Qantas Delays/Cancellations

[Kefci2000]

QF431, the 'high noon'1200 SYD down to MEL (A332 VH-EBA) took off at 1345 so should arrive at around 1504, 89 minutes late. A delay of this magnitude will most likely see this plane runninmg badly late all afternoon, given that Sunday afternoons and evenings'patronage - high - does not leave much 'room'for a domestic airline to cancel flight(s) to get the roster back on or closer

Hopefully QF460 (an A330 service) 6.30pm MEL-SYD does not use the same plane.....

 

[Quickstatus]

Just to correct myself re QF75/86 seasonal flights:

These are the routes which are B747:


Full utilisation will occur on Friday and Sunday. Even though mathematically there are 13 utilisations, actual utilisations - 'in the air" will be less than stated above because a departure will on most occasions occur on the same day as an arrival.

These flights have a +2 turnarounds: SFO, HND, YVR, LAX
As the HND flights depart late at 2100 and 1700 respectively, effectively there are 11 pair utilisations due to a quick turnaround.

The +2 turnarounds actually should have the arrivals as utilised on the next day to reflect the extra day in the mission

Friday and Sundays will be the most stretched. Monday, Thursday better and the best is Wednesdays for spare capacity.

I suspect the flights with a +2 turnaround will have substantial time on the ground between turnarounds for line maintenance, especially HND

With YVR departing late, the pressure is even less.

 

[Melburnian1]

Kefci2000, I believe that you are 'safe' from that 'threat' as QF777, the badly late 1445 hours from MEL to PER appears to be the next flight for A332 VH-EBA, with departure likely shortly at around 1700 hours.

Quickstatus, thank you for the updated table re the B744s. Another way of expressing peak utilisation is '13 departures using 11 aircraft'.

 

[Quickstatus]

Kefci2000, I believe that you are 'safe' from that 'threat' as QF777, the badly late 1445 hours from MEL to PER appears to be the next flight for A332 VH-EBA, with departure likely shortly at around 1700 hours.

Quickstatus, thank you for the updated table re the B744s. Another way of expressing peak utilisation is '13 departures using 11 aircraft'.

I always struggle with efficient and effective use of language. Thanks M1

Additionally if the airline was in a real bind from rolling delays, they could swop back to an A333 for the Fri, Sat, Sun MEL-HKG freeing up an B747 assuming spare A333 capacity

I think the 747 flights originating from MEL will have to be ferried from SYD, except a Monday arrival from HKG to MEL

 

[Melburnian1]

One noticeable feature is that with QFi's expansion (in some cases recommencement) in flight numbers, more A332s appear to be in use on flights to southeast Asian destinations. This does not cause delays as such but could annoy AFF members who have an expectation that a J fare that they purchase comes with a flat bed on an A333. Not that I want to get off topic....

 

[Quickstatus]

One noticeable feature is that with QFi's expansion (in some cases recommencement) in flight numbers, more A332s appear to be in use on flights to southeast Asian destinations. This does not cause delays as such but could annoy AFF members who have an expectation that a J fare that they purchase comes with a flat bed on an A333. Not that I want to get off topic....

And the PE passengers on a flight to HKG on a 744 who due to some fleet issue, get Y on a A333

 

[Melburnian1]

On Sunday 26 June 2016, flagship QF1 (A388 VH-OQL) is trundling along at an indicated speed of 795 kilometres an hour (c. 429 knots) that may suggest a headwind and consequent loss on the timetable. It was airborne from SYD at 1622, only about five to ten minutes late compared to the 1550 pushback time, but is estimated to arrive at about 0212 hours (107 minutes late) on Monday 27 in DXB according to FR24. QF's website suggests it will arrive on time but that may not have been updated.

In contrast the southeast bound QF10 is running a little early tonight as its indicated speed is 1030kmh (c. 556 knots) as it enters the Great Australian Bight. Quite a difference in rapidity.

 

[JohnK]

Currently waiting in taxiway in SYD.

Looks like fragments on taxiway/runway and car has gone out to inspect. Also rescue helicopter in the area and they get priority over departures/arrivals. We are 6th in line.

Don't quite understand the fragments on the taxiways/runways recently causing delays. Is this a common occurrence?

 

[Melburnian1]

JohnK, is it parts of shredded aircraft tyres? What flight number are you on? QF544, the 1805 SYD - BNE (B738 VH-VXU) that took off at about 1838 and should be about 18 minutes late arriving at the BNE terminal at about 1953?

The 1730 hours SYD - PER, QF571 (A332 VH-EBB) was airborne at about 1841 and should arrive in the West at about 2128 hours, 48 minutes late.

 

[Quickstatus]

Currently waiting in taxiway in SYD.

Looks like fragments on taxiway/runway and car has gone out to inspect. Also rescue helicopter in the area and they get priority over departures/arrivals. We are 6th in line.

Don't quite understand the fragments on the taxiways/runways recently causing delays. Is this a common occurrence?

Interesting article on the issue of runway debris or FOD:
http://www.aerosweep.com/pdfs/DebrisDangerFeb06.pdf

The most famous FOD related aircraft disaster was AF4590

 

[Melburnian1]

QF1585, the 1815 hours Sunday 26 June SYD down to HBA only just took off at 1916, so it will be at least half an hour late. Aircraft is B717 VH-NXL.

