Qantas/Australia Post jet stuck at HBA?

[RooFlyer]

This Qantas/Australia Post freighter has been parked on the active apron of Hobart Airport for weeks, probably more than a month.



Anyone has a guess what might be going on? I mean a freighter parked at the passenger apron and why leave it there for weeks and weeks?

 

[dylarr]

Looking at the tail number in that photo - that aircraft has flown most days over the last month. You're not just seeing a different aircraft scheduled to use that bay each time you're there?

 

[RooFlyer]

Looking at the tail number in that photo - that aircraft has flown most days over the last month. You're not just seeing a different aircraft scheduled to use that bay each time you're there?

Could be, I guess. But it’s parked at exactly the same bay with no ramps or anything seen attending it and like I said, why would they use a passenger apron for a freighter? Every time? Freighters normally park around the terminal corner at Hobart Airport which is set up for logistics.

 

[Rabs97]

Could be, I guess. But it’s parked at exactly the same bay with no ramps or anything seen attending it and like I said, why would they use a passenger apron for a freighter? Every time? Freighters normally park around the terminal corner at Hobart Airport we are at set up for logistics.

View attachment 411963

The A321P2F is too big to park on the freight apron at HB, it can only park on the passenger apron.

That rego (VH-XF5) has flown multiple times this month including MEL-LST-HBA last night as per flight radar.

 

[RooFlyer]

Fair enough, @Rabs97 thanks. Just coincidence that it’s been parked there every time I’ve flown out of Hobart over six weeks ( not being facetious).

 

[drron]

The A321P2F is too big to park on the freight apron at HB, it can only park on the passenger apron.

That rego (VH-XF5) has flown multiple times this month including MEL-LST-HBA last night as per flight radar.

When I worked anywhere away from home i would usually retire at about 1am. I stayed in Launceston a lot and so got used to the QF freighter going over most nights.
So @RooFlyer if you stayed in the HBA terminal overnight you could watch it coming and going.

 

[justinbrett]

So I guess “stuck” could be removed from the thread title, or a question mark added.

 

[RooFlyer]

stayed in the HBA terminal overnight you could watch it

Oh, yeah. Like I love Hobart Airport terminal so much I want to stay some extra time there.

I guess I could edit the thread title.

 

[jase05]

This Qantas/Australia Post freighter has been parked on the active apron of Hobart Airport for weeks, probably more than a month.

View attachment 411962

Anyone has a guess what might be going on? I mean a freighter parked at the passenger apron and why leave it there for weeks and weeks?

That’s one of our freighters and flys regularly. It would also be different aircraft you are seeing too as they get rotated around.
Definitely not stuck otherwise my life would be a nightmare currently

 

[RooFlyer]

That’s one of our freighters and flys regularly. It would also be different aircraft you are seeing too as they get rotated around.
Definitely not stuck otherwise my life would be a nightmare currently

Thanks. Could you indulge me some more ...

* Is this something new, or at least the timings? Never saw it there before (and its hard to miss) until about 6-8 weeks ago, from imperfect memory. I usually take a flight out c10am

* I've never seen any activity around the plane - certainly not today when I looked closely (which is why I thought it might be stuck there). Wouldn't they be trying to turn it around ASAP? EDIT: I see it typically arrives ~5:00 and departs ~ 20:00 Seems wasteful.

* Are they really parking at one of the prime passenger apron spots all day? HBA can get congested easily in the busy times, if a flight is late departing. Really can't park it around the corner in the freight area?

 

[Harrison_133]

* I've never seen any activity around the plane - certainly not today when I looked closely (which is why I thought it might be stuck there). Wouldn't they be trying to turn it around ASAP?

They typically fly at night, so it's not unusual for the QF Freight aircraft to sit around all day. The 733s certainly did so in HBA, but they were hidden around on the freight apron. The A321F scheduling is no different.

* Are they really parking at one of the prime passenger apron spots? HBA can get congested easily in the busy times, if a flight is late departing. Really can't park it around the corner in the freight area?

They don't have a choice. The A321 is too big for the freight apron. Same goes for LST, they use the RPT apron there too.

 

[jase05]

Thanks. Could you indulge me some more ...

* Is this something new, or at least the timings? Never saw it there before (and its hard to miss) until about 6-8 weeks ago, from imperfect memory. I usually take a flight out c10am

* I've never seen any activity around the plane - certainly not today when I looked closely (which is why I thought it might be stuck there). Wouldn't they be trying to turn it around ASAP? EDIT: I see it typically arrives ~5:00 and departs ~ 20:00 Seems wasteful.

* Are they really parking at one of the prime passenger apron spots all day? HBA can get congested easily in the busy times, if a flight is late departing. Really can't park it around the corner in the freight area?

Not really new timings as such but as more aircraft are introduced to the system the fleet utilisation changes. The A321’s were mainly confined to LST in Tassie but due to a number of reasons such as aircraft capacity and availability they now service HBA more frequently and will continue to do so.
You are correct in that most of the freighters lay dormant during the day, they bring the freight in early morning and then sit around all day until they do the reverse in the evening. During the day for Next flight parcels, special services, HSI’s etc the pax flights are used. Lastly yes their is no room to park them in the freight area and who knows when that will be resolved these aircraft will be used going forward so something needs to be done.

 

[drron]

Yep Tasmanians don't work at night

 

[RooFlyer]

Work?

Let me check my cruise schedule if I can find such a thing there.

 

[RooFlyer]

@jase05 the plane is labelled Australia Post but I guess it carries more than AP consignments? There can’t possibly be that much Mail from Southern Tasmania for mainland ports every day.

 

[NM]

And I was thinking maybe the reason it is parked at a regular passenger gate is make it easier to load the self-loading freight for the flight???

 

[jase05]

@jase05 the plane is labelled Australia Post but I guess it carries more than AP consignments? There can’t possibly be that much Mail from Southern Tasmania for mainland ports every day.

Australia Post Group which consists of StarTrack and other arms of the business.
Will be a mix of Australia Post parcels such as Express Post and StarTrack Premium freight. Inbound to Tassie is a lot bigger than outbound that’s for sure.
Other freight companies such as DHL, FedEx etc will often pay for space too if they don’t have their own aircraft in that neck of the woods

 

[RooFlyer]

StarTrack and other arms of the business.

Goodness, does anyone actually use Star Track? May God have mercy on their soul ( and delivery times).

 

[jase05]

Goodness, does anyone actually use Star Track? May God have mercy on their soul ( and delivery times).

Various arms of StarTrack and yes there are some big differences in on time performance between them. StarTrack Premium though which is predominantly air freight has very good OTP figures and for volume of freight moved anround domestically absolutely dwarves the other companies.

 

[DejaBrew]

Goodness, does anyone actually use Star Track? May God have mercy on their soul ( and delivery times).

Come on now.... Star Track is phenomenal in all its guises after you've tried suffered Aramex