Qantas Delays/Cancellations

[Melburnian1]

QF23 from SYD to BKK, the 0955 on Thursday 17 December was delayed due to the late arriving QF20 ex MNL which in turn had departed SYD significantly late (as above) due to Wednesday's Sydney storms. Departure of QF23 today was at 1102, 67 minutes late but it is forecast that the flight will arrive only 30 minutes behind time at 1605 hours, in an hour or so given the four hour time difference at this time of year.

Recently introduced QF117 departed SYD 61 minutes late at 1416 and will still be 50 minutes late into HKG at 2030. QF81, the 1115 to SIN ex SYD departed 76 minutes behind time at 1231 and should be in the 'Lion City' at 1730, an even hour late.

I posed the question yesterday as to whether another newbie, the seasonal QF75 from SYD to YVR would be delayed. The answer is in the affirmative with its 1905 timetabled departure pushed back to an estimated 2000 with arrival in Canada at 1435 rather than 1400 hours.

The A388-operated QF7 was a surprise late departure today: instead of 1505, it departed at 1654 with arrival now estimated at 1423 instead of 1335, a gain of 61 minutes on the gate-to-gate schedule if it transpires. Nonetheless some passengers may miss any tighter connections. QF149 tonight for AKL has similarly been delayed for an estimated 40 minutes with the new departure time being 1915 hours.

Trans-Tasman QF143 and QF145 were 52 and 48 minutes late today departing from SYD for AKL at 1052 and 1318 respectively. AT 59 and 50 minutes late arriving, neither made up any time.

With the reintroduced Sydney - San Francisco flights commencing tomorrow (Friday 18 December) if I recall and having a departure time of 1500 hours and description of QF73, no doubt QF will do its best to ensure a punctual off blocks. Given the good reputation of SFO compared to LAX as far as airports go, these flights (if competitively priced against the USA carriers and other - sometimes one stop - ways of getting there) may well be very popular although given the fall in the A$ quite a deal of the 'traffic' may now originate in the United States.

 

[Melburnian1]

The 2230 hours QF12 on Wednesday 16 December departed LAX at 0200 on Thursday meaning a forecast SYD Friday 18 December arrival of 1140 rather than 0830 hours. QF18, the B744 2335 timetabled departure left at 0307 on Thursday for a similarly late 1210 hours Friday arrival instead of 0915 hours.

Earlier, the B744 on the QF12 'tag flight' from JFK to LAX had departed three hours and 29 minutes late and lost a further 11 minutes en route to LAX for an 0045 hours Thursday arrival. QF16, the oneards flight from LAX to BNE departed at 0140 on Thursday (140 minutes behind time) and should be in BNE on Friday 18 December at 0910 instead of 0715 hours. This may slightly delay the return QF flight back to LAX.

The Wednesday QF94 from LAX to MEL departed 49 minutes late but on Friday morning is expected in only 10 minutes down, but the B744-operated QF96 departed LAX was also two hours 20 minutes late in departing at 0155 hours on Thursday and hence will not be in MEL until 1146 on Friday, an hour and 46 minutes late.

 

[Melburnian1]

The Thursday 17 December QF2 from LHR arrived DXB three minutes early at 0732 on Friday 18 but then did not depart until 1121, an hour and 46 minutes late so arrival in Sydney on Saturday 19 is at 0805 not 0630.

QF12 on Thursday departed JFK two hours and 21 minutes late at 2021, arriving LAX at 2240, an hour and 35 late. All the American Airlines flights on the QF website have 'cancelled' beside them. With a quick Internet check, I could not see any reason, as severe weather (snow) is predicted for Friday but not Thursday. Is there a strike?

QF12 will be 75 minutes late into SYD on Saturday 19 December; QF16 is an expected hour and 40 minutes late at 0855 Saturday into BNE while QF18 into SYD is shown as 42 minutes late at 0957. Down south, QF94 is running 35 minutes behind time.

 

[Melburnian1]

On Saturday 19 December, the 1115 SYD to SIN (QF81) did not depart until 1234 but will pick up some time en route to the Lion City where it should pull up at 1726, 56 minutes behind time.

