QF1508 and QF1509 still show as running to schedule, so those booked on the late running QF1506 will have to wait another 35 minutes after they see QF1508 depart. It seems as though QF wants to exit HBA but its previous tactic of using Q400s was too overt. Still being able to spout forth a "commitment" to operate services to HBA while trying to get travelers to use VA or JQ because of poor reliability seems to be less obvious.
nonscenic your theory may be correct - I lack information to the contrary, but to presumably sign a contract with Cobham to operate the B717s between HBA - MEL and HBA - SYD may be an expensive way to 'exit.'
There are many travellers seeimingly wedded to QF. Remember the furore some years back when for a number of years QF pulled out of OOL, and possibly HTI as well? The Bob Oakleys of the world vociferously complained.
What would an 'own metal' exit from HBA do to QF's claim to be (the albeit almost 50 per cent foreign owned, privatised) 'national airline?'
It would see it running 'own metal' flights to all State capitals except HBA, and to add insult to injury operating flights to DRW (and CBR) which are Territory - not State - and in one case the National - capital(s).
You were quite correct about times. QF1508 departed two minutes late from HBA at 1712 and should arrive in MEL on time at 1825 hours. In contrast, QF1506 departed at 1740 instead of its timetabled 1550 hours - an hour and 50 minutes behind the schedule - with MEL arrival suggested as 1850, an hour and 45 minutes late.
Would I be correct to suggest that if there are spare seats on QF1508 (and passengers are checked in with sufficient time) and these travellers lack checked in luggage, travelling 'light' as AFF member JessicaTam asserts is the way to go if I recall, that they might be transferred to the first departure - in this case QF1508 instead of having to wait for QF1506 to depart? It might not be hard to also extend this favour to some passengers with luggage for the hold, depending on time available to sort it on the trollies.
Some AFF members have commented that mostly QF does not do this (unlike VA) but does it make an exception in cases like this, especially for travellers 'with status?'
SYD - HBA has not been immune, with VH-YQY on QF1585, the 1740 hours, not airborne until 1915 and hence not arriving until 2100 hours, 80 minutes late.
QF1554 (1930 hours CBR - BNE, B717 VH-YQU) took off at 2045 with arrival suggested as roughly 2216, just over an hour late. This makes five capital cities suffering from QF B717 unpunctuality today. Not a good look on a day that has not had significant climatic challenges - in MEL, for instance, the weather has been benign (some wind in HBA though.)
