Maintenance Issues Cause Delayed & Cancelled Flights for Virgin and Jetstar

On Monday 31 March, Virgin Australia Boeing B737-800 VH-YVA arrived into Rockhampton Airport from Brisbane as VOZ1231.  After missing its ‘scheduled’ departure time, it was noted departing some time later on a positioning flight back to Brisbane (presumably empty) as VOZ9900.

VH-YVA at Rockhampton Airport  (File photo by 'IAD' ©) 

This came a day after following B737-800 VH-VUM also had maintenance issues but in Mackay – see Blog post below!

Also on Monday 31 March, Jetstar Airways Airbus A320SL VH-VFX – the newest aircraft in their fleet – arrived into Mackay as JST890 from Brisbane.  It reportedly had maintenance issues, with an engineer being summoned from Jetstar’s Cairns base to inspect the aircraft.  They were transported to Mackay in Cairns-based Piper PA-31 VH-FDQ, with the Navajo touching down just after 11pm Monday night.

The Airbus checked, VH-VFX finally departed Mackay just before midnight, operating the heavily delayed (4-and-a-half-hours) JST891 service back to Brisbane.