Flight Delay - QF1 - Wed 15 Jan 25

[LDN via BNE]

My daughter and her friend are on that flight. She has already twice had to change her work clients, and now she has to tell them she can’t see them at all this week! She said the information from Qantas staff has been totally inadequate and no one has definitively said why the constant delays are happening. Furthermore she was reduced to tears by the attitude of one of the Qantas ‘customer service’ staff on the phone earlier. It is an extraordinary situation to be in with ZERO explanation.

It's such a shame it isn't on an EU or British airline, as they'd be entitled to 520GBP of compensation each (in addition to any expenses).

Have they received a hotel room at least?

 

[DC3]

Furthermore she was reduced to tears by the attitude of one of the Qantas ‘customer service’ staff on the phone earlier

Reduced to tears? That’s not good.

What was the attitude that resulted in this?

And welcome to AFF.

 

[Quickstatus]

you would think Qantas staff in Sydney would at least be aware of the onward delay from Singapore to London.

Reasonable assumption
Are Checkin agents employed by QF at the major airports?

 

[Quickstatus]

Welcome to AFF @London Mumma and @FFS. Hope you stay long time
I thought the new CEO said Qantas has turned the corner back in Oct 2024 at least with its greater customer focus

 

[wenglock.mok]

That would have gone over well at the airport. We had a member recently ask what to do with an early morning layover at Changi lasting 20 hours, we now have a plane load that could provide recent experiences.

So, at this point, it looks like tonight’s QF1 to LHR is going to leave before yesterday night’s QF1 (provided tonight’s QF1 doesn’t cop a delay)?

 

[markis10]

Todays QF1 could have relief crew on it as well.

 

[Scarlett]

I wonder if this is one of those lovely own goals where a company has done something to save themselves money but had a massive opposite effect.

If the assumption is that the SIN-LHR leg was originally delayed because the UK based cabin crew didn’t have sufficient crew rest in SIN following a late LHR-SIN sector the day before, I wonder if the follow on delays are because the Aus-based flight deck crew then had to have a full rest period in SIN? In which case the problem exists because QF employ UK-based cabin crew on a different contract, rather than just using Aus based cabin crew from the regular QF international contract. And my assumption is QF only do that (UK based cabin crew) because it costs them less than paying the QF international contract, probably with the side ‘benefit’ to QF that it takes a significant number of cabin crew out of the Aus union.

 

[LDN via BNE]

Is Qantas likely to offer any kind of compensation for this 31 hour and counting delay?

Even if only a few QFF points as gesture of goodwill?

 

[levelnine]

Is Qantas likely to offer any kind of compensation for this 31 hour and counting delay?

Even if only a few QFF points as gesture of goodwill?

lol

 

[LDN via BNE]

lol

Stranger things have happened.

In August 2023 we booked last minute points flights on Iberia which failed to ticket, so we had to buy ridiculously expensive cash fares at the airport.

We pursued the matter with Qantas for over 6 months (including escalating emails to CEO and GGC), and they eventually apologised and reimbursed us!

 

[Himeno]

Just no delays to QF2 ex LHR on the 29th please.

 

[milehighclub]

If the assumption is that the SIN-LHR leg was originally delayed because the UK based cabin crew didn’t have sufficient crew rest in SIN following a late LHR-SIN sector the day before, I wonder if the follow on delays are because the Aus-based flight deck crew then had to have a full rest period in SIN? In which case the problem exists because QF employ UK-based cabin crew on a different contract, rather than just using Aus based cabin crew from the regular QF international contract. And my assumption is QF only do that (UK based cabin crew) because it costs them less than paying the QF international contract, probably with the side ‘benefit’ to QF that it takes a significant number of cabin crew out of the Aus union.

This wouldn't be impacted by the flight crew, unless the QF1 the day before was delayed as the pilots do SYD-SIN-LHR-SIN-SYD, where as the UK crew do LHR-SIN-LHR. This would be, based on whats been said, because of an issue with the QF2 and the UK crew needing rest.

If QF didn't have a UK base, then the QF2 the next day would've been the flight delayed for rest, so there still would've been a delayed flight either way for rest requirements - the existence of a overseas base isn't the issue.

The benefit of these bases is certainly cost, but both the UK crew and NZ crew are all union as well.

 

[Forg]

Maybe the answer to all of this is that the QF plane drivers joined the same union as the Sydney train drivers?

