Qantas A380 reliability issues creeping up again?

[ShrinkWrapped]

They're saying they're spreading people across the three flights tonight. I don't think they have enough seats

Yes same plane as what was supposed to leave last night - 9 May.

options are really limited for evening of 10/5 departure

96/16/12/18 (apparently there is an 18 tonight according to EF) all zero in J
CX to HKG that departs in the evening also zeroed (the 0030 ish departure)
OW options to TYO all zeroed
NZ to AKL is zeroed
the only option I can see right now is DL to AKL and then across the pond if you wanted J.... it's crazy

of course the qf flights may be zeroed as they expected this to happen...

 

[Jay M]

So latest announcement after deplaning is apparently all of QF12 last night is being transferred to an entirely different a380 leaving in 6 and a half hours. Words of slotting cargo out and back in as-is were used. Do they have spare metal here?

Qf18 is the new flight for last nights refugees

 

[ShrinkWrapped]

So latest announcement after deplaning is apparently all of QF12 last night is being transferred to an entirely different a380 leaving in 6 and a half hours. Words of slotting cargo out and back in as-is were used. Do they have spare metal here?

Qf18 is the new flight for last nights refugees

I guess there would have been a spare?

The 9/5 QF11 (VH-OQD) turned around and operated QF94 yesterday evening

if anything, there is an extra 787-9 lying around. QF17 landed this morning which was a 787-9 (VH-ZNC).

There was the original 380 which sounds bung (VH-OQH) and the QF11/12 today (VH-OQJ). I don't see any spare A380s around on FR24....

 

[Mwenenzi]

Or has someone jumped in a pickup truck and driven to VCV to scrounge some parts.

When it goes bad it can get worse. Problems of

• Wide body aircraft with high utilisation rates. By world airline standards QF have few aircraft
• Having very few of type in service
• An aircraft fault at the end of the long haul route gives little practical options for service recovery. The aircraft has to be fixed at the away destination. Can't fly in a spare aircraft unless cancel another service.
• Airports with curfews (SYD LHR etc), slots and long haul flights (16~24hrs) limit the time they can operate

With Boeing having B787 production issues and 2 off QF A380’s in the graveyard, may be some folks at QF HQ, Coward St, Mascot who now regret the decision to ground 2 off A380.

From LAX-SYD also has DL, UA, AA & FJ. And to BNE & MEL. But many tend to leave about the same time for Australia.

 

[eastwest101]

Or has someone jumped in a pickup truck and driven to VCV to scrounge some parts.

When it goes bad it can get worse. Problems of

• Wide body aircraft with high utilisation rates. By world airline standards QF have few aircraft
• Having very few of type in service
• An aircraft fault at the end of the long haul route gives little practical options for service recovery. The aircraft has to be fixed at the away destination. Can't fly in a spare aircraft unless cancel another service.
• Airports with curfews (SYD LHR etc), slots and long haul flights (16~24hrs) limit the time they can operate

With Boeing having B787 production issues and 2 off QF A380’s in the graveyard, may be some folks at QF HQ, Coward St, Mascot who now regret the decision to ground 2 off A380.

From LAX-SYD also has DL, UA, AA & FJ. And to BNE & MEL. But many tend to leave about the same time for Australia.

Scrapping of A380s = stupid decision
Converting A330s to freight = stupid decision
B787 delivery delays = no surprise to anyone by now
A350 Ultra long range certification delays - good idea but delay entirely foreseeable/predicatble

 

[kangarooflyer88]

Since this is an international flight, Qantas is obligated to put you on the next available flight of any airline including competitors. This is Australian, New Zealand and U.S. consumer law that states this (collectively referred to as Montreal Convention). Specifically article 19 compels them to do this since aircraft maintenance is an item within their control. If for some reason a flight can’t be found that night they must provide meals and hotels. They cannot put a cap on either other than the $10,000 AUD cap imposed by the convention on damages stemming from delays.

