Virgin Blue flight cancelled again

[Pandaroo]

Yesterday, Virgin Blue cancelled and delayed flights with no "excuses" given. Why? To wake up at 3am to catch a 6am flight only to have it cancelled on you, is not something to look forward to. As a caffeine-deprived passenger, I demand an explanation and compensation for the inconvenience. Having scoured the local news section today, I am so disappointed to know that VB issued absolutely no press releases for these actions. Absolutely unacceptable.

 

[N860CR]

I don't think an airline generally issues a press release when they cancel a flight, these things do happen fairly frequently.

That said, its a shame they didn't contact you to inform of the cancelation. What time was the flight you ended up being put on? The actual delay time would help to determine what kind of compensation would be appropriate.

 

[Evan]

QF have called me for a flight delayed 1hr and i hadn't left home.
I guess QF tend to be better at these things generally (From my expereince)

I like you have been let down by DJ before and avoid them at reasonable cost. ie if QF is a little more i will fly them no question, double the price i probably may chance it with DJ.

You pay for what you get sometimes.

E

 

[NM]

All airlines have flight cancellations from time to time. The difference is how they communicate this to their customers. In many cases they will provide a reason (I think they should always provide a reason, but as Pandaroo found out, this is not always the case. Then again, sometimes its difficult to believe the reasons that have been provided, so truth and reality may not always be fully aligned.

Some common reasons for cancellations:

• Mechanical fault
• Weather at origin, destination or en-route
• Crew operational limitations (generally due to late arrival and now out of hours)
• Airport or other infrastcuture failures
• Airspace is closed, such as in USA after Sept 11, 2001

Most other problems generally should only result in delays. However, significant delays can result in cancellation when all passengers have been reaccommodated on other flights.

In my view, a valid (and hopefully honest and accurate) reason should be provided upon request when a flight is cancelled. However, its not going to make the flight magically uncancelled, so more important is how the airline deals with reaccommodating the passengers to get them to their destination in a timely manner.

 

[d15.in.oz]

I guess QF tend to be better at these things generally...

Maybe QF just cancels more flights, more often - so they’ve got the apology process down pat, even automated? Anyone flying regularly BNE-SYD may concur?!

 

[Evan]

Maybe QF just cancels more flights, more often - so they’ve got the apology process down pat, even automated? Anyone flying regularly BNE-SYD may concur?!

Yep, well i have never failed to be compensated if i have had an issue with QF, even missed connection has been taken care of including accomodation and meals, so i think you have a point.

I also noticed a 744 at domestic gate this morning in sydney, doing stand in duty for the 743 that usually flies to perth but still having that engine failure investigated ??

E

 

[JohnK]

I guess QF tend to be better at these things generally (From my expereince)

I like you have been let down by DJ before and avoid them at reasonable cost. ie if QF is a little more i will fly them no question, double the price i probably may chance it with DJ.

I think what has happened to the OP is absolutely poor customer service from an airline that thinks it can compete with QF and is about to start a new LCC. Hmmm....

I agree that QF tends to be better when it comes to informing people of flight changes but I would expect a courtesy call no matter which airline is involved.

I have a flight on Tuesday BME-DRW with AirNorth and they called me yesterday to inform me that my original flight BME-KNX-DRW has been cancelled and they have re-booked me on the direct flight BME-DRW leaving 20 minutes later. That is customer service and from a regional operator!

 

[dajop]

It happens from time to time, and sometimes wonder if poor loadings are an important reason. And it happens to all carriers. My example from this afternoon (annoying!):

I was looking at booking a MEL-SYD flight for tomorrow morning on DJ or QF. Both had their lowest fares available at 6 & 6:30 (QF) and 6:15 & 6:45 (DJ). Later flights were about $40-$50 more.

I was distracted by work matters, then came back an hour or so later and suddenly all 4 flights had disappeared from booking engines. A couple of calls later, I discovered that QF had cancelled their 6:30 service and DJ their 6:45 service. Co-incidence or poor loadings?

 

[dajop]

and they have re-booked me on the direct flight BME-DRW leaving 20 minutes later.

Does that also mean the added bonus of changing from the Air North EMB to the Skywest Fokker Jet flight?

 

[JohnK]

Does that also mean the added bonus of changing from the Air North EMB to the Skywest Fokker Jet flight?

I am not sure! When I look at my bookings it still has an Air North flight number TL309 on an EM2 and whereas before it indicated a stop in KNX now it indicates direct flight.

 

[Kiwi Flyer]

Welcome to AFF Pandaroo

It happens from time to time, and sometimes wonder if poor loadings are an important reason. And it happens to all carriers. My example from this afternoon (annoying!):

I was looking at booking a MEL-SYD flight for tomorrow morning on DJ or QF. Both had their lowest fares available at 6 & 6:30 (QF) and 6:15 & 6:45 (DJ). Later flights were about $40-$50 more.

