Delays: QF005, Thursday 10th July

[Brettmcg]

Anyone have any idea as to why QF005 from SYD-FRA via SIN is delayed for departure until 8:35am on Friday morning?

Sydney International on Thursday, 10 July 2008 for Flight QF5
Flight No. To Scheduled Estimated Departure Status
QF5 Singapore 15:55 08:30 (Fri) Estimated
AF8095 Singapore 15:55 08:30 (Fri) Estimated
BA7305 Singapore 15:55 08:30 (Fri) Estimated
9W4005 Singapore 15:55 08:30 (Fri) Estimated

 

[Evan]

I am told by the German's at work attemtping to get home it is industrial action at FRA, either causeing the delay or QF not taking off until its planned to be over. LH staff on strike, they provide ground handling and maintinance.

But i also noticed a delayed flight to LHR so not sure.

E

 

[dajop]

These sort of delays have been going on for some time. I think perhaps related to the maintenance dispute (but I do stand to be corrected as I am not particularly close to it).

Some recent observations when I've been travelling:

I was at BKK last Thursday (flying TG), I noticed QF 1 was running 14 hours late. When I left MEL a few weeks ago I noticed QF 9 was running 20 hours late. I allso noticed that QF75 one day last week (day b4 my partner took the flight) as running 20 hours late ex-SYD.

Even looking at departures this week:
QF 127 SYD-HKG Mon 07 departed 21.5 hrs late
QF 1 SYD-BKK-LHR Tue 08 departed 5.5 hrs late
QF 21 SYD-NRT Tue 08 departed 11.5 hrs late
QF 47 SYD-WLG Wed 09 departed 22 hrs late
QF 191 SYD-PEK Wed 09 departed 4 hrs late
QF 127 SYD-HKG Wed 09 departed 3 hrs late
QF31 SYD-SIN-LHR Wed 09 departed 5 hrs late
QF 21 SYD-NRT Wed 09 departed 10 hrs late
QF 81 SYD-ADL-SIN Thu 10 departed 4 hrs late
QF 149 SYD-LAX Thu 10 departed 5 hrs late
QF 11 SYD-LAX Thu 11 departed 5 hrs late
QF 5 SYD-SIN-FRA Thu 11 departing 16.5 hrs late
Qf 31 SYD-SIN-LHR Thu 11 departing 17 hrs late
QF 85 MEL-HKG Wed 10 departed 7 hrs late

And this has been the case for weeks now.

If I was travelling at the moment and had tight timelines I'd seriously think about avoiding the QF lottery.

 

[Will]

To that add:
11JUL08 QF11 SYD-LAX 22.75hr late
11JUL08 QF63 SYD-JNB 6.75hr late
11JUL08 QF9 SYD-MEL-LHR 6.75hr late
11JUL08 QF191 SYD-PEK 2.25hr late
11JUL08 QF167 SYD-CNS-NRT 2hr late
11JUL08 QF187 SYD-HKG 1.75hr late
11JUL08 QF163 SYD-AKL 1hr late
11JUL08 QF245 SYD-CNS-NKM 1.5hr late
11JUL08 QF45 SYD-CHC .5hr late
11JUL08 QF123 SYD-BOM 1.5hr late
11JUL08 QF135 SYD-NRT 1.5hr late

etc
etc
etc

 

[dajop]

Wasn't really counting anything that departed within 3 hours of schedule as "late" for intl flights, that's practically on time!

Updated notables from today (flights that have been rescheduled tomorrow):
QF 63 (JNB) leaving 22 hrs late
QF11 (LAX) leaving 23 hrs late
QF21 (NRT) leaving 10.5 hrs late

 

[Brettmcg]

Just got home from a tad of spotting at MEL (good old Operations Road). Got up close and personal with flight QF9

[B]Flight No: QF009
To: Singapore
Scheduled Departure: 15:30 (Fri)
Actual Departure: 01:43 (Sat)
Status: Departed

Just a small 10 hour delay!

