Virgin Australia Delays/Cancellations

[Harrison_133]

I don't know if these are all due to weather, insufficient air controllers, just 'normal' delays for a busy Friday arvo or something to do with slightly slower flying to save fuel given what may soon be diminishing supplies of Jet A1.

Sydney has been operating on one runway the entire day and will continue to do so until curfew.

Everything across the board is delayed or cancelled as a result.

 

[tomlee1986]

Today - multiple delays for many flights out of Melbourne due to thunderstorms after 2pm and likely to have impacts on the east coast flights the most…

 

[docjames]

VA1327 just had a go-around at MEL.

QF1528 still rolling down the runway….maybe a little slow to get going.

 

[Melburnian1]

On Sunday 12 April, single runway operations in Sydney are causing big delays.

VA834, the 1100 hours SYD-MEL took off at 1327 with B738 VH-IWX. Gate arrival should be about 1433 hours, 118 minutes late.

VA517, the 1120 hours SYD up to OOL was airborne at 1328 so is at least 95 minutes late. VH-YWE has the task.

 

[docjames]

Flowing on to Brisbane this afternoon and evening where SYD bound flights are virtually all heavily delayed, but also pushing delays elsewhere into the network too such as BNE-MEL with delayed operating aircraft late from SYD.

 

[kerfuffle]

First two flights to MEL from SYD (at 6 and 7) got cancelled today and the 7:15, 7:30, 7:45 and 8 are all around an hour late in departing.

 

[kerfuffle]

Today's 6 a.m. SYD-MEL cancelled again

 

[jase05]

Today's 6 a.m. SYD-MEL cancelled again

A few of our freighters out of SYD were cancelled due to fog early this morning and I think the airport was a bit of a mess with delays so perhaps played a part?

 

[Harrison_133]

Today's 6 a.m. SYD-MEL cancelled again

Ground delay programs are in place for both Sydney and Melbourne this morning due to low cloud/fog.

Flow rate is also reduced into both airports, which inevitably causes cancelled and delayed flights.

Looking at MEL-SYD for example, pretty much every departure this morning across VA/QF/JQ is delayed over an hour at least or cancelled.

 

[kerfuffle]

A few of our freighters out of SYD were cancelled due to fog early this morning and I think the airport was a bit of a mess with delays so perhaps played a part?

Definitely (same as yesterday; QF also had issues but surprisingly JQ wasn't too badly affected from what I could see).

Someone on Reddit posted that the Virgin Lounge at BNE is over capacity to the point where only Platinums and J pax are being let in:

https://www.reddit.com/r/VelocityFrequentFlyer/comments/1tom7tv/brisbane_airport_lounge_over_capacity

 

[MooTime]

If it's full it's full.
Safety issue in the end.
Can't pile ppl on top of each other. Who'd really want that anyway.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

If it's full it's full.
Safety issue in the end.
Can't pile ppl on top of each other. Who'd really want that anyway.

True, but it could potentially be better managed… if you expect higher numbers then don’t allow lounge passes, upgrades, CC entry etc?

 

[MooTime]

True, but it could potentially be better managed… if you expect higher numbers then don’t allow lounge passes, upgrades, CC entry etc?

Yeah just then you'd be turning away those lounge passes & upgrades, CC entry while lounge has room at that point in time. And what telling those being turned away yes the lounge is only half full now, but we're expecting it to fill soon and we want our most loyal WP & business travellers to have lounge access.
Not sure that's a good look either.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Yeah just then you'd be turning away those lounge passes & upgrades, CC entry while lounge has room at that point in time. And what telling those being turned away yes the lounge is only half full now, but we're expecting it to fill soon and we want our most loyal WP & business travellers to have lounge access.
Not sure that's a good look either.

Yes… but it’s not that difficult!

If you have known capacity restraints - either particular times each week, special events like sports or entertainment, or bad weather forecast somewhere on the network - you can limit lounge access just like every other lounge does in the world (except priority pass lounges where they don’t seem to mind standing room only! )

If you have unexpected capacity restraints (sudden bad weather), you can implement the policy immediately from that point on. Which is kind of what they did. But golds and above should get in… that’s the prime benefit of those status levels.

