Qantas Delays/Cancellations

[Melburnian1]

QF63 VH-OJU still doesn't appear to have departed now 5 hrs late, despite some sources reporting it went 3hrs early

moa99, many thanks. The QF website suggests that this 1050 hours departure from SYD to JNB on Friday 14 July has been delayed overnight to a proposed 0745 hours on Saturday 15 July. This will result in JNB arrival altering from the timetabled 1700 hours today to 1340 hours on Saturday 15. Returning from JNB, tonight's QF64, the 1910 hours is delayed until a forecast 1540 hours on Saturday, meaning instead of the usual 1455 hours arrival on Saturday 14 that it should arrive in SYD at 1100 on Sunday 15.

With the B744 fleet if I am not mistaken at full utilisation during school holidays, one wonders if QF75, the Saturday 1700 hours SYD - YVR or QF25, also a Saturday 15 July departure but at a scheduled 2045 to HND will be affected timewise. This is yet to be revealed on QF's website.

 

[moa999]

Yep. Just spoke to family members on the flight, now 0745 tomorrow.

They described a series of rolling delays - was pushed back about five times before finally being cancelled at 1530. Sydney siders given taxi vouchers, others hotels, mostly Rydges reportedly. They live a fair way away ($140 taxi fare back home) but QF would only give taxi to out of Sydney siders.

Overall said communication was pretty poor, even in the J Lounge and QF staff unwilling to provide any assistance with connecting flights (think separate PNR despite both oneworld). Just will provide a letter tomorrow morning.

They had a separate flight booked the next morning with BA JNB-LIV for a safari, and obviously now need another night accom in JNB as LIV flights are only in the morning and miss a night in LIV. Will be interesting to see what QF/travel insurance covers.

 

[Melburnian1]

...pushed back about five times before finally being cancelled at 1530. Sydney siders given taxi vouchers, others hotels, mostly Rydges reportedly. They live a fair way away ($140 taxi fare back home) but QF would only give taxi to out of Sydney siders...They had a separate flight booked the next morning with BA JNB-LIV for a safari, and obviously now need another night accom in JNB as LIV flights are only in the morning and miss a night in LIV...

Pushing back that many times but not departing must be a record.

We don't know what corporate rate QF pays at Rydges Hotel, Sydney Airport or elsewhere but perhaps the demand from QF exhausted the room supply. I agree though: once one has 'left home', it feels silly to return to it. Staying in an hotel would get my vote.

Not everyone has unlimited time, but to not have two nights overnight in a faraway destination such as JNB prior to embarking on a flight leading to a safari seems risky to me.

Also on Friday 14 July, QF5, the mid afternoon 1440 hours from SYD to SIN did not depart until 1656, with arrival expected at 2330 hours, 75 minutes late.

 

[moa999]

Sorry, incorrect terminology by pushed back - meant departure time was pushed back five times, they never left the lounge

 

[moa999]

Think they had the one night in JNB and two in LIV before safari, but I'd think an 18hr connection with a direct flight from an airlines hub would be safe 99.99% of the time.

I regularly push things much tighter

 

[Melburnian1]

Due to the delayed QF94, QF93 on Saturday 15 July is expected to depart from MEL at 1200 'high noon' in lieu of the normal 0915 hours for its TransPacific trip to LAX.

Friday 14's QF11 is expected to depart LAX at 0855, 35 minutes late with JFK arrival predicted as 1720 to be a claimed 40 minutes past the allotted.

Also on Friday 14, QF10 from DXB to MEL (A388 VH-OQJ) is estimated to arrive at 2144 hours, 49 late. QF9, the 2255 hours MEL to DXB and on to LHR should be delayed at least 35 minutes in its departure tonight.

 

[Flyerqf]

With the B744 fleet if I am not mistaken at full utilisation during school holidays, one wonders if QF75, the Saturday 1700 hours SYD - YVR or QF25, also a Saturday 15 July departure but at a scheduled 2045 to HND will be affected timewise. This is yet to be revealed on QF's website.

They have a spare 744 on the ground at SYD overnight on Saturdays. So assuming that QF64D can get back to Sydney on Sunday morning, there should be no further delays.

The grounded aircraft is OEF - same aircraft that delayed QF15 for 12 hours and subsequently was taken out of service and replaced by OEB.

 

[Melburnian1]

Continuing the almost constant late running, the Friday 14 July QF11 departed LAX at 0935, 75 minutes tardy, arriving JFK at 1737 hours, 57 minutes late. QF suggests that QF12 will depart JFK at 1900 hours - the time as I write at 0900 AEST - but this is optimistic as from observation a B744 does not normally 'reverse' in 83 minutes.

The overnight delayed QF63 (B744 VH-OEJ, 1050 hours scheduled from SYD on Friday 14) did not depart until 0816 hours on Saturday 15 July with suggested JNB arrival 1425 hours, an astounding 1165 minutes late. The scheduled 1910 hours Friday QF64 from JNB remains showing as an amended 1540 hours departure on 15 July but again this is understating the delay if the inbound arrives at 1425 hours - a forecast 1610 hours commencement of pushing back would be more realistic.

