Qantas Delays/Cancellations

Delays at MEL continue on Monday 20 June, with QF2283, the 1140 MEL - LST (Q400 VH-LQQ) being airborne at 1421 with a suggested arrival of 1525 hours, 155 minutes late.

QF1582, the first of the morning to SYD at a timetabled departure of 0620 hours ex HBA must have failed as B717 VH-NXL has not long taken off at 1356 for a forecast 1535 hours arrival rather than 0810 - seven and a half hours late. This 'outlier' result will contribute to this flight's punctuality rating on FlightStats becoming worse.

The 1300 hours from SYD down to MEL (QF435, B738 VH-XZO) took off at 1325 and is forecast to arrive half an hour late at 1505.
 
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For Quickstatus, bit late now but thanks for feedback re QFi dep on 13 Jun.
Wonder what happened to those late pax.
PersonalIy I prefer an overnight in SYD or MEL prior to an int flight.
Granted it goes into QF flexJ fare instead of saleJ fare.

Why it's thanks to you for your coal face report thus raising a pertinent issue.
Why would the airline sell a ticket which necessitates a ground time of only 1 hour to get from SYD T3 to T1, immigration and then security and then to the A380 gates!!. Seems very silly. Such an ultra long flight tends to not wait for misconnected passengers as (my theory) it needs as much time up its sleeve in case of other delays/diversions.

While AFF lurkers will know to avoid this, many occasional travellers won't and will rely on the airline which tells them there is enough time. I hope despite the sale fares the miscon pax were well looked after.

BNE-DFW via SYD
 
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Old news I guess but circled for an hour landing into Melbourne today. Poor weather and need to space flights given as the reason. When we did land the ground only became visible 30 seconds before touchdown so indeed the visibility was very poor.

that said, I was sitting in the lounge for a while afterward waiting to board another flight and several aircraft that seemed completely ready to take-off were held at th threshold for several minutes before being able to proceed despite there being no other aircraft landing or departing. A MH, a TG and a CX flight all held. Obviously I don't know all the facts but that seemed like overly generous spacing to me.
 
19 June 2016

The aptly named QF767 transcontinental BNE-PER operated by an A330 made an unscheduled landing in ADL at 0130. Dropped off an ill passenger. It landed in PER some 5.5 hours behind schedule.

Interestingly it had nearly traversed the Great Australian Bight when it turned 180 degrees and headed to ADL.

Unlucky for the flight because FA flight path and the uneducated eye suggests it may have been close to the point when it would have been closer to PER than ADL when the medical divert was actioned. However as always the closest (flight time wise even if ground distance is longer) airport with proper medical and other facilities is the one to land at
 
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Unlucky for the flight because FA flight path and the uneducated eye suggests it may have been close to the point when it would have been closer to PER than ADL when the medical divert was actioned. However as always the closest (flight time wise even if ground distance is longer) airport with proper medical and other facilities is the one to land at

Ground speed. The equal distance point is rarely the equal time point.
 
Old news I guess but circled for an hour landing into Melbourne today. Poor weather and need to space flights given as the reason. When we did land the ground only became visible 30 seconds before touchdown so indeed the visibility was very poor.

You are looking down, whereas the pilots are looking forward. You can always see what is below you well before you're able to see ahead. In a CAT IIIB landing you don't need to see the runway at all...but finding the taxiway exits can be a bit of an issue.

that said, I was sitting in the lounge for a while afterward waiting to board another flight and several aircraft that seemed completely ready to take-off were held at th threshold for several minutes before being able to proceed despite there being no other aircraft landing or departing. A MH, a TG and a CX flight all held. Obviously I don't know all the facts but that seemed like overly generous spacing to me.

Low vis procedures means that the ILS protected zones are actually being protected. That can limit where, and what type, and how many, aircraft can be taxiing. It means that nothing can take off once an arriving aircraft is on the ILS (there's an altitude, but I don't recall it). It slows everything. It's all about protecting the integrity of the ILS beam.
 
While the late running due to inclement weather and resultant low visibility at MEL is not affecting every flight, some are continuing to be tardy as the longish 14 hour night at this time of year commences in 'Mexico'.

QF449 (A332 VH-EBO) is the 1630 peak period SYD down to MEL; it took off at 1734 and should arrive at around 1856 hours, 51 minutes behind the schedule. QF451 (B738 VH-VZB) (which is the 1715 hours departure, not the 1645 or 1700 as one might expect, as due tpo various 'latter year' additions to flight frequencies, not all these flights are chronologically numbered) took off at 1741 but is only expected to be 12 minutes late arriving, while QF455, the 1730 hours departure southbound is on time. This shows what a lottery it can be, although passengers 'with status' and HLO might be transferred to the anticipated 'first departure' if it has spare seats.

The 1740 hours from SYD to HBA, QF1585 (B717 VH-YQS) was airborne at 1825 and should arrive at around 2010 tonight, half an hour late.
 
Old news I guess but circled for an hour landing into Melbourne today. Poor weather and need to space flights given as the reason. When we did land the ground only became visible 30 seconds before touchdown so indeed the visibility was very poor.

that said, I was sitting in the lounge for a while afterward waiting to board another flight and several aircraft that seemed completely ready to take-off were held at th threshold for several minutes before being able to proceed despite there being no other aircraft landing or departing. A MH, a TG and a CX flight all held. Obviously I don't know all the facts but that seemed like overly generous spacing to me.
I was on QF615 BNE-MEL this afternoon. That had about a 3/4 hr holding time. We left about twenty minutes late and the pilot had done a good job to make that up before having to delay our landing. We got to the gate about 1325 to have to then wait ten minutes for an air-bridge operator.
 
