Qantas Delays/Cancellations

[Ansett]

Re: General Qantas Delays/Cancellations/etc. Discussion

I was on the delayed flight DXB-MEL and to answer was it handled efficiently ABSOLUTELY NO WAY There was no organisation took over 6 hours from departing plane to getting to Hotel (Hyatt Regency) I have had issues in the past like this and have NEVER seen such chaos lack of care understanding and organisational skills. Baggage took well over an hour to get out they filled the carousel with economy baggage. Buses were not ready and waiting as promised. Staff had no idea what was going on.
Hotel had no idea of what rooms were needed by people ie Single Double smoking non smoking so this hampered check in.

Communication about departure times was pathetic, The Number given to call was already closed and no use.

Have spent a fortune on the phone to P1. Had to advise passengers in our hotel of pick up time as Qantas failed to tell anyone.

Bus trip was horrific.

On the return we were dropped off in the wrong location, check in was manic no clear lines or notices or any one effectively managing the que. Was averaging 15-20 minutes per person to get checked in. Staff attitude was woeful. No Announcement about being delayed till 1.00 pm from a 9.30 departure.

I was fortunate enough to get transferred to the daily QF10 flight which obviously was full to the rafters.

My score to QF on the handling of this would be 1/10 and that is being generous.

PLEASE NEVER EVER EVER EVER FLY 36D ON THE A380 IT IS THE WORST SEAT ON THE AIRCRAFT....

Will add that the crew on both flights were absolutely sensational and it was the ground handling and service that let Qantas down very very very badly.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Re: General Qantas Delays/Cancellations/etc. Discussion

ummm... to the lay reader of this thread it sounds like QF reliability is not so good at the moment.

what's going on?

can we actually book and rely on getting there, reasonably on time?

 

[Melburnian1]

Re: General Qantas Delays/Cancellations/etc. Discussion

N860CR, maybe those transferring to SYD ex QF10D made it, as QF10D arrived at 2008 but QF494 departed 22 minutes late at 2122.

MEL_Traveller, this thread is only about delays or cancellations. The vast majority of all airlines' flights normally operate. Timekeeping varies from month to month, but the 'on time' definition is rather loose as flights are only counted as 'late' once they are at least 15 minutes late. On top of that, many schedules are often slack: for instance, Sydney to Melbourne southbound flights are allowed 95 minutes gate to gate when the actual flying time is often 61 minutes, so as travel writer Clive Dorman once pointed out, flights can depart Sydney half an hour late and arrive Melbourne bang on time as per the scheduled arrival, or depart Sydney 45 minutes late and still not be regarded as late due to the 15 minute leeway.

QF is however experiencing quite a few documented problems with its A380s. Whether it is just bad luck or symptomatic of something more serious that has gone wrong is a question best left to QF's engineers or management, but clearly the now multiple occasions of a third of the A380 fleet not working on particular days is far from ideal.

QF is also deliberately reducing its Boeing 744 fleet by retiring some aircraft so if the current schedules continue, that must mean fewer large aircraft as 'spares.' In turn, should there be aircraft failures in service, that must logically mean more cancellations or delays for QF passengers, but it may be manageable if only one A380 goes 'tech'. If two or more are suddenly unavailable, that may be when passengers experience ill effects.

When you say 'getting there' we would need to know to which destination you plan on travelling. You could then look up FlightStats - Global Flight Tracker, Status Tracking and Airport Information and discover how that particular flight had performed in terms of punctuality. However, how it ran yesterday is not necessarily a guide to how it will run today or tomorrow, although if there are many instances of delays or cancellations, that would show an unwelcome trend.

Why not use the Flightstats website to compare the punctuality of particular QF flights with (say) SQ, CX, MH and so on? Look up flight numbers on Flightstats or individual airline websites and then compare and contrast.

Ansett, having had the dubious pleasure of an E seat on QF10, I'd have to say it's even worse than a D, even if you were near the galley and subject to its noise. QF10 was my worst experience in recent years of any flight. I am sorry that your delayed DXB experience was so poor, even if the hotel itself was quite good. You must be extremely tired.

