Re: General Cathay Pacific Delays/Cancellations/etc. Discussion
Due to insufficient jet fuel available in MEL on Friday 25 November thanks to a defective imported batch from SIN, CX104, the 1525 hours MEL - HKG is deviating via ADL to take on sufficient fuel. Arrival in HKG should be at around 2320 instead of the usual 2145 hours.
This CX104 ended up departing from MEL at 1532 and was in ADL from 1624 hours this afternoon to 1720, with the amended HKG arrival time becoming 2318 rather than 2145 hours.
Earlier today, CX134, the 0850 hours MEL - HKG departed at 0913 hours, diverted via CNS where it arrived at 1130 and departed at 1210 - a fast stop, but it was only for refuelling - with eventual arrival at HKG at 1711 rather than the scheduled 1515, 116 minutes late.
CX has suggested to Australian Associated Press that its all flights are being rerouted via other Australian cities and has not specified for how long this wil occur (probably because it doesn't know). It claims that this adds about 90 minutes to the journey which while true based on the CX134 example does not take account of the additional time penalty from a late departure.
While it might be less important for a route such as HKG - Shanghai with relatively good CX flight frequencies, many passengers must be missing connections in HKG, although one or two wise heads on AFF have always advised to allow three to four hours for a connection in any case.
UPDATE: For Saturday 26 November, the redeye 0050 hours MEL - HKG CX178 is to operate nonstop as usual, but the 0850 hours CX134 and mid afternoon 1525 hours CX104 are to operate via ADL. Just how CX knows this many hours in advance is a mystery but it may tell us that the fuel shortage is not going to be resolved by tomorrow afternoon. Not good.
