Qantas Delays/Cancellations

[Melburnian1]

Thank you gents for those explanations.

As a result of the QF9 unexpected diversion (which is now even further all over the media including television), QF11 departed SYD at 1329 this aternoon (Tuesday 5 April) instead of the normal (at this time of year 0950 hours with same day LAX arrival predicted for 0955, three hours and 25 minutes late. This should not effect QF94 back to MEL on Tuesday late evening.

Meanwhile the delayed QF9 ex SYD should arrive DXB at 1715 instead of 1705 with forecast departure at 1845 for a LH arrival at 2330 UTC on Tuesday evening, nine hours and 15 minutes late.

The 1305 hours QF10 (LHR to DXB and MEL) on Tuesday 5 April has been cancelled.

The 2130 hours evening Tuesday 5 April's QF2 from LHR has been altered to depart at 0630 hours on Wednesday with the stop at DXB altered to 1630 to 1800 hours with a SYD arrival on Thursday 7 April at 1345 in the early afternoon, eight hours and 35 minutes behind the schedule.

No other longhaul flights are publicly displaying as delayed, but perhaps QF127/QF128 (SYD - HKG and return) may again have an equipment change from A388 to B744 should QF consider this necessary.

 

[Quickstatus]

QF7 is not operating today 5/4 nor is QF8. Is this a timetabled normality or gone tech due to OQJ broken leg?

 

[Melburnian1]

As far as know, Quickstatus, QF7 and QF8 opeate daily except Tuesdays but from 28 April 2016 this becomes daily:

Dallas/Fort Worth DFW to Sydney, Australia with Qantas

Qantas to go daily to Dallas/Fort Worth with A380s | Australian Aviation

 

[Quickstatus]

As far as know, Quickstatus, QF7 and QF8 opeate daioly except Tuesdays but from 28 April 2016 this becomes daily:

Dallas/Fort Worth DFW to Sydney, Australia with Qantas

Qantas to go daily to Dallas/Fort Worth with A380s | Australian Aviation

Lucky for Qf9 then as there may have been a spare Bus or two sitting in SYD when it went tech.

 

[Melburnian1]

Agreed, Quickstatus: while thre is never a 'good' day for an aircraft to become defective, for both domestic and international flights Tuesday (including QFi) is reputedly the quietest weekday. This differs to surface modes (car, train, tram, bus and ferry) domestically where Tuesdays to Thursdays can be busier than Mondays and (depending on sport and special events) Fridays.

 

[Melburnian1]

An updated News Ltd media report suggests that the QF9 that diverted from MEL to SYD and is now winging its way to DXB had (and has) 410 passengers on board. This is a creditable, though not outstanding, load factor of 83 per cent (although 'good' yield per seat not just posteriors on seats is what airline shareholders and accountants desire.)

On Tuesday 5 April QF29 (1020 hours MEL - HKG) departed at 1108; arrival is forecast as 33 minutes late at 1833 early evening HKG time.

Wednesday 6 April sees QF508 (0805 hours SYD - BNE) cancelled.

 

[Flyerqf]

The aircraft that departed as QF1 yesterday (same day as QF9 diversion) that would usually turnaround and operate the QF10 to MEL has obviously gone tech too.
The aircraft is on the ground at LHR with QF10 cancelled.

The delayed QF9 ex MEL via SYD will be delayed overnight after an 11.30pm arrival and turnaround to operate a delayed QF2.

Wonder how they are planning to get the 388 to MEL in time for tomorrow nights QF9.

 

[katiebell]

QF is suggesting that the delayed QF9 will depart from SYD at 0900 on Tuesday 5 April - a very quick passenger stop given this most unusual diversion - and then pause in DXB from 1650 to 1820, arriving LHR at 2325 on Tuesday instead of the timetabled 1415 hours, so if that is correct the airline may not be doing what Quickstatus neatly describes as the DXB 'U turn' contingency plan option.

I pity the poor pax in whY…

 

[Melburnian1]

The aircraft that departed as QF1 yesterday (same day as QF9 diversion) that would usually turnaround and operate the QF10 to MEL has obviously gone tech too.
The aircraft is on the ground at LHR with QF10 cancelled.

The delayed QF9 ex MEL via SYD will be delayed overnight after an 11.30pm arrival and turnaround to operate a delayed QF2.

Wonder how they are planning to get the 388 to MEL in time for tomorrow nights QF9.

Flyerqf, I still cannot see any further QF flight publicly displaying as delayed other than the ones highlighted above in previous posts on this thread. If what you suggest is correct, then that seems illogical as QF requires for its timetables 11 of its 12 A388s most days of the week.

Sometimes the QF website may not be updated for some hours after 'situations' occur.

Perhaps one of our esteemed industry contributors can give us a few clues.

 

[jb747]

The aircraft is being operated as a charter using the #6052. Displaces the 2 for the day.

 

[katiebell]

If I understand the previous expert posts correctly QF9 could have been below max landing weight in well under the 7+ hours it was in the air. If this is correct, are there any reasons for spending the night in a holding pattern other than not breaching the SYD curfew?

 

[Flyerqf]

The aircraft is being operated as a charter using the #6052. Displaces the 2 for the day.

why then a cancelled QF10 at the last minute?

 

[Quickstatus]

I pity the poor pax in whY…

Yes unfortunately "Steerage" passengers will have extended their non shower status by at least 10-11 hours.

While their upmarket counterparts get Dinner in MEL lounge, exceptional cabin service, a lie flat sleep, breakfast in SYD with a shower with fluffy towels and maybe a spa. Rinse and repeat!!

