V-Flyer

Just been informed that VS-27 to MCO (G-VAST) left 5.5 hours late today impacting the return flight later today.

This is happening more and more and the reason is always blamed on late arrival of inbound aircraft.

Something causes this so why not tell us what the problem is.

Does anyone know? Is this VS over utilising aircraft due to more routes than aircraft? If so how long until maintenance is short cut?

Paul

Also looks like it is affecting VS 15 & 16

Paul

The LGW operation is somewhat different in the respect that all flights depart within approximately a 3 hour time period from morning until early afternoon. As a result the aircraft have to be turned around efficiently. Although there are sufficient aircraft at LGW to cover all services, it is a much smaller base than LHR and does not have as much scope for aircraft changes/substitutions.

There are a multitude of reasons for flight delays. If there has been a lengthy delay a few days earlier, due to the turnaround times, it may take a few days to play catch up.

Safety and security is never compromised in order to achieve a scheduled departure time.

The 015 was late on Sunday, I think around 2 hours, because of the windscreen wiper motor not working - sounded like it required a BIG hammer to fix . This might have something to do with the delays, I think the plane was V-TOP.

David

We have checked in for the 016 home and delay is 1 3/4 hrs but the 028 is about 5 hrs!! Both flights are so full they were asking at check in for volunteers to wait til tomorrow and fly back via MAN, with a free ticket anywhere in the world to be used in the next 12 months. Unfortunately due to circumstances at home beyond our control we could not accept, as we need to get home tomorrow [:(]

Claire

Claire that is pretty standard VS compensation, that or 50K miles.

Jetstreamer is of course correct, once there is a delay it can take days to get everything back into order, makes you wonder if it wouldn't be worth canceling a flight moving the pax onto a later flight throwing miles at them or other compensation just to get everything back in order in one go.

I am sure the bean counters having crunched the numbers and figured out that it is cheaper to just run with the delays of course.

I think this does demonstrate with extra routes coming on board that VS need to consider more contigency at what is their 2nd base. Maintenance, late arrivals and unscheduled repairs happen to all airlines. But what differentiates the likes of Thomson Fly and British Airways for example is the backup they have which include ready engineers, spare parts on hand and spare aircraft.

We all know that airlines loose money when a plane is not in the air but delay enough passengers enough times and those passengers look to a perceived more reliable service. VS need to think about whether they believe there is a never ending stream of new customers to replaces those disheartend by their service or look to change things.

Paul

This is worrying me lately. Our next 2 trips we have a cruise to catch. I do think they are overstretching the fleet. The fact that they have so many aircraft used to be a selling point for VA, you knew they could pull a plane from somewhere. I'm beginning to wonder why i'm paying for scheduled flights when they are always delayed though?

Originally posted by p17blo
I think this does demonstrate with extra routes coming on board that VS need to consider more contigency at what is their 2nd base. Maintenance, late arrivals and unscheduled repairs happen to all airlines. But what differentiates the likes of Thomson Fly and British Airways for example is the backup they have which include ready engineers, spare parts on hand and spare aircraft.

The only extra route planned for LGW is Mauritius and with the forthcoming cancellation of Nassau this shouldn't put additional strain on the LGW fleet. There are days when the whole fleet is not utilised and we do have a spare aircraft sitting out on the remote stands.

We are one of a few airlines to have their own hangar at LGW so we do have engineers and spare parts on hand.

Of course we would like to operate 100% of services on schedule but like all airlines delays are sometimes inevitable.

The extreme headwinds across the Atlantic at the moment aren't helping either. If an aircraft experiences 30min extra to the flight outbound and then has to go turbulence avoiding on the inbound you are soon up to at least an hour delay- couple that with a late pax- and you can see how the next days flight could be an hour and half late.

Take a look on flightaware and you will see just how many flights are having to make extra fuel stops due to the current wind situation- I am sure its making for a bumpy ride!

Even though it was a bumpy flight home we did it in record time, 6hrs 55mins from take off to touchdown So that made up for quite a bit of the delay for the 016.

Claire

Originally posted by Jetstreamer

The only extra route planned for LGW is Mauritius and with the forthcoming cancellation of Nassau this shouldn't put additional strain on the LGW fleet. There are days when the whole fleet is not utilised and we do have a spare aircraft sitting out on the remote stands.

We are one of a few airlines to have their own hangar at LGW so we do have engineers and spare parts on hand.

Of course we would like to operate 100% of services on schedule but like all airlines delays are sometimes inevitable.

I take your points but it does seem particularly of late that VS flights are being delayed in excess of 2 hours. I quote 2 hours as I think a 2 hour delay is 'acceptable'. The problem seems to have turned into 5 hour plus delays on several occasions over the last 2 weeks. I don't understand why. And if you do have spare aircraft why on earth wouldn't you run these and get passengers in the air on time rather than delaying a flight for 5 hours impacting flights for days to come.

What is the point of having spare aircraft if you don't use them.

Paul

I take your points but it does seem particularly of late that VS flights are being delayed in excess of 2 hours. I quote 2 hours as I think a 2 hour delay is 'acceptable'. The problem seems to have turned into 5 hour plus delays on several occasions over the last 2 weeks. I don't understand why. And if you do have spare aircraft why on earth wouldn't you run these and get passengers in the air on time rather than delaying a flight for 5 hours impacting flights for days to come.

What is the point of having spare aircraft if you don't use them.

Paul

Number of reasons why not. The aircraft maybe "spare" but actually may be having mx. Also it takes a long time to get a spare a/c ready.

