Qantas Delays/Cancellations

[mono88]

Re: General Qantas Delays/Cancellations/etc. Discussion

In turn, one of QF2 or QF10 on Wednesday evening ex LHR will presumably be delayed as there would not normally be a spare A380 in LHR (if there was, the beancounters at QF might have some questions...)

Despite the 'spare' that is often in SYD, has QF temporarily 'run out' of A380s for the demands of its HKG, LAX and LHR routes in the next day or so?

.

Maybe QF could borrow a couple of A380's from Emirates. They seem to have plenty with many more on order.

 

[JessicaTam]

Re: General Qantas Delays/Cancellations/etc. Discussion

EK409 was 25 minutes late out of MEL last night, but it caught up about 10 minutes in the air.

 

[Melburnian1]

Re: General Qantas Delays/Cancellations/etc. Discussion

Tuesday 19 November's QF1 is running a bit later than the QF computer previously suggested. It is now due at DXB from 1800 to 1915 UAE time tonight (Wednesday 20 November) for a claimed LHR arrival as previously - 2235.

The QF website still does not show QF2 or QF10 ex LHR on Wednesday as delayed - but due to QF1's arrival after both the southbounds are supposed to have departed, this has to be the case for one of these flights. Showing an estimated departure time with the orange 'DELAYED" marker would give passengers who were rushing to the airport to be there three hours before timetabled departure an opportunity to slow down and arrive a little later if they chose.

While a daytime QF own metal (as distinct from the already operating early riser EK flight) departure from SYD of say 0815 would not be favoured by QF because businessmen would arrive in London fairly late at night after 'missing a day in travel' and there would be a reduction in feeder traffic from say BNE or at the other end to European destinations due to the lack of connecting flights at each end, for leisure travellers there are great advantages in departing in the morning (AEDT or AEST) and arriving late at night if terminating one's flight in London without an immediate onward connection. Leisure travellers could pretty much (after the obligatory nightcap) go straight to bed at a Paddo hotel after having stepped off the express train. Provided the flight was not hours late, it would work very well, but leisure travellers do not call the shots with airline managements of legacy airlines.

 

[Melburnian1]

Re: General Qantas Delays/Cancellations/etc. Discussion

Tonight quite a few QF or JQ flights have altered timings.

QF463 (normally 1830 from SYD to MEL) has been altered to a timetabled departure of 1844 ex the gate. QF467, normally the 1930, is shown as departing at 1937. JQ529 is shown at a changed departure time of 1930 in lieu of the normal 1925.

However QF465 has been advanced three minutes for a timetabled departure of 1857 instead of the normal 1900 hours. QF502 from SYD to BNE has been identically advanced from its normal 1905 hours departure to 1902.

Are these changes the result of yet another shortage of air traffic controllers due to staff absenteeism or other reasons, or are they an attempt by Airservices Australia to provide USA style 'to the minute' departure times to enable more effciient slot utilisation?

What happens if the normal 1900 hours departure for MEL (that has tonight only been altered to 1857) starts pushback at 1900? Does it suffer some sort of lower priority handling by ATC because it missed an amended slot time (yet normally it would be 'bang on time' in pushback at 1900?)

There has been a fair bit of discussion in the media about SYD airport management wanting to increase throughput of planes from the current 80 movements an hour maximum during the non-curfew hours. Is this a reaction by the public servants who operate ATC at non-military Australian airports?

Do these amended QF and JQ departure times appear on boarding passes (whether paper or electronic) and on passenger information screens ('TV monitors') throughout the terminal at SYD (and indeed nationwide?) Or are they mostly for internal QF and JQ use, despite appearing on the Qantas - flights to Australia, New Zealand, Africa and Asia. Book airfares at qantas.com. website?

 

[RickyT84]

Re: General Qantas Delays/Cancellations/etc. Discussion

Do these amended QF and JQ departure times appear on boarding passes (whether paper or electronic) and on passenger information screens ('TV monitors') throughout the terminal at SYD (and indeed nationwide?) Or are they mostly for internal QF and JQ use, despite appearing on the Qantas - flights to Australia, New Zealand, Africa and Asia. Book airfares at qantas.com. website?

