Qantas Delays/Cancellations

[Quickstatus]

Can't disembark even via the air bridges?

apparently so. I'm speculating that aerobridges are just elevated cars with long bits. So counts as Tarmac activity?
aircraft prob can't park at gate without someone on Tarmac flagging it in

 

[jb747]

Can't disembark even via the air bridges?

You can't complete parking, and get the aircraft chocked. So no bridge connection.

 

[bismarck]

You can't complete parking, and get the aircraft chocked. So no bridge connection.

Interesting. Thanks.

Definitely looking congested around Sydney!

 

[Quickstatus]

Aircraft can still take off (if they can get to runway) and land - runway ops not affected

 

[jb747]

Aircraft can still take off (if they can get to runway) and land - runway ops not affected

Correct. But, where there is lightning, there's a thunderstorm. And where there's a thunderstorm, there's likely to be wind shear.

 

[Melburnian1]

As examples of further thunderstorm-in-SYD related delays on the evening of Monday 5 December, QF458, the 1800 hours from MEL to SYD took off at 2005 hours; arrival of B738 Vh-VZZ should be at 2110 instead of 1925 hours.

In the southbound direction, QF455 (1730 hours SYD - MEL, VH-VYG, also a B738) took off at 2008, so it is worse affected than the above northbound. QF455 should be at its MEL gate at around 2134, 149 minutes tardy.

QF451, the southbound 1715, took off at 1931 hours with arrival suggested as 2100 instead of 1850, which would be 130 minutes behind time. A332 VH-EBD has the honour.

The 1830 hours SYD - MEL (QF453) was airborne at 2030; it should arrive at 2134 hours instead of 2005, which is 89 minutes tardy. Aircraft is B738 VH-VZU.

QF28 from SCL must have deviated to MEL as it took off from there at 2028. B744 VH-OJT should arrive SYD, its proper destination, at 2141 hours. QF25 to HND is departing from a different gate number so the delayed QF28 arrival is not delaying any other flights from a quick squiz.

Northbound QF546, the scheduled 1830 hours from SYD to BNE took off at 2024; arrival is predicted for 2032 instead of 1900 hours with B738 VH-VXO.

 

[Melburnian1]

In a further Monday 5 December delay, QF701 (2030 hours MEL - ADL) took off at 2217; arrival should be at 2257 instead of 2120, so B738 VH-VZV will just beat teh 2300 hours curfew.

 

[Melburnian1]

On Tuesday 6 December, QF406 (0645 hours MEL - SYD) has been cancelled.

QF503, the 0520 hours BNE - SYD (B738 VH-VZX) had a late start to its morning with takeoff not until 0625. Arrival is predicted at 0842 hours, 47 minutes tardy.

The similarly super early morning 0510 hours BNE - CBR, QF1537 is in a similar boat as it was in the sky about 50 minutes late at 0620 hours and hence should pull in at around 0850, 50 late. B717 VH-YQX is the aircraft.

 

[Melburnian1]

Wednesday 7 December sees QF2, the SYD arrival ex DXB running quite late with blocks on at its destination gate predicted at 0827, 117 minutes behind time. A388 Vh-OQD has the task. All being well, no outbounds ex SYD should be delayed as there are generous turnaround times, unlike in MEL between QF94 to QF93 and QF10 to QF9.

QF1543, the super early morning during summer 0510 hours BNE to CBR (B717 VH-YQW) took off at 0554 so arrival should be 35 minutes late at 0835. One savvy AFF contributor a few posts back commented about how he expected the B717 flights to be late as par for the course: while not true for every sector, there is quite a deal of unpunctual operation of the QF B717s. Doubtless the causes are multiple.

 

[Melburnian1]

QF9 has a shocking on time departure record from MEL. Over the past week, not a single flight has left on time (within 15 minutes of the scheduled departure time). It has picked up some time however by the time it arrives in LHR.

The Tuesday 6 December QF9 from MEL to DXB and LHR departed at 0102 on Wednesday (97 minutes late), arriving DXB 90 minutes kate at 0800 and departing at 1015, 105 late. Projected arrival in LHR is 1410 hours, again 90 behind schedule.

On Wednesday 7 December, QF10, the 0105 hours scheduled pushback did not do so until 0509 for its weary travellers, meaning arrival in MEL will be at an expected 0107 hours on Thursday 8 December instead of 2125 on Wednesday mid evening.

Inevitably this will mean that tonight's 2325 hours QF9 to DXB will depart at around 0250 hours, but all being well (no fog in DXB for instance) it should not affect the QF2 LHR Thursday evening departure that it usually forms, as there is a good amount of allowed time to turn the aircraft around.

UPDATE: QF9 (VH-OQF) departed MEL at 0310 hours on Thursday 8 December, taking off at 0325 hours. DXB arrival is suggested as 1026 in lieu of 0630
Unrealistically, QF's website claims that it will then depart DXB at 1100 - 34 minutes on the ground is impossible if crews have to change, luggage and freight has to be unloaded and loaded and passengers alight and board or reboard - for a 1450 LHR arrival instead of 1240, again the latter being most unlikely.

 

[Melburnian1]

On Thursday 8 December, QF2371 (early morning 0645 hours from HVB down to BNE) did not take off until 0719; arrival should be at 0816 hours, 36 minutes tardy. Aircraft is Q300 VH-SBW.

