Late departures from LGW to MCO

Me and the missus are due to fly UC :D to MCO on Saturday. I've been checking the departure times recently for both VS27 and VS15 and both seem to be leaving pretty late every single day. VS15 seems especially bad (left over 3 hours late yesterday!).

Does anybody have a clue why this might be?

Two reasons (well 3 actually)
1) Because is is LGW (and not LHR)
2) Because it is MCO
3) Because it is Virgin!

Do a search for this topic and you will see this has been bad for a while and no one can offer any real explaination. My view if that VS take LGW PAX for granted and particularly those on the MCO route.

Next time fly BA! (But try to avoid strike days )

Paul

Bonus:- Extra time in the Clubhouse!

But aren't BA on strike most days [:w]

I must admit, I think I'd rather put up with the delay than swap UC for CW and like AlanA says, more time in the CH isn't the end of the world. I'm just interested if there's any particular reason for the regular delays.

Originally posted by Virgin Sheep
But aren't BA on strike most days [:w]

LOL LOL,[^]

Originally posted by Virgin Sheep
But aren't BA on strike most days [:w]

I must admit, I think I'd rather put up with the delay than swap UC for CW and like AlanA says, more time in the CH isn't the end of the world. I'm just interested if there's any particular reason for the regular delays.

But the LGW clubhouse is not a patch on the LHR one. Infact the LGW Clubhouse is probably on par with BA's lounge with the exception of the hot food.

Personally I would rather pay less, be on-time and have a cold bun than fly out to MCO with VS at the moment.

Paul

We deserted Virgin five years after three rubbish flights in a row. I won't bore you with the detail.

We have flown the Lgw Tpa and Lgw Mco route twice a year since then with BA and have never been delayed. Service wise with BA, you get what is says on the tin, never spectacular never awful (as VS has been with us). Wells thats my view.

So when my wife got annoyed one day and about not being able to use our airmiles in a huff she went off and booked VS Lgw Mco. I have been a bit concerned about it ever since, which is how I came to find this site (just checking what I am in for).

Fingers crossed for March, I am going with an open mind and am keen to compare the PE product on the MCO route with BA's WTP. Will let you know how it goes.

I did a quick sample of all flights to MCO in February on the lgw ACARS site:

VS15 was on average 45 minutes late - twice over 3 hr late
VS27 was on average 50 minutes late - once around 3hr late

BA2037 was on average on time - longest delay 56 mins

Both airlines had occassions of early departure as well as late - not sure how that is possible.

Now while VS compares badly with BA (and to be quite honest has always done in recent years when BA were not striking) I do not think an average of 45 minutes is particularly tragic. I have sat on VS planes at LHR and certainly JFK for longer than that.

I think the North / South Terminal split may certainly be a contributory factor.

It would be interesting to extend the stats to LHR flights and non-MCO flights from LGW to see whether there is any truth to P17blo's views.

Phil FM

P.S. It is a shame that we cannot maintain punctuality figures on the website if they are part of the ACARS data loaded for the flight movements.

Originally posted by FamilyMan
I did a quick sample of all flights to MCO in February on the lgw ACARS site:

VS15 was on average 45 minutes late - twice over 3 hr late
VS27 was on average 50 minutes late - once around 3hr late

BA2037 was on average on time - longest delay 56 mins

Phil you came to the exact same conclusion that I did.

Granted they are around 45minutes late on average but as you said at LHR/JFK you can spend at least that in taxiing.

We must remember that
1. North Terminal is a lot less busy
2. South Terminal has been a nightmare with security.
3. Secondary searches being conducted in areas that are more akin to construction sites (I am thinking of between gates 12-15 at LGW) aren't helping pax flow.
4. VS fleet at LGW is very stretched and often has short turn arounds.
5. BA have less pax to board so less chance of delays!


The list really is endless- but really 45mins is not that bad.

Being a qualitative researcher I would argue that whilst stats can show an average time, the only real way to get an answer is to be the pilot or dispatcher there. After all how do we not know that VS have had terrible bad luck and for the last 5 days have had a pax who has been late to the gate but their bag couldn't be found to be offloaded?!? Or that the a/c missed its original slot by 2 mins but had to sit and wait another 50mins for ATC to give it a new slot?!

I'm certainly not concerned about 45 mins late - it was the 2-3 hours ones which I was wondering about.