Whilst the departure times are not shown on boarding passes, the boarding time printed are usually adjusted to reflect the revised departure time (e.g. the boarding time for a 20:00 flight which has been 'delayed' to 20:01 would show a boarding time of 19:41 instead of the usual 19:40).

 

[Melburnian1]

Re: General Qantas Delays/Cancellations/etc. Discussion

Our old friend QF9 from MEL to DXB and LHR this afternoon was timetabled to depart at 1615, but was initially put back to 1800 and is now shown as departing at 2045. However LHR arrival on Saturday 22 February is predicted at 0840, 210 minutes late meaning a gain of an hour on the complete trip's timetable. Has the A380 gone 'tech' to use that wonderfully understated airline term from the spin doctors (I'd prefer to call it 'defective' or 'failed').

Today, QF has been busily quashing much speculation (including on AFF) that QF9 and QF10 would be cut back to only operate MEL - DXB - MEL.

 

[Preemo]

Re: General Qantas Delays/Cancellations/etc. Discussion

QF163 SYD WLG diverted to AKL, passengers kept overnight in terminal, boarded 745am, sat on tarmac 4 hrs before departing to WLG. My most awful flying experience ever.

 

[Melburnian1]

Re: General Qantas Delays/Cancellations/etc. Discussion

The QF site implies that QF163 departed (AKL?) at 0642 (an hour earlier than Preemo says he or she boarded), arrving WLG at 1132 this morning in lieu of the scheduled 2245 last night. This of course was really a 1030 or so departure from AKL this morning as Preemo indicates, but the website (usually good at inserting an unusual destination for a diverted flight) hasn't shown what really went on.

Preemo, was the lack of hotel accommodation because QF thought it would only be an eight hour stay for passengers in AKL, or due to general stingyness or saving the first bit of AJ's $2 billion target?

Did any JetConnect gate staff or others mention about providing hotel rooms?

Trying to sleep at most airports is a nightmare: fluorescent lighting that is never switched off plus uncomfortable seats, and now carpet being removed (or never provided) at airports such as MEL.

 

[Preemo]

Re: General Qantas Delays/Cancellations/etc. Discussion

When we landed we were told no accommodation was available. Many passengers had private accommodation available but were not allowed to leave the terminal.

 

[Mattg]

Re: General Qantas Delays/Cancellations/etc. Discussion

When we landed we were told no accommodation was available. Many passengers had private accommodation available but were not allowed to leave the terminal.

Was the flight late departing SYD? There is a 1am curfew in WLG and Qantas has been fined in the past for breaching it.

Sorry to hear that they didn't put you in a hotel. I would have expected that from QF (although I got stuck last week in a similar situation and AA didn't look after me either).

 

[Melburnian1]

Re: General Qantas Delays/Cancellations/etc. Discussion

Preemo, were passengers who knew someone and could have stayed with them not allowed to leave the terminal because there were no immigration or customs staff on duty?

That strikes me as pretty poor.

If there were such staff on duty, it's almost 'detaining individuals against their free will' to state 'no, you cannot leave the terminal, particularly if QF knew that the plane would not depart for AKL until 0745.

My sympathies. Maybe you are the first passengers to falls victim to the QF Board and AJ's February 2014 cost cutting?

 

[Nizar]

Re: General Qantas Delays/Cancellations/etc. Discussion

Melburnian1 you seem to be following QF delays pretty closely. Can you please tell me if QF2 often delayed into SYD ? I'm flying in it a few weeks and then have a connecting flight to MEL 95mins later.
Cheers

 

[Melburnian1]

Re: General Qantas Delays/Cancellations/etc. Discussion

FlightStats - Global Flight Tracker, Status Tracking and Airport Information rates QF@'s on time rating as 'poor' with an average delay of 35 minutes, but since the statistics are only for a two month period to 15 February 2014, that average will be influenced by the maximum delay of 232 minutes for at least one of the 60 or so flights during the monitored period.

The latest three arrivals of QF2 at SYD have been 18 and 16 minutes early and one minute late respectively.

