Story from news.com.au
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TWO Qantas flights carrying scores of World Youth Day pilgrims from Perth to Sydney have been delayed by up to 16 hours.
The flights were due to take off from Perth at midday and 4.15pm today, but the airline said the ongoing industrial standoff with its engineers had prompted a major rescheduling.
One WYD pilgrim emailed PerthNow expressing her frustration at the lengthy delays after her flight, to carry 15 students she was accompanying, was delayed and then cancelled yesterday and again today.
"Hundreds of WYD passengers have been left stranded due to over scheduling, human error and mechanical difficulties," she wrote.
"Our students were basically at the airport for near on 20 hours and were given a $10 meal voucher which barely covered the cost of a drink and hot chips.
"What is concerning is that there are other people there that have been waiting for flights since Thursday - some with small children and some spending the nights asleep on the floor.
"It cost us $100 to feed our children yesterday plus another $30 in parking not to mention the $1,000 loss of accommodation in Sydney."
Qantas flight 580 would not depart until midnight tonight, a spokesman said, after a 12-hour delay.
The other amended flight, QF566, would not take off for Sydney until 8.30am tomorrow after a delay of more than 16 hours.
The spokesman said both flights were Boeing 747 aircraft, which can each carry more than 400 passengers.
"The industrial action by the Australian Licensed Aircraft Engineers Association (ALAEA) continues to affect some Qantas flights in terms of delays and cancellations,'' the spokesman said tonight.
"This has been the case in Perth today.
"Customers affected by the overnight delay have been provided with accommodation and we regret any inconvenience the delays may have caused.''
The spokesman said Qantas did not expect any further flight delays immediately, although he could not rule more delays or cancellations later this week."