A388 VH-OQH on the delayed QF12 ex LAX is arriving in SYD on Saturday 15 July at 0922 hours, 182 minutes behind schedule.

Stablemate VH-OQB on QF94, also ex LAX looks to be arriving MEL at about 1013, 198 minutes late, making it challenging to get QF93 off blocks by the amended departure time of 1200 'high noon' (which would be 165 minutes behind schedule.)

VH-OJS (B744) on QF16 also ex LAX is arriving in BNE at approximately 0939, 179 minutes tardy. QF15 from BNE is predicted to depart at 1140 hours, 80 minutes later than the scheduled 1020, with LAX arrival suggested same day as 0715, 75 minutes late, that will probably delay the transcontinental USA QF11 by a little under an hour to about an 0900 hours pushback if everything occurs as expected.

The 0710 hours DRW down to centrist ASP, QF1937 (B717 VH-NXL) should arrive 32 minutes late at 0947 hours.

QF6 from SIN down to SYD is estimated to be on blocks at 1052 hours, 62 minutes tardy due to yesterday's delayed QF5.

 

[Melburnian1]

Also on 15 July, QF127 (A388 VH-OQG, the 1000 hours SYD up to HKG that departed at 1024 and took off at 1045) should arrive at 1755, 35 minutes late.

Today's QF63 has been delayed an expected half an hour to 1120 in its departure from SYD, although that is peanuts compared with yesterday's that departed as above at 0816 this morning.

UPDATE: The delayed QF93 departed from MEL at 1224, 189 minutes tardy (A388 VH-OQB), taking off at 1241 hours. Arrival should be at 0920 rather than 0635 in LAX, 160 minutes behind schedule.

QF15 (B744 VH-OJS) departed BNE at 1156, 96 minutes late with forecast same day LAX arrival at 0710, 70 minutes tardy.

The 1205 hours SYD - MNL (QF19) was off blocks at 1240 with suggested arrival in the Philippine capital at 1900 hours, half an hour tardy.

 

[Flyerqf]

QF75 is delayed until 2000 awaiting the inbound QF28 which should have been operating QF25 tonight. There must still be a problem with OEF and if not fixed before tonight's QF25 it could be subbed for a 333 or delayed overnight, the latter most likely.

 

[Melburnian1]

QF75 is delayed until 2000 awaiting the inbound QF28 which should have been operating QF25 tonight. There must still be a problem with OEF and if not fixed before tonight's QF25 it could be subbed for a 333 or delayed overnight, the latter most likely.

Agreed, because on many occasions QF25 and QF26 between Sydney and Japan are heavily booked. The A332/A333 has many fewer seats than the B744 so it is not a satisfactory replacement if flights are full as one might expect with some Australian states' school holidays ending.

Fortunately QF28 looks to be punctual with expected arrival at 1740 hours in SYD ex SCL.

QF63, another long flight, departed SYD on 15 July 78 minutes late at 1208 with arrival in JNB predicted as 1815 hours, 75 minutes late.

 

[Flyerqf]

QF75 has been pushed back further to 2200 and looks to be now operated by OEF. QF25 should operate on time with the aircraft inbound from SCL.

 

[Himeno]

The SYD-HND flight is often quite full. I tend to get op ups on that flight about 80% of the time I fly it when not already booked in J (usually due to Japanese school groups).
QF25 also has to contend with a departure deadline in SYD (the curfew) and the HND night slot requirements.
It either has to depart SYD within an hour of schedule in order to meet SYD curfew requirements and arrive at HND before 6am, or be delayed overnight and depart SYD around noon the next day to arrive HND at/after 10pm.

 

[Flyerqf]

QF28 is diverting to CHC - this will almost certainly delay tonight's QF25 to HND.

 

[Melburnian1]

QF28 is diverting to CHC - this will almost certainly delay tonight's QF25 to HND.

Flyerqf, the diverted QF28 arrived in CHC at 1653 hours (NZ local time) and is showing as departing at 1900 hours for a suggested 2030 hours arrival in SYD, 170 minutes late.

The gate numbers shown on QF's site can change but its arriving gate of 31 matches that shown for QF75, the 1700 hours SYD to YVR amended tonight to depart at 2200. So if true it may be that B744 flight to Canada is more delayed.

 

[Quickstatus]

Was QF28 diverted?. Yes it landed in CHC but could this have been planned?. I have no information to suggest either way.

Whats B747 VH-OJS doing in HNL?. Charter?

 

[Melburnian1]

The diverted QF28 (B744 VH-OEH) departed CHC at 1904 hours on Saturday 15 July. It became airborne at 1721 hours and should be at its Sydney airport gate at about 2020 hours, 160 minutes behind schedule.

Quickstatus, if the diversion of QF28 had been timetabled, it would normally be reflected on QF's website, but the latter is maintaining by implication that it was an unscheduled intermediate stop.

 

[Flyerqf]

Was QF28 diverted?. Yes it landed in CHC but could this have been planned?. I have no information to suggest either way.

Whats B747 VH-OJS doing in HNL?. Charter?

definitely diverted. Was showing as direct to SYD earlