Qantas Delays/Cancellations

[Melburnian1]

An article (sourced from New Zealand) has finally appeared about the travails of the Monday 4 January QF64 (JNB to SYD) that with its replacement ('swapped') aircraft (B744 VH-OJS) departed more than two days late. This was extensively discussed in previous posts above, but the article has added useful detail about what occurred and how other errors such as insufficient economy class meals being loaded compounded the problems.

While it is good that the J passengers had proper meals - they are, after all, paying very high fares per seat kilometre - children in particular would find going without proper meals for 11 hours problematic to say the least. Most adults could 'survive' with snacks and water.

Since OJS arrived in SYD at about 2112 and departed for SFO on Thursday 7 January at about 2245 (a flight that was timetabled to depart at 1500 hours), the alleged problems with airconditioning must not have been too serious.

Qantas flight home like child abuse, say New Zealand couple

Referring above to previous posts will show how SYD - HND passengers were delayed on two flights overnight in SYD due to the QF B744 fleet 'shortage of aircraft.'

Operations are now back to normal as one other B744 that was out of service has returned to the fleet. AFF member Flyerqf was his usual helpful self in advising us of this.

It is surprising that given the multiple disruptions in the past week to the QF B744 fleet that affected passengers numbering in the low thousands, not one Australian 'aviation reporter' (for a mainstream media outlet, not a specialist industry publication) seemed to be aware of this or more importantly wrote an article about it.

It must be easier to fill websites like www.news.com.au and www.dailymail.co.uk (and increasingly www.smh.com.au, but thankfully not www.theaustralian.com.au) with celebrity shenanigans, although in fairness at this time of year many reporters would be on holidays. Some AFF contributors have implied in the past that use of the term 'aviation journalist' in Australia is (to use the modern usage of this term) 'oxymoronic.'

 

[Melburnian1]

QF29 from MEL to HKG, the 1125 hours departure on Saturday 9 January had not departed by 1230. QF19 (SYD - MNL) and QF27 (SYD - SCL) are also at this stage experiencing minor delays of less than half an hour.

 

[JessicaTam]

QF29 from MEL to HKG, the 1125 hours departure on Saturday 9 January had not departed by 1230. QF19 (SYD - MNL) and QF27 (SYD - SCL) are also at this stage experiencing minor delays of less than half an hour.

QF29 is boarding now.
QF35 is also boarding for an expected 1300 departure.

 

[Melburnian1]

The delayed B744-operated QF27 on Saturday 9 January departed SYD at 1342, 52 minutes late with SCL same day arrival estimated at 1215, 55 minutes behind time.

QF29 from MEL to HKG did not end up departing (presumably with JessicaTam on board) until 1322 hours. Arrival is forecast at 1940 hours, 105 minutes late.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Qantas flight home like child abuse, say New Zealand couple

This is a concern.

Qantas is providing us with links to 'Roo Tales' - sharing how wonderful and interesting it is to fly a fifth engine - when in fact passengers on the flight were having a hard time by the sounds of it. It seems somewhat inappropriate to try and divert attention away from what sounds like a poorly managed experience (at least for some of the passengers concerned).

 

[Melburnian1]

MEL_Traveller, it is mysterious that economy class meals were not loaded (or loaded in insufficient quantities.) One would think with a couple of days' notice that the catering contractor (or QF) would be able to get that correct.

There were thousands reading the linked article on www.theage.com.au and www.smh.com.au this afternoon with other outlets such as Yahooi7 and that Australian loss-making spinoff of the UK's Daily Mail basically copying the story. A 'fail' by the QF spin doctors in the end.

 

[Melburnian1]

The Sunday 10 January arriving QF30 ex HKG in MEL is almost an hour late, being expected at about 0855.

QF153, the 0730 MEL to AKL has been delayed from 0730 to 1000 so not a good start to that plane's day. QF440, the mid afternoon 1430 hours MEL to SYD has been cancelled.

The 1050 hours SYD to PVG (QF129) has been delayed in leaving from 1050 to a forecast 1135.

UPDATE: QF129 departed at 1159 and should arrive at 1920 hours, 50 minutes late. The redeye QF130 back to SYD is forecast to be delayed by half an hour to depart from PVG at 2035 tonight.

 

[Melburnian1]

Saturday 9 January's QF9 departed MEL a minute early, arriving DXB on Sunday 10 four minutes late at 0634 so a creditable and routine performance there.

However it has been delayed from departing DXB from the timetabled 0835 to a predicted 1100, with LHR arrival estimated at 1420, 85 minutes late.

The weather in DXB appears to be sunny but these international weather sites are never as detailed as the forecasts that tech crew receive, nor are the readings necessarily taken at the airport.

 

[drross]

QF8434 is going to be late leaving Dubai. Still hasn't boarded

 

[Melburnian1]

QF1434, the 10 January 1630 afternoon flight from SYD to CBR departed at 1745 and operated by Q400 VH-QOU should arrive at about 1840 hours, still 75 minutes late. QF1495, the 1935 ex SYD is forecast to be 35 minutes late in departing.

 

[The Flying Brick]

Not a delay but worth noting QF 112 AKL - PER arrived more than 30 mins early on 10/01/16 - made my Dom connection with plenty of time.
Fantastic J cabin crew made the flight a dream too.
Even got to spend some leisure time browsing the the PER Int duty free!
Well done QF - a few dozen more flights like this may start to undo some of the delays and cancellations over so many years.

