Qantas Delays/Cancellations

[JohnK]

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.

My confusion comes from closing taxiways/runways in the past few weeks due to debris. These types of delays are not that common?

 

[katiebell]

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:

I fear this might be usual standard of service for USA-based airlines. I have had the same response on USA airlines and on the ground where I was to me to get the connection if I could and tough if I could not

 

[coriander]

QF430 and QF432 MEL-SYD both running 10+ min late (QF430 1200h only boarding now @ 1210h).

 

[Melburnian1]

Sunday 26 June's QF12 departed from LAX 37 minutes late at 2307. Tuesday 28 arrival should be at 0710, 40 late.

The BNE-bound QF16 (the B744 flight) departed from LAX on Monday 27 June at 0029 (69 minutes late) with Tuesday morning arrival suggested as 0730, 80 minutes late.

 

[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 should also have added that QF B747 fleet is back to full operating complement of 11 with the return of VH-OJM from maintenance at SYD in anticipation of the seasonal maximum utilisation.

Apologies for the non contemporaneousness of my entries regarding QF75/76.

 

[Quickstatus]

Again: QF12 transcontinental was late causing QF12 transpacific, QF94, QF16 to also be late. There was a slight delay earlier to QF11 transcontinental so perhaps the root cause can be placed there.

 

[jb747]

My confusion comes from closing taxiways/runways in the past few weeks due to debris. These types of delays are not that common?

You hear reports from aircraft to ATC about debris quite regularly. The response will be to close the runway until they're able to do an inspection. Both common and normal.

 

[Melburnian1]

On Tuesday 28 June 2016, QF1461, the early morning 0650 hours from SYD for the short hop down to CBR was cancelled.

 

[Melburnian1]

QF130 (Tuesday 28 June 1955 hours PVG - SYD) departed at 2016 with Wednesday 29 arrival suggested as 0905 hours, 35 minutes tardy.

 

[Melburnian1]

Calculating its rating from the last 60 flights - more or less two months' worth - FlightStats only gives the DXB - SYD sector of daily runner QF2 a '2.5 out of 5' 'average' punctuality rating, which based on observations seems rather harsh, because most times I look it up as to progress between DXB and SYD it is either right on time, a little early (although subject to being slowed down approaching SYD because it is not supposed to land before 0501 hours at this time of year, being one of about three international flights that has the '0510 - 0600 hours early arrival permission' exemption during the northern summer season) or a little late.

However while the Tuesday 28 June 2016 QF2 departed LHR a minute early and reached DXB 21 early at 0709 on Wednesday 29 (today), the proverbial rot then set in with the flight not departing until 1049, 94 minutes late. Consequent Thursday 30 June SYD arrival is forecast for 0550 hours, 40 minutes late - quite unusual (although not unprecedented, as FlightStats reminds us that one arrival during the last 60 days was 80 minutes late into the 'mainland harbour city').

 

[moa999]

VH-OQC scheduled as QF6010 MNL-SYD having completed maintenance. Due into SYD at 0938 on 30/6

 

[Melburnian1]

On Thursday 30 June, a northerly wind is gusting up to 39 kilometres an hour at MEL. QF775, the 0630 hours early start from MEL to PER was airborne at 0738. A332 VH-EBB should arrive at about 0940, 55 minutes late.

QF12 (A388 VH-OJU) is arriving significantly late from LAX at about 0825 in SYD, 115 minutes tardy. It had not departed LAX until 0049 hours on Wednesday 29 June despite its scheduled time being 2230.

Further north, B744 VH-OEG from LAX on QF16 should arrive in BNE at around 0827 instead of 0610, 137 minutes behind the schedule. Both these delays ex LAX are due to the B744 'tag flight' JFK - LAX leg not having departed on Tuesday until 2006 instead of 1810 hours, arriving LAX at 2306, 121 minutes tardy. As AFF member Quickstatus reminds us, to have QF16 and QF12 transpacific flights delayed is common should the USA transcontinental leg of QF12 be delayed. Sometimes it can also be traced back to a tardy departure of QF11 ex LAX (to JFK), and before that a late QF16 from BNE to LAX. For those who have not used this QF route it is worth remembering that QF15 from BNE is the B744 that normally proceeds to JFK as QF11, returning as QF12 to LAX and then as QF16 to often sunny BNE.

QF1543, the Thursday 30 June 2016 0610 hours BNE down to CBR was airborne at 0712 with arrival of B717 VH-YQS likely at 0854, 54 minutes late.

The 0620 hours early morning QF1511 (SYD - CBR) has fared worse (again a B717, in this case VH-YQV) with takeoff at 0808 meaning a likely arrival at around 0847, 87 minutes late.

 

[jb747]

On Thursday 30 June, a northerly wind is gusting up to 39 kilometres an hour at MEL..

Knots, not kph.

 

[Melburnian1]

Knots, not kph.

No, I took it from the BOM website's first set of columns that are expressed in kilometres an hour. At present (reading at 0850 hours) winds are gusting at MEL from the north at 54kmh or 29 knots.

 

[BD1959]

Knots, not kph.

No, I took it from the BOM website's first set of columns that are expressed in kilometres an hour. At present (reading at 0850 hours) winds are gusting at MEL from the north at 54kmh or 29 knots.

ATIS has 350/25 (kts)
TAF has 36018G32KT

... I guess you call that a draw!!

Regards,

BD

 

[jb747]

And I took it from Allmetsat.

YMML 292320Z 36020G30KT 9999 FEW019 BKN125 BKN180 09/04 Q1011 FM2340 36025G40KT 9999 -SHRA SCT015 BKN030 INTER 2320/0220 5000 SHRA BKN015 FM2320 MOD/SEV TURB BLW 5000FT

Nevertheless, the units are important. Limits are defined in knots. Nothing displayed in the coughpit is in kph.

 

[Melburnian1]

Perhaps the difference can be explained that I used a measurement that was a 'gust' whereas the other source (not BOM) may be what the wind is 'constantly' rather than a (maximum) 'gust'.

 

[russ]

But we aren't in the coughpit now, and Melburnian1 was clear what units he was using.

Isn't the 9999 above measured in metres? I hate the mishmash of units used in aviation.

 

[jb747]

Perhaps the difference can be explained that I used a measurement that was a 'gust' whereas the other source (not BOM) may be what the wind is 'constantly' rather than a (maximum) 'gust'.

Gusts have to be considered. If we are calculating take off data, we'll consider the worst wind (least headwind, or most tailwind). If crosswind is the limit, makers may have defined it as inclusive of gusts, or may allow a something like a 5 knot gust over the stated max.

 

[jb747]

But we aren't in the coughpit now, and Melburnian1 was clear what units he was using.

Isn't the 9999 above measured in metres? I hate the mishmash of units used in aviation.

It's not as bad as the units used on the ground, but you're right in saying there's a mashup of units. In some places wind is reported as metres/second. Some use metric altitudes. Visibility is mostly metres, except for the USA.

The nautical mile has the plus of being directly related to the latitude/longitude system used to describe position on the earth. Once you start using knots for one part of the measurement system it makes no sense to use any other...but they do.

1,000 feet is also a nice round figure that's easier to use than the metric interval of 300 metres.

Visibility in metres is really as good as any other...but the US uses feet and statue miles...you could use cubits, but it would be nice to have one system. Of course we know that won't happen....