Qantas Delays/Cancellations

[Melburnian1]

QF5 (VH-EBO) is delayed 4 hours. Departed at approx 9.30pm

The delayed QF5 departed SYD at 2120 hours on Friday 18 November, arriving SIN at 0213 on Saturday 19. It then returned as QF6 at 0342 hours with a 1425 instead of 1050 hours arrival suggested in SYD this afternoon, Saturday 19 November.

 

[Melburnian1]

Saturday 19 November also sees QF11 (1130 hours SYD - LAX) delayed until at least 1200 in its pushback.

 

[Melburnian1]

Also on Saturday 19 November, QF129, the 1055 SYD - PVG departed uneventfully at 1058 but diverted to MNL (medical?), arriving at 1549 and departing at 1646 hours for a suggested 95 minute late PVG arrival at 2005 tonight, making a long day for passengers and staff. QF130 is publicly showing as departing at 2100 hours but 2115 would be more likely for an arrival on Sunday 20 November back in SYD at around the 1040 mark, 55 minutes behind schedule.

 

[Flyerqf]

Also on Saturday 19 November, QF129, the 1055 SYD - PVG departed uneventfully at 1058 but diverted to MNL (medical?), arriving at 1549 and departing at 1646 hours for a suggested 95 minute late PVG arrival at 2005 tonight, making a long day for passengers and staff. QF130 is publicly showing as departing at 2100 hours but 2115 would be more likely for an arrival on Sunday 20 November back in SYD at around the 1040 mark, 55 minutes behind schedule.

Probably weather or congestion.

QF36 diverted to Bali last night.

 

[Melburnian1]

On Sunday 20 November, the QF website claims that QF1463 (0725 SYD - CBR) did not depart until an extremely late 0951, but other sources such as FlightAware suggest that this plane arrived almost on time in CBR at 0823.

QF1519 on the same route and in the same direction, the 0900 hours was cancelled.

QF1473, the 1055 SYD - CBR is expected to instead depart at 1210.

The 1115 hours from SYD to OOL, QF1568 is instead expected to push back at 1315.

 

[jb747]

Probably weather or congestion.

How do you work that out?

 

[Quickstatus]

Probably weather or congestion.

There were headwinds buffeting QF129 - see GS on FA and compare with previous days flight. The aircraft was an A330-300 which has range anxiety on routes such as these (fuel tanks in wings only).

I suggest the divert into MNL was a "splash and dash"

The smaller A330-200 has longer range and so is deployed on the longer (1280km extra distance from PVG) SYD-PEK

 

[Flyerqf]

There were headwinds buffeting QF129 - see GS on FA and compare with previous days flight. The aircraft was an A330-300 which has range anxiety on routes such as these (fuel tanks in wings only).

I suggest the divert into MNL was a "splash and dash"

The smaller A330-200 has longer range and so is deployed on the longer (1280km extra distance from PVG) SYD-PEK

sounds right, flight path didn't look like an emergency diversion.

QF36 on the other hand turned back towards Bali.

 

[jb747]

There were headwinds buffeting QF129 - see GS on FA and compare with previous days flight.

There was some headwind in part of Queensland, but not over a large part of the flight. For sections further north for which FA has the ground speed it's faster. The magnitude of the headwind is also pretty minor. In any event, for this to be an issue it would have to have been unforecast, and not covered by the navigation flight plan. They aren't always right, but equally they aren't often wrong to any degree. Winds make a difference when applied for long periods of time, and I can't see that here.

The aircraft was an A330-300 which has range anxiety on routes such as these (fuel tanks in wings only).

Which would only apply if the aircraft had departed with at max take off weight, or at max fuel uplift. Even then, the variable element of the fuel order allows some leeway.

I suggest the divert into MNL was a "splash and dash".

Whilst it may well have been, the weather forecast wasn't an issue. Manila is quite an early call for such a diversion, and is likely to be devoid of the 'dash' part of the equation. If you look more closely at FR you'll see that not only is the aircraft ground speed higher in the later part of the flight, but so is the TAS. Additionally, it hasn't climbed above FL340. That behaviour could fit with a very early call for fuel, but it also fits an attempt to get somewhere ASAP, irrespective of fuel burn.

 

[jb747]

sounds right, flight path didn't look like an emergency diversion.

QF36 on the other hand turned back towards Bali.

Same question as before. If the place you want to go to is in front of you, what would the flight path look like?

I think these are assumptions, without actually thinking through the details that you have available.

 

[Flyerqf]

Same question as before. If the place you want to go to is in front of you, what would the flight path look like?

I think these are assumptions, without actually thinking through the details that you have available.

I did say "probably". We are all speculating - no one can be 100% sure at this stage. However based on your previous post and the added information you have, it seems I am not close to the mark on this one.

 

[jb747]

I did say "probably". We are all speculating - no one can be 100% sure at this stage. However based on your previous post and the added information you have, it seems I am not close to the mark on this one.

