Qantas Delays/Cancellations

[Melburnian1]

...QF12, even though a different aircraft, can't take off to SYD before the first leg QF12 has arrived into LAX from JFK...

Flyerqf, is this 'compulsory' delay to the SYD-bound QF12 A388 when the incoming ex JFK QF12 B744 is late simply due to there always being a significant number of passengers connecting between these two flights, and hence booked on the same PNR? (In addition, I am surmising that it just is not practical to reaccommodate them on say QF16 on to BNE and then offer a domestic connection to SYD as there are too many for what may be the available seats on QF16 ex LAX to BNE).

 

[Melburnian1]

On Saturday 4 June, QF130 should arrive to a wet (with more to come) SYD at around 0914, 44 minutes late. The conveyance is A333 VH-QPE.

 

[Flyerqf]

Flyerqf, is this 'compulsory' delay to the SYD-bound QF12 A388 when the incoming ex JFK QF12 B744 is late simply due to there always being a significant number of passengers connecting between these two flights, and hence booked on the same PNR?

no, it's because even though there is an equipment change, they are essentially the same flight with the same flight number. Full routing is JFK-SYD.

 

[Himeno]

no, it's because even though there is an equipment change, they are essentially the same flight with the same flight number. Full routing is JFK-SYD.

There is no reason that would impact it in any way. They can cancel one sector and not the other. They can have the 2nd sector depart before the 1st arrives.
The main reason they don't is because of the amount of people they would have to accommodate somehow that are connecting onto the long haul sector from the transcon sector.
If there are enough seats on QF16 to accommodate the people out of JFK, there is no reason for the LAX-SYD leg of QF12 to wait for a delayed JFK-LAX QF12.

The other reason is there would be the potential for 2 similar call signs to be active in the same air space at the same time (in this case, Qantas 12 Heavy and Qantas 12 Super). That can be fixed by changing the call sign of one of the flights.

 

[jb747]

....QF12, even though a different aircraft, can't take off to SYD before the first leg QF12 has arrived into LAX from JFK.

You simply change the callsign. Absolutely nothing stops it from going.

 

[Melburnian1]

They can cancel one sector and not the other. They can have the 2nd sector depart before the 1st arrives.
The main reason they don't is because of the amount of people they would have to accommodate somehow that are connecting onto the long haul sector from the transcon sector.
If there are enough seats on QF16 to accommodate the people out of JFK, there is no reason for the LAX-SYD leg of QF12 to wait for a delayed JFK-LAX QF12.

Thank you Himeno. As per my original question, that was what I surmised. Nice to have it confirmed - and quite logical.

Sicne we're discussing QF12, the 2230 hours LAX - SYD leg on Friday 3 June departed 63 minutes late at 2333 hours, with Sunday 5 June arrival suggested as half an hour late at 0700.

 

[Quickstatus]

Qantas source has corrected the reason for QF15 (2/jun/16 - VH-OJU) diversion to HNL.

Instead of a medical it was apparently a problem with "full toilets".

 

[Hvr]

Qantas source has corrected the reason for QF15 (2/jun/16 - VH-OJU) diversion to HNL.

Instead of a medical it was apparently a problem with "full toilets".

Which may well have been caused by a medical problem.

 

[Melburnian1]

Thank you Quickstatus. I recall about a decade ago boarding a SilkAir flight where the captain announced that only two of the three toilets were operable - he opted to 'drive' the flight, but mentioned that he could have cancelled it. I can't recall if he finished with a plea for passengers to not behave inappropriately such as by throwing hand towels into the toilet bowl.

There was once an infamous QF steward who was sacked because he had a habit of stuffing blankets down toilets on board, rendering them inoperable. The implication was that the blankets were difficult to remove and may have required some dismantling of fittings. It was such an unusual - and selfish - act that it (no pun intended) stuck in my mind, because I could not imagine any sane person doing this on board. Not sure how he was sprung as doubtless he tried to do it when passengers and many crew were asleep mid way through a medium or long haul flight.

 

[Quickstatus]

Re 747-400 toilets:

These use a vacuum system into 4 holding tanks aft. 2 tanks on each side of the aircraft.
2 tanks @ 320 L
2 tanks @ 250 L

Total 1140L
Some toilet blue water is added to the holding tanks.
Aircraft has 300 L potable water, a little is used for each flush.

Vacuum is provided by the difference between cabin altitude and aircraft altitude. At ground level (below FL150?) vacuum blowers are used.

Tanks independently service a group of toilets

Sinks in lavs and in galley are vented to outside

If we assume maybe 1000 L is net holding tank volume? And 390 users (pax + crew).
Average "septic tank volume allowance per user" = 2.5 L...