 

[Melburnian1]

B744-operated QF95 on Sunday 10 January, the 1500 hours flight, did not depart until 1812. Same day arrival in LAX (ex MEL) should be 165 minutes late at 1310 hours.

QF155 departed 76 minutes late from MEL at 1931 tonight bound for AKL. QF822, the 1915 hours MEL - CBR departed 67 minutes late.

QF2117, the 1715 hours late afternoon from CFS to SYD departed at 2035 with an earlier flight in the day, QF2107 being an hour and a half late. QF2118, the 1900 hours from SYD to CFS was cancelled. Not a star day on this mid north coast route.

 

[Melburnian1]

On Monday 11 January, the first of the morning SYD to CBRs, QF1461 has been cancelled while QF2104, the 0700 morning SYD to CFS is expected to depart half an hour late - possibly related to Sunday's disruption on that route.

QF2450, the 0720 hours from BNE to MOV is cancelled.

 

[Melburnian1]

QF409 on 11 January, the 0700 SYD to MEL did not depart until 0816 and hence is expected to be 75 minutes late into MEL.

QF2002 from SYD to TMW has been delayed departing from 0845 to a forecast 1025, while QF2024 from SYD to nearby ARM is delayed from 1045 to an expected 1120. QF2260 from SYD to LHD is expected to depart 35 minutes late at 1225 in yet another delay for this low profile route.

The long distance QF129 from SYD to PVG is expected to depart this morning at 1140 rather than 1050 hours.

UPDATE: QF23 from SYD to BKK departed 56 minutes late at 1051, arrival being expected 39 minutes behind time at 1614.

QF2260 from SYD to LHD did not depart until 1243, later than forecast above, with arrival likely 57 minutes behind time.

QF475 from MEL to PER departed 38 minutes late at 1143 but arrival is expected to be only 27 minutes late.

QF129 departed SYD at 1243, an hour later than earlier amended and therefore is not due in PVG until 1958 hours this evening, 88 minutes late. The QF codeshare MU562 (the 1200 departure from SYD) is ahead of it so QF passengers could arguably have slept in for an extra hour if originating in SYD today and not fussy about which aircraft to be on. Tonight's QF130 from PVG to SYD is timetabled to leave at 2005 so it will be about 70 minutes late at a minimum, but once again QF has yet to publicly update this, at least on its website.

On Sunday 10 January, B744-operated QF11 'tag flight' departed LAX 47 minutes late at 0927 and did well to arrive at JFK at 1727. While this was 57 minutes late, two earlier AA flights had diverted (and possibly terminated at) to PHL, presumably due to winter weather in New York. The return QF12 departed 74 minutes behind time at 1914 hours and is forecast to be 40 minutes late into LAX at 2145 hours, again a creditable performance given that stablemate AA has some flights as late as four hours on their transcontinental run.

 

[Melburnian1]

In yet another QF B744 long haul delay, QF73 for SFO ex SYD on Monday 11 January has been delayed in departing from 1500 this afternoon to an expected 1900 hours this evening.

 

[awkwardpaws]

In yet another QF B744 long haul delay, QF73 for SFO ex SYD on Monday 11 January has been delayed in departing from 1500 this afternoon to an expected 1900 hours this evening.

Is there a particular reason for this?

Flying on the QF B744 on QF17 SYD-LAX on Wednesday night, so subscribing to this thread to hopefully be aware of any issues ahead of Wednesday!

 

[mannej]

QF8434 is going to be late leaving Dubai. Still hasn't boarded

Isn't that an EK flight so should be in the EK thread?

 

[drross]

Isn't that an EK flight so should be in the EK thread?

sorry. My mistake

 

[Melburnian1]

awkwardpaws, the delayed QF73 appears to be B744 VH-OEJ that came in from HND this morning (11 January 2016) on QF26 and has therefore been in SYD all day.

As you may know, delays can occur for a multitude of reasons. As far as one can see, this is a 'discrete' (separate) delay: there is no obvious connection to a previous flight (unless a serious or time consuming maintenance problem was discovered upon or after arrival today.)

While this is subject to change, at this stage your QF17 on Wednesday 13 January looks to be formed by the arriving QF64 ex JNB, South Africa that is due in at 1540, which is normally sufficient time (fingers crossed) to operate your flight. The good thing (thus far) is that QF63 from SYD to JNB is forecast to only be ten minutes late into JNB tonight.

 

[Flyerqf]

On Sunday 10 January, B744-operated QF11 'tag flight' departed LAX 47 minutes late at 0927 and did well to arrive at JFK at 1727. While this was 57 minutes late, two earlier AA flights had diverted (and possibly terminated at) to PHL, presumably due to winter weather in New York. The return QF12 departed 74 minutes behind time at 1914 hours and is forecast to be 40 minutes late into LAX at 2145 hours, again a creditable performance given that stablemate AA has some flights as late as four hours on their transcontinental run.

388 VH-OQF operating QF12 to SYD has gone tech at LAX. The 744 that normally overnights on Sunday's at LAX (from QF95 Sunday departure that doesn't return to MEL until Monday evening as QF96) has subbed on QF12.

QF18 is delayed until 3am, presumably a follow on effect from the above