Qantas Delays/Cancellations

[mannej]

Re: General Qantas Delays/Cancellations/etc. Discussion

Seems as if DXB had fog related issues recently.

The QANTAS Source |

[h=2]QANTAS A380 VH-OQL QF2 Bahrain Diversion.[/h]February 22, 2014

QANTAS A380 VH-OQL operating the London Heathrow – Dubai sector of QF2 London Heathrow – Dubai – Sydney (depart London 21st February) diverted via Bahrain this morning due to fog at Dubai. The complete routing was London Heathrow – Bahrain – Dubai – Sydney.

 

[Preemo]

Re: General Qantas Delays/Cancellations/etc. Discussion

Did you send feedback to Qantas?

Yes I did, waiting to hear back but I'm not overly hopeful

 

[Melburnian1]

Re: General Qantas Delays/Cancellations/etc. Discussion

mannej, thank you. QF2 on Friday 21 February departed LHR 2" early at 2113 but as you suggest was diverted to BAH arriving at 0633. It departed at 0806 but seems to have taken excess flying time (waiting for fog to clear?) as it did not arrive DXB (on blocks) until 1144, a point to point time of two hours and 38 minutes for about 475 kilometres, allowing for the one hour time difference.

The flight then had an excessively long stay at DXB (almost three hours, until 1436), finally arriving SYD at 1112 on Sunday 22 February. Almost a milk run in which some carriers specialised 20 or so years ago for trips to LHR. Perhaps the extra time on the ground at DXB was due to fog swirling around? Doubtless there were some tired long haul passengers upon arrival in SYD.

 

[jb747]

Re: General Qantas Delays/Cancellations/etc. Discussion

Fog...when it occurs it can affect a large number of airports, and consequently a large group of aircraft, right around the Gulf area. Once you divert, turnarounds are not like planned turnarounds. You aren't the only aircraft to have diverted. The airport may have very limited facilities for your type. Just as likely you won't even be able to get a parking bay. You have ZERO priority.

And then you need...a departure slot. Long haul flights aren't affected by these normally, but now you're a short haul flight. Last time I needed one of these in Europe, the next slot on offer was five hours away...long past the end of any possible crew duty time.

Once airborne, you're back into the crowd, and most likely sent straight to a holding pattern...just as likely whilst still in the climb.

Plus Dubai airport is currently in the middle of runway works, and operations, including Cat II/III can be limited.

None of this is simple or easy...

 

[markis10]

Re: General Qantas Delays/Cancellations/etc. Discussion

mannej, thank you. QF2 on Friday 21 February departed LHR 2" early at 2113 but as you suggest was diverted to BAH arriving at 0633. It departed at 0806 but seems to have taken excess flying time (waiting for fog to clear?) as it did not arrive DXB (on blocks) until 1144, a point to point time of two hours and 38 minutes for about 475 kilometres, allowing for the one hour time difference.

The flight then had an excessively long stay at DXB (almost three hours, until 1436), finally arriving SYD at 1112 on Sunday 22 February. Almost a milk run in which some carriers specialised 20 or so years ago for trips to LHR. Perhaps the extra time on the ground at DXB was due to fog swirling around? Doubtless there were some tired long haul passengers upon arrival in SYD.

Delays happen, I once had a BA 747 holding for 6 hours on a simple Melbourne to Sydney flight, only to return to Melbourne. Same reason - fog.

 

[pjm99au]

Re: General Qantas Delays/Cancellations/etc. Discussion

QF 566 perth syd gone US today. 330 replaced with a 737 with the corresponding scrum and delays. Gossip in the Airport was that the 330 lost some of its fuselage on the way over from Sydney and was taken out of service

 

[jb747]

Re: General Qantas Delays/Cancellations/etc. Discussion

QF 566 perth syd gone US today. 330 replaced with a 737 with the corresponding scrum and delays. Gossip in the Airport was that the 330 lost some of its fuselage on the way over from Sydney and was taken out of service

Gossip...almost a 100% chance that equals bull....

 

[Robert K]

Re: General Qantas Delays/Cancellations/etc. Discussion

Delays happen, I once had a BA 747 holding for 6 hours on a simple Melbourne to Sydney flight, only to return to Melbourne. Same reason - fog.

they carry enough fuel for 6 hours of holding? I hope there's a 6 hour holding next time i fly in A.

 

[ketsuzei]

Re: General Qantas Delays/Cancellations/etc. Discussion

I once set the kettle at a higher temperature than I'd intended, which meant the water took longer to boil, and that my tea then took longer to drink. So I missed the bus I'd planned to catch, and then someone forgot to take the keys out of their pocket at the security scanner, which meant I had less time to drink in the lounge, which meant I arrived later than usual at the gate due to an unwillingness to compromise on alcohol intake, which meant pretty much nothing in the big scheme of things but I thought I'd just let you all know in the spirit of this thread.

 

[Melburnian1]

Re: General Qantas Delays/Cancellations/etc. Discussion

QF9 this afternoon is delayed from its timetabled 1615 departure ex MEL to 1930 at this stage. Might this have something to do with how VH-OQA is has been in MNL undergoing maintenance since 6 March (meaning that the usual one spare of the 12 A388s is unavailable?)