The 0845 hours MEL - SYD QF488 has been cancelled as has QF610, the 0910 hours MEL - BNE.

QF601, the 0820 hours arrival in MEL ex BNE and QF407, the 0715 hours SYD - MEL have similarly got the gong.

Empty working QF6004 is flying from MEL to SYD (B744 VH-OEH), having taken off at 1003 hours. Its previous use was on the 5 December 2016 LAX - MEL QF96 that arrived MEL on Wednesday 7 December. Have I missed something?

QF426, the 1100 MEL - SYD departed 26 minutes late but is not expected to arrive until 1256, 31 minutes tardy.

 

[Melburnian1]

Not sure what failed, but QF409, the 0900 SYD to MEL on Thursday 8 December (A332 VH-EBB) took off at 1307 with arrival expected 215 minutes late at 1410 this afternoon. One surmises that any high status passengers would have been gradually transferred to other flights such as the 1000 that may have had some spare seats.

 

[Melburnian1]

Unless flights are cancelled, having a plane run four hours late eventually adversely affects other flights (refer previous post.) And so it is with QF434 on Thursday 8 December, the 1300 hours from MEL to SYD which also with VH-EBB did not take off until 1532 this afternoon. SYD arrival is predicted for 1639 instead of 1425 hours.

QF797 (B738 VH-VZY, the 1130 hours ASP - MEL) was airborne only about 10 minutes late at 1200 'high noon' but will be more delayed than that arriving in MEL at a predicted 1616 hours, 41 minutes late after a reasonably lengthy 'hold' above northern Victoria in the Lake Boga - Quambatook area. The 1530 hours timeframe is very busy for flight arrivals in MEL on weekdays, especially from Queensland.

The 1350 hours from ADL across to SYD, QF1560 took off at 1454. B717 VH-YQW should arrive at 1654, 39 minutes behind schedule.

Longhaul QF7, the 1505 hours SYD - DFW is expected to instead depart at 1630 on 8 December with arrival in the Lone Star state at 1405 rather than 1330 hours (same day.)

Inexplicably, another A388 flight, the flagship QF1 (1645 hours SYD to DXB) has been altered to depart at 1930 tonight: quite unusual, as unlike its MEL-orginating cousin QF9, QF1 is often punctual out of Australia's mainland harbour city.

 

[kpc]

Inexplicably, another A388 flight, the flagship QF1 (1645 hours SYD to DXB) has been altered to depart at 1930 tonight: quite unusual, as unlike its MEL-orginating cousin QF9, QF1 is often punctual out of Australia's mainland harbour city.

Fifa and +1 are on this flight...they will be spending a loooong time in the F lounge

 

[Quickstatus]

Empty working QF6004 is flying from MEL to SYD (B744 VH-OEH), having taken off at 1003 hours. Its previous use was on the 5 December 2016 LAX - MEL QF96 that arrived MEL on Wednesday 7 December. Have I missed something?

Nothing!. Its operating QF73 SYD-SFO

 

[Melburnian1]

Additionally on Thursday 8 December, QF697 (1825 hours from MEL across to ADL) took off at 1921; arrival of B738 VH-XZN should be at 2000, 45 minutes tardy.

QF1535, which is normally the 1215 hours B717 from CBR down to MEL appears to have departed on Thursday 8 at 1521 but returned to CBR by 1609. It then took off again at 1827 for a projected MEL arrival at about 1940 hours with B717 VH-YQS. The scheduled arrival time is 1325 so that makes it about 375 minutes late - quite extra-ordinary to put it mildly.

The 1745 hours SYD - MEL, QF457 was airborne at 1827; arrival should be at 1951, 31 minutes late. Vh-VXO is the B738.

 

[Melburnian1]

The badly delayed QF9 from Wednesday 7 December (refer above posts) ended up arriving in DXB on Thursday 8 at 1011 instead of the scheduled 0630 hours. It then departed at 1137, 187 late with expected arrival in LHR of 1535, 175 minutes tardy.

Meanwhile the delayed QF1 on Thursday 8 December departed from SYD at 1949 instead of 1645 with DXB arrival slated as 0310 instead of 0040 on Friday 9. QF has yet to publicly state what the anticipated DXB departure and LHR arrival times are, a failing fairly often of its website.

 

[Melburnian1]

At least one of the B717s servicing the MEL - HBA route must be up to its old tricks again with the Thursday 8 December QF1505 (1405 hours departure) not taking off until about 1820 this evening.

 

[Quickstatus]

I think there is nothing much to read into today's Thursday 8Dec16 QF7/QF1 delay combo. Qf7 suffered just a minor delay of approx 55 minutes while the QF1 delay was more substantial.

The QF1 delay is still working through the system. I understand that airlines like QF may have "back to base" flight monitoring systems which may assist pilots in getting to their destinations quickly and efficiently by dynamically offering the pilots a different path/altitude or speed (of course these goals are often mutually exclusive).

 

[Melburnian1]

On Thursday 8 December, QF9 was again late for no apparent reason, departing MEL 48 minutes late at 0013 on Friday 9 for an estimated DXB arrival at 0710, 40 minutes late.