Post by corsair67 on Dec 24, 2005 11:58:00 GMT 12
Wow, one aircraft out of action at the wrong time of year, and it throws the whole schedule out!
Is this just bad luck, or is it bad planning? I wonder what the part was that Virgin were waiting for?
Virgin Blue passengers stranded
AAP
December 23, 2005.
THOUSANDS of Virgin Blue passengers are stranded at airports around Australia after flight schedules were disrupted at the height of the Christmas rush by a mechanical problem in one aircraft.
Virgin Blue said many flights had been delayed and a handful cancelled across Australia today because the plane needed unscheduled maintenance less than 48 hours before Christmas.
"Unscheduled maintenance was required on one aircraft and we're waiting for a part," Virgin Blue spokeswoman Amanda Bolger said.
Most passengers were being delayed by "a couple of hours" because of the flow-on impact, she said.
Virgin Blue could not say how many flights or how many passengers had been affected by the delays, but there are reports hundreds of passengers are cramming the terminal at Sydney Airport.
A spare aircraft, which would normally be used to ferry passengers whose flights had been delayed, was not available because it was being used in a charity flight.
"That aircraft would be our operational spare but we're using it today for this charity flight," Ms Bolger said.
Passengers held up at airports around Australia were being placed on other flights during what was the busiest time of the year, she said.
Virgin Blue assured customers they would get to their destinations in time for Christmas and promised to rectify the delays "as soon as possible".
"Our priority is getting people where they're going in time for Christmas," Ms Bolger said.
Is this just bad luck, or is it bad planning? I wonder what the part was that Virgin were waiting for?
Virgin Blue passengers stranded
AAP
December 23, 2005.
THOUSANDS of Virgin Blue passengers are stranded at airports around Australia after flight schedules were disrupted at the height of the Christmas rush by a mechanical problem in one aircraft.
Virgin Blue said many flights had been delayed and a handful cancelled across Australia today because the plane needed unscheduled maintenance less than 48 hours before Christmas.
"Unscheduled maintenance was required on one aircraft and we're waiting for a part," Virgin Blue spokeswoman Amanda Bolger said.
Most passengers were being delayed by "a couple of hours" because of the flow-on impact, she said.
Virgin Blue could not say how many flights or how many passengers had been affected by the delays, but there are reports hundreds of passengers are cramming the terminal at Sydney Airport.
A spare aircraft, which would normally be used to ferry passengers whose flights had been delayed, was not available because it was being used in a charity flight.
"That aircraft would be our operational spare but we're using it today for this charity flight," Ms Bolger said.
Passengers held up at airports around Australia were being placed on other flights during what was the busiest time of the year, she said.
Virgin Blue assured customers they would get to their destinations in time for Christmas and promised to rectify the delays "as soon as possible".
"Our priority is getting people where they're going in time for Christmas," Ms Bolger said.
