Virgin Delays

[flowrida]

Does anyone know the reason why the Virgin to and from Orlando flights have been between 2-4 hours delayed almost every day this week? BA don't seem to have a problem!

 

[UKDEB]

Flights can be delayed for any number of reasons, many of which (such as diversions for medical emergencies) are beyond the control of the airlines. We'll be on the VS27 on Sunday, so I hope they're able to get back on schedule by then.

 

[Netty]

we were delayed on the 7th October at Manchester, we should of flown out on the 10.25am flight, but when we arrived at the airport all the computer systems were down and so check-in had to be done by hand..
also because they couldn't get everyones API up because of the crash, all the details had to be done again by hand by all of the 451 passengers as the US insisted on it before the plane could fly, and then all details of every passenger had to be verbally given to the US authorities by phone for them to check.. it was a nightmare!
eventually we did take-off albeit 1.40pm but as we found out from the crew we were all within half an hour of having to get off the plane and fly the following day as the crew were so near to being out their flying hours.
our story was an exception, hope you manage to get off on time on your flight!

 

[flowrida]

Flights can be delayed for any number of reasons, many of which (such as diversions for medical emergencies) are beyond the control of the airlines. We'll be on the VS27 on Sunday, so I hope they're able to get back on schedule by then.

I realise this much but 4 days consistently 2 plus hours delays both ways seems a little bit more than average.

 

[Pooh's-Honey-Pot]

I realise this much but 4 days consistently 2 plus hours delays both ways seems a little bit more than average.

It seems to be the norm with Virgin. We were 4 hours late with Virgin in May and they didn't tell us why. I wrote just to ask what the problem had been and received a curt letter back from customer services telling me they do not apologise for flight delays as they are an "to be expected part of modern air travel". I wrote again asking her if her employers (Virgin) were aware she was writing to customers telling them they should expect to be delayed rather than seeing it as an unexpected, infrequent occurence, and got another letter back telling me it is to be expected in this day and age and nothing could be done about it!

 

[CustardTart]

I've been delayed with VA the last ten times I've flown with them - including 4 hours going to MCO last week and 1 hour returning to LGW on Monday. I kinda expect it now...

 

[UKDEB]

I realise this much but 4 days consistently 2 plus hours delays both ways seems a little bit more than average.

Well, I'm not trying to make excuses for VA because it is true that the LGW-MCO route does seem to suffer from regular delays, but if a flight is delayed for four or five hours, it's going to take a while to get back on schedule. They don't have long to turn the planes around, so when the inbound arrives after the scheduled departure time of the outbound, it's always going to have a knock-on effect. These days airlines can't afford to have additional inventory just sitting around ready to fill the breach. The VS27 had a 5 hour delay on Tuesday. Yesterday it landed 2 hours late, so it is being pulled back.

ETA: Here in the UK, we switched to DST last weekend, whereas the US doesn't do so until the early hours of this coming Sunday. That means the flights inbound from the US overnight on Saturday will have an extra hour to play with. Unless a plane rotation is due, the VS28 will become our outbound VS27 on Sunday, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed for an on time departure (and, more importantly, an on time arrival).

 

[UKDEB]

Another thing which occurs to me is that, going back several years, our VA flights would often take off late, but invariably made up the time in flight. These days that doesn't seem to happen - I guess the expense of the additional fuel requirement is too great.

 

[jackieleanne]

To me the 2 hours delays that usually occur on VA aren't a problem infact its welcoming I remember that until a couple of years back every trip to Orlando we used to get delayed anything from 5 to even 10 hours this was usually with the charter airlines rather than scheduled.

 

[Elise79]

Well, I'm not trying to make excuses for VA because it is true that the LGW-MCO route does seem to suffer from regular delays, but if a flight is delayed for four or five hours, it's going to take a while to get back on schedule. They don't have long to turn the planes around, so when the inbound arrives after the scheduled departure time of the outbound, it's always going to have a knock-on effect. These days airlines can't afford to have additional inventory just sitting around ready to fill the breach. The VS27 had a 5 hour delay on Tuesday. Yesterday it landed 2 hours late, so it is being pulled back.

ETA: Here in the UK, we switched to DST last weekend, whereas the US doesn't do so until the early hours of this coming Sunday. That means the flights inbound from the US overnight on Saturday will have an extra hour to play with. Unless a plane rotation is due, the VS28 will become our outbound VS27 on Sunday, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed for an on time departure (and, more importantly, an on time arrival).

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news Deb but when I was looking at V-Flyer the other day it is very rare that the plane does the same route 2 days running.

 

[RobinHood's merrymen]

We're off in 6 days, flying from Manchester. Can anyone attach a link to where I can also keep an eye on all these delays?

Ta

 

[poggs]

For info,
Both the gatwick to orlando flights took off within 10 minutes of schedule today.
One of the manchester flights was 10 mins delayed and the other actually took off 4 mins early. Thus the dalays earlier in the week have now been caught up.

All 4 flights are estimated to take off as scheduled tomorrow.

 

[mariechez]

We're off in 6 days, flying from Manchester. Can anyone attach a link to where I can also keep an eye on all these delays?

Ta

go to virginatlantic and select flight status on the left and put your info in