Apparently diameter of septic tank plumbing is 2 inches

As Hvr suggests a medical reason may be the cause , other might be too many preflight drinks?, or more likely someone blocked a group of toilets - deliberately as Melburnian1 suggests in a previous incident or accidental,. "Full" could have been euphemism for overflowing.

2013 saw a gastro outbreak on a QF28 SCL-SYD flight. Cause was preboarding but "full toilets" did not eventuate

 

[Quickstatus]

Melburnian1:

Here is the article about the toilet saboteur:

Qantas sacks flight attendant over 'sabotage' - National - smh.com.au

 

[marki]

Melburnian1:

Here is the article about the toilet saboteur:

Qantas sacks flight attendant over 'sabotage' - National - smh.com.au

Oh very old article from 2006 wow airline partners Australia we would had demise of QF

 

[Melburnian1]

On Sunday 5 June 2016, QF128 ex HKG appears to have diverted to CBR, with B744 VH-OEH observed on the ground by 0816. It had performed a couple of 'circuits' over the Shire of Sutherland to Sydney's south but then seems to have diverted. I assume that weather is the cause with the NSW coastline from Kempsey in the north through Sydney down to Merimbula blanketed by rain according to the Bureau of Meteorology's website.

QF suggests that CBR departure will be at 0945 - possible - but SYD arrival (at the gate) will be at 1015, which is not possible if it departs from the national capital just half an hour previously.

The 0825 hours BNE down to SYD, QF509 (B738 VH-VZL) took off at 0900 even and is arriving at about 1047, 46 minutes late as arrivals are presently from the east.

QF23, the 0950 hours SYD to BKK (A332 VH-EBL) was airborne at 1059.

 

[Flyerqf]

On Sunday 5 June 2016, QF128 ex HKG appears to have diverted to CBR, with B744 VH-OEH observed on the ground by 0816. It had performed a couple of 'circuits' over the Shire of Sutherland to Sydney's south but then seems to have diverted. I assume that weather is the cause with the NSW coastline from Kempsey in the north through Sydney down to Merimbula blanketed by rain according to the Bureau of Meteorology's website.

QF suggests that CBR departure will be at 0945 - possible - but SYD arrival (at the gate) will be at 1015, which is not possible if it departs from the national capital just half an hour previously.

The 0825 hours BNE down to SYD, QF509 (B738 VH-VZL) took off at 0900 even and is arriving at about 1047, 46 minutes late as arrivals are presently from the east.

QF23, the 0950 hours SYD to BKK (A332 VH-EBL) was airborne at 1059.

QF130 went to Richmond RAAF base and is still there.

 

[Melburnian1]

The delayed B744 on QF128 ex HKG that was diverted to CBR has had its departed from the national capital further delayed to an expected 1145. SYD arrival is showing - again perhaps a little unrealistically - at 1225.]

QF2254, the 0700 hours SYD to LDH was cancelled, as was QF1666 (0800 SYD across to ADL).

QF2020, the 0820 SYD to ARM was diverted to TMW, arriving at 1036, 61 minutes later than it was meant to be arriving at ARM. It had only taken off from SYD 11 minutes after its scheduled departure so much time was lost en route.

The 0930 hours SYD to CFS (QF2106) departed 75 minutes late.

The A388 on QF11, 0950 hours SYD to LAX took off at 1031 and is expected to be similarly late in arriving 40 minutes late at 0730 hours.

QF1471, the 0955 hours SYD to CBR is expected to instead depart at 1135.

QF127, the 1005 SYD to HKG is displaying on the QF website as departing at 1115 but this is an underestimate.

The medium haul QF81 from SYD to SIN is meant to pushback at 1020 but at 1140 was still in the runway 07 queue for departures, so it should be at least half an hour late arriving in the Lion capital with A333 VH-QPF as its aircraft. QF officially says it will arrive 25 late at 1710.

 

[Melburnian1]

QF130 went to Richmond RAAF base and is still there.

Excellent pickup Flyerqf (an AFF member who misses little.)

QF130 (A333 VH-QPB) was on the ground in SYD by 1147. Interesting to look at its short flight from Richmond air base (code XRH) this morning on FlightAware, FR24 or similar sites.

A B744, QF63 from SYD to JNB has been delayed in its departure from 1050 to an expected 1215.

UPDATE: QF81 was airborne at 1155.

The 1030 hours SYD - MEL, QF425 did not take off until 1157 so likely arrival at around 1305 will be an hour late. VH-VZO, another B738 is the aircraft. QF427, the 1100 departure in the same direction and on the same route was cancelled.

QF520 (1105 SYD - BNE) is delayed until an expected 1140.

The second flight to HKG is forecast to depart at 1210 rather than 1115 for arrival half an hour late at 1910 tonight.

QF2108, the 1125 SYD - CFS, a not so sunny destination today, has been cancelled as has QF2225, the 1130 from SYD down to WGA. QF2170 from SYD to PQQ (the 1205) is another QantasLink flight that has got the gong.

