Virgin Delay

[wifey]

We have been checking the flight departures from Manchester for the last few weeks, we go in 3 weeks and yesterday we saw Virgin's flight VS073 was cancelled now due to go at 10.25am today (Sunday) AND the VS075 flight due today at 10.25am is now due 13.30pm and todays VS073 has been cancelled AGAIN !!! This is now causing us great concern and we are hoping that this does not happen when we go

 

[jen_uk]

I wouldn't worry as this is pretty rare.

 

[Tony Toon]

I wouldn't worry as this is pretty rare.

Golly, I hope you are right. We go in 5 weeks.

 

[CHEK]

I hope this doesn't happen on Thursday , we're on the VS075.....keeping my fingers crossed.

 

[Claire L]

We have been checking the flight departures from Manchester for the last few weeks, we go in 3 weeks and yesterday we saw Virgin's flight VS073 was cancelled now due to go at 10.25am today (Sunday) AND the VS075 flight due today at 10.25am is now due 13.30pm and todays VS073 has been cancelled AGAIN !!! This is now causing us great concern and we are hoping that this does not happen when we go

Ouch for yesterday's VS073, but there is no VS073 on Sunday's during May so that is why one isn't showing today.

May MAN to MCO timetable.

As for the VS075 today here are it's times -

Flight number VS 075
Departure date 27 May 2007
Route Manchester (MAN) to Orlando (MCO)
Scheduled departure time 27 May 09:25
Estimated departure time 27 May 13:00
Scheduled arrival time 27 May 14:35
Estimated arrival time 27 May 16:49



And it took off 12 minutes late.

Claire

 

[MorningGlory]

We're flying on VS073 in 2 weeks. Plenty of time to sort itself out I hope, as that is one of the more reliable Virgin flights in terms of getting you there on time.

 

[mobius]

here's hopung the 015 from gatwick isn't like this on wednesday

 

[wifey]

Ouch for yesterday's VS073, but there is no VS073 on Sunday's during May so that is why one isn't showing today.

May MAN to MCO timetable.

As for the VS075 today here are it's times -

Flight number VS 075
Departure date 27 May 2007
Route Manchester (MAN) to Orlando (MCO)
Scheduled departure time 27 May 09:25
Estimated departure time 27 May 13:00
Scheduled arrival time 27 May 14:35
Estimated arrival time 27 May 16:49



And it took off 12 minutes late.

Claire

There is a VS073 Today it's the one from yesterday!!check www.flighview.com it took off at 10.42am

 

[Claire L]

There is a VS073 Today it's the one from yesterday!!check www.flighview.com it took off at 10.42am

Yes I agree that the VS073 today is actually yeasterday's flight -

Flight number VS 073
Departure date 26 May 2007
Route Manchester (MAN) to Orlando (MCO)
Scheduled departure time 26 May 14:30
Actual departure time 27 May 10:30
Scheduled arrival time 26 May 17:40
Estimated arrival time 27 May 14:22


But you said -

todays VS073 has been cancelled AGAIN !!!

And I pointed out that there is no Sunday scheduled VS073 at the moment!

Claire

 

[wifey]

Sorry Claire L you are correct there is no flight today but it is still very bad that yesterday's flight took off 21 hrs late that's a serious problem, especially for passengers who have plans made for the day after they were due to land (like us) thank goodness we have no plans for our arrival night

It seems to be happening a lot at the moment only recently Obi Wan was telling us about a similar problem with a flight to Orlando, we really hope this will not become accepted practice from VA to delay flights like this. They should be able to shuffle the flights and crews a bit better and fit in any plane refurbs/mechanical updates after all the years they have been in the business.

 

[Claire L]

I agree the delays are concenring at times but at least VA will compensate you and generally look after you well. I am guessing the plane went tech and they have had problems shuffling aircraft or crew about! We are on the VS015 in October so hoping it isn't too delayed, as it has a poorer delay record than the earlier VS027, which was £120 more each when I booked our flights!

Claire

 

[Obi Wan Kenobi]

Wifey,
I think you are making some suppositions there

I don't know what caused the delays, but IF it was an aircraft going Tech in Florida, you don't have a spare crew sitting out there to fly a spare plane also sitting out there. Wheras if you have planes not full, you can combine pax, this would not be able on a holiday period.

Crew checked out on a 747 will not nesscesarily be "checked out" on an Airbus for example, so you cannot call in an off duty crew who live near Manchester for a plane which does not fly from there normally, i.e. such as an Airbus.

This reduces your options, i.e. bringing a plane and crew in from somewhere else takes time, a spare 747 may be the other side of the atlantic etc..

But if we look at the on time records for these four flights they are good:
i.e.
VS73 75% within 15 mins and an average on the delay time of 29mins
VS74 70% on time (+ 15 mins) and an average delay time of 44 mins
VS75 82% on time (+ 15 mins) with an average on the delay time of 49 mins
VS76 66% On time (+ 15 mins) with and average on dellay time of 36Mins

 

[Claire L]

As Manchester only has three routes and there were no other flights arriving yesterday other than the Orlando routes if one plane went tech today it would mean getting one from elsewhere and as Obi says the spare plane could be anywhere in the world that the 747's fly to as a 747 would probably be used as similar/exact same seating arrangements and crew knowledge.

Claire

 

[martina857]

Obi,

I am now certain that you are Obi Wan Branson the "unofficial" spokesperson for Virgin Atlantic
(meant in a nice way by the way)
M

 

[Obi Wan Kenobi]

No, but I do know him....

 

[jen_uk]

The Manchester flight is getting in 30 mins early today.

 

[CHEK]

Don't know how accurate these things are, but according to Virgin's website today's VS075 which should have departed at 10.25 is now not scheduled to leave until 5pm!!

 

[luke]

Not enjoying all these reports of what will be my flight in July being delayed

 

[Obi Wan Kenobi]

Got to be a tech problem, the flight VS76 came in on time this morning.
Must be something like the tech problem which caused the 21 hour delay at the weekend, though that was a hydraulic leak in the forward cargo hold, so a major problem. This sounds like a change of "something"

 

[Nikkilb]

Well today it's delayed until 17.00 because apparantly, 'Barbarella' was struck by lightening incoming and has damaged the door at the rear so cannot be VS075. We are currently waiting for an aircraft to arrive from Gatwick!!