V-Flyer

Hurricane Sandy is on a collision course with an arctic storm, the US weather service is warning of a major storm hitting the east coast starting on Monday.

Good luck to all those flying in or out of the North East next week.

Exactly one year since the last big one. We found out about that one via the Weather Channel on the flight from Dominican Republic to Boston via New York. Worst turbulence ever, and dressed in my shorts and sandals, had to clear my car of all the snow before drivivng home! We're flying back into Boston this Sunday morning, so will be ready this time.

Weather in Orlando today is overcast and stormy with gusty winds ...

Am watching this with interest as I fly out to America today.

I note BA had lifted restrictions on East Coast flights, but I can see no similar move on the VS site.

I see that VS have now put up a news item saying they are monitoring the situation.

I am not impressed. I flew out when Hurricane Irene hit last year, and even though the direct effect of the storm was minimal on any of the airports that VS fly to, the indirect effect was very disruptive because mass transit systems (and some airports, including JFK) shut down pre-emptively.

It is clear from the coverage here that they are taking this one just as seriously, if not more so. I suspect there will be considerable disruption in NYC regardless of how bad the storm is, and probably IAD. Maybe BOS too -- who knows.

It is very easy to see what will happen -- if I were due to fly back on Monday or Tuesday I would be thinking about posssibly booking refundable extra nights at a hotel.

BA has lifted booking restrictions -- I think VS should do the same.

For New York, The MTA will decide today if they are going to start an orderly shut down from 7.00PM their time (midnight UK) of the MTA system of buses, subways and railways.

MTA Storm Plan (new york times article

And the MTA website with ore detailed info.

And what the DC Metro are doing


And the MBTA in Boston

We're currently in Orlando, supposed to be flying up to New York for a couple of days tomorrow, but our flights from MCO-LGA have been cancelled. Our VS flights are on VS010 on Wednesday, so we're now trying to find ways of getting up there in time (assuming the VS flight still operates). Feeling a little stranded at present...

mdvipond wrote:Our VS flights are on VS010 on Wednesday, so we're now trying to find ways of getting up there in time (assuming the VS flight still operates). Feeling a little stranded at present...

Hopefully the predicted travel chaos will have been straightened out by then, and you manage to connect with the VS010. Good luck .

mdvipond

My (inexpert) guess is that by Wednesday flights will be operating. So I would expect the VS10 to go. Getting rebooked to NYC in time may be more of an issue.

Are you on one PNR?

My second inexpert guess is that by then VS will have lifted flight restrictions so even if you are not on one PNR you may be able to change your return flight as they will have a backlog of passengers they are trying to accommodate.

I note that the mta has now confirmed it is shutting down the NY transit system as of 7 pm Sunday.

I know I sound like a stuck record, but I think VS should be rebooking people now... regardless of what the storm does or doesn't do, the reaction to it is going to be the disrupting factor. And that reaction is already in overdrive here!

VS per the web site says all flights are currently operating, however over on ANet people are commenting that United has cancelled all flights out of Newark tomorrow. Let's see what happens ... but VS is often later than other airlines to cancel.

MDVipond I hope you get sorted, I think schedules should be back by Wednesday but there will be displaced people, obviously.

VS are now allowing rebookings to/from NYC and IAD on 29/10...

mdvipond wrote:We're currently in Orlando, supposed to be flying up to New York for a couple of days tomorrow, but our flights from MCO-LGA have been cancelled. Our VS flights are on VS010 on Wednesday, so we're now trying to find ways of getting up there in time (assuming the VS flight still operates). Feeling a little stranded at present...

Cape Town with the snow, Barbados with the volcano .... it all happens to you...Good luck with the journey - I am sure the TR will be up to the high standard and interest we so look forward to....

at240 wrote:VS are now allowing rebookings to/from NYC and IAD on 29/10...

link here


Some appalling English though!

tontybear wrote:

at240 wrote:VS are now allowing rebookings to/from NYC and IAD on 29/10...

link here


Some appalling English though!

Isn't it, what actually is the meaning of "their give number" ): ):

This is the kind of situation where travel insurance reaps rewards.

NY and IAD flights tomorrow now cancelled:

http://www.virgin-atlantic.com/us/en/tr ... -news.html

Going to be a messy few days but at least there shouldn't be too many planes/crew out of position.

Boston flight tomorrow 29th, now cancelled.

Darren Wheeler wrote:Boston flight tomorrow 29th, now cancelled.

Only the VS11 right now, VS12 is still scheduled (which I happen to be booked on!). We'll see if that lasts though, because I think every other airline (BA, American, etc) has cancelled their evening flights out of Logan.

nickjs04 wrote:

Darren Wheeler wrote:Boston flight tomorrow 29th, now cancelled.

Only the VS11 right now, VS12 is still scheduled (which I happen to be booked on!). We'll see if that lasts though, because I think every other airline (BA, American, etc) has cancelled their evening flights out of Logan.

I wouldn't bank on that.

Tonight's VS 12 is still due to depart at 20:50 local tonight and if there's no VS11 tomorrow, I doubt there'll be a VS12 as there'll be no aircraft in the north east US.

Colleagues flying out of MAN tommorow on UA to JFK just been called to say the flight has been cancelled. Don't think I will be going to CUN tommorow at this rate

Thanks

Fox

flyingfox wrote:Colleagues flying out of MAN tommorow on UA to JFK just been called to say the flight has been cancelled. Don't think I will be going to CUN tommorow at this rate

Thanks

Fox

Why will it affect your CUN flight? Only NYC/BOS/IAD flights are being cancelled, other flights including MCO/MIA and the Caribbean routes are all operating today as normal.

Thompson have cancelled there flights to CUN today according to Sky News , like you Iam surprised.

Thanks

Fox

Darren Wheeler wrote:I doubt there'll be a VS12 as there'll be no aircraft in the north east US.

I thought that too, but I got up this morning to find the flight delayed by two hours and having switched from a 340-600 to Tinkerbelle, which last I checked had just done a EWR-LHR leg - perhaps it ran a positioning flight last night? There's certainly going to be a lot of demand, I believe aside from the BA238 day flight it's the only flight out of Boston today, with BA having cancelled everything else. I remain cautiously optimistic...(perhaps naively!).