QF2022 from SYD to ARM has been delayed from departing from the usual 1200 to an expected 1315 hours. Coupled with the diversion of an earlier flight to TWM instead of reaching ARM and the cancellation of QF2004, the 1225 SYD - TMW, , today is not a good day for flight reliability to or from the NSW northern tablelands.

The 1230 SYD - SCL long haul B744 flight, QF27, has been delayed from 1230 to 1430 in its departure. QF has yet to provide an estimated arrival time in SCL but it will not be punctual, and may at least slightly delay the returning Sunday ex SCL QF28.

QF73, another B744, is delayed from 1300 to mid afternoon at 1500 hours in its departure for SFO. These travails of the QF B744s will be at least partly intertwined with the diversion of the Sunday morning arriving QF128 to CBE ex HKG.

The 1245 SYD to CBR, QF1479 is another cancelled flight while QF1475, the 1335 hours departure on the same route is delayed until a predicted 1405 hours.

QF759, the 1400 hours SYD across to ADL and QF441, the 1430 hours SYD - MEL are also cancelled for good measure.

 

[Melburnian1]

Extensive SYD-related delays are continuing due to the wet weather and the vast majority of planes using Runway 07 for takeoffs to the east.

QF520, the 1105 SYD - BNE is fourth in the queue for takeoff as at 1237 so arrival is unlikely to be before 1350, which would be 75 minutes late. B738 VH-VZL is the patient servant.

AFF member Quickstatus posted an aeronautical weather report on the VA delays/ cancellations thread because we noted that while QF11, AC34 and a couple of other medium or longhaul flights were able to use runway 34L on Sunday morning in SYD for takeoff, VA1 did not and as with many other aircraft used runway 07, and prior to so doing apparently had 10 tonnes of freight removed from the hold. Quickstatus' question was why some larger aircraft have been able to take off to the south but others such as VA1 have suffered greater delays in (its case) unloading cargo to reduce its takeoff weight and then having to use the east-west runway to become airborne.

One of our esteemed members may be kind enough to explain this.

The diverted HKg - SYD flight, QF128 that enjoyed a trip via CBR landed in SYD at about 1249 (B744 VH-OEH). It is forming the delayed 1230 hours SYD to SCL that QF still claims will depart two hours late at 1430 - 1445 or later may be the go.

QF517, the 1025 BNE - SYD took off at 1125 and is about to arrive at approximately 1300 hours with B738 VH-VXS the plane.

QF19 from SYD to MNL is delayed until an expected 1300 hours departure, which like many others may be an underestimate of the delay.

UPDATE: QF520 (referred to above) took off at 1301 which shows the extent of delays on the ground after pushback as it was noted above as fourth in the queue at 1237, meaning if true that an aircraft was taking off to the east only once every five and a half minutes.

 

[Melburnian1]

Continuing with the Sunday 5 June weather-related delays, QF863, the 1115 OOL down to SYD was airborne at 1156 and is about to arrive at 1331, B738 being teh operating aircraft. This is 46 minutes late.

 

[jb747]

AFF member Quickstatus posted an aeronautical weather report on the VA delays/ cancellations thread because we noted that while QF11, AC34 and a couple of other medium or longhaul flights were able to use runway 34L on Sunday morning in SYD for takeoff, VA1 did not and as with many other aircraft used runway 07, and prior to so doing apparently had 10 tonnes of freight removed from the hold. Quickstatus' question was why some larger aircraft have been able to take off to the south but others such as VA1 have suffered greater delays in (its case) unloading cargo to reduce its takeoff weight and then having to use the east-west runway to become airborne.

Crosswind limits vary. And they also change depending upon whether it's wet or dry.

In the report below, the base crosswind on 16/34 is 27 knots, gusting to 41. That gust exceeds the limits for everything. But, add to that that it's wet, which will reduce the limits by about 10 knots, and even the base 27 is too much.

YSSY 050300Z 07027G41KT 3000 +RA FEW009 SCT012 BKN020 19/18 Q0998 FM0345 05025G45KT 8000 RA SCT015 BKN025 TEMPO 0345/0600 3000 +RA BKN010 FM0300 MOD/SEV TURB BLW 5000FT

 

[Melburnian1]

QF431, the 1200 'high noon' SYD - MEL (A332 VH-EBS) has taxiied but has yet to be airborne as at 1344, so expect it to arrive at later than 1450, which would be a minimum of 85 minutes late.

Unfortunately Sunday afternoon (domestically) is busier than Sunday morning so these ongoing delays may be challenging for domestic airlines (not just QF) to recover from.

QF117, which a couple of posts above was noted as a predicted 1210 departure, took off at 1345 hours for HKG, about two hours late.