Qantas Delays/Cancellations

[Quickstatus]

An A380 needs less runway for takeoff and landing than a B747
However the runway should be wider with wider taxiways (A380 = 50 feet wider at the wingspan and slightly wider at the wheels) and structurally stronger especially at the touchdown area.

It appears the onground time was 3hr 13 min from landing to takeoff. Not unusually long for medical diversions that I have seen reported here but getting to the longer end.

 

[Melburnian1]

The Thursday 15 December 2135 hours from HKG to SYD (B744 VH-OJM, QF118) was airborne at a most unpunctual 0201 hours on Friday 16 and should arrive in the Australian mainland harbour city at roughly 1315 instead of 1005 hours, 190 minutes behind time. This aircraft then looks to be forming the 1500 hours from SYD to SFO, QF73, so while it now a tight turnaround, if all goes swimmingly the latter may be able to depart on time...

This proved too optimistic. According to the QF website, QF73 should have departed at 1540 hours; Google says a more likely 1610 hours, 70 minutes late.

Also on 16 December, QF41, the 1350 hours SYD - CGK did not take off until 1503, so arrival is not forecast until 1817, 47 late. Aircraft is A332 VH-EBV. This relatively short international flight always seems to be an A332 rather than an A333. QF42 from CGK back to SYD will be tardy departing tonight.

B744 VH-OEI on the overnight QF64 from JNB is arriving in SYD at about 1616, 41 late.

 

[docjames]

Apologies i didn't see that (find the app somewhat challenging - misses unread posts and re-shows read ones!

docjames, please try to read previous posts. I mentioned above that the Qantas Source website suggested it was a medical diversion.

In further on Friday 16 December, QF127 (1100 hours, retimed to 1101 by ATC and from SYD up to HKG) took off at 1216 so a 35 minute tardy arrival at 1800 hours is predicted for A380 VH-OQD.

QF29 from MEL to HKG (B744 VH-OEG), the 1115 hours, departed at 1403 with arrival likely at 1942, only 22 minutes late. As usual if this aircraft encounters heavy air traffic in the HKG area that arrival may be stretched out somewhat.

 

[Melburnian1]

It is very rare for QF25/QF26 (the SYD - HND - SYD B744 rotation) to run late as 25 must be just about QFi's most punctual flight and QF26 not far behind it - delays in SYD are about the only thing that usually sees any tardiness for QF26 - but on Saturday 17 December, B744 VH-OJS, the 0935 hours SYD scheduled arrival should do so at about 1018.

Also on Saturday 17, QF29 from MEL to HKG is predicted to depart half an hour late at 1145 while another scheduled 1115 hours departure, QF93 from MEL to LAX is not expected to begin pushback until about 1230 this afternoon.

 

[Melburnian1]

In further on 17 December, flagship QF1, the 1645 hours from SYD to DXB and on to LHR took off at 1757. A388 VH-OQC should arrive half an hour behind schedule at 0110 hours on Sunday 18.

 

[Melburnian1]

The Sunday 18 December-arriving QF12 and QF94 from LAX into SYD and MEL are both delayed. QF12 (A388 VH-OQI) should arrive 33 minutes late at 0903 hours while QF94 is likely to pull in to its allocated gate at 0941, 41 minutes behind schedule. Completing the triumvirate, QF16 from LAX to BNE (B744 VH-OEF) is about 60 minutes tardy and should arrive at 0814 hours.

QF2254, the 0745 hours SYD to LDH was cancelled. QF2209, the 1130 SYD - ABX will suffer the same fate.

QF38, the recently introduced second flight from SIN to MEL (A332 VH-EBR) will be 35 minutes late into MEL, arriving at approximately 1045.

QF79 from MEL to NRT, the 0915 hours (A333 VH-QPD - is the the second operating day for this new flight?) took off at 1001 which is about 25 minutes late but arrival is expected to be only a couple of minutes late. No doubt from the inaugural flight that was on Friday 16 December from memory we can expect to see some 'reviews' written by invited freeloaders who travelled in J - if they write anything critical, the invitation to the next shindig will be lost in the mail so these 'reviews' are not worth the paper on which they are written.

 

[Melburnian1]

In further on Sunday 18 December, the 1430 hours mid afternoon QF441 from SYD to MEL has the axe.

 

[Melburnian1]

Qantas' poor, and highly variable punctuality on the LAX - Australia routes is continuing with the Saturday 17 December QF12 from LAX to SYD having departed at 2354, 84 minutes late and Monday 19 December arrival being estimated at 0924, 54 minutes late.

QF16 on Saturday 17 departed LAX almost identically late - at 0041 on Sunday 18, 81 minutes behind schedule - with Monday 19 December arrival in BNE suggested as 0836 instead of 0705 hours, 91 minutes late.