The A388-operated QF11 from SYD to LAX did not depart until 1318, an hour and 48 minutes late, with arrival forecast at 0755, 90 minutes late. The B744 evening flight on the same route has been delayed in departing tonight from 1825 to 1940, meaning it will arrive in LAX at 1355 hours, 50 minutes late.

The 1220 19 December QF35 departed more than an hour behind time ex MEL at 1341 for SIN, with arrival suggested as 1822, 57 minutes late. There is also a 'Christmas extra' QF37 running ex MEL to SIN tonight, with scheduled departure of 1755 hours. QF29 from MEL to HKG departed at 1211 instead of 1125 but arrival is predicted at only 17 minutes late at 1812 hours.

QF93 from MEL to LAX departed 80 minutes late on Saturday 19 December with arrival likely at 0555, 40 minutes early on the schedule's 0635. This means a claimed two hour gain on the schedule. That is a lot but I assume that the QF website is pretty accurate with these times, so one cannot rule it out.

The Friday 18 December QF28 departed SCL at 1512, mid afternoon, instead of 1335 and is hence to arrive in SYD at 1905 on Saturday 20 December rather than the timetabled 1745 hours.

UPDATE: QF17 departed an hour and 50 minutes late at 2015 on 19 December and should be in LAX at 1400, 55 minutes late.

QF10 on Friday did not depart LHR until 1352, an hour and 47 late - most unusual - and lost further time 'overstaying' its 'welcome' in DXB, eventually arriving MEL on Saturday at 2311 instead of 2120 hours. QF9 is expected to have an extremely close to minimum turnaround and to be off blocks at 0100 hours on Sunday 20 December with arrival in DXB predicted as 90 minutes behind time, although sometimes a flight can better this.

 

[Melburnian1]

QF63 from SYD to JNB on Sunday 20 December departed 42 minutes late at 1217 and should arrive 40 minutes late at 1715.

QF35 from MEL to SIN (A332 VH-EBS) is the 1220 hours flight but on Sunday 20 December it did not take off until 1345. QF predicts arrival at 1825, an hour late, but FR24 disagrees, suggesting 1748. Of the two, I suspect that QF is the more accurate.

QF769 is the 1305 hours MEL to PER and surprisingly a refurbished A333, VH-QPB. It did not take off until 1419 this afternoon and is forecast to arrive 54 minutes late at 1504. While no one doubts that the plane will be full or extremely close to it, I would have thought that the first priority (and one that may offer a higher yield) for these flat bed A333s should be the Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane routes to southeast and northeast Asia, although as some AFFers always remind us, there can be many factors such as how many more kilometres a plane has to operate before requiring scheduled maintenance.

B744 VH-OEG on the 1250 QF27 from SYD to SCL has been delayed an anticipated two hours for a revised 1450 hours departure. While a bit early to be exact, QF suggests that it will arrive an hour late, so at this stage QF28 on Sunday 28 back from SCL should be able to depart on time (fingers crossed).

The 1125 SYD to HKG is presently an A388 to cope with the holiday masses. On Sunday 20, it departed SYD at 1245 but is forecast to only be 27 minutes late into HKG at 1812. VH-OQH is undertaking the task.

 

[Melburnian1]

QF28 ex SCL - a very long haul flight - is not expected into SYD until 1830, 45 minutes late.

QF28 is forming QF73 on Sunday 20 December that has been delayed from its usual 1500 hours departure to an expected 2015 tonight. One assumes that because QF28 is timetabled into SYD after QF73 is meant to depart, a substitution has occurred. Perhaps it shows the pressure that the QF long haul fleet is under as school holidays and pre-Christmas travel coincide. It would not be the only airline facing such challenges,

This means likely QF73's SFO arrival at 1420 instead of 0915 but should that occur, the return late evening flight ex SFO should not be delayed as there is significant turnaround time in SFO.

The Sunday QF64 arrival into SYD (ex JNB Saturday 19), QF64 is running an hour and 37 minutes late and should have arrived at the gate 15 minutes ago at 1717.

 

[Flyerqf]

QF63 from SYD to JNB on Sunday 20 December departed 42 minutes late at 1217 and should arrive 40 minutes late at 1715.

QF35 from MEL to SIN (A332 VH-EBS) is the 1220 hours flight but on Sunday 20 December it did not take off until 1345. QF predicts arrival at 1825, an hour late, but FR24 disagrees, suggesting 1748. Of the two, I suspect that QF is the more accurate.

QF769 is the 1305 hours MEL to PER and surprisingly a refurbished A333, VH-QPB. It did not take off until 1419 this afternoon and is forecast to arrive 54 minutes late at 1504. While no one doubts that the plane will be full or extremely close to it, I would have thought that the first priority (and one that may offer a higher yield) for these flat bed A333s should be the Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane routes to southeast and northeast Asia, although as some AFFers always remind us, there can be many factors such as how many more kilometres a plane has to operate before requiring scheduled maintenance.

B744 VH-OEG on the 1250 QF27 from SYD to SCL has been delayed an anticipated two hours for a revised 1450 hours departure. While a bit early to be exact, QF suggests that it will arrive an hour late, so at this stage QF28 on Sunday 28 back from SCL should be able to depart on time (fingers crossed).

The 1125 SYD to HKG is presently an A388 to cope with the holiday masses. On Sunday 20, it departed SYD at 1245 but is forecast to only be 27 minutes late into HKG at 1812. VH-OQH is undertaking the task.

QPB operated the extra MEL to SIN QF37 yesterday and is just making a bit of a detour via Perth on its way back to Sydney.

However keep an eye on it, due to the inbound delay QF566 is due in at 10.59pm. Given its an operational issue, dispensation wouldn't be given for a landing after curfew, so there could be a diversion.

 

[Flyerqf]

QF28 ex SCL - a very long haul flight - is not expected into SYD until 1830, 45 minutes late.

QF28 is forming QF73 on Sunday 20 December that has been delayed from its usual 1500 hours departure to an expected 2015 tonight. One assumes that because QF28 is timetabled into SYD after QF73 is meant to depart, a substitution has occurred. Perhaps it shows the pressure that the QF long haul fleet is under as school holidays and pre-Christmas travel coincide. It would not be the only airline facing such challenges,

This means likely QF73's SFO arrival at 1420 instead of 0915 but should that occur, the return late evening flight ex SFO should not be delayed as there is significant turnaround time in SFO.

The Sunday QF64 arrival into SYD (ex JNB Saturday 19), QF64 is running an hour and 37 minutes late and should have arrived at the gate 15 minutes ago at 1717.

OJM was scheduled to operate QF73 but has been on the ground in SYD all day and is now scheduled to operate QF25.

 

[Melburnian1]

Thank you Flyerqf. Flightradar24.com - Live flight tracker! has now amended the SYD arrival to 2254 not 2259, so if that is true then QF566 has a little more margin.

The Saturday 19 December A388-operated QF12 departed LAX two hours late at 0030 on Sunday morning so it will arrive in SYD on Monday 21 December at 0940, 70 minutes late. The following B744-operated QF18 is an expected 25 minutes late after having departed from LAX 63 minutes behind time.

QF94 on Saturday evening (LAX - MEL) departed an hour and 40 minutes late at 2355 so on Monday will arrive MEL an hour late at 1005, of necessity delaying the returning to USA QF93.

The B744 running QF16 from LAX to BNE on Saturday evening departed 125 minutes late with Monday morning arrival (AEST) being at 0830 rather than the timetabled 0715.

The QF website is again showing all AA codeshare flights ex LAX as 'cancelled' on Sunday 20 December (but the QF own metal ones are not shown as 'cancelled.' Is this a 'bug' in the website's computer program or is there some problem with AA domestically in the USA?

UPDATE: QF566 ex PER landed in SYD at about 2257 - phew!

 

[Melburnian1]

QF93 from MEL to LAX departed 68 minutes late on Monday 21 December at 1228 with arrival suggested at 0720, 45 minutes behind time.

The late afternoon SYD to SIN flight (QF5) is expected to be delayed in departing from 1715 to 1825 with arrival an hour behind schedule.

VH-EBE on the 1400 hours SYD - CGK (QF41) took off on Monday 21 December at 1641 with it likely to be chocks on at 1930 instead of the timetabled 1735 hours. QF suggests that QF42 will depart from Jakarta at 2100 hours tonight, an hour and 55 minutes late with SYD arrival on 22 December at 0750, an hour and 40 late.

QF7, the SYD - DFW flight did not depart this afternoon until 1658, an hour and 53 late with same day arrival estimated at 1445, 70 minutes late and a gain on the point to point schedule of 43 minutes on the timetable if the prediction proves accurate.

QF127 this afternoon (A388 VH-OQJ) did not depart SYD until 1236, 71 minutes late but arrival in HKG should be just 25 minutes late at 1810 hours, augering well for the punctuality of the redeye to SYD.

QF28 this afternoon (and evening) is again late into SYD ex SCL with arrival expected at 2014, two hours and 40 minutes tardy, with VH-OEG, the usual B744 providing the 'motive power.' It is then off for an excursion on QF25 to HND, the 2130 hours departure ex SYD rescheduled to 2200 hours tonight. This flight often makes up heaps of time on the timetable so even with a late departure like this it may be in Japan before the advertised Tuesday 22 December 'early bright and shine' 0530 arrival.

An hour and 35 minutes suggested turnaround time in SYD tonight (between QF28 and QF25) must be very, very close to the best effort that is realistically achievable. Surely both these flights would be very full given the time of year.

The days before Christmas are busy with the relatively tight QF rosters not 'helping' punctuality.

 

[Melburnian1]

The Tuesday 22 December QF81 departed SYD 85 minutes late at 1240 and is forecast to arrive at 1745, still 75 minutes late.

QF17 from SYD to LAX, a B744 flight not an A388 one has been altered to depart this evening at 2010 not 1825 hours and is expected to arrive 55 minutes late at 1400 which means quite a lot of time will be recovered across the Pacific. QF149 from SYD to AKL is shown as delayed from 1835 to 1930 in its departure, the latter being five minutes ago.

 

[jb747]

QF12 on Thursday departed JFK two hours and 21 minutes late at 2021, arriving LAX at 2240, an hour and 35 late. All the American Airlines flights on the QF website have 'cancelled' beside them. With a quick Internet check, I could not see any reason, as severe weather (snow) is predicted for Friday but not Thursday. Is there a strike?

You don't need nasty weather to be at an airport for it to be brought to a halt. Bad weather over Germany can stop departures from London. Exactly the same thing happens over the USA. TS near the departure tracks for the Atlantic (nowhere near JFK) will stop those aircraft departing JFK, and as there's generally no way to 'pass' aircraft once taxiing (at JFK anyway), that brings the whole thing to a stop.

Limiting crosswinds, rain, low vis, fog. All have happened there in the last few days, so we have no need of snow. Or strikes.

 

[Melburnian1]

Thank you jb747.

QF93 (A388 VH-OQH), the 1120 MEL to LAX on 23 December took off at 1246. QF suggests that it will arrive at 0713 (same day), 38 late although Flightradar24.com - Live flight tracker! claims an 0650 hours arrival. It often appears that the FR24 arrival times are adjusted once an aircraft reaches cruising level. Of the two, one might expect the QF suggested time to be the more accurate.

QF19 from SYD to MNL, a flight that has run late on two or three occasions in December, has been altered to depart at 1335 not the timetabled 1225. Based on past performance, this run will fail to make up any time enroute so QF20, the 1900 hours evening redeye back to Oz will be late this evening: departure after 1930 is highly likely. QF does however suggest that QF19 will arrive at 1800 hours: not impossible, but unlikely if observing recent history. Time will tell.\

QF431 from SYD down to MEL has been delayed from 1200 to a forecast 1305 hours departure. QF440, the 1430 hours MEL to SYD is expected to be half an hour late departing as a result.