Delayed or Cancelled?. Meh! Pour me another Pol Roger please! Would be the refrain for those with F lounge access. J similar

The aircraft is being operated as a charter using the #6052. Displaces the 2 for the day.

Melburnian1 - an occasional factor to consider when a flight disappears by changing its callsign to a ??Exclusive Brethren?? Charter. Previous charters suggest that a QF12 may soon change its callsign and return flights as well.

 

[katiebell]

Yes unfortunately "Steerage" passengers will have extended their non shower status by at least 10-11 hours.

While their upmarket counterparts get Dinner in MEL lounge, exceptional cabin service, a lie flat sleep, breakfast in SYD with a shower with fluffy towels and maybe a spa. Rinse and repeat!!

Delayed or Cancelled?. Meh! Pour me another Pol Roger please! Would be the refrain for those with F lounge access. J similar

I still remember the distant days of whY and am always appreciative of being able to access the Flounge & J or F cabins. I never take these luxuries for granted. I agree the value increases greatly when there are delays and other disruptions.

 

[Melburnian1]

The much delayed, diverted and discussed by Australian media Monday evening ex MEL QF9 spent an hour and 56 minutes at DXB, only four minutes less than the allotted and is forecast to arrive LHR at 0000 on Tuesday night (0900 AEST.) This should conclude a marathon 34 hour trip that for those booked in whY class, the majority of passengers, may mean almost 40 hours without a shower. Some Australians might suggest that this was a case of 'behaving in Rome as the Romans' given the reputation, fair or not, of a certain island's residents' propensity to infrequently bathe themselves.

The delayed Tuesday 5 April QF2 evening flight back to SYD remains showing as an 0630 hours Wednesday departure ex LHR for initially DXB.

How many flight attendants does QF have based in London these days? Are there any with a DXB base? When I have travelled on QF9, the staff informed me that on occasion LHR cabin crew work to MEL or SYD but most frequently just LHR - DXB - LHR.

 

[Quickstatus]

In the deep dark ages when we had twin toddlers and 3 year old we planned a trip from SYD to the the south of France. We had a contingency of 48 hours EXTRA disposable nappies / pull-ups and clothing change for the twins/3 year old.

Our carry ons were LOTFAP style and included amusements for the 3yr and extra baby formula for the twins.

Our travel was SYD-SIN-CDG----TGV---Marseilles.

No delays but 44 hours door to door. By the time we unlocked our hotel room door, we had used up all the disposables items.
To this day I wonder what would have happened if there was a delay.
CDG airport is too functional to be of any assistance. Maybe SIN would have supplies of this kind, Duty free of course.

 

[moa999]

If I understand the previous expert posts correctly QF9 could have been below max landing weight in well under the 7+ hours it was in the air. If this is correct, are there any reasons for spending the night in a holding pattern other than not breaching the SYD curfew?

Most of the night was spent flying - first about 3hrs to just cross into WA, then another 3 and about hrs back to Sydney after the pilots decided to divert, with a couple of loops which seemed to be more about fitting into the Sydney pattern.
Presumably it isn't easy to find space for a non-scheduled A380 at that time in the morning.
If they had flown back to MEL they might have saved half an hour, but the pax and the plane would likely have been stranded


Also seems that VH-OQJ is yet to take to the skies again, so potentially something more than a simple engine change ??

 

[jb747]

If I understand the previous expert posts correctly QF9 could have been below max landing weight in well under the 7+ hours it was in the air. If this is correct, are there any reasons for spending the night in a holding pattern other than not breaching the SYD curfew?

Firstly, it didn't spend the night in a holding pattern. It was there for a very short time. Mostly it was going to WA, and then flying back.

Landing weight. Firstly it's a massively misunderstood term. You can land at ANY weight...it all depends upon how much you want to be out of the air.

Secondly, if you dumped ALL of the fuel that you could dump on the journey east, you would most likely still be above the nominal max as you entered the hold. It's quite normal for a 380 to reach MLW in the last hour or two of flight. Sometimes you even need to check during the approach.

 

[katiebell]

Firstly, it didn't sped the night in a holding pattern. It was there for a very short time. Mostly it was going to WA, and then flying back.

Landing weight. Firstly it's a massively misunderstood term. You can land at ANY weight...it all depends upon how much you want to be out of the air.

Secondly, if you dumped ALL of the fuel that you could dump on the journey east, you would most likely still be above the nominal max as you entered the hold. It's quite normal for a 380 to reach MLW in the last hour or two of flight. Sometimes you even need to check during the approach.

Landing weight. Firstly it's a massively misunderstood term. You can land at ANY weight...it all depends upon how much you want to be out of the air.

Secondly, if you dumped ALL of the fuel that you could dump on the journey east, you would most likely still be above the nominal max as you entered the hold. It's quite normal for a 380 to reach MLW in the last hour or two of flight. Sometimes you even need to check during the approach.[/QUOTE]


Thanks for clarifying the previous posts and the max landing weight: jargon can be confusing hence my request for clarification.

Re the time in the air: I believed at face value earlier posts and reports that the aircraft had been near Whyalla and only in the air for 1 hour when the issue was detected: that would make 2 - 3 hours flying time from MEL to SYD. Given that the total flight time was over 7 hours I was wondering about the rest of the time.

Lesson learned: never believe what you read without checking primary sources...

 

[moa999]

Also seems that VH-OQJ is yet to take to the skies again, so potentially something more than a simple engine change ??

VH-OQJ back in service this afternoon operating QF1 SYD-DXB, only 16min late according to FR24