QF94 is not always delayed when the other two are as company preference appears to be to get it to MEL in as timely a fashion as possible as the time allowed to return as QF93 from MEL to LAX is close to the minimum achievable. However on Saturday 17, QF94 departed the Hollywood city at 2316 hours, 71 late with Monday 19 arrival forecast as 0937, 37 late. Given that often the minumum observed turnaround of about an hour 35 minutes is not achieved, this almost guarantees a delayed departure for QF93 on Monday 19 December, although with the flying time closer to 13 hours 40 minutes than 14:20 as one esteemed contributor pointed out, it is often possible to pick up quite a bit of time on the gate-to-gate eastbound schedule.

Of the four airlines with nonstops plying the Oz - USA routes, QF must have a worse punctuality record than either DL, UA or VA, although in fairness to QF it operates more flights and DL's offerings in particular in terms of route coverage and frequency are sparse in comparison.

 

[Melburnian1]

The Monday 19 December 2016 morning QF2104 from SYD to CFS has been cancelled, while TransTasman flight QF121 (the scheduled 0930 hours from SYD across to ZQN) is expected to commence pushback at 1015.

QF2402 (0700 hours early morning from BNE up to EMD) was cancelled as well. QF2450, the 0715 hours BNE to little known MOV has been delayed until a projected 0825 hours.

QF608 (0810 hours MEL - BNE B738) should instead depart at 0900.

The 0945 hours mid morning QF2425 from BNE down to NTL is expected to depart 35 minutes behind schedule.

Adding to post 4228 above, QF93 from MEL to LAX should pushback at 1145, half an hour late.

The 1140 SYD - LDH, QF2260 is instead expected to depart at 1210. This aircraft weight restricted route has many delays and problems: presumably a major cause is weather at the 'outstation.'

QF427, the 1100 SYD - MEL has been cancelled.

The 1350 hours from SYD to CGK is among QFi's more punctual flights, certainly not being noted a lot for late running, but today it is forecast to depart half an hour late.

 

[docjames]

Qantas' poor, and highly variable punctuality on the LAX - Australia routes is continuing with the Saturday 17 December QF12 from LAX to SYD having departed at 2354, 84 minutes late and Monday 19 December arrival being estimated at 0924, 54 minutes late.

QF16 on Saturday 17 departed LAX almost identically late - at 0041 on Sunday 18, 81 minutes behind schedule - with Monday 19 December arrival in BNE suggested as 0836 instead of 0705 hours, 91 minutes late.

QF94 is not always delayed when the other two are as company preference appears to be to get it to MEL in as timely a fashion as possible as the time allowed to return as QF93 from MEL to LAX is close to the minimum achievable. However on Saturday 17, QF94 departed the Hollywood city at 2316 hours, 71 late with Monday 19 arrival forecast as 0937, 37 late. Given that often the minumum observed turnaround of about an hour 35 minutes is not achieved, this almost guarantees a delayed departure for QF93 on Monday 19 December, although with the flying time closer to 13 hours 40 minutes than 14:20 as one esteemed contributor pointed out, it is often possible to pick up quite a bit of time on the gate-to-gate eastbound schedule.

Of the four airlines with nonstops plying the Oz - USA routes, QF must have a worse punctuality record than either DL, UA or VA, although in fairness to QF it operates more flights and DL's offerings in particular in terms of route coverage and frequency are sparse in comparison.

Here's an interesting data point on the QF93 delay Sat 17th. Was just in a casual conversation with a colleague so everyone be nice and dont kill me on "they could have done xx_x" - i'm just relaying a conversation and the end result.


Colleague had their UM travelling to NYC to meet a family member. Booked on QF for through carriage to make the process far easier. Due to delay, UM wouldn't have made connection to QF11 across from LAX-JFK (and apparently some difficulties in getting AA to accept carriage of said UM even though obviously seats could be found), so in the end best option was to make sure UM was moved to next day - but was switched to SYD flight (ie. to ensure the UM was on the LAX-JFK operating aircraft in the event QF93 was delayed again the following day so travelled MEL-SYD to join QF11 in SYD).

 

[Melburnian1]

Continuing with Monday 19 December, QF93 was a lot later away from MEL than QF had predicted, with departure at 1232 hours, 77 minutes late and therefore projected LAX arrival, same day, at 0750, 75 minutes tardy.

Up north, QF15 has also been delayed with its pushback commencing this morning at 1208, 58 minutes tardy. Forecast arrival should be at 0705, 65 minutes behind schedule, which will delay the continuing B744 leg (QF11) to LAX.

The 1350 hours SYD - CGK, a much shorter trip, was also delayed rather more than QF's forecast in the post above of 'half an hour', with the event occurring at 1530 (100 minutes late) and consequent anticipated arrival being revised to an hour late at 1830 tonight Jakarta time. A332 VH-EBO is the aircraft.

QF642 (0920 hours morning flight from PER across to SYD, A332 VH-EBK) took off at 1022 so arrival is forecast for 1705 hours, 35 minutes behind schedule.