 

[MEL_Traveller]

This wouldn't be impacted by the flight crew, unless the QF1 the day before was delayed as the pilots do SYD-SIN-LHR-SIN-SYD, where as the UK crew do LHR-SIN-LHR. This would be, based on whats been said, because of an issue with the QF2 and the UK crew needing rest.

If QF didn't have a UK base, then the QF2 the next day would've been the flight delayed for rest, so there still would've been a delayed flight either way for rest requirements - the existence of a overseas base isn't the issue.

The benefit of these bases is certainly cost, but both the UK crew and NZ crew are all union as well.

Yes, but if it wasn’t a UK crew, QF could draw on any number of crews already in Singapore to operate the LHR flight… indeed the fresh crew operating the onwards QF2 to Sydney could have instead flown the QF1 back to London.

There would still have been a crew short, but pax could be accommodated on any number of a330 flights to various capitals.

 

[Quickstatus]

I wonder how many passengers managed to be shifted to SYD-PER-LHR?

 

[jrfsp]

I wonder how many passengers managed to be shifted to SYD-PER-LHR?

I wouldnt have thought there would be many free seats this time of year

 

[ChrisGibbs]

I wonder how many passengers managed to be shifted to SYD-PER-LHR?

I booked my son on a Rewards Plus booking in PE on the QF1 SYD-SIN-LHR 15/1. He had a 10:00am connection thru to Dublin. We also managed to get a points upgrade to J. Given my points were used for his flight the booking came up in my QF App. I received an in App message at 2:30am on the 15/1 notifying of the 7 hr delay on the SIN-LHR leg of the flight. I jumped onto QF reservations and there were two options given. BA SYD-SIN in economy and BA SIN-LHR in PE or after much prompting and use of ExpertFlyer QF33 SYD-PER in Economy then QF9 PER-LHR in PE. From the sounds of things there were a bunch of seats available through the economy cabin with the premium cabins all full up.

As I write this QF9 is now on approach to LHR at will land at 5:30am Thursday morning UK with QF1 currently scheduled to arrive in LHR 31hours later at 1345 on Friday afternoon.

 

[muppet]

My daughter and her friend are on that flight. She has already twice had to change her work clients, and now she has to tell them she can’t see them at all this week! She said the information from Qantas staff has been totally inadequate and no one has definitively said why the constant delays are happening. Furthermore she was reduced to tears by the attitude of one of the Qantas ‘customer service’ staff on the phone earlier. It is an extraordinary situation to be in with ZERO explanation.

Surely if it involves work clients and is important you just look up the next flight to London and head to the ticket desk right?

I booked my son on a Rewards Plus booking in PE on the QF1 SYD-SIN-LHR 15/1. He had a 10:00am connection thru to Dublin. We also managed to get a points upgrade to J. Given my points were used for his flight the booking came up in my QF App. I received an in App message at 2:30am on the 15/1 notifying of the 7 hr delay on the SIN-LHR leg of the flight. I jumped onto QF reservations and there were two options given. BA SYD-SIN in economy and BA SIN-LHR in PE or after much prompting and use of ExpertFlyer QF33 SYD-PER in Economy then QF9 PER-LHR in PE. From the sounds of things there were a bunch of seats available through the economy cabin with the premium cabins all full up.

As I write this QF9 is now on approach to LHR at will land at 5:30am Thursday morning UK with QF1 currently scheduled to arrive in LHR 31hours later at 1345 on Friday afternoon.

Be interested to know how the points refund for the downgrade on the SYD-PER leg is calculated given the lack of fixed award chart.

 

[wenglock.mok]

Surely if it involves work clients and is important you just look up the next flight to London and head to the ticket desk right?

Be interested to know how the points refund for the downgrade on the SYD-PER leg is calculated given the lack of fixed award chart.

It's probably not widely known that in cases of irregular operations like these, it's probably better to be at the airport where staff have quite a bit of leeway to rebook on whatever option is available (regardless of alliance) even if you have to push slightly for it.

This is a 31-hour delay so I would certainly have pushed for SQ, CX, MH options if those were available.

 

[ChrisGibbs]

Surely if it involves work clients and is important you just look up the next flight to London and head to the ticket desk right?

Be interested to know how the points refund for the downgrade on the SYD-PER leg is calculated given the lack of fixed award chart.

I'm guessing all that will come back is the ~92,000 points for the PE - J upgrade on the original QF1 SYD-SIN-LHR sector.