VA878 late out of Sydney

[Jeff N]

Just noticed a short time ago, VA878, due out of Sydney at 1900, lifting off at 2328.

Two questions ....why was it delayed ...and how did they manage to get permission to depart so far into the curfew?

This, of course, being the same airport that a few months ago swung a Virgin flight around over Leichhardt Town Hall and sent it back to Brisbane due to it's cardinal sin of not being able to touch down until a few minutes after 2300.

[Radi K]

Virgin's checkin systems were down for a long period tonight.

I'm sure if there was no accommodation in Sydney that a dispensation would have been considered & obviously granted.

[Mick F]

I believe if the aircraft received its taxi clearance prior to 2300, then it can depart. Perhaps that's what happened.

Mick

[Ryan N]

http://www.smh.com.au/travel/travel-incidents/virgin-australia-checkin-chaos-hits-australian-airports-20130719-2qa2g.html

[Nigel C]

Mick, your belief is correct with regards to curfew departures.

Jeff, it has happened on occasion that an aircraft has received taxi clearance prior to 2300 but due to excessive tail winds on Rwy 16R (which must be used for departure after 2245) and/or other arriving aircraft (like freighters or medical flights), they opt to wait at the holding point until conditions are right for a departure. There have been times when aircraft will taxi back to the gate if there is no sign of winds dropping below acceptable tail winds for departure.


However with regards to last night there were possibly some dispensations granted, given the broad impact the system crash seems to have had.

[Hugh Jarse]

And then there are the dispensations that permit taxi prior to 2330, a couple of which were granted last night.

We had a dispensation to land prior to 2330, conditional on a landing on 34L and the other curfew requirements in Jeppesen being met.