Qantas Delays/Cancellations

[jb747]

'Areas' of fog (not just 'patchy') are predicted for Melbourne on Thursday morning; at 2330, relative humidity was 100 per cent and there were identical temperature and dew point readings at Olympic Park so while as always on matters meteorological it is good to defer to experts, these may be ideal conditions for fog to gradually develop at MEL.

The aviation forecast thought otherwise. Two extras to consider, the pressure and any forecast wind.

 

[Melburnian1]

On Thursday 21 July, QF63 longhaul (B744 VH-OEB) was airborne from SYD at 1145 (pushback departure time being 1050) with arrival in JNB suggested as 1750 hours same day, 40 minutes late. This will marginally delay QF64's scheduled departure.

Earlier, QF485 (0835 hours MEL across to PER) took off at 0911 so it should be at the arrival gate at approximately 1134, 44 late. VH-EBA is the A332.

 

[Kendall Roy]

QF8 is stopping off in Fiji. Medical?

 

[Hvr]

QF8 is stopping off in Fiji. Medical?

Either that or the surf is looking good.

 

[Melburnian1]

With the NAN diversion, where the stop was from 0352 to 0457, QF8 is arriving in SYD on Friday 22 July at an estimated 0740 hours, 95 minutes late.

QF500, the first of the morning at 0605 ex SYD for BNE was cancelled while QF504, the 0705, is expected to instead depart at 0745.

QF405, the 0630 SYD - MEL took off at 0651 which is perhaps five minutes late if that, but demonstrating the synergy between inadequate runway infrastructure and wet weather (in MEL) is expected to arrive at about 0837, 32 minutes late after a relatively brief holding pattern above Mt Buller (Vic.) It may also have been 'speed restricted' by ATC, a frequent occurrence on this route at busier times: many AFFers will have heard an apologetic announcement from the flight deck. VH-VXK is the B738.

QF93 is estimated to depart MEL 35 minutes late at 0950 due to the late incoming QF94.

On the SYD - TMW route, Qantaslink QF2002 should depart at 0940 in lieu of 0845. The earlier QF2020 (0820 hours SYD - ARM) has a far longer anticipated delay with departure suggested at 1045 for a 1200 rather than 0945 hours arrival. This may be because QF2037 ex DBO is expected to depart at 0900 instead of 0630. Localised fog?

QF6034, which may be a charter, is running early (B744 VH-OEE) and should be in SYD (having come from SIN) at about 0922 instead of 0950.

A333 VH-QPB on the 1015 SYD - HKG (QF83) took off at 1132 and should arrive about 50 minutes late at 1830 hours this evening.

 

[Melburnian1]

The 1050 SYD - JNB longhaul, QF63 departed on Friday 22 July 40 minutes behind at 1130 with arrival expected 70 minutes behind time at 1820.

One delay from yesterday (Thursday 21 July) was the seasonal 1700 hours SYD - YVR (QF75) did not depart until 1913, 133 minutes late with arrival at 1602, 117 minutes tardy.

On Friday 22 July, QF2263 (1140 hours MEL - LST) took off at 1248 (Q400 VH-QOT) and hence should arrive about 54 minutes late at 1344.

QF430 (1200 'high noon' MEL - SYD, B738 VH-VYD) was airborne at 1254. Arrival will be at approximately 1355, half an hour behind.

In the opposite direction, continuing the high cancellation percentage that most domestic airlines continue to have on the Sydney - Melbourne route, the 1400 hours QF439 has the chop. This is a great way for late aircraft to magically become punctual but as with any public transport operator it begs the question: what about the inconvenience to passengers, and in the case of an airline, can 150 or 180 passengers squeeze on board the next flight in half an hour's time or do some end up waiting two or three hours longer for a spare seat?

 

[Melburnian1]

On Friday 22 July, QF822 (1915 hours MEL up to CBR) is about 45 minutes late with B738 VH-VZZ.

QF493, the 1915 hours SYD to MEL should be at the gate at around 2121, 31 minutes behind schedule (B738 VH-VYB) while QF582 (1420 hours mid afternoon PER across to SYD) with A332 VH-EBN will be about 35 minutes late at 2100, after having not taken off until 1544.

 

[Melburnian1]

QF140, the 0600 hours Saturday 23 July AKL to SYD departed at 0601 but unusually is not expected to arrive until 0821, 41 minutes late while QF162, the 0625 from WLG pushed back seven minutes early but will not pull in to the SYD gate until 0838, 28 minutes late. Blame those westerlies.

There are many domestic delays (as noted below) and it is quite windy in SYD but at 0800 AEST it appeared that the two north-south runways 16/34 were in use. The wind was WNW gusting to 54 kilometres an hour, starting to pick up from 0600 so it presumably saves its energy for post-curfew lifting.

The 0630 hours CBR to SYD, QF1510 has a far more severe predicted delay than the incoming flights from Kiwiland with departure ex CBR projected at 1110 for an arrival at 1205, four hours and 40 minutes behind time. Later in the morning, the 0955 hours (QF1516) has been cancelled. QF1468, the 1030 CBR - SYD should instead push back at 1112 this morning. QF1518 on the same route has a worse suggested delay, with its 1415 hours predicted departure being two hours and 40 minutes tardy.

An identically timed departure from DBO left at 0712, 42 late with SYD arrival to be 45 minutes tardy at 0830.

The 0800 MEL - SYD, QF414, is not running.

QF2222, the 0940 hours mid morning from WGA up to SYD has become the 1020. A very to-the-minute arrival of 1119, 34 minutes late has been predicted.

Another Qantaslink flight, QF2021, the 0955 hours ARM - SYD has been altered to depart at 1038 while QF1579, the 1000 MCY down to SYD will instead depart at 1054 with a 55 minute late arrival at 1230 the suggestion.

QF2107, the 1005 CFS to SYD has become the 1043 hours ex the Banana Capital. Further south, Qantaslink QF2202, the 1010 ABX - SYD should instead depart at 1102. A third delay is QF2003, the 1015 TMW - SYD that will today depart at an expected 1104. QF2193, the 1035 hours MRZ - SYD is predicted to depart 57 minutes behind at 1132.

Further south, A388 VH-OQK is arriving in MEL on QF94 at about 0820, 80 minutes late so once again QF93 will be late away. Competitor UA appears to be more reliable in its departure time although both can often arrive in LAX on time or very close to it if departure in MEL is delayed just half an hour.

 

[Melburnian1]

To suggest that the single runway (east west) operations in SYD as at 1100 on Saturday 23 July are the 'go' would be an unfortunate choice of words because this mode does not assist with punctuality - and is unpopular with (NIMBY?) residents in Sydney's east and west alike: suburbs like Sydenham and Maroubra.

QF127 (B744 VH-OJT) is lined up for takeoff behind CX162 at 1100: both are the 1005 departures to HKG that will be late arriving even if they pick up a bit of time enroute. QF81 (A332 VH-EBV) is taxiiing: it is the 1020 to SIN that will also be delayed arriving. Were it a weekday with half hourly QF frequencies to and from MEL, there would be even more aircraft in the queue but thankfully traffic on Saturday morning is a bit less dense.

QF581, the 1010 SYD - PER is also patiently waiting its turn: B738 VH-VXT. It should arrive about 40 minutes late at 1355.

QF143, the 0955 SYD - AKL took off at 1114 right behind competitor NZ702 that will be similarly delayed between 30 - 35 minutes in arrival.

 

[Melburnian1]

Also on Saturday 23 July 2016, QF63, the SYD - JNB longhaul departed at 1146 with arrival forecast at 1835 hours this early evening, 85 minutes behind schedule.

QF19 from SYd was MNL-bound at 1246, 36 late with arrival likely half an hour tardy at 1900.

While QF73, the SFO-bound B744 did not depart SYD until 43 minutes late at 1343, the deficit should be reduced to just 20 minutes with a predicted 0950 hours same day arrival.

Many thousands of kilometres distant, the B744 'tag flight' (JFK - LAX) on Friday 22 July pushed back at 1946, 96 minutes behind time with a 65 minutes late, 2210 hours arrival estimated.

 

[Ansett]

Happy to report have flown QF MEL-HBA and return this week with both flights being spot on for departure and only held up arriving back in MEL due to traffic. Had been concerned given the reputation of this route.

 

[Melburnian1]

Happy to report have flown QF MEL-HBA and return this week with both flights being spot on for departure and only held up arriving back in MEL due to traffic. Had been concerned given the reputation of this route.

That's excellent, Ansett, but as you wrote, on Saturday 23 July, the mid afternoon 1355 hours QF1505 (MEL - HBA) had taken off at 1424 and hence should be about 17 minutes late arriving at 1527. Aircraft is B717 VH-YQX. Given some of the past performances, 17 minutes is a minor delay for this or what other AFFers suggest is the equally bad SYD - HBA - SYD route, although more passengers use MEL - HBA than SYD - HBA nonstops.

In contrast, VA1324 is a few minutes early this afternoon into HBA. VA seems to have the upper hand on these HBA routes, as it does not use a contractor (QF uses Cobham). Months ago the ever helpful AFF member milehighclub suggested that QF management was well aware of the poor performance of the MEL - HBA route.

In June 2016, 2.1 per cent of QantasLink's southbound MEL - HBA flights were cancelled (three flights) while 15.2 per cent of arrivals were more than 15 minutes late even though the timetables are slower than they wee a decade ago. In comparison VA and TT managed an 87 per cent plus punctuality performance - not brilliant, but better than QF - while VA had a cancellation rate of 0.7 per cent (one flight) and TT did not cancel any of its 32 flights during the month. JQ lagged the lot with only 70 per cent of southbounds arriving 15 minutes or less late at HBA, a poor performance given the generous timetables.

 

[Quickstatus]

QF8 is stopping off in Fiji. Medical?

2 flights splashed and dashed in the south pacific on the same night: QF8 and QF16


QF16 - LAX-NOU-BNE. Fuel stop due to expected weather BNE
QF8 - DFW-NAN-SYD. Weather in SYD ok but as BNE is an alternate for this ultra long haul flying at the limits of endurance, weather there might have also forced a preemptive S&D?

QF12/94 OK presumably because weather at destination and alternate was OK.

 

[jb747]

2 flights splashed and dashed in the south pacific on the same night: QF8 and QF16


QF16 - LAX-NOU-BNE. Fuel stop due to expected weather BNE
QF8 - DFW-NAN-SYD. Weather in SYD ok but as BNE is an alternate for this ultra long haul flying at the limits of endurance, weather there might have also forced a preemptive S&D?

QF12/94 OK presumably because weather at destination and alternate was OK.

QF8, 12 and 94 did not need alternates. Sydney and Melbourne were both ok. Brisbane was the only place that required one.

 

[Quickstatus]

QF8, 12 and 94 did not need alternates. Sydney and Melbourne were both ok. Brisbane was the only place that required one.

Thanks for the clarification JB747

 

[Melburnian1]

On Saturday 23 July, the seasonal - and not for very long - B744 on QF75, the 1700 hours SYD - YVR departed at 1757. Same day arrival should be at 1445, 40 minutes tardy.

The next day, Sunday 24, QF162 (0625 WLG - SYD) is not expected to depart until 1115 with arrival being at 1300 hours rather than the timetabled 0810.

 

[Melburnian1]

On Sunday 24 July, QF93 (0915 MEL - LAX, A388 VH-OQE) was airborne at 1036 due to the late arrival of the incoming QF94; QF93 should arrive same day at about 0705, half an hour late.

QF73 (1300 hours early afternoon SYD - SFO B744) often departs at or very close to time but left 46 minutes late; arrival should be at 0955, 25 late.

The Saturday 23 QF2 arrived DXB on Sunday 24 at 0728, two minutes early but departed 25 minutes behind at 0940, so Monday 25 July predicted arrival is 0550, 40 minutes behind.

 

[Melburnian1]

On Sunday 24 July evening, QF149 (1845 hours SYD - AKL) did not take off until about 1953 with B738 ZK-ZQH the Jetconnect conveyance.

The 1840 hours SYD short hop to CBR, QF1525 (B717 VH-NXJ) took off at 1945 so arrival will be at about 2040, an hour behind schedule.

 

[Melburnian1]

QF1579, the Monday 25 July 0740 hours MCY down to SYD is instead predicted to depart at 0945 hours.

 

[Melburnian1]

QF565, the bright and early 0600 from SYD for the transcontinental trip across to PER did not take off until 0700 hours on Monday 25 July. A332 VH-EBD should arrive at about 0955, 45 minutes behind time. It looks like this aircraft is forming the scheduled 1010 hours QF772 PER to MEL so if that turns out to be the case, this will be delayed by at least half an hour.

The 0950 hours SYD - LAX, QF11, departed 48 minutes down at 1038 with same day arrival predicted as 0715, 45 minutes late.

QF23, the identically timed departure from SYD to BKK, departed 66 minutes late at 1056. Arrival should be 75 minutes late at 1755.

Short hop across the Tasman QF143, the 0955 SYD - AKL departed 66 minutes late with arrival suggested at 1540, 40 minutes behind the timetable.

Longhaul QF63 departed SYD 33 minutes tardy at 1123 but is forecast to pick up time on a point-to-point basis with arrival in JNB likely at 1730, 20 minutes delayed.