 

[N860CR]

Re: General Qantas Delays/Cancellations/etc. Discussion

They did make it, apparently. Received a very last minute text about 50 mins after touchdown that they were onboard. I'll have more info in about an hour.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Re: General Qantas Delays/Cancellations/etc. Discussion

QF is however experiencing quite a few documented problems with its A380s. Whether it is just bad luck or symptomatic of something more serious that has gone wrong is a question best left to QF's engineers or management, but clearly the now multiple occasions of a third of the A380 fleet not working on particular days is far from ideal.

that's my point. from the reports on here it seems like taking a QF a380 anywhere at the moment is a bit of a gamble?

that, combined with QF's stated policy that they will only accommodate you on another qantas service, and not protect you on another airline, seems to be good reason to book other carriers?

 

[Melburnian1]

Re: General Qantas Delays/Cancellations/etc. Discussion

MEL_Traveller, we need confirmation that QF does not rebook passengers on suitable alternative EK flights, although EK does not operate as a 'shadow' on every route that QF runs. For instance, there are no direct EK own metal flights from SYD or MEL to LAX, or a host of Asian destinations (without going via DXB - impractical if one's destination from Oz is BKK, HKG, MNL or SIN.)

I rarely travel on QF for other reasons, but if you are concerned about QF's fleet, you now have an arguable case from occurrences in the least few weeks, at least as far as its A380 fleet goes.

Perhaps Red_Roo may wish to make a few comments to clarify whether the 12 A380s remain reliable (as in 'punctuality being good' and 'not unexpectedly breaking down.') Note - I did not say ;unsafe' - no one is asserting that.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Re: General Qantas Delays/Cancellations/etc. Discussion

MEL_Traveller, we need confirmation that QF does not rebook passengers on suitable alternative EK flights, although EK does not operate as a 'shadow' on every route that QF runs. For instance, there are no direct EK own metal flights from SYD or MEL to LAX, or a host of Asian destinations (without going via DXB - impractical if one's destination from Oz is BKK, HKG, MNL or SIN.

I don't think QF has provided a response to that very issue. I asked it here on AFF but it went unanswered.

The recent a380 issues plus earlier reports of QF a380s running out of water and having no flushing toilets (another issue QF did not address on AFF as far as I am aware)... not looking so good...

 

[Ansett]

Re: General Qantas Delays/Cancellations/etc. Discussion

N860CR, maybe those transferring to SYD ex QF10D made it, as QF10D arrived at 2008 but QF494 departed 22 minutes late at 2122.


Ansett, having had the dubious pleasure of an E seat on QF10, I'd have to say it's even worse than a D, even if you were near the galley and subject to its noise. QF10 was my worst experience in recent years of any flight. I am sorry that your delayed DXB experience was so poor, even if the hotel itself was quite good. You must be extremely tired.

36D is worse than that as it is identified as an aisle seat however entry can be only be made from the other side of the cabin as there is a full length partition that takes up pretty much the space between the seats thus blocking access to the aisle and hemmed in by the 2 passengers to your right... And yes a tad tired lol

 

[Melburnian1]

Re: General Qantas Delays/Cancellations/etc. Discussion

I agree MEL_Traveller that for passengers to know if QF will (when required, and assuming that seats are available, not always the case) rebook passengers on EK is a most important piece of information.

If it does not occur, then QF's (and EK's) boasting about this agreement is less valid.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Re: General Qantas Delays/Cancellations/etc. Discussion

36D is worse than that as it is identified as an aisle seat however entry can be only be made from the other side of the cabin as there is a full length partition that takes up pretty much the space between the seats thus blocking access to the aisle and hemmed in by the 2 passengers to your right... And yes a tad tired lol

I saw a picture of that (airliners.net) I think. A family I knew (two adults one child) took those seats and said they were great because of the fact that there was no aisle access from the D seat.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Re: General Qantas Delays/Cancellations/etc. Discussion

I agree MEL_Traveller that for passengers to know if QF will (when required, and assuming that seats are available, not always the case) rebook passengers on EK is a most important piece of information.

If it does not occur, then QF's (and EK's) boasting about this agreement is less valid.

no no... why just EK flights? If the HKG flight is delayed then I want reaccommodation on CX or SQ or any other combination to get me to my destination.

 

[Melburnian1]

Re: General Qantas Delays/Cancellations/etc. Discussion

SQ is *A, not OW. However we all want to 'get home' when delays like this occur.

 

[NFF]

Re: General Qantas Delays/Cancellations/etc. Discussion

Is Qantas the only one having problems with A380s ?

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Re: General Qantas Delays/Cancellations/etc. Discussion

SQ is *A, not OW. However we all want to 'get home' when delays like this occur.

for irregular operations, there is no need for the operating carrier to accommodate you in the same alliance.

so if I have a first class ticket HKG-SYD, SQ would be an acceptable alternative provided connection times were ok.