Remember a delayed a/c can be caused by so many little things out of VS' control and unknown to them at the time- like ATC delays, gates all taken, stacking delay etc.

Looking at flightaware- the 28 has left MCO only once this week on a delay that I would consider alot and that was last night, since 20th Dec it has only left over and hour 45 late on 2 occasions-all other delays are probably due to the knock on effect.

This problem has been going on for a long time now. We were delayed last May on the 28 which meant we missed our flight connection. I've booked flights for this Oct and am wondering whether I've made a mistake and should have booked the later flight. The problem we have is that our flight connection is 9am if we book the next one we have to wait until 1pm and if we drove we would be nearly home. Ack!! decisions decisions

Easy answer, but not the cheapest is to book your connecting flights on the same PNR with VS, then they are on the hook to figure out how to get you to where you need to go if the VS flight is late.

Originally posted by Scrooge
Easy answer, but not the cheapest is to book your connecting flights on the same PNR with VS, then they are on the hook to figure out how to get you to where you need to go if the VS flight is late.

That wouldn't work if the onward flight was on something like Easyjet or Ryanair

VS 16 on the 11th was 1hr 50 late in leaving which is no good if you have a 2hr connection to ma BA flt. I do not agree that 2hr delay is acceptable especially for business travellers!![n]

Even although I was in UC there was little effort to get me to make the connection (very similar to flying Eze or Ryanair!!)

It looks like the discussion here indicates this is the norm and will influence my descisoin to fly VS again, back to BA.

The fact there was a family travelling with 3 kids did take the edge off UC[}:)]

Aero Safety

Originally posted by Aero_Safety
VS 16 on the 11th was 1hr 50 late in leaving which is no good if you have a 2hr connection to ma BA flt. I do not agree that 2hr delay is acceptable especially for business travellers!![n]

Even although I was in UC there was little effort to get me to make the connection (very similar to flying Eze or Ryanair!!)

It looks like the discussion here indicates this is the norm and will influence my descisoin to fly VS again, back to BA.

The fact there was a family travelling with 3 kids did take the edge off UC[}:)]

Aero Safety

2 hours is not acceptable regardless of whether you are a business or a leisure traveller, but the reality is that for whatever reasons be it mechanical, weather, security problems and so on, delays happen - even with BA. Quite frankly booking a 2 hour connection in this day and age is a little short-sighted given the prospect of immigration queues, luggage delays and security queues to catch the on-going flight. I have had so many tight connections that I wouldn't book an on-going flight with less than a 3 hour connection nowadays.

Ah, now where is your spirit GJ? It's not making an effort if you do not break into a sweat, running from customs to baggage reclaim, pushing old folk out of the way to get to the next terminal - several miles away - to be sent to the gate farthest from your current position to catch some shoddy internal lasting under an hour!!

I still only leave 2 hours between connections, have not come a cropper yet ... looking for wood to touch as i speak ....

Thanks,
Sarah

Where's Richard when you need him?

Originally posted by Scrooge
Easy answer, but not the cheapest is to book your connecting flights on the same PNR with VS, then they are on the hook to figure out how to get you to where you need to go if the VS flight is late.

Unfortunately we can't do that, out flight connection is with Air Southwest.

Originally posted by honey lamb

Originally posted by Aero_Safety
VS 16 on the 11th was 1hr 50 late in leaving which is no good if you have a 2hr connection to ma BA flt. I do not agree that 2hr delay is acceptable especially for business travellers!![n]

Even although I was in UC there was little effort to get me to make the connection (very similar to flying Eze or Ryanair!!)

It looks like the discussion here indicates this is the norm and will influence my descisoin to fly VS again, back to BA.

The fact there was a family travelling with 3 kids did take the edge off UC[}:)]

Aero Safety

2 hours is not acceptable regardless of whether you are a business or a leisure traveller, but the reality is that for whatever reasons be it mechanical, weather, security problems and so on, delays happen - even with BA. Quite frankly booking a 2 hour connection in this day and age is a little short-sighted given the prospect of immigration queues, luggage delays and security queues to catch the on-going flight. I have had so many tight connections that I wouldn't book an on-going flight with less than a 3 hour connection nowadays.

Thank you for such astute advise on connection times it makes me feel much better. It is unfortunate that both London Airports are affected by the same affliction is it any wonder why people prefer to connect through European hubs.

I saw an excellent comment recently that BAA was a shopping centre with a runway attached thats how it feels.

From a newby Cheers for the advice!

Aero Safety

FWIW I was delayed 3 hours from Galway to Luton today so it's not just the 2 London airports

Originally posted by Decker
FWIW I was delayed 3 hours from Galway to Luton today so it's not just the 2 London airports

You were lucky to get out. Aer Arann cancelled several flights because of the wind not only today but also over the past few weeks as we have been buffeted by gales almost on a continuous basis. I certainly would not fancy flying in an ATR42/72 in these winds. [:0]

Funny thing was (much as I LOVE a buffeting flight) the LTN landing was one of the smoothest I've ever had in ANY plane! Aer Arann cancelled most flights today... I was most amused - I called them from the clients at 13:00 re: my 14:55 flight which was showing delayed until 16:30...

"we'd request that you check in at the normal time in case we cancel the delay"...

So I did. Then we were sent through into the departure lounge at 15:00. Where we stayed for 3 hours. No shops and a vending machine charging 2EUR for coffee. And no internet... Still they comped us water/tea/coffee/shortcake on the flight as an apology for the 3 hour delay. Suffice to say that my red wine/Pringles (7EUR) was charged as 7EUR not 7-3.5 - so I got nowt.

On the plus side... I'm home