 

[Melburnian1]

Sunday 18 December's QF2 departed LHR a minute late at 2146 hours, arriving DXB on Monday 19 at 0748, three late. However it overstayed with departure not until 1057, 82 minutes behind with the inevitable result that on Tuesday 20 December SYD arrival is forecast for 0745 hours, 75 minutes tardy. Normally such an arrival time will not affect any of QF11, QF7 or QF1 (the three Sydney A388 QF departures) as the turnaround times allowed in schedules are generous, at least when compared with the minimum achievable turnaround. That said, like all transport equipment or rollingstock, ongoing maintenance has to regularly occur so constant minimum turnarounds would eventually become unworkable.

 

[Melburnian1]

Tuesday 20 December sees QF80 from NRT to MEL (A333 VH-QPE) expected to arrive 37 minutes late at 0807. This aircraft is then rushing back to NRT on the 0915 hours scheduled QF79 ex MEL, so this may be a little late departing.

 

[Melburnian1]

In further on Tuesday 20 December, QF81 (1115 hours from SYD up to the Lion City, SIN) was airborne at 1221 hours. Arrival is predicted 45 late at 1715 this afternoon SIN time. Aircraft is A333 VH-QPC.

 

[Melburnian1]

The evening of Wednesday 21 December 2016 sees QF635 (1800 BNE to MEL, B738 VH-VZD) took off at 1949; arrival should be at 2255, 95 late.

QF665 (1810 hours evening flight from BNE down to ADL, B738 VH-XZJ) took off at 1922; arrival should be at 2214 instead of 2120 hours.

 

[Melburnian1]

B744 VH-OJM is on Thursday 22 December on QF128, the overnight from HKG down to SYD; it is predicted to pull in to its allocated gate in the Australian major harbour city at about 0833, 38 minutes tardy.

QF12 from LAX to BNE is about 49 minutes late and should arrive at 0754 AEST. However QF12 (SYD-bound) and QF94 to MEL (A388 VH-OQI) are not significantly late: often it is a case of two out of the three being tardy due to the JFK - LAX connection.

 

[Melburnian1]

During the evening of thursday 22 December, QF705, the 1800 hours CNS - MEL that took off at 1859 hours is threading its way down to the southern capital with arrival of B738 Vh-VXT likely at 2303 hours, 43 minutes behind schedule.

 

[Melburnian1]

Friday 23 December sees QF12 from LAX to SYD forecast to arrive at 1010, 100 minutes late as on Thursday 22 it departed LAX at 0055 instead of on Wednesday 21 at 2230 hours.

However, the connecting QF12 - a different aircraft with a B744 not an A388 - had only arrived LAX 45 minutes late at 2140 hours on Wednesday evening.

QF94 departed LAX on Wednesday at 2323 instead of 2205 - 78 minutes late - with a Friday morning 0950 hours arrival, 50 minutes behind schedule, suggested. This will delay QF93 from MEL to LAX.

QF16 from LAX to BNE departed a very similar 77 minutes tardy, at 0037 hours on Thursday; arrival on Friday morning should be at 0810, 65 minutes later than the timetable states.

 

[Melburnian1]

In further on Friday 23 December, QF20 from MNL to SYD is expected to arrive 68 minutes late at 0918 hours. This is a Christmas extra running for a month or so as SYD - MNL does not normally operate on a Thursday, but this route has flights six days a week at present for a relatively short period. As with some other QFi routes, Tuesday, the slackest day for bookings, is the day when nothing originates on the route.

 

[Melburnian1]

Also on 23 December, longhaul B744 VH-OJU on QF73 (1500 hours from SYD to SFO) did not take off until a very late 1844 hours, so arrival on the same day should be at about 1145, two and a quarter hours or 135 minutes tardy. This aircraft has a long turnaround in the United States so all being well QF74 back to Sydney will not be delayed.

This B744 came in on QF64 from JNB that was not scheduled to arrive until 1535, and that actually arrived at 1553. This is hardly ideal to have an aircraft forming the next flight that is due in after scheduled time of departure, but it demonstrates the pressure on peak days like this that the longhaul fleet of B744s and A388s is under. As an instance of this, QF17, the Christmas period extra from SYD to LAX is following (until their flight paths diverge) QF73 very closely as QF17 is the 1825 hours ex SYD (B744 VH-OEH) that was airborne at 1847. The briefly seasonal SYd - YVR - SYD rotation is also operating thrice weekly at present.

Those words (albeit in hindsight) from AFF member JohnPhelan about how QF was unwise to dispose of two of its B744s are ringing in my ears. There would have been a cost to retention - ongoing maintenance for one, which may not be inexpensive for older aircraft - but they were fully depreciated when disposed of.

The second flight of the day from MEL to SIN, QF37, the scheduled 1610 (A333 VH-QPH) took off at 1711; arrival is predicted as 35 minutes behind at 2150 hours this evening.