Qantas Delays/Cancellations

[Flyerqf]

Not a D/C story but VH-OEF has been operating QF29/30 between MEL and HKG almost exclusively in the April except for 1 QF95/96.

I wonder why this is the case.

Normally they rotate the aircraft at HKG between QF29/128 and QF127/30.... but this month 127/128 are being operated by a 388.

 

[Flyerqf]

QF648 the overnight "red-eye" PER to MEL flight returned to PER and was subsequently cancelled, indicating an issue with the aircraft.

VH-EBN positioned to BNE empty today for a mx visit following this aircraft issue.

 

[Melburnian1]

On Thursday 27 April, QF1461, the 0650 hours SYD - CBR is predicted to depart at 0735 hours. QF409 (0700 SYD - MEL) should depart at 0730 while QF2104 from SYD up to CFS has been delayed from 0705 to 0750 hours.

QF2016 from SYD to WTB is predicted to depart at 0900, 50 minutes late while another QantasLink flight, QF2020 to ARM should depart SYD 75 late at 0935 on 27 April.

The overnight from NRT to MEL, QF80 (A333 VH-QPE) should arrive 39 minutes late at 0934 on 27 April.

 

[milehighclub]

QF7 and therefore the QF8 Has been cancelled for Thursday

 

[Melburnian1]

Wednesday 26 April's QF12 departed LAX 32 late at 2302 so Friday 28 arrival is suggested as 0652, also 32 minutes tardy. This was despite the B744 on QF12 ex JFK arriving in LAX about five minutes early at roughly 2054 hours.

 

[Melburnian1]

QF7 and therefore the QF8 Has been cancelled for Thursday

milehighclub, many thanks. Given that it had (and has) a '2000' (hours) shown against it on the QF website (a delay of seven and a half hours in departure), does this suggest that whatever went wrong with QF7 in SYD today (Thursday 27 April) initially was perceived as able to be fixed within the allowable crew hours, but subsequently found to require longer repairs? (Hence, cancellation became the only feasible option.)

I assume that whatever occurred was after departure of QF127 today, because if that was an A388, a 'known' delay to QF7 could have seen an A333 (if available) substituted for the A388 to HKG despite the fewer available seats on board, thus freeing an A388 for QF7.

 

[kpc]

Im of Qf8 Dfw to Syd Thurs 27 April which is showing cancelled. Anyone know why?

 

[kpc]

QF7 and therefore the QF8 Has been cancelled for Thursday

Im on Qf 8....

 

[Quickstatus]

Im of Qf8 Dfw to Syd Thurs 27 April which is showing cancelled. Anyone know why?

The outbound QF7 Thursday 27/4 was cancelled today. Unsure why. But there is no aircraft heading to DFW to turn around as QF8

Can you please let us know what the airline is offering you to get you home?

 

[kpc]

The outbound QF7 Thursday 27/4 was cancelled today. Unsure why. But there is no aircraft heading to DFW to turn around as QF8

Can you please let us know what the airline is offering you to get you home?

AA to Lax, NZ to Akl in J, Akl to Syd in J....lost my F upgrade from J. My +1 is on Y, J, J....she was oruginally in F

 

[milehighclub]

QF7 was cancelled as the aircraft was struck by lightning

 

[Melburnian1]

QF7 was cancelled as the aircraft was struck by lightning

Relatively unusual Act of God and unfortunate for 400 or so passengers, and costly for the airline. Another problem is that since the vast majority of USA-bound flights depart from Australia's east coast by 1300 hours - some are earlier, such as QF11, QF15 and QF93 - many passengers might have to stay overnight (at least) until seats could be found. As luck would have it, even QF3 to HNL (an evening departure at either 1930 or 2205 hours depending on the day) does not operate on Thursdays.

A388 VH-OQK on QF128 from HKG to SYD is arriving on Friday 28 April at 0742, 32 minutes late after being placed in a brief holding pattern.

Thursday 27's B744 from LAX departed 27 minutes late at 0847 as QF112 but did not arrive JFK until 89 minutes late at 1809. It was in a significantly lengthy hold, but then appears to have had a missed approach at JFK that naturally added extra time to the flight. Quite an interesting journey to look up on FR24 or FlightAware's websites.

As a result the Thursday across USA QF12 is predicted to arrive LAX 75 minutes late at 2215 hours. However recently QF12 has run much later when QF11 does not arrive in JFK on time. One AFF member a few pages back said that the turnarounds often then become longer, perhaps because air traffic control does not give immediate clearance to depart given that the QF B744 will have lost its nominal place 'in the queue.'

In turn, QF12 to SYD on Thursday 27 and QF16 to BNE, both out of LAX, will be delayed.