 

[JohnK]

JohnK, is it parts of shredded aircraft tyres? What flight number are you on? QF544, the 1805 SYD - BNE (B738 VH-VXU) that took off at about 1838 and should be about 18 minutes late arriving at the BNE terminal at about 1953?

That's the one. I fell asleep as we took off. Woke up at ~7:15pm and they were just starting dinner service so I suspect some turbulence as well? Rushed dinner service and no chocolates. The business class cart stayed in the galley and CSM came around to talk to everyone one by one before bringing out the meals on a tray one by one. Slight delaye from BNE traffic control.

Not the end of the world but the fragments on taxiway/runway got my attention. Appears to be occurring more and more the past few weeks in SYD and MEL and I have not really heard that excuse very much if at all in the past 8 years.

 

[Melburnian1]

Monday 27 June 2016 started off as a bit of a winter sleep-in for the first of the southbound morning flights on Australia's most lucrative and frequently served route, SYD - MEL, with QF401, the 0600 hours, taking off at 0646. B738 VH-VXS is estimated to arrive at around 0809 hours, 34 minutes late.

QF128, the Sunday 26 June 2015 hours redeye from HKG to SYD (B744 VH-OEF) should be about an hour late on 27 June arriving at 0815.

Yesterday (Sunday 26), QF41, the 1350 hours normally extremely punctual SYD - CGK did not depart until 1822, arriving in Jakarta at 2309 instead of 1835, four and a half hours late. Returning overnight, QF42 took off from CGK at 0108 hours on Monday 27 with likely arrival of A333 VH-QPG at 1013, four hours and eight minutes late.

 

[JessicaTam]

I was on the 25 june qf23 flight to bangkok which was delayed.
Whilst i didnt have a connecting flight many people did and the csm announced at the start of the flight that qantas would be reviewing all connections that they could see and rebooking where necessary. Towards the end of the flight he came round to inform connecting passengers of any changes that had been made.

Good service i thought.

Certainly better than the AA flight I was on recently that was delayed. When I asked about my connecting flight I was told to ask someone at the airport when we land. :shock:

 

[Melburnian1]

In further Monday 27 June 2016 expected delays, QF2016, the 0815 from SYD to DBO and QF2205, the 0820 to ABX should instead both depart at 0900 hours.

QF81 from SYD to SIN, the 1020 hours departure has a much longer delay with pushback estimated as 1145 for a 65 minute late arrival in the Lion City at 1750.

 

[jb747]

On Sunday 26 June 2016, flagship QF1 (A388 VH-OQL) is trundling along at an indicated speed of 795 kilometres an hour (c. 429 knots) that may suggest a headwind and consequent loss on the timetable. It was airborne from SYD at 1622, only about five to ten minutes late compared to the 1550 pushback time, but is estimated to arrive at about 0212 hours (107 minutes late) on Monday 27 in DXB according to FR24. QF's website suggests it will arrive on time but that may not have been updated.

Being in a headwind for one part of a 6,000 mile journey doesn't mean much. Anyway, it's almost always a headwind over Oz heading to the west. FR does not get an FMC or ACARS feed, so I'd rather expect that the arrival time will be more in accordance with any delay at the start. To blow out from 5 to 10 minutes, to 107 is unlikely...if you even had fuel for it. In any event, it's landed now, more or less on time.

In contrast the southeast bound QF10 is running a little early tonight as its indicated speed is 1030kmh (c. 556 knots) as it enters the Great Australian Bight. Quite a difference in rapidity.

553 is slow for an eastbound flight. Into the six hundreds is common, and even over seven hundred at times.

 

[jb747]

Don't quite understand the fragments on the taxiways/runways recently causing delays. Is this a common occurrence?

You don't understand that there's debris on the runway, or you don't understand the wait?

Debris can come from a lot of sources. Stuff blows on to runways on windy days. Tyres occasionally delaminate. Things can be blown there by jet blast. Runway inspections are carried out at intervals at all runways. Jet engines are very effective vacuum cleaners, but don't take too kindly to being fed a diet more solid than air.

 

[Melburnian1]

FR does not get an FMC or ACARS feed, so I'd rather expect that the arrival time will be more in accordance with any delay at the start. To blow out from 5 to 10 minutes, to 107 is unlikely...if you even had fuel for it. In any event, it's landed now, more or less on time.

Thank you jb747. While you and Boris spatsky have explained why FR24's estimated arrival times can be significantly out of kilter, this particularly appears to occur in the early stages of a flight before cruising altitude, but the inaccuracy does not occur with every flight. It is the inconsistency that surprises: for many flights, it is very accurate, yet for some like the QF example above, grossly inaccurate.

Sometimes, then, once the plane is at cruise, the FR24 arrival (touchdown) time becomes closer to what eventually occurs in reality.

 

[jb747]

Just add the average flight time to the departure time. It should be pretty close.

 

[Melburnian1]

On Monday 27 June, QF127 (1005 hours SYD to HKG) took off at 1057 (B744 VH-OJM), but QF suggests that it will reach this major Asian harbour city punctually.