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  • SYD-MEL-SYD on DJ

    Due to the on going Qantas strikes/delays/go-slow, I decided to give Virgin Blue a shot. The last time I flew on a single aisle aircraft was on a BA B737 in 2002!

    30 June 2008
    Sydney (SYD) – Melbourne (MEL)
    Airline: Virgin Blue Airlines
    Flight: DJ838
    Aircraft: B737-800
    Registration: VH-VUA “Bondi Babe”
    ETD: 1215
    ATD: 1230
    ETA: 1345
    ATA: 1400
    Flight Time: 1.5 hrs
    Seat: 30A (Economy)


    Took a cab with my girlfriend to the domestic terminal 2 from our apartment at 10.30 am. Ride was smooth and we were there in 20 minutes. Upon arrival, we headed straight to the bag drop where the queue was shockingly long but the wait for only a mere 10 minutes. Strangely, our IDs weren’t checked at all! Security check was fast and we just browsed a couple of shops before heading to Gate 39 for boarding.

    Bondi Babe taking us to MEL


    DJ838 was under the command of Captain Paley (She’s pretty!). Row 30 was the last row on the 737 and to my horror the seats couldn’t recline!! (For a 1.5 hrs flight, 31” pitch with no recline is still bearable) Seats were rather dirty too! Someone obviously had a biscuit party on the inbound flight and crumps were everywhere!

    Cramped cabin


    Legroom


    PTV


    Crossing 07/25


    Just after rotation


    Over UNSW & surrounding surburbs


    Over the Tasman Sea


    After take off, the in-flight sales service commenced. Service was fast and I ordered a Chicken Caesar Wrap from the v-licious menu. Wasn’t really appetising but it settled the hunger pangs.


    After being in cruise for 30 mins, we started our descent into Melbourne.
    East of Melbourne


    Melbourne City


    Not very accurate flight map


    Approach was rather turbulent with 70km/h winds but Captain Paley did a good job bringing the aircraft to touchdown on Runway 34. “Bondi Babe” docked at Gate 4, baggage claim was fast as my suitcase was one of the first out on the carousel.

    Service: 9/10 Food: 6/10 Aircraft: 7/10

    2 July 2008
    Melbourne (MEL) – Sydney (SYD)
    Airline: Virgin Blue Airlines
    Flight: DJ877
    Aircraft: B737-800
    Registration: VH-VOG “Misty Blue”
    ETD: 1815
    ATD: 1915
    ETA: 1945
    ATA: 2030
    Flight Time: 1.25 hrs
    Seat: 18B (Economy)


    No pictures from the return sector.

    After 3 fabulous days of eating and shopping we made our trip back to over-rated Sydney.

    We were originally booked on DJ881 but just before we headed to the airport, I received a SMS from Virgin Blue about the cancellation of the flight and to contact customer service. After 5 mins on hold, I was put through to a very helpful Mike who assigned us new seats on DJ877. Apparently, the winds were pretty bad in SYD till only 16R/34L was operational.

    The cab ride to the airport was a frightening one! Lots of swerving and changing of lanes plus hard braking! We reached the airport in good time and proceeded to the bag drop counters. We were asked for our passports this time round. Security check was fast but I got pulled aside for a random explosives search. We proceed to the Gate 5 lounge area to sit out the delay of DJ877. All the flights inbound/outbound SYD were delayed.

    The inbound flight, DJ858 was delayed for almost and “Misty Blue” arrived at the gate at 1845. After a quick turnaround, boarding started at 1900 and we pushed back at 1915. Captain Riley was in command of this flight. After a quick taxi to Runway 27, DJ877 thundered down runway at 1930 and headed to SYD.

    Load was 100% and the Y+ section was converted to normal Y seats make up for the shortfall of seats due to the cancellations. Descent into SYD started at 2010 and touched down on Runway 34L. Docked at Gate 35 and baggage claim was fast too.

    Service: 8/10 Food: -/10 Aircraft: 9/10

  • #2
    Some nice pics there! I have flown into MEL from SYD many times and never had a glimpse of the city like that. Are there different flight paths from MEL-SYD? I think I was sitting on the wrong side of the plane on my last flight from SYD earlier this year.
    My SQ A380 photos

    Comment


    • #3
      Some decent pics Nick C. And that flight map is defnitely out of scale....if they had a 747 or A380, it wouldn't fit on that screen!

      Comment


      • #4
        Originally posted by UK flyer View Post
        Some nice pics there! I have flown into MEL from SYD many times and never had a glimpse of the city like that. Are there different flight paths from MEL-SYD? I think I was sitting on the wrong side of the plane on my last flight from SYD earlier this year.

        It depends on what the runway in use is. I'm suspecting NickC's flight here arrived on rwy 34 - so you actually come close to MEL downtown (south of the airport) before turning right to line up with 34. Rwy 16 or 09/27 approaches aren't so spectacular.

        Comment


        • #5
          Nice quick TR!

          I had a pleasurable experience on Virgin Blue when I used to commute between BNE-SYD during my student days.

          The trick to getting the Emex row seat was to give the crew some Krispy Kreme donuts...

          (I was carrying 8 boxes back then for the starving masses in BNE), so I donated about 4 to the crew, who at first were quite reluctant to take the donuts (this lasted about 15 seconds).

          After they distributed the Krispy Kremes amongst themselves, one stewardess made her way to me at the back and motioned for me to get out of my seat. She helpfully took all my 8 boxes of KK (minus the 4 donuts), and told me she saved the seat with the largest amount of legroom since I was so friendly.

          They also kept checking if everything was great during the flight and said thanks when I disembarked.

          Virgin Blue = Win in my books

          Comment


          • #6
            Forgot that I posted this TR in SQT. Apologize for the uber late replies.

            Originally posted by UK flyer View Post
            Some nice pics there! I have flown into MEL from SYD many times and never had a glimpse of the city like that. Are there different flight paths from MEL-SYD? I think I was sitting on the wrong side of the plane on my last flight from SYD earlier this year.
            It depends on the wind conditions which dictates which runway gets used.

            Originally posted by SQflyergirl View Post
            It depends on what the runway in use is. I'm suspecting NickC's flight here arrived on rwy 34 - so you actually come close to MEL downtown (south of the airport) before turning right to line up with 34. Rwy 16 or 09/27 approaches aren't so spectacular.
            34 for sure


            Originally posted by SQ-A380 View Post
            Some decent pics Nick C. And that flight map is defnitely out of scale....if they had a 747 or A380, it wouldn't fit on that screen!
            I just didn't like the ads that showed up every few seconds. They stayed on longer than the flight map!

            Originally posted by Kyo View Post
            Nice quick TR!

            I had a pleasurable experience on Virgin Blue when I used to commute between BNE-SYD during my student days.

            The trick to getting the Emex row seat was to give the crew some Krispy Kreme donuts...

            (I was carrying 8 boxes back then for the starving masses in BNE), so I donated about 4 to the crew, who at first were quite reluctant to take the donuts (this lasted about 15 seconds).

            After they distributed the Krispy Kremes amongst themselves, one stewardess made her way to me at the back and motioned for me to get out of my seat. She helpfully took all my 8 boxes of KK (minus the 4 donuts), and told me she saved the seat with the largest amount of legroom since I was so friendly.

            They also kept checking if everything was great during the flight and said thanks when I disembarked.

            Virgin Blue = Win in my books
            Very generous of you! DJ is definitely one of the better one is Oz after QF.

            Comment


            • #7
              I assume you OLCI'ed. Was there no seats forward of row 30 to select (or perhaps only middle seats)?

              Thanks for the report. The wrap was $6?
              ..

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