 

[Kefci2000]

Re: General Qantas Delays/Cancellations/etc. Discussion

It is intruiging when QF has a nonstop QF2 daily from DXB to SYD that there would ever be connecting passengers for SYD on board QF10.

Not really surprising given certain fare classes often sell out, especially the SYD-LHR route.

I have had to fly via Melbourne a number if times if D is sold out and only J is available when doing a DONE4 RTW

 

[Mattg]

Re: General Qantas Delays/Cancellations/etc. Discussion

ummm... to the lay reader of this thread it sounds like QF reliability is not so good at the moment.

what's going on?

can we actually book and rely on getting there, reasonably on time?

Just my 2 cents:

Of course, it is unfortunate to hear of the delays to Qantas A380 flights in this thread, but what the thread doesn't mention is the thousands of flights which operate uneventfully and to schedule. I still think that the likelihood of expreriencing a lengthy delay when flying Qantas is very low and most of the time QF seems to handle it well. Unfortunately the Dubai incident seemed to be an exception.

Besides, I would take a delay on QF any day over some other airlines!

 

[lc_461]

Re: General Qantas Delays/Cancellations/etc. Discussion

I have seen instances in the past (recent times) where there has been a disruption and QF has rebooked passengers on other airlines services (including those outside of oneworld). Naturally, this costs them a lot of money as the new airline, (lets say TG) likely charges them full fare for the disrupted ticket. Whereas if the pax is reacommodated on the next QF flight the real cost is far less.
I have seen QF rebook pax travelling J & Y, WP and NB, all with different situations.
Keep in mind though that where the a380s carked it this week (HK and DXB) they were likely full with the end of school holidays/resumption of uni/people travelling back from ANZAC day. Even if QF wanted to rebook pax on other carriers, it is possible that no one had seats available, or they did have seats and already had their own standby list to clear.

 

[N860CR]

Re: General Qantas Delays/Cancellations/etc. Discussion

Didn't mange to get a lot of feedback last night (they'd had a very long day), but it does seem that the QF10 delay wasn't handled very well.

Briefly, it took several hours to establish the flight was to be delayed indefinitely before customers were shuttled to hotels. My family members ended up spending most of the day hanging around in Dubai (it was a morning departure so the desire for sleep was fairly limited) and they eventually returned to the airport for an anticipated 8:30pm departure. The flight was subsequently delayed to 9:30, 11:00 and finally departed at 1:30am, about 40 hours behind schedule. By midnight a lot of passengers had given up and left the airport to return to Dubai hotels. By 11pm, it was near riot conditions.

I've heard praise for the one Qantas staff member in Dubai (an Australian lady) who was apparently very competent. I've heard the opposite of the Emirates staff.

On arrival at Melbourne while waiting for bags, passengers were advised that the last flight to Sydney had already departed and they should go upstairs for rebooking. Fortunately, they were still accepting passengers into QF494 and a "large number" of ex QF10 passengers were able to make it (bags were dropped at just before 9pm). Obviously, no luck for those connecting to somewhere other than Sydney.

All in all... Doesn't sound like Qantas' finest hour, but these things do happen. I think what has upset most passengers was the "couldn't care less" attitude of the emirates staff who were dealing with them and the lack of information from the company when on the ground at DXB.

 

[Melburnian1]

Re: General Qantas Delays/Cancellations/etc. Discussion

QF6001, which may be a 'ferry' (empty transfer) is operating this evening from SYD to MEL with A380 VH-OQB, and is estimated to arrive in the southern capital at about 1925.

The QF website still shows QF9 to DXB and LHR departing tonight as per its (retimed) schedule of 1935. Why is the A380 being transferred?

Inexplicably the Flightradar24.com - Live flight tracker! website is now showing it tracking northwest towards Moorebank so is it a training flight and not actually headed to MEL?

 

[Ansett]

Re: General Qantas Delays/Cancellations/etc. Discussion

QF6001, which may be a 'ferry' (empty transfer) is operating this evening from SYD to MEL with A380 VH-OQB, and is estimated to arrive in the southern capital at about 1925.

The QF website still shows QF9 to DXB and LHR departing tonight as per its (retimed) schedule of 1935. Why is the A380 being transferred?

Inexplicably the Flightradar24.com - Live flight tracker! website is now showing it tracking northwest towards Moorebank so is it a training flight and not actually headed to MEL?

According to Flight aware she is off to Manilla