Qantas Delays/Cancellations

[Melburnian1]

With the Ayers Rock airport closure this morning due to flooded runway, after 74mm of rain overnight and a further 40mm between 9 and 11am, QLink1851 CNS-AYQ diverted to Mt Isa; knock-on effects will include likely cancellation of QJE1940 AYQ-ASP and delays to QJE 1936ASP-DRW

The road between Alice Springs and Ayers Rock must also be cut - otherwise the planes may have been able to divert to ASP and at least offload their happy campers, even if they were unable to pick up anyone from the Ayers Rock resort due to the time it would take (if roads were open) to travel by bus to ASP.

 

[Pushka]

All good MEL - SIN.

 

[jb747]

The road between Alice Springs and Ayers Rock must also be cut - otherwise the planes may have been able to divert to ASP and at least offload their happy campers, even if they were unable to pick up anyone from the Ayers Rock resort due to the time it would take (if roads were open) to travel by bus to ASP.

The road being cut or otherwise would not be a consideration.

This is the current TAFOR for Alice:
TAF AMD YBAS 252330Z 2523/2624
36020G30KT 8000 -RA SCT015
TEMPO 2600/2612 VRB25G45KT 1000 TSRA BKN010 SCT020CB
RMK FM260000 MOD TURB BLW 5000FT TILL260100
FM260100 SEV TURB BLW 5000FT
T 25 25 27 26 Q 1007 1006 1003 1002

The 'tempo thunderstorms' would be more than enough to push an aircraft to Mt Isa (or elsewhere).

 

[Melburnian1]

The delayed QF35 departed from MEL at 1358 for SIN so the prediction of delay was very accurate. AFF member Pushka looks to flying on A332 VH-EBP - so it wasn't one of A333 VH-QPA to QPI inclusive!

 

[Melburnian1]

On 26 December, the delayed QF19 (1225 hours SYD - MNL) looks to be A333 VH-QPJ that came in from MNL this morning at around 1130 and has not undertaken any flying since then. It may have needed some attention, unless there were problems with crewing the flight.

A QF flight attendant recently mentioned that 'managers' were 'worried' about sufficient (cabin?) crew availability during the next few weeks. My source did not elaborate but the comment was about the B744 or A333 QFi workings, not the A388s with differently employed cabin crew. The QFi fleet is being worked quite hard at present given the demand for Christmas/ New Year/ school holiday seats. It is also a time of year when staff with children in particular might like leave.

 

[Melburnian1]

The Boxing Day delayed QF19 departed at 1825 as QF had indicated, six hours late and should arrive in MNL at 2250 instead of 1735. Although the QF website suggests it will not be back in SYD until 1140 on Tuesday 27 (QF20), this flight could, provided all goes well, depart MNL at midnight and be in SYD at 1100 or even before. Subject to the usual caveat about changes, at this stage Vh-QPJ is next rostered on the 1325 hours QF117 (SYD - HKG) that QF suggests will not depart until 1340.

However an 1100 hours arrival is usually more than sufficient time for turning around an A330 for a 1325 hours departure, so with the slightly amended time QF may have been a little conservative.

 

[Flyerqf]

The delayed QF35 departed from MEL at 1358 for SIN so the prediction of delay was very accurate. AFF member Pushka looks to flying on A332 VH-EBP - so it wasn't one of A333 VH-QPA to QPI inclusive!

EBR was originally scheduled before EBP was subbed in. Same config.

 

[Melburnian1]

EBR was originally scheduled before EBP was subbed in. Same config.

Provided FR24 is correct, A332 VH-EBR has not undertaken any further flights since arriving in MEL much earlier today (26 December 2016) at just before 1030 on QF38 ex SIN.

Would engineering staffing be a little lower on a public holiday, meaning repairs take a little longer if there are unexpected events such as a crack in a windscreen?

 

[Melburnian1]

A388 VH-OQH on the overnight QF128 from HKG to SYD should arrive on Tuesday 27 December at 0852, 37 minutes behind schedule.

QF36 (A333 VH-QPC) should arrive MEL at 0748, 93 minutes late after its overnight flight ex SIN. Its departure time last night was 1945 but it was not airborne until 2127.

The delayed QF19 on Boxing Day and its return QF20 ran later than the QF website had predicted, with QF19 not arriving MNL until 2309 and QF20 not departing on Tuesday 27 until 0056 for a suggested 1202 hours arrival in SYD instead of 0605. On the return trip the plane will have made up a whole three minutes of the six hour deficit. This flight is forming QF117, the 1325 hours from SYD to HKG that should (not with much of a margin) be able to punctually depart if all goes swimmingly.

