By Chris Zappone and Poppy Clark
Passengers on Virgin Australia’s Easter weekend service from Queenstown, New Zealand, were hit by a cascade of delays and cancellations arising from mechanical and security issues.
At one point the departure gate was thrown into disorder after an airline staff member’s decision triggered an intervention from airport authorities.
Qantas provided bedding to Virgin Australia customers whose flight from Queenstown to Sydney was cancelled on Saturday, April 19, 2025.
An already-delayed Virgin Australia flight VA164, scheduled to depart for Sydney on Sunday, was held up for three hours and 20 minutes after an “airline employee” directed passengers into the wrong part of the gate, violating security protocols.
After being instructed to deplane and re-enter the airport through the departure gate on Sunday, passengers “were stopped by staff who were running and shouting that we could not do that”, said Tim Horton, who was visiting the New Zealand tourist town from Sydney.
“Doors were hurriedly secured, staff disagreed about what could be done. Meanwhile, we were standing partly on the tarmac and partly inside.”
A flight cancellation by Virgin Australia forced about 100 people to sleep in the airport until Easter morning.
Horton recalled seeing a police officer running through the airport “then running back the other way”.
“It was clear throughout that no one knew what the protocols or procedures should be. Airports are about security. It was instead nothing but chaos.”
Virgin said of the weekend difficulties: “We regret that this impacted our ability to deliver the level of service and support we strive to provide our guests when unexpected disruption occurs, and we sincerely apologise to our guests for this experience.”
Virgin Australia uses outsourced terminal and ground handling services at Queenstown Airport, as do other Australian carriers.
Horton, the passenger, said what he witnessed “would have been comical if not so evident that there was no training or co-ordination on the ground”.
Queenstown Airport’s chief operating officer Todd Grace said the airport has strict processes for customers re-entering the terminal in the event of a delayed or cancelled flight.
“In this instance, an airline staff member attempted to take passengers back into the gate lounge via an area that would have inadvertently resulted in the passengers no longer being security-cleared.
“This could have resulted in a security breach, which would have affected a large number of travellers.”
Grace said Queenstown Airport staff and aviation security officers intervened “to ensure the protocols were correctly followed by the airline staff”.
The security error followed the cancellation of flight VA162 on Saturday night after an engineering issue delayed the departure to the point that Virgin crew had to stop working.
The situation resulted in 100 passengers being forced to sleep in the airport, unattended by airline staff.
Qantas stepped in to provide needed blankets, mats and sleeping bags for the Virgin Australia passengers.
“The bedding that the airport provided was lent to them by Qantas,” said one Virgin customer. “Virgin did not assist in any way.”
He said the only compensation that was provided was “two $8 food vouchers” for use at airport shops.
The Queenstown flight issues are the second major issue for Virgin Australia customers this month.
The airline flagged refunds for 61,000 customers who were overcharged by Virgin Australia over the past five years.
Virgin, owned by US-based Bain Capital, is on the cusp of expanding its international footprint when it begins operating more long-haul flights from Australia with partner Qatar Airways, which owns 25 per cent of the Brisbane-based airline.
Bain Capital took control of Virgin after its 2020 restructuring and re-emergence from 10 months in administration.
Virgin is in the process of consulting stakeholders and future potential shareholders ahead of an expected market listing.
Virgin holds 35 per cent share of the domestic Australian market as of December, surpassing Qantas’ 34.6 per cent, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission said in February.
With Stuff.co.nz
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