I was on QF615 BNE-MEL this afternoon. That had about a 3/4 hr holding time. We left about twenty minutes late and the pilot had done a good job to make that up before having to delay our landing. We got to the gate about 1325 to have to then wait ten minutes for an air-bridge operator.

JessicaTam, that would make you about 70 minutes late into MEL as if I am not mistaken that flight is the 1225 hours arrival from BNE. Unusual to have to wait that long for the aerobridge to be 'connected': perhaps multiple flights arrived in quick succession.
 
JessicaTam, that would make you about 70 minutes late into MEL as if I am not mistaken that flight is the 1225 hours arrival from BNE. Unusual to have to wait that long for the aerobridge to be 'connected': perhaps multiple flights arrived in quick succession.
Considering that only a few posts ago it was mentioned that the spacing between flights was increased, I think that unlikely.

More likely that the timetable of arrivals had gone to heck in a handcart and the bridge operators had to be reactive as opposed to proactive.
 
Thank you JessicaTam: fair point.

QF2175, the 1715 PQQ - SYD took off at 1752 hours on 20 June and should arrive at about 1902 hours, 32 minutes behind schedule with Q300 VH-TQH.

QF452 (1700 hours MEL - SYD) was airborne at 1803 and should be at its SYD gate at around 1911, 46 minutes tardy with B738 VH-VXJ.
 
I was on QF615 BNE-MEL this afternoon. That had about a 3/4 hr holding time. We left about twenty minutes late and the pilot had done a good job to make that up before having to delay our landing. We got to the gate about 1325 to have to then wait ten minutes for an air-bridge operator.

Very few gates were actually occupied when I looked a few minutes after this flight landed. So my guess is the lack of an aerobridge operator was a stuff-up rather than a case of too many aircraft. But that's just a guess.

it was only 5 minutes waiting for the aerobridge anyway. Mind you, I also exaggerated saying we were holding for an hour. I think JT you are right, it was about 45 minutes.

Thanks jb747 for the insights, but I don't see how another aircraft being on the ILS could be relevant when the MH and TG aircraft at least seemed ready to go, but waited for 5 minutes during which time no other aircraft took off or landed? Not my field of expertise and maybe I missed something, or perhaps they weren't actually ready. Was just curious given the talk of spacing on my inbound flight.
 
Very few gates were actually occupied when I looked a few minutes after this flight landed. So my guess is the lack of an aerobridge operator was a stuff-up rather than a case of too many aircraft. But that's just a guess.

it was only 5 minutes waiting for the aerobridge anyway. Mind you, I also exaggerated saying we were holding for an hour. I think JT you are right, it was about 45 minutes.

Thanks jb747 for the insights, but I don't see how another aircraft being on the ILS could be relevant when the MH and TG aircraft at least seemed ready to go, but waited for 5 minutes during which time no other aircraft took off or landed? Not my field of expertise and maybe I missed something, or perhaps they weren't actually ready. Was just curious given the talk of spacing on my inbound flight.
So we were on the same flight! Where were you? I was in 4D.
 
QF128 into SYD on Tuesday 21 June is arriving at about 0818, 63 minutes late (B744 VH-OEE).

The second flight on the same route, QF118, is also delayed with arrival looking like 0937, 37 minutes behind time with aircraft VH-QPI, an A333.
 
Thanks jb747 for the insights, but I don't see how another aircraft being on the ILS could be relevant when the MH and TG aircraft at least seemed ready to go, but waited for 5 minutes during which time no other aircraft took off or landed? Not my field of expertise and maybe I missed something, or perhaps they weren't actually ready. Was just curious given the talk of spacing on my inbound flight.

From the holding point to clearing the ILS protected area on take off will probably take the better part of 3 minutes. If you're trying to hold a gap of around 3-4 minutes between aircraft, then it can become difficult to get aircraft away for very long periods (a 5 minute wait is nothing). Aircraft in the air are chewing through their fuel, and are the ones with priority. Aircraft on the ground have none.

The ILS beam is distorted by aircraft moving within it. There's a video on youtube of a Singair 777 at Munich going off the runway whilst doing an auto land with aircraft moving within the zone. It can also cause go arounds.
 
When I got to YMML at 1315 for QF438 (scheduled 1400 departure for YSSY). YMML was using RWY27 for arrivals and RWY16 for departures. At around 1330 my 1400 departure got pushed to 1440 with an actual pushback at 1458. The PIC said the delay was due to YMML being reduced to one runway (RWY16) for all arrivals and departures due to pavement damage to RWY27.
 
From the holding point to clearing the ILS protected area on take off will probably take the better part of 3 minutes. If you're trying to hold a gap of around 3-4 minutes between aircraft, then it can become difficult to get aircraft away for very long periods (a 5 minute wait is nothing). Aircraft in the air are chewing through their fuel, and are the ones with priority. Aircraft on the ground have none.

The ILS beam is distorted by aircraft moving within it. There's a video on youtube of a Singair 777 at Munich going off the runway whilst doing an auto land with aircraft moving within the zone. It can also cause go arounds.

Delays related to my safety do not bother me: I would much rather this than ATC/pilots trying to get away when things are not as as safe as reasonably achievable (Tenerife being an example of this).

Delays due to poor planning are another matter. In this case the safety culture of the organisation needs to be contemplated.
 
I'm sorry, I don't understand whose safety culture you think is lacking.

Airlines and/or airports where things are so poorly organised and/or planned that they do not work well. This is a generic comment and not directed at QF (even though this is a QF thread). The QF safety culture is a major reason for flying QF (although the apparently useless security screening in DXB do make me wonder at times)
 

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