 

[Anna]

To that add:
11JUL08 QF191 SYD-PEK 2.25hr late
11JUL08 QF167 SYD-CNS-NRT 2hr late
11JUL08 QF187 SYD-HKG 1.75hr late
11JUL08 QF163 SYD-AKL 1hr late
11JUL08 QF245 SYD-CNS-NKM 1.5hr late
11JUL08 QF45 SYD-CHC .5hr late
11JUL08 QF123 SYD-BOM 1.5hr late
11JUL08 QF135 SYD-NRT 1.5hr late

But when did these flights arrive?

I was on QF2 on 4JUL that took off 2 hours late but arrived exactly on schedule in Bangkok because the time was made up in flight. Then in Sydney we landed 15 mins late because of air traffic control, not because of Qantas.

A delayed departure does not automatically mean a delayed arrival.

 

[Brettmcg]

A delayed departure does not automatically mean a delayed arrival.

I would like to see a pilot make up a 15, 16, 17 or 20 hour delay in the air. Most of the delays recently seem to be heftier than just your usual 45minutes - 1.5hrs.

A QF flight leaving MEL airport on Friday was so delayed that 2 girls who had checked-in for an afternoon departure were told to go home and return to the airport late that evening. In the meantime Outbound Customs and Immigration had closed up for the night! How entertaining to see a Qantas staffer flapping around trying to find someone to open up and process them!

 

[Will]

But when did these flights arrive?

I was on QF2 on 4JUL that took off 2 hours late but arrived exactly on schedule in Bangkok because the time was made up in flight. Then in Sydney we landed 15 mins late because of air traffic control, not because of Qantas.

A delayed departure does not automatically mean a delayed arrival.

You are absolutely right; we made up an hour SYD-PEK and I am sure the pilots burnt more fuel on some of the other flights too.
I still consider a delayed departure a delay though.
The list I posted was also not final; I just looked up at the departures board. Some of the flights may have been further delayed.

 

[dajop]

But when did these flights arrive?
A delayed departure does not automatically mean a delayed arrival.

In particular, on east bound routes if conditions are favourable, considerable savings in flying time are not uncommon.

However, you would be hard pressed to find any route in the world where you could make up 3 hours in flight, which is exactly why I listed departures only >3hrs late. Now some of today's notables are ..
QF 1 (12 JUL) SYD-BKK departed 39 hours late [the winner so far!]
QF 127 (13 JUL) SYD-HKG departed 27.5 hours late
QF 73 (13 JUL) SYD-SFO due to depart 28 hours late
QF 73 (14 JUL) SYD-SFO due to depart 20 hours late
QF 25 (14 JUL) MEL-AKL due to depart 6 hours late
QF 32 (14 JUL) SIN-SYD due to depart 20 hours late
QF 12 (13 JUL) LAX-SYD due to depart 11 hours late

 

[Evan]

hmmm, lets hope they get it sorted out soon... otherwise i may be encountering some of those lat flights later in the month.
E

 

[JohnK]

Has the number of delays or length of delays suddenly increased? I hope this is not a continuing trend....

 

[Brettmcg]

Monday 14th July from MEL

QF29 Hong Kong 22:50 (Sun) 00:53 (Mon)
QF395 Nadi 23:25 (Sun) 00:32 (Mon)
QF10 Sydney 09:25 10:00
QF179 Tokyo 09:30 09:44
QF93 Los Angeles 10:25 11:06
QF26 Sydney 10:30 13:14
QF25 Auckland 10:55 18:28
JQ29 Bangkok 13:10 15:09
JQ3 Sydney 14:15 15:26
QF9 Singapore 15:30 17:51
JQ171 Christchurch 17:50 17:50
QF37 Wellington 18:30 18:42
QF39 Auckland 19:30 21:55
QF29 Hong Kong 22:50 22:50


I would suggest they are both increasing in frequency and severity.

 

[markis10]

At least perth seems to be nromal today, although QF918 seemed to have a few issues:

QF918Karratha 15:50 15:59 Returned To Gate
QF918Karratha 15:50 18:00 Departed
QF918Karratha 19:20 Estimated