Ex-Gold FM breakfast radio host Richard Fowler buses to Brisbane after Virgin cans Gold Coast flight

GOLD Coast former radio king Richard Fowler has been caught up in flight chaos ruining the start of his festive break.

Not happy: Ex-Gold FM radio king Richard Fowler on a bus to Brisbane Airport after Virgin had to cancel its Gold coast to Auckland flight due to "operational issues".

GOLD Coast former radio king Richard Fowler has been caught up in flight chaos ruining the start of his festive break.

The Gold FM breakfast radio veteran was among an estimated several hundred passengers affected by Virgin’s cancellation of a flight scheduled to depart for Auckland yesterday afternoon.

The cancellation came after a Virgin flight due to arrive earlier from Auckland didn’t take off in New Zealand because of what the airline would only specify as “operational reasons”.

After having his plans altered so he could leave on a later flight out of Brisbane last night, a frustrated Fowler — trying to get home for Christmas with his mum — ended up on a bus stuck in traffic on the M1.

In happier times: Recently retired radio personality Richard Fowler, who was caught up in a flight cancellation and resulting long bus ride to Brisbane International Airport, was happier earlier this year when he wed Sherie Malcolm at The Surfers Paradise Marriott. Picture: Glenn Hampson

Like his mood, things went from bad to worse.

Fowler said the bus only got from Gold Coast Airport to Tugun before returning to the airport to pick up more passengers.

“Now we are at a standstill on the M1 at Palm Beach. I hope Virgin have got plenty of refreshments in the lounge at Brisbane because I’ll be giving it a good shove,” he said.

“By the time I get to Auckland I could have flown to Singapore.”

Virgin Australia confirmed flight VA164 from Gold Coast to Auckland was cancelled “due to operational reasons”.

“All guests have been accommodated on alternate services either today or tomorrow. We apologise for any inconvenience.”

But Fowler, who returned to the breakfast airwaves temporarily last week to cover for absent Bridge and Spida show co-hosts, said he wondered why airlines didn’t just tell passengers specifically what went wrong rather than saying “operational reasons”.

Retired Gold FM breakfast radio king Richard Fowler (left) made a temporary return to the airwaves last week with Gold FM host and fellow Main Beach resident AJ as the Tedder Boys. Photo: David Clark

“We are not dumb, just tell us — flat tyre, engine fell off, pilot turned up p---ed, windscreen washer water bottle is empty, can’t start the engines and waiting for RACQ.

“I mean, please, just tell us the truth,” he frothed.

Ex-Gold FM breakfast radio king Richard Fowler's mood improves after a cancelled Virgin Australia flight out of Gold Coast Airport resulted in a bus ride to Brisbane, being stuck in traffic, returning to the airport at one point but finally getting to Brisbane for a late flight to Auckland — and a Steinlager Pure in the lounge prior to take off — with Air NZ.

Fowler’s mood had improved on arrival in Brisbane where he sent the Bulletin a photo of himself enjoying a cold Steinlager Pure and awaiting takeoff on an Air NZ plane at 6.40pm.

Fowler said it was the second time this year Virgin had cancelled a flight on him when trying to get to Auckland but he remained a Platinum airline member and said most of the time they were good to fly with.