Although, today VS15 took off 2 mins early and VS27 only a couple of mins late so maybe things are back on track [y]

Some of the delays are down to the ground crew without a doubt, flew to MCO in Oct and there was an extra bag on the plane- we had already started to Taxi so had to turn around, and there was a situation with 3 people being assigned to one seat.

Same thing happened this month with there being an extra passenger on board according to the ground crews records, also the lady in front of me was given the large part of the boarding card back which caused the ground crew some problems.

Maybe I have been unlucky im not sure, but it seems mistakes happen more often at Gatwick than anywhere else.

Originally posted by FamilyMan
It would be interesting to extend the stats to LHR flights and non-MCO flights from LGW to see whether there is any truth to P17blo's views.

Yes I agree this would be interesting as it I am only basing my comments on my experiences.

Paul

Ok being rather sad and not wanting to watch some make over programme on the old box I have been producing some figures for us all.

When looking at the results please take note of the fact that
Data is taken over the last five days only
I have only done one flight per day
I have only looked at daily flights
For some reason I left off BOM and LOS!
Data taken from LHR/LGW Movements, so averages are based on departure time- these a/c could have caught up time

I dont have the time to go in depth but we can use this as a rough guide. So here goes:

VS001 (EWR) Avg 60mins late
VS003 (JFK) Avg 40mins late
VS007 (LAX) Avg 52mins late
VS011 (BOS) Avg 29mins late
VS019 (SFO) Avg 35mins late
VS022 (IAD) Avg 63mins late
VS200 (HKG) Avg 61mins late
VS250 (PVG) Avg 51mins late
VS301 (DEL) Avg 39mins late
VS400 (DXB) Avg 39mins late
VS601 (JNB) Avg 77mins late
VS900 (NRT) Avg 24mins late

VS027 (MCO) Avg 49mins late
VS029 (BGI) Avg 53mins late
VS043 (LAS) Avg 78mins late

So- over the last five days- best performing was NRT followed by BOS. Worst performing was LAS followed by JNB. It is worth noting that JNB had a mega 4.50 delay which really sent its average up as did LAS with a 2hour45 delay.
Average delay for last five days is 50mins. Average delay at LGW is 60mins. Average delay at LHR is 48mins. Only one flight managed to depart early and the quickest out of the blocks of the delayed was a NRT flight airbone only 3mins late.

CPT has also had a massive delay I think

VS.

So at least that very scientific test prooves one thing
LHR is better to depart from for 2 reasons now
Club house
Shorter delays than LGW

One thing though, I assume you are using the departure info which gives either start of take off or lift off (Not sure which) where as scheduled departure time is gate pull back.

Well done though seriously. Gives us some basis for further discussion.

Paul

Paul- yes I am using actual take off time which is being run against schedule departure time. But like you said it gives us a rough idea.

As I said I missed out a fair few flights as tbh I couldnt be bothered to look back at flights that are anything less than daily. When time permits I may do all the other flights, especially ex LGW to get a true picture.

What it does show though is there isnt too much between LGW or LHR in terms of delays on the whole. I would imagine the difference between the two is where the delay occurs- at LHR I think more delays occur in the taxi for take off/LHR runway congestion where as at LGW they are mainly due to ground handling/late arriving issues.

Originally posted by p17blo
So at least that very scientific test prooves one thing
LHR is better to depart from for 2 reasons now
Club house
Shorter delays than LGW

One thing though, I assume you are using the departure info which gives either start of take off or lift off (Not sure which) where as scheduled departure time is gate pull back.

Well done though seriously. Gives us some basis for further discussion.

Paul

Paul,
I don't really see that the Clubhouse issue is that importatnt as either clubhouse is better than what else is available at either airport.
I also don't see on time being a major problem on the B & S routes as they are mostly populated with holidaymakers.
Besides, to get to either airport, there is no way you would be able to stick to a rigid timetable anyway, so why expect one form of transport to be better than any other?
Also, do we not see a biase by BAA towards BA at both of these airports anyway? giving them the better time slots and departure priorities?

Originally posted by AlanA

I didn't think BAA decided slot times and slots- I thought it was a mixture of the CAA and a government quango.

Originally posted by willd

Originally posted by AlanA

I didn't think BAA decided slot times and slots- I thought it was a mixture of the CAA and a government quango.

Hasn't the airport got control over departures though? i.e. when flights are delayed, ATC decides who's next to fly and gets that slot?

Me and the missus are due to fly UC to MCO on Saturday

Pleased to see that both flights pushed back everso slightly early for you [y]