V-Flyer

anybody know whats happened to the Barbados flights this weekend? When I check Virgin flight stats they say the VS 36 for BGI/LGW departing 22nd May was cancelled, and yet Gatwick arrivals says it arrived 3 hours late??

Your right the Barbados flight did land late today, but it proberly said the VS36 was cancelled because it was replaced with the VS30 flight (the direct one) as it sometimes says this is another flight is opperating the route such as the VS36 or VS38.

I'm not sure for the reason, but instead of LGW-BGI-ANU-BGI-LGW, the VS35 landed here in ANU first, then went onto BGI, then came back to ANU and the VS 36 then left for LGW at around 21:30. (I only know this because my house overlooks the runway here in ANU[:p])

Same thing with the BA 2155 and 2154, so because both airlines were re-directed to ANU, I'm guessing there was a weather issue at BGI.

There have been a number of delays at LGW this week! There have been flights delayed left, right and centre throwing out the whole timetable. I have no idea why, but nothing at LGW seems to running on time at the moment! Not good seeing as its the start of Half Term. All 5 MCO flights (3 - LGW and 2 -MAN) on Friday were delayed! Some very unhappy passengers Im sure!

thanks Seany - thats what I was looking to hear.

We heard yesterday that BGI had contanimated fuel from Trinidad and therefore couldnt refuel international flights so that explains the double shuttle to ANU (back and forth on low fuel to BGI to drop off and pick up as cannot land fully loaded) and then back to ANU to fill up to get back to LGW.

Hopefully they can rectify this soon with clean fuel.

just wondered why the VS website said it was cancelled - must have meant just the BGI-LGW direct was cancelled.

cheers[y]

We're out here in sunny Barbados at present and a couple at our hotel have just been told that tonight's VS078 won't be leaving until tomorrow because of the contaminated fuel issue. VS are paying for an extra night in the hotel, all food, but no booze which - considering what time they (and we) left the bar last night - is probably highly prudent...

Yup, a lot of extra traffic here in ANU today, BA VS AA to name a few.

Edit: The VS30 just landed at ANU for re-fueling 23:09 local time, 7 hours behind schedule [:0]. Also the first visit to ANU for G-VFAB, nice to see the 'Birthday Girl' livery for real [:D]

Edit 2 : Now the Virgin 78 BGI-MAN just landed here(11 hours behind schedule), and it's a 343, didn't even know VS used a 343 in the caribbean, I guess they are desperate for aircraft with all these delays, this is fun [:p][:I]

The MAN-BGI is on an A343 for the summer until november

Very confused, I just saw the 343 flying over Antigua at 9am this morning!

They are probably having to refuel in ANU as cant take on fuel at BGI at the moment?

Yep the VS78 was delayed from last night until this morning...then had to stop here in ANU for about an hour for fuel, I was really confused when I saw it too, a 343 and at this time of day, I listened into the tower to get the flight number and then checked the VS site to see it was the 78 to MAN.

It looks like a disrupted, complex and difficult few days for VS operations.

I was out to BOS on VS 11 on Friday, and back last night on VS 12. Both flights were originally booked on the 747-400, and we arrived at LHR to find there had been an equipment change to a 346.

The entire weekend of booked Boeing flights to BOS were switched for Airbus equipment.

This did rather work in our favour, as we recieved an Op-Up from PE to UC for the outbound sector, as a result of the smaller Airbus PE cabin.

Mike

Seems LGW flights have had a real nightmare, it never rains there it always seems to pour!!!

Fuel contamination and storms in Florida have created several knock on delays for everyone, things getting back on track now...

Hope things have got back on track by Saturday! Is VFAB operating out of LGW for the moment, or was it just put on the BGI route to help vs play catch up?

quote:Originally posted by hairy114
Hope things have got back on track by Saturday! Is VFAB operating out of LGW for the moment, or was it just put on the BGI route to help vs play catch up?


I'm guessing the equipment change on the BOS flights was to throw up an extra Boeing aircraft to help minimise Gatwick disruption, especially in light of there being one of VS' 747-400s away at KLM Maintenance in Amsterdam for heavy checks (and paint) most weeks this year.

Another LHR ship, G-VHOT, has been working most of the BGI flights recently.

Mike

Interesting... Things might be getting better though - VROM has just come back from its 'mot' by the looks of it:

[url]http://www.caa.co.uk/application.aspx?catid=60&pagetype=65&appid=1&mode=detailnosummary&fullregmark=VROM
[/url]