 

[Melburnian1]

As at 1500 AEST on Monday 1 June, in a 'nice' start to winter, a rainy MEL is on single runway operations.

Delays range from minimal to almost an hour, but tonight may be a bigger test, as the BOM is forecasting 'damaging' winds of up to 50kmh.

 

[Melburnian1]

Perhaps due to earlier fog and continuing inclement conditions, VAd is experiencing quite a lot of late running on Tuesday 30 June 2026.

The 0930 hours SYD-MEL (B738 VH-YQM) did not take off until 1311 hours this afternoon with gate arrival becoming 1433 hours, 208 minutes late.

The 1200 'high noon' SYD-MEL VA838 has B738 VH-REX with arrival suggested as 1444 hours, 69 behind.

VH_YIY on the 1300 hours northbound MEL up to SYD took off at 1414 so gate arrival becomes a forecast 1525 mid afternoon, an even hour behind the timetable.

VA1690 from OOL down to CBR (VH-YIW) should arrive at 1520 hours, 45 minutes tardy.

B737 VH-VBY is operating VA1140, the scheduled 1245 hours BNK down to SYD not airborne until 1409, so gate arrival should be about 1516 hours, 71 late.

VA1037 on the MEL-MCY route has B738 VH-YFE with arrival said to be about 1456 hours, also 71 minutes behind schedule.

 

[tomlee1986]

Perhaps due to earlier fog and continuing inclement conditions, VAd is experiencing quite a lot of late running on Tuesday 30 June 2026.

The 0930 hours SYD-MEL (B738 VH-YQM) did not take off until 1311 hours this afternoon with gate arrival becoming 1433 hours, 208 minutes late.

The 1200 'high noon' SYD-MEL VA838 has B738 VH-REX with arrival suggested as 1444 hours, 69 behind.

VH_YIY on the 1300 hours northbound MEL up to SYD took off at 1414 so gate arrival becomes a forecast 1525 mid afternoon, an even hour behind the timetable.

VA1690 from OOL down to CBR (VH-YIW) should arrive at 1520 hours, 45 minutes tardy.

B737 VH-VBY is operating VA1140, the scheduled 1245 hours BNK down to SYD not airborne until 1409, so gate arrival should be about 1516 hours, 71 late.

VA1037 on the MEL-MCY route has B738 VH-YFE with arrival said to be about 1456 hours, also 71 minutes behind schedule.

The rain in Melbourne won't help either in this situation

 

[Tooner]

The rain in Melbourne won't help either in this situation

VA1036 from MEL to MCY was late and ultimately diverted to BNE. Not sure why.

VA487 SYD to MCY was about 40 mins late due to weather (probs fog) which cascaded to VA488 leaving 40 mins late

 

[Harrison_133]

Perhaps due to earlier fog and continuing inclement conditions, VAd is experiencing quite a lot of late running on Tuesday 30 June 2026.

The 0930 hours SYD-MEL (B738 VH-YQM) did not take off until 1311 hours this afternoon with gate arrival becoming 1433 hours, 208 minutes late.

The 1200 'high noon' SYD-MEL VA838 has B738 VH-REX with arrival suggested as 1444 hours, 69 behind.

VH_YIY on the 1300 hours northbound MEL up to SYD took off at 1414 so gate arrival becomes a forecast 1525 mid afternoon, an even hour behind the timetable.

VA1690 from OOL down to CBR (VH-YIW) should arrive at 1520 hours, 45 minutes tardy.

B737 VH-VBY is operating VA1140, the scheduled 1245 hours BNK down to SYD not airborne until 1409, so gate arrival should be about 1516 hours, 71 late.

VA1037 on the MEL-MCY route has B738 VH-YFE with arrival said to be about 1456 hours, also 71 minutes behind schedule.

There were multiple ground stops in Sydney this morning.

 

[tomlee1986]

VA1036 from MEL to MCY was late and ultimately diverted to BNE. Not sure why.

VA487 SYD to MCY was about 40 mins late due to weather (probs fog) which cascaded to VA488 leaving 40 mins late

Thanks for the update on this information