95 minutes is a tight connection at SYD given the need most times to transfer terminals and the busy time of the morning at which you arrive. There is however a very good flight frequency from SYD to MEL. Interesting that you did not choose to use QF10 direct to MEL if QF is your airline of choice (it certainly is not mine).

'A few weeks time' is before any chance of fog, so that is one possible cause of diversion that you can rule out.

QF usually have an A380 spare in SYD, but there is planned and unplanned maintenance.

 

[drewbles]

Re: General Qantas Delays/Cancellations/etc. Discussion

The QF site implies that QF163 departed (AKL?) at 0642 (an hour earlier than Preemo says he or she boarded), arrving WLG at 1132 this morning in lieu of the scheduled 2245 last night. This of course was really a 1030 or so departure from AKL this morning as Preemo indicates, but the website (usually good at inserting an unusual destination for a diverted flight) hasn't shown what really went on.

Preemo, was the lack of hotel accommodation because QF thought it would only be an eight hour stay for passengers in AKL, or due to general stingyness or saving the first bit of AJ's $2 billion target?

Did any JetConnect gate staff or others mention about providing hotel rooms?

Trying to sleep at most airports is a nightmare: fluorescent lighting that is never switched off plus uncomfortable seats, and now carpet being removed (or never provided) at airports such as MEL.

It would be this one:

Qantas (QF) #163

 

[Melburnian1]

Re: General Qantas Delays/Cancellations/etc. Discussion

QF9 on Friday 21 February finally departed MEL almost five hours late at 2111.

While it landed in DXB at 0455, it seems to be still there, although it had an amended departure time of 1030 (nine hours and 10 minutes late). Perhaps the DXCB - LHR pilopts or cabin attendants are now in excess of their permitted hours? A fwew more hours'delay and either QF2 or QF10 wilol be late out of LHR on Saturday UK time.

Do we have an intrepid TAFFer at DXB to keep us informed?

 

[jb747]

Re: General Qantas Delays/Cancellations/etc. Discussion

Why don't you have a look at one of the weather forums...you never know, you might find an answer or two there.

 

[Lonely Flyer]

Re: General Qantas Delays/Cancellations/etc. Discussion

Delays like this happen elsewhere and airlines generally stuff up looking after the passengers. QF is not the only guilty party.

 

[Melburnian1]

Re: General Qantas Delays/Cancellations/etc. Discussion

LonelyFlyer, I wasn't saying QF was 'guilty', but merely noting a lengthy delay to QF9.

QF1 from SYD was able to arrive LHR yesterday morning at 0642, so were there weather related delays at LHR during the late morning or early afternoon yesterday? Why did QF9 depart MEL five hours late on Friday afternoon (which became a Friday evening off the blocks episode?

QF denies it, but for many reading the media or TAFF, the flight number "QF9" has come to be associated with a 'funeral march' for DXB - LHR, such is the speculation that it will be cut back to DXB when QF announces its much anticipated loss and program of cost reductions later this week.

 

[Preemo]

Re: General Qantas Delays/Cancellations/etc. Discussion

Preemo, were passengers who knew someone and could have stayed with them not allowed to leave the terminal because there were no immigration or customs staff on duty?

That strikes me as pretty poor.

If there were such staff on duty, it's almost 'detaining individuals against their free will' to state 'no, you cannot leave the terminal, particularly if QF knew that the plane would not depart for AKL until 0745.

My sympathies. Maybe you are the first passengers to falls victim to the QF Board and AJ's February 2014 cost cutting?

No, I, there were staff on duty. They said they were not allowing passengers to leave on instruction from Qantas. I was tempted to ring the local police and report I was being held against my will. Crazy thing is I could have conducted my business in Auckland and all would have been fine, but that option was denied by Qantas to all passengers

 

[Mattg]

Re: General Qantas Delays/Cancellations/etc. Discussion

No, I, there were staff on duty. They said they were not allowing passengers to leave on instruction from Qantas. I was tempted to ring the local police and report I was being held against my will. Crazy thing is I could have conducted my business in Auckland and all would have been fine, but that option was denied by Qantas to all passengers

Did you send feedback to Qantas?