I was distracted by work matters, then came back an hour or so later and suddenly all 4 flights had disappeared from booking engines. A couple of calls later, I discovered that QF had cancelled their 6:30 service and DJ their 6:45 service. Co-incidence or poor loadings?

I've experienced QF's trick of combining 2 flights into one on MEL-SYD route on several occasions (out of not that many flights).

 

[dajop]

I am not sure! When I look at my bookings it still has an Air North flight number TL309 on an EM2 and whereas before it indicated a stop in KNX now it indicates direct flight.

Yep still on the EM2, and non-stop , quite unusual I imagine, as in TL's online schedule all BME-DRW flights stop at KNX. Must be quite busy (as I note the KNX-DRW leg of your original flight is still operating). Enjoy the flight!

 

[JohnK]

Yep still on the EM2, and non-stop , quite unusual I imagine, as in TL's online schedule all BME-DRW flights stop at KNX. Must be quite busy (as I note the KNX-DRW leg of your original flight is still operating). Enjoy the flight!

Thanks. I am still a little panicky at the moment as I have never been on a 30 seater aircraft before this flight. The smallest aircraft I have been on has been a Dash 8-300 on ADL-PLO route.

 

[ethernet]

Greyhound Bus called me to tell me Daylight saving has bumped my bus 1 hour and it will arrive 1 hour later - 1 month in advance.
Now if Bus company of all things is beating DJ, they need a kick. For teh same reason, I will never travel BogStar from Geelong, as that 2 hour morning sleep is precious. Write a letter to DJ's PR deparment asking how they do these things.

Recently DJ lost a QF'er because that excess luggage charge meant missing the flight and wasting 4 hours for the next one.

Lets hope their PR lackeys intercept this groundswell, and explains things, because loosing higher yield pax is something they are getting good at of late.

 

[dajop]

Thanks. I am still a little panicky at the moment as I have never been on a 30 seater aircraft before this flight. The smallest aircraft I have been on has been a Dash 8-300 on ADL-PLO route.

Well, just make sure you get a window seat (2 in 3 chance of that) to enjoy the views of the Kimberleys (cloud cover permitting) and NW coast, it can be quite spectacular - that should take your mind off things. Although it is a shame you're not going down to KNX and back up again as it quite scenic around there, and you get down to a level to see things in more detail. Let us know how you go, and just remember that there are hundreds of 30ish seater flights around Australia each day (on the likes of Rex, Macair, Airnorth and the smaller Dash 8s) so it is all pretty routine.

 

[Commuter]

I had two very poor customer service experience with Virgin Blue in a fairly short space of time. I haven't flown with them since, because where there is a choice between QF, JQ and DJ, I's choose QF and JQ (yes even JQ) over DJ as long as the timetable works out.

Had DJ been my preferred carrier, they'd have got at least $15,000 per year out of me.

 

[Kiwi Flyer]

Thanks. I am still a little panicky at the moment as I have never been on a 30 seater aircraft before this flight. The smallest aircraft I have been on has been a Dash 8-300 on ADL-PLO route.

I like the little a/c because the lower altitude and speeds means better views. (Had 4 flights on 19-seater a/c this weekend, plus some larger a/c too.)

 

[serfty]

Nor so sure It'll be that much fun when there a developing cyclone nearby ... :shock:

IDW24100
Australian Government Bureau of Meteorology
Western Australia

Media: The Emergency Warning Signal should NOT be used with this warning.

TOP PRIORITY 

TROPICAL CYCLONE ADVICE NUMBER 20 
Issued at 9:55 am WDT on Monday, 5 March 2007
BY THE BUREAU OF METEOROLOGY
TROPICAL CYCLONE WARNING CENTRE PERTH

A CYCLONE WARNING for a CATEGORY 1 cyclone continues for coastal areas from
Broome to Kalumburu.

At 9:00 am WDT Tropical Cyclone George was estimated to be 
 125 kilometres west of Kalumburu and 
 370 kilometres north northeast of Derby
 and moving west southwest at 15 kilometres per hour.

Category 1 Tropical Cyclone George is moving off the Kimberley coast out into
the Indian Ocean. The system is expected to intensify today as it moves
westwards away from the Kimberley coast.

Gales with gusts to 110 kilometres per hour are currently being experienced on
the coast between Kalumburu and Mitchell Plateau. Gales may extend southwest to
Beagle Bay today if the cyclone takes a more southwesterly track.

 

[NM]

I like the little a/c because the lower altitude and speeds means better views. (Had 4 flights on 19-seater a/c this weekend, plus some larger a/c too.)

But that is only because flying in NZ you have to stay below the clouds to get any views .

 

[Kiwi Flyer]

Not sure what views you expect above the clouds.