2020, VA34 (VH-YIU) from DPS to SYD is arriving at 0910 hours, 85 minutes tardy.

VA810 (0715 hours SYD down to MEL airborne at 0804 hours with B738 VH-YFL) is arriving at 0929 hours, 39 minutes late.

 

[Melburnian1]

During 20 January mid afternoon, there were so many storms along the NSW south coast that VA846 (B738 VH-VOK), the 1400 hours SYD down to MEL appeared to be be taking a longer than usual flight path as it remained offshore when passing east of Moruya. This will add quite a few minutes to the block times.

VA1594 (VH-VUY, the 1425 hours afternoon NTL down to MEL airborne at 1515) is likely to arrive at gate at 1642 hours, 42 late.

The 1435 hours CBR - SYD VA651 (ATR72 VH-FVP) was up up and away at 1512 hours so arrival is predicted for 1620 hours, 45 late.

 

[Melburnian1]

VA539 (B738 VH-VBY, the 1810 hours early evening Monday 20 January SYD - OOL) took off at 1930 so forecast arrival has become 1936 hours, 66 minutes behind the schedule.

The 1830 hours SYD down to MEL VA878 (VH-VON) had only just commenced pushback before 1941 hours, so is a while from taking off and hence at least 55 minutes late.

The PQQ down to SYD VA1158 (ATR72 VH-FVP) arrived at 1945 hours, 45 minutes late.

VA958, the 1505 hours BNE down to SYD (VH-YFR) was airborne at 1711 hours so at gate arrival looks to be 1951 hours, 131 minutes behind the timetable.

 

[Melburnian1]

Tuesday 22 January's VA978, the scheduled 1805 hours BNE - SYD that took off at 1857 hours has VH-YFU with predicted arrival 2115 hours, 35 late.

VH-VUZ, another B738 on VA786, the 1630 hours CNS - BNE airborne at 1713 looks to be arriving at its gate at 1939, 54 late after taking what seems from teh map (beware its projection) an indirect flight path from west of Hervey Bay into BNE.

VA105 (1755 hours BNE to WLG airborne at 1908 this evening) has VH-YIH with a 58 minute late arrival beckoning at 0123 hours on 22 January.

 

[Melburnian1]

With winds gusting to 63kmh at MEL as at 1520 hours on Wednesday 22 January, VA1034 (B738 VH-YIA, the 1135 hours MCY down to MEL airborne at 1216 hours) is arriving at a suggested 1542, 42 late.

 

[Melburnian1]

On whjat has been a wet early morning in Melbourne, VA726 (B738 VH-VUA, the 0605 hours OOL - MEL airborne at 0703) is likely to arrive at 1005, 40 down, though it will be further delayed should it have to hold as quite a few other aircraft are doing that on approach to the southern capital.

The SYD - MEL VA808 (VH-BZG) is the 0700 hours peak period delayed until 0740, about 25 late, in becoming airborne, The aircraft endured the usual Mt Buller hold so arrival should be 0918 hours, 43 late, showing on rainy or otherwise not great days weather-wise how easy it is to lose further time, particularly if the plane misses its arrival slot. However sometimes ATC may not give pushback clearance to planes in say SYD until a later than scheduled time in an effort to reduce holding en route that wastes fuel and must cause at least a little irritation to flight crew, even though theyre used to it and trained for it.

Another on the same route, VA812 (VH-YIE) is the 0730 hours airborne at 0838, so its predicted arrival in MEL is 0954 hours, 49 late.

 

[Melburnian1]

On Friday 24 January, the LAX to SYD VA2 (B773ER VH-VPD) diverted to BNE (probably due to the very adverse weather in SYD) with takeoff from BNE at 0958 hours. As at 1200 'high noon', the aircraft was holding west of Pokolbin in the NSW Hunter Valley, so arrival may be post-1200 hours. VA1 back to LAX, the scheduled 1125 hours ex SYD is delayed until at least 1445 this afternoon.

 

[Melburnian1]

B738 VH-VIF on the 1300 hours early afternoon Sunday 26 January 2020 OOL down to MEL VA740 was not airborne until 1609 this afternoon, so arrival is suggested as 1917 hours, 177 minutes tardy. Earlier today, this plane was only four minutes late arriving at 1339 hours on VA838 ex SYD, but it then must have substituted for a failed aircraft on VA739, the 1120 hours late morning MEL up to OOL that took off at 1430 during mid afternoon.

 

[Melburnian1]

VA845 (Monday 27 January, the 1300 hours lunchtime MEL - SYD, B738 VH-VUY) took off at 1359, so delayed arrival will be at 1510, 45 minutes tardy.

 

[Melburnian1]

Tuesday 28 January sees VA807 (B738 VH-YWD, the 0630 hours MEL - SYD airborne at 0717) likely to arrive at 0831, 36 minutes late.

 

[Melburnian1]

VA1627 (Wednesday 29 January, the 0955 hours SYD across to AYQ with B738 - as always - VH-VUR) was not up up and away until 1104 hours, so arrival looks to be 34 minutes late at 1234 hours early this afternoon.

 

[Melburnian1]

VA1615 (Friday 31 January, the 0945 hours midmorning MEL - MQL that took off at 1039 hours with B738 VH-YWE) looks to be arriving at 1130 hours, 40 minutes late.

Later, VA841 (VH-VOP, the 1200 'high noon' MEL - SYD in the sky at 1253) is arriving at gate at 1401 hours, 36 minutes tardy.

 

[Melburnian1]

As a thunderstorm approaches or hits MEL at about 1600 hours with the temperature having dropped 12 degrees to 29 in the last 20 minutes to half an hour on Friday 31 January 2020, VA738, the 1200 'high noon' hours ex OOL that was not in the sky until 1321 hours is arriving at 1633 hours, 73 minutes late with B738 VH-YFY.

VA1034 is not far behind. Having B738 VH-VUP, this is the 1135 hours from MCY airborne at 1315. Suggested at gate arrival is 1642 hours, 102 minutes tardy.

 

[Melburnian1]

B738 VH-VOL on the 2015 hours evening MEL - BNE airborne at 2101 (VA353) looks to be arriving at its gate 32 minutes behind at 2157 on Friday 31 January.