I cannot see that an A388 or 744 is deadheading down from SYD, so perhaps it is just a failure that requires rectification in MEL and takes a couple of hours' work.

 

[Shan Man]

Re: General Qantas Delays/Cancellations/etc. Discussion

QF9 this afternoon is delayed from its timetabled 1615 departure ex MEL to 1930 at this stage. Might this have something to do with how VH-OQA is has been in MNL undergoing maintenance since 6 March (meaning that the usual one spare of the 12 A388s is unavailable?)

I cannot see that an A388 or 744 is deadheading down from SYD, so perhaps it is just a failure that requires rectification in MEL and takes a couple of hours' work.

Not such a bad thing if you're in the Flounge!

 

[Melburnian1]

Re: General Qantas Delays/Cancellations/etc. Discussion

Unless you have an 0800 breakfast business meeting scheduled in The City.

 

[Melburnian1]

Re: General Qantas Delays/Cancellations/etc. Discussion

Melbourne Airport - Flight Information, Shopping & Parking now claims QF9 will depart at 2000 (although that tends to be a takeoff time, not pushback) while the QF website still shows 1930.

 

[jb747]

Re: General Qantas Delays/Cancellations/etc. Discussion

Melbourne Airport - Flight Information, Shopping & Parking now claims QF9 will depart at 2000 (although that tends to be a takeoff time, not pushback) while the QF website still shows 1930.

Departure time is the time that you push back, NOT, takeoff time.

 

[jb747]

Re: General Qantas Delays/Cancellations/etc. Discussion

QF9 this afternoon is delayed from its timetabled 1615 departure ex MEL to 1930 at this stage. Might this have something to do with how VH-OQA is has been in MNL undergoing maintenance since 6 March (meaning that the usual one spare of the 12 A388s is unavailable?)

There is no such thing as a spare 380.

I cannot see that an A388 or 744 is deadheading down from SYD, so perhaps it is just a failure that requires rectification in MEL and takes a couple of hours' work.

What could you deadhead one of them in? They wouldn't fit in either 737 or a 767. Or even a 330.

The word is ferry.

And a 744 would be really useful...you can't fly from Sydney to Melbourne and then on the Dubai with the same crew. Nor would there be a crew in Dubai to continue the service.

 

[Melburnian1]

Re: General Qantas Delays/Cancellations/etc. Discussion

Why is it late?

 

[Orca]

Re: General Qantas Delays/Cancellations/etc. Discussion

Why is it late?

How long is a piece of string?

 

[Melburnian1]

Re: General Qantas Delays/Cancellations/etc. Discussion

Orca, thank you. The flight has now been delayed until 2100 according to the QF website. That's almost five hours late.

Will substitute crews have to be brought in, signing on as close as possible to that departure time?

QF9 has an appalling punctuality record from MEL to DXB ("zero out of five") if you look it up on www.flightstats.com, although the percentage figures are only for 59 or 60 days from 1 January 2014 and may include some days when as jb747 said there was fog at DXB, which is not the airline's fault.

In contrast, the similarly timed CX104 has a www.flightstats.com punctuality record of 4.75 out of 5 to HKG while SQ228 has a rating of 4.25 out of 5 to SIN.

This is one of the many reasons why aviation stockmarket analysts are now dubious that the QF-EK tieup has been good for QF. A five hour delay must cost poor old QFi thousands of dollars.

 

[Melburnian1]

Re: General Qantas Delays/Cancellations/etc. Discussion

According to Melbourne Airport - Flight Information, Shopping & Parking, QF9 tonight was cancelled at 2139 local time.

If there are no or few seats on various EK flights, will QF put at least its high SC or FF members onto other carriers (such as CX or MH) whose flights typically depart at 2355 - 0105 for LHR, or do they have to wait until the morning for a suitable replacement flight? Will some be offered the horribly timed EK409 that departs MEL in the small hours at 0335 on Monday 17 March and does the milk run via KUL and then DXB?

Presumably this means that the A380 has a fairly major problem, because there is no indication (yet) that it is departing for DXB and LHR in the morning at 0700 after the passengers have stayed overnight in an hotel and a new crew rostered. The latter is a strategy that QF and others employ when planes are repairable overnight: while costly because passengers have to be accommodated (or return taxi vouchers given for local residents), it means that the return flight from LHR can operate more or less to time due to the extremely lengthy layover at LHR.

I assume that tomorrow night's QF2 or perhaps QF10 ex LHR will now be cancelled.

 

[ctrunfree]

Re: General Qantas Delays/Cancellations/etc. Discussion

QF9 now finally cancelled- after loading luggage and letting us sit on the plane for over 3 hours. Customs reportedly wouldn't let anyone come back through until they got organised, which took over an hour after the flight was officially cancelled. Chaotic scenes in the terminal with a couple of QF ground staff trying to find accommodation for hundreds of people, and on GP weekend! A total of 10 hours at the airport..frustrating that the engineering problem that nixxed the aircraft wasn't discovered until a few minutes before scheduled boarding...

They say we'll try again today...