 

[jb747]

QF36 (A333 VH-QPC) should arrive MEL at 0748, 93 minutes late after its overnight flight ex SIN. Its departure time last night was 1945 but it was not airborne until 2127. The delayed QF35 from Boxing Day on which Pushka travelled had not arrived until about 1900 hours. Quite a slow turnaround for QF35 to QF36 in SIN.

Pretty impressive turnaround really, given that QF35 was a 332 and QF36 a 333.

 

[Melburnian1]

Pretty impressive turnaround really, given that QF35 was a 332 and QF36 a 333.

Apologies - that has been corrected.

QF575, the Tuesday 27 December 0825 hours SYD to PER departed at 0849 with arrival suggested as half an hour behind schedule at 1050. VH-EBM is the A332.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

QF2 ended up being cancelled and will now arrive on Christmas Day 24 hrs late

For anyone on this flight ex LHR I'd be putting in an EU261 claim for this. Not guaranteed by a long shot but worth filling in the application (probably through one of the EU claim specialists).

 

[Melburnian1]

For anyone on this flight ex LHR I'd be putting in an EU261 claim for this. Not guaranteed by a long shot but worth filling in the application (probably through one of the EU claim specialists).

Here is one guide as to how to claim:

How to claim EU flight delay compensation|(EC) 261/2004 | This is Money

Submit a claim to QF if relevant to your circumstances.

On at least one occasion I read about through AFF, an airline proactively distributed claim forms at the gate. 600 Euros per passenger mounts if the airline accepts multiple claims.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Here is one guide as to how to claim:

How to claim EU flight delay compensation|(EC) 261/2004 | This is Money

Submit a claim to QF if relevant to your circumstances.

On at least one occasion I read about through AFF, an airline proactively distributed claim forms at the gate. GBP600 per passenger mounts if the airline accepts multiple claims.

600 Euros (rather than £). QF is likely to reject the claim if the flight departed London on time. However the final arrival was >6 hours late. Putting in via a claim handling agent may be easier if there's going to be push back. The claim agency will usually take around a third of the payout, so going via QF at first instance will bypass that, but may add to the time if they reject the claim.

 

[Melburnian1]

600 Euros (rather than £). QF is likely to reject the claim if the flight departed London on time. However the final arrival was >6 hours late.

Might an airline (not just QF) also disregard or rejecty a claim because of the UK's announced exit from the EU ('Brexit'?)

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Might an airline (not just QF) also disregard or rejecty a claim because of the UK's announced exit from the EU ('Brexit'?)

All current EU laws apply and will be some time before select laws will be repealed (if at all). At least a few years.

 

[jb747]

How would that apply given that you're talking about a flight by a non EU carrier, departing a non EU country, for a non EU country?

 

[Melburnian1]

How would that apply given that you're talking about a flight by a non EU carrier, departing a non EU country, for a non EU country?

MEL_Traveller's point is that while the UK has announced it will be leaving the EU following the UK 'no vote' succeeding in its referendum, it has not yet formally done so in terms of repeal of statutes and regulations. So EU261 applies:

Frequently asked questions about EU 261 - Elliott

If QF declines to pay, I would suggest that (if Australian citizens or resident here) passengers write to their local Federal Member of Parliament. One would need to give QF a month to reply to any initial correspondence.

 

[jb747]

No, my point is that the flight that was cancelled was not departing the EU. Was not going to the EU. And was not flown by an EU carrier. As best I can read the rules, it has nothing to do with the flight number, only the actual flight. So, it would not apply. It would it if had been the previous sector.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

How would that apply given that you're talking about a flight by a non EU carrier, departing a non EU country, for a non EU country?

QF2 departs the EU and arrived in Australia with a delay of 24 hours. This might be considered a flight cancellation part way through its journey and EU261 may be applicable for pax originating in the EU (not those joining in DXB).

The case is not clear cut: the airline will argue either (a) this was a delay, but not a delay per EU261 Article 7 as the flight departed on schedule from the UK, or (b) that this was a delay (cancellation) occurring outside the EU. On the flip-side, passengers originating from London would argue this is a single flight number with the journey cancelled a third of the way through (based on actual arrival more than 6 hours late).

Both are reasonable arguments, so on that basis I'd put in a claim - nothing to lose.