 

[jb747]

QF93 (A388 VH-OQH), the 1120 MEL to LAX on 23 December took off at 1246. QF suggests that it will arrive at 0713 (same day), 38 late although Flightradar24.com - Live flight tracker! claims an 0650 hours arrival. It often appears that the FR24 arrival times are adjusted once an aircraft reaches cruising level. Of the two, one might expect the QF suggested time to be the more accurate.

You're mixed two types of times together. QF arrival and departure times are based upon times at the gate. On departure, it's brakes release for the push back, and on arrival, it's the time the first door is opened. FR24 are only dealing with airborne and landing times. I very much doubt that FR24 have any access to the current estimates. The QF times are based on ACARs data.

 

[Melburnian1]

Most unusually, QF1 - which has a very good to excellent punctuality record at least ex SYD - departed Australia's premiere harbour city at 2022 this evening (Wednesday 23 December), three hours and 37 minutes late with DXB arrival and departure estimated at 031`8 and 0450 respectively, the latter two hours and 28 minutes late if it comes to pass. QF suggests that LHR arrival will be at 0825 hours on Thursday 24 December, an hour and a half behind the scheduled arrival. QF added extra time to its northern hemisphere LHR timetables compared with the previous northern hemisphere summer timetables.

The delayed QF20 remains at its terminal in MNL, more than an hour and 10 minutes post its scheduled 1900 hours departure time. Aircraft is VH-QPF, an A333.

QF94 from LAX on Tuesday 22 December departed 48 minutes late and on Christmas Eve is expected 55 minutes late at the MEL gate at 1000.

 

[Melburnian1]

This appears to relate to the Wednesday 23 December 2015 QF2474, the 0645 hours flight from TSV to Cloncurry:

Plane encounters landing gear issue at Townsville

If this was a Q400, note the poor occupancy rate: 31 seats of 74 occupied. At the huge fares often charged for such country routes, this is hardly surprising. A one way fare in a week or so on the route is A$537!

 

[Melburnian1]

The B744-operated QF95 on Wednesday 23 December departed MEL 87 minutes late at 1627, arriving LAX at 1122, 57 minutes late.

Thursday 24 December's QF93 has been delayed in its departure by a projected 45 minutes to 1205 hours due to the late arrival this morning of QF94. (UPDATE: It ended up leaving at 1235 for an 0716 same day predicted arrival, 41 minutes late).

QF11 from SYD to LAX departed 1340 minutes late at 1340 with arrival forecast at 0750, 85 minutes tardy.

QF63 from SYD to JNB, the 1135 on Thursday 24 December took off at 1424 (B744 VH-OEB) and is expected to arrive around 1840, a tad more than two hours late.

QF440, the 1430 MEL to SYD did not depart until 1540 with likely arrival at 1700 instead of 1555.

 

[Melburnian1]

QF1 on 24 December, the 1645 to DXB and LHR took off at 1755 and should arrive at about 0145 on Christmas Day rather than 0050 hours as scheduled. VH-OQD is doing the honours. It is unusual for this flight to be late twice in a week as of late it has been pretty punctual, more so than QF9 its MEL to UAE and UK colleague.

 

[Melburnian1]

The early morning Christmas Day QF2077 flight from MQL to MEL has been cancelled. QF2078 back to MQL is delayed from 0825 to 1100 in departing as a result but nothing else is showing as 'cancelled' so it is unclear how QF rustles up a spare aircraft.

QF11 from LAX to JFK on Christmas Eve departed two hours and 10 minutes late at 1030, arriving at 1803, an hour and 33 late. The return B744 operating QF12 departed JFK at 1944, an hour and 44 minutes late, with LAX arrival estimated at 2235, an hour and a half late.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

The early morning Christmas Day QF2077 flight from MQL to MEL has been cancelled. QF2078 back to MQL is delayed from 0825 to 1100 in departing as a result but nothing else is showing as 'cancelled' so it is unclear how QF rustles up a spare aircraft.

Facebook seems to suggest lots of problems with Mildura. Weather? Apparently the flight on the 24th was cancelled, passengers not accommodated until 7pm Christmas day. Others reporting 2.5 hour delays. Qantas says they appreciate delays can be frustrating but hope the on board experience will make up for it.