I think my point in chasing these comments is that they are often made off the cuff, and sometimes take on a life of their own. There's quite a bit of information out there, which often seems to be discounted in the leap to a solution. For what it's worth, I've looked at the flight plan, and I don't know the answer to why it diverted.

 

[milehighclub]

The QF129 did diverted because of weather in PVG

 

[JohnK]

Weather the cause of the delays in SYD tonight?

 

[Melburnian1]

On Sunday 20 November, the 1645 hours from DBO to SYD (VH-TQH, a Q300 - QF2047) is extremely late, having taken off at 1906 hours. It should arrive at 2010, 145 minutes tardy.

The 1900 hours SYD - PQQ, QF2178, was airborne at 1954 (Q300 VH-SBG) and should be at its destination at 2058 hours, 48 minutes delayed.

JohnK, I am not in SYD but from the Bureau website, 'weather' in the form of rain looks to be approaching SYD, but latter has not yet had any rain today.

QF19 (1725 hours - different timetable on Sundays now) SYD - MNL took off at 1814 with arrival suggested as 32 minutes behind at 2307 hours.

 

[Melburnian1]

On Monday 21 November, QF1511, the 0620 from SYD down to CBR has been very badly delayed with departure expected at 1010. Arrival should be at 1110 rather than 0620.

Because it is a Monday morning, there may be too many bookings to cancel this rteurn leg and place passengers on other flights. Presumably the 'higher status' passengers may be placed on a flight earlier than the revised 1010 hours departure should there be a few spare seats.

While passengers are unlikely to have much if any advance notice about the delay, anyone who stays on this flight will have taken far longer than the NSWTrainLink morning train to get to Canberra, or for that matter by driving or (ugh!) travelling by bus.

QF411, the 0730 hours SYD - MEL should instead depart at 0800.

The 0815 hours SYD - DBO (QF2040) is instead expected to depart at 1040 while QF2020, the closely scheduled 0820 hours to ARM should depart at 1040. These NSW rural flights are lower profile than the interstate flights since the former serve smaller communities, but there is quite a deal of late operation.

QF81 (1115 hours SYD - SIN) is expected to depart at 1500 hours on Monday 21 November.

 

[Melburnian1]

In further on Monday 21 November, QF1572 (B717 VH-NXR, the 1010 SYD - HTI) took off at 1158. Arrival is predicted for about 1310, 85 minutes delayed.

QF11 (1130 SYD - LAX) is suggested as instead departing at 1500 hours this afternoon, while QF19 (1225 hours SYD - MNL, A333 VH-QPD) is showing as instead departing at 1310 but by 1345 hours had not done so.

QF81 (1115 hours SYD - SIN) was previously indicated as pushing back at a predicted 1500 hours but this has become 1525 hours.

The 1115 hours MEL - LAX QF93 is showing as delayed until 1315 hours, a time that has passed.

Sunday 20 November's transcontinental QF11 (B744 operated) departed LAX at 0956, 96 minutes tardy but arrived JFK at 1733, 63 minutes behind schedule. Returning from JFK on Sunday evening, QF12 pushed back at 1930, 90 minutes late with no time expected to be gained to LAX where arrival is suggested as 2225 hours. This will delay QF12 (LAX - SYD) by at least an hour to 2330 ex LAX and will also delay QF16 to BNE.

UPDATE: The 1225 hours QF19 (SYD - MNL) departed 78 minutes behind at 1343 with arrival forecast as 65 late at 1840 this evening, delaying the timetabled 1900 hours return ex the Philippine capital of QF20.

 

[Melburnian1]

Continuing on Monday 21 November, QF93 (the 1115 hours MEL - LAX) still had not departed by 1502 hours. This must be getting close to when the flight crew is unable to fly due to exceeding the maximum hours of duty, which if I recall one of our esteemed contributors said was 18 hours but could be extended by agreement to 20. Happy to be corrected, but scheduled flight time is 14 hours 20 minutes plus the minimum three and a half hours late the flight is, and on top of that there's the sign on time (an hour before?) and sign off (half an hour after pulling up at the gate?) so that adds up to 19 hours and 20 minutes if the sign on time had not been altered to be later due to a 'known' as opposed to a 'sudden' delay in MEL.

700 or so kilometres north, QF11, the 1130 hours SYD to LAX is expected to depart at 1600 hours this afternoon.

 

[Quickstatus]

I think the end of "duty" occurs when the cabin crew steps off the aircraft.

QF98 HKG-BNE (VH-QPJ A330) on 20Nov2016 was cancelled. The Source believe there was a crew issue. If there are not enough crew for each aircraft exit, a 'quorum" does not exist.

 

[Melburnian1]

I think the end of "duty" occurs when the cabin crew steps off the aircraft.

I was discussing flight not cabin crew. Apologies if I was unclear.

QF93 has just commenced pushback at 1520, almost four hours late ex MEL for its 21 November flight across the Pacific to LAX.