 

[milehighclub]

QF8 will go via BNE on Friday

 

[Melburnian1]

A333 VH-QPD on QF129, the Friday 28 April 0935 hours SYD - PVG did not depart until 1103; arrival in the mainland Chinese centre of commerce should be at 1925 hours tonight local time, 55 minutes late, so the evening QF130 back to SYD will be delayed.

A332 VH-EBM on QF19 (1205 hours SYD - MNL) departed at 1300 even, taking off at 1313 hours. At this stage arrival is estimated at only 15 minutes late at 1845 but just like at HKG, the period after 1800 hours on weeknights is typically very busy in MNL so no one should be surprised if ATC slows the flight down, or pops it in a holding pattern much closer to the Philippine capital.

 

[Melburnian1]

QF8 will go via BNE on Friday

This may be so that QF8 can carry a full complement of passengers westwards, due to the cancellation the previous day. QF suggests that with a stop of about an hour in BNE to refuel, the nett delay to Friday 28 April's QF8 will result in an arrival at around the 0800 mark on Sunday 30 April in SYD, about two hours late. This should not on its own (fingers crossed) delay any of the A388 Sunday departures (QF11, QF127, QF7 or QF1.)

 

[kpc]

This may be so that QF8 can carry a full complement of passengers westwards, due to the cancellation the previous day. QF suggests that with a stop of about an hour in BNE to refuel, the nett delay to Friday 28 April's QF8 will result in an arrival at around the 0800 mark on Sunday 30 April in SYD, about two hours late. This should not on its own (fingers crossed) delay any of the A388 Sunday departures (QF11, QF127, QF7 or QF1.)

With luck and an early arrival into Dfw from Yyz, we managed to escape from Dfw today (Thurs) via AA to Lax, NZ to Akl then Syd.....absolutely useless are some of the AA staff I have to say; Qf could also have done a better job in effecting the reroute.

 

[Melburnian1]

With luck and an early arrival into Dfw from Yyz, we managed to escape from Dfw today (Thurs) via AA to Lax, NZ to Akl then Syd.....absolutely useless are some of the AA staff I have to say; Qf could also have done a better job in effecting the reroute.

kpc, in fairness to QF, wouldn't the airline have had fairly limited options in rerouting you across the Pacific? For a start, you were not in LAX, and QF (even if there were spare seats) might not like booking you on VA even if it was operating at a suitable time. Similarly QF may not like to pay for seats on DL.

 

[Quickstatus]

With luck and an early arrival into Dfw from Yyz, we managed to escape from Dfw today (Thurs) via AA to Lax, NZ to Akl then Syd.....absolutely useless are some of the AA staff I have to say; Qf could also have done a better job in effecting the reroute.

Yes I think QF had limited options.
Some insight into what will happen on a long thin route like the new QF9/10 when it gets cancelled or worse a diversion during the international sector (which would mean a cancellation due to crew hours)

Imagine QF9 westwards B787 diverting to DXB for fuel. Would there be enough time left up the sleeve of any of the flight crew to do a splash and dash and continue to LHR?. If crew hours expired, where would a fresh 787 crew come from if the 787 had to go to DXB?.

 

[Melburnian1]

...Imagine QF9 westwards B787 diverting to DXB for fuel. Would there be enough time left up the sleeve of any of the flight crew to do a splash and dash and continue to LHR?. If crew hours expired, where would a fresh 787 crew come from if the 787 had to go to DXB?.

You've hit the nail on the head Quickstatus. The new QF LHR timetables featuring two different aircraft types with the flight crews unable to take command of one if rated for the other mean even fewer options at DXB or for that matter LHR if there are unplanned events like medical or bad weather diversions.

Time will tell with the schedules whether this will have an immediate bad effect on say the timekeeping for what from memory may be the new schedules for QF95/96 across the Pacific between MEL and LAX.

 

[Quickstatus]

18:20 hrs PER-LHR according to passenger timetable but the clockon for pilots will be earlier than departure time.
Say 1 hour before, this leaves 40 minutes leeway or "up the sleeve time" (assuming 20 hrs is the absolute maximum?)

A divert to DXB where QF has some minor (soon to be less) presence or to any other airport in the EU will surely mean a cancellation of the flight. How long will the aircraft will be grounded for until a crew is regenerated enough to safely/legally operate it?. The QF11/12 suggest 15 hrs?

Can pilots be type rated for both Airbus and Boeing given the marked differences on aircraft design philosophy. Imagine having to do 2 sets of sims at the same time?. Not possible to maintain currency on both.
QF do not have standby pilots in DXB for 4 flights a day. I can't imagine the airline doing so for a flight that would not divert to DXB normally.

Having said that the passengers should be have options to LHR from DXB even if their aircraft can't continue.