Virgin Australia Delays/Cancellations

[Melburnian1]

VA866, the 1700 hours Friday 14 May 2021 SYD down to MEL was airborne at 1749 with B738 VH-YFY. Arrival should be at 1911 hours, 36 minutes tardy.

 

[flyingfan]

I’m on another VA flight at SYD, pilot says strong winds closed a runway, causing congestion and building delays.

 

[Silvia]

IT nationwide outage for VA, expect some delays and cancelations

 

[AIRwin]

IT nationwide outage for VA, expect some delays and cancelations

Due to the IT outage, I noticed that VA896 departure out of SYD has been delayed to 00:55 (outside curfew?)

 

[Melburnian1]

Due to the IT outage, I noticed that VA896 departure out of SYD has been delayed to 00:55 (outside curfew?)

It is well outside, but the Minister for Transport's delegate can approve dispensations.

Normally, aircraft should have received pre-curfew taxiway clearance, yet this may not be possible for VA896. More than a year ago, I remember jb747 making the point that if an aircraft received this clearance at say 2243 hours, it could in theory depart the aircraft much later.

(hard to see how tonight includes the first of the three circumstances: supposedly, dispensations must satisfy all three to be granted):

Curfew Dispensations

In exceptional circumstances,an operator may apply to the Department for approval to take-off or land during the curfew (a curfew dispensation). All requests for permission to take-off or land are made through a Curfew Duty Officer who will assess the situation in relation to a set of criteria which must be met before permission to take-off or land can be granted.

Three primary criteria must be met for permission to take-off or and at Sydney Airport:

1.The circumstances are immediate in origin(e.g.they occurred at the time of preparing to depart from, or commencing a flight to arrive at, Sydney Airport.

2.Of such character that they could not reasonably have been foreseen(e.g. mechanical fault, passengers who fail to board requiring baggage offload etc.)

3.Not reasonably able to be met by alternative arrangements(e.g. flight cancellations, using other aircraft, or other modes of transport).

When all three of these criteria are satisfied, the following matters may be taken into account to determine whether permission to take-off or land should be granted:

By what margin the movement falls into the curfew period (i.e. whether shortly after 11.00pm or shortly before 6.00am).

Whether the cause of the delay is within the control of the operator.

The noise level of the aircraft.

Number of passengers involved.

The severity of the likely hardship.

 

[AIRwin]

Due to the IT outage, I noticed that VA896 departure out of SYD has been delayed to 00:55 (outside curfew?)

Now updated to 23:31

 

[Melburnian1]

On Tuesday 25 May 2021, VA1594, the 1420 hours NTL down to MEL (B738 VH-VUP) took off at 1720, so arrival is predicted as 1845 hours, 170 minutes behind the timetable.

 

[Melburnian1]

On the first day, Friday 28 May 2021, of a hastily arranged seven day Victoria-wide lockdown - a nightmare for airline operations staff, and costing much lost revenue to boot - VAD (if I can correctly count) cancelled 24 of 59 scheduled flights ex MEL.

I haven't looked up following days but logic would suggest this percentage of inoperable trips that are cancelled will increase, as the pool of 'eligible passengers' would decrease compared to the initial day.

 

[Melburnian1]

Reflecting the pariah status of Victorians (with three of the four lockdowns having been the Victorian Government's fault), on Sunday 30 May 2021, from SYD to MEL, VAd is cancelling nine scheduled flights and only operating eight.

Very abnormally, QFd is operating seven and cancelling 15, so as far as a choice of departure times, VAd offers more today southbound.

I've not had a squiz as to whether any QFds are widebodies: if so, it may still have more seats available than VAd.

 

[Melburnian1]

The only flight operated by VAd on Sunday 6 June 2021 (during the extended lockdown that's become a fortnight) from SYD down to MEL is VA896 at 2115 hours mid evening.

Counting all operators, there are just 10 SYD - MEL southbounds today. On a 'normal' Sunday, my guess is QFd would have had 30 or slightly more, JQd another 12-15, VAd similar to JQd or slightly above, and new entrant ZL five, so a total of around 65-70.

VA565 (1720 hours SYD across to PER) is not expected to depart until 2030 tonight.

 

[AIRwin]

Looks like VA1117 from BNE was circling over PPP and is now being diverted to TSV instead...

 

[Melburnian1]

Sunday 28 November 2021 has seen VA412 (B738 VH-YIT), the 0915 hours SYD across to ADL not airborne until 1016 hours. Arrival was at 1130, 35 minutes behind the timetable. The return flight VA417 arrived at the SYD airport gate at 1445, 45 late.

Shwoing how airlines' fleets are underutilised, these two sectors were the only ones undertaken by YIT today. Tomorrow it does a return trip from SYD to MCY and another to Ballina, still being less 'block hours' than would typically have been the case pre-COVID-19.

 

[Melburnian1]

Due to the intense storms in Melbourne from mid-afternoon on Wednesday 1 December 2021, VA684, a rare example of a PER - MEL (as WA border 'still shut'), the 1010 WST that took off at 1034 (about 10" late) is arriving at a projected 1735 AEDT, 50 minutes behind schedule with B738 VH-VUW.

VA859 (VH-YVC), the 1600 hours MEL - SYD had not departed by 1725.

 

[Silvia]

Thursday 9th of December sees VA823 MEL-SYD (B738 VH-VUX) with a revised arrival at 11 15, 80 min tardy. Funny enough hubby was booked VA (this flight) and QF on the way back and only found out of delay through the QF app

 

[Melburnian1]

Two weeks later, on Thursday 23, VA973 (1800 hours SYD - BNE) has B738 VH-YIF. It became airborne at 1917 so is about an hour late.

FR24 suggests that its planned roster today hugely altered with various flights being cancelled. It arrived SYD at 1751, 31 minutes late on VA488 ex MCY that was timetabled to push back mid afternoon Queensland time at 1445 hours. Not sure why the additional turnaround time in Sydney.

 

[Melburnian1]

A reminder of pre-virus times when the airlines were busier and late running compounded, but on Friday 28 January 2022 it's more the stormy weather around Melbourne that sees VA1368, the 1340 hours early afternoon MEL - LST (B738 VH-VUS) not airborne until 1443. Expected arrival is 1533, 48 minutes tardy.

VA229 (VH-YIV, 1410 hours MEL - ADL) and identically timed VA331 bound for BNE with VH-YWE are still on the runway as at 1455 hours awaiting takeoff, so each can be expected to be half an hour late or more arriving.

 

[Melburnian1]

Monday 31 January 2022 has seen VA183 (1030 hours midmorning SYD - NAN) cancelled.

 

[Melburnian1]

VA183 (1030 hours SYD - NAN on Friday 4 February 2022) is another Fiji-bound flight to get the axe.

I gather the requirements for a Fijian "holiday" during COVID-19 are extremely bureaucratic, so if the cancellation is due to insufficient bookings, understandable.

 

[Melburnian1]

Sunday 6 February has also seen VA183 cancelled, but competitor FJ operated a flight.

 

[Silvia]

Quite significant amount of cancellations/delays due to baggage issues at VA's Melbourne terminal today as a result of plenty of flights cancelled/delayed from BNE/OOL.