-RooFlyer88

 

[jb747]

Any sensible airline would have already had a bunch of 350s in service. Sadly there was zero forward planning over the last decade and a bit.

 

[jase05]

Converting A330s to freight = stupid decision

Disagree here. Only 2 have been converted and they were needed for other arms of the business. Believe it or not Qantas operates more than just passenger services and freight is a very lucrative and necessary part of the business that has been let to rot for too long. I will say though it’s poor planning that got it to this point though and typical QF leaving things to the last minute

 

[aus_flyer]

Would it be out of the question for Qantas to look to acquire a couple of A380s?

 

[Spacetravel]

Would it be out of the question for Qantas to look to acquire a couple of A380s?

I assume so, even just for optics. It would look mighty silly if they acquired extra a380s after just scrapping 2 perfectly good ones. Also it wouldn’t be without significant investment, they would likely have to refit the cabin and paint the aircraft which would have to wait in line behind their other a380s being refurbed / heavy maintenance.

Obviously the needs of the business would trump optics but Qantas already have plans to phase out the a380 fleet so acquiring more wouldn’t align with their future plans.

Once all available aircraft return there “should” be enough capacity to not have the network run so tightly. Baring some unexpected large growth in demand.

 

[Spacetravel]

I guess there would have been a spare?

The 9/5 QF11 (VH-OQD) turned around and operated QF94 yesterday evening

if anything, there is an extra 787-9 lying around. QF17 landed this morning which was a 787-9 (VH-ZNC).

There was the original 380 which sounds bung (VH-OQH) and the QF11/12 today (VH-OQJ). I don't see any spare A380s around on FR24....

QF12 10/05 service has been cancelled and they are running it as QF18 instead. Which appears to be VH-OQJ, I can't see any others anywhere near LAX now.

Why would they cancel QF12 and run exactly the same service with same departure time as QF18? Would it be to not allow any sales on it? I can't imagine it's something QF would want to do as it would trigger the variety of cancellation benefits for all the PAX booked on QF12 even if they could be re accommodated on QF18.

Or maybe they would want to so then PAX can claim travel insurance? Who knows.

 

[Jay M]

QF12 10/05 service has been cancelled and they are running it as QF18 instead. Which appears to be VH-OQJ, I can't see any others anywhere near LAX now.

Why would they cancel QF12 and run exactly the same service with same departure time as QF18? Would it be to not allow any sales on it? I can't imagine it's something QF would want to do as it would trigger the variety of cancellation benefits for all the PAX booked on QF12 even if they could be re accommodated on QF18.

Or maybe they would want to so then PAX can claim travel insurance? Who knows.

This explains the big line of people at the F lounge desk now...

Maybe they've taken the aircraft for QF12 tonight, and given it to the delayed people (including me) from last night's cancelled Qf12 which is now Qf18.

Bet they thought they could fix the plane and run both. They couldn't, and now they've messed up tonight's scheduled QF12 flight too.

 

[DC3]

Enjoy the journey and don’t stress over things that we can’t control?

 

[Franky]

Enjoy the journey and don’t stress over things that we can’t control?

Yeah - right...

 

[airlinemn]

QF11 cancelled today. Flow on effects I guess

 

[RichardMEL]

Enjoy the journey and don’t stress over things that we can’t control?

... and try to find your magic place?

 

[Cloud9]

... and try to find your magic place?

No magic place video on 771. Waiting to see if we get one on 9

 

[RooFlyer]

Enjoy the journey and don’t stress over things that we can’t control?

Yeah. "Cancellation" means no journey - you know?

 

[thepumpkin]

The change in schedule seemed to have left no wiggling room for mechanical issues.
I am on QF 12 in a couple of weeks - shall see what happens...

 

[DC3]

The change in schedule seemed to have left no wiggling room for mechanical issues.
I am on QF 12 in a couple of weeks - shall see what happens...

And thepumpkin, you might want to keep away from the anti-pumpkin types in your travels. They are out there

I literally don’t know a single person who likes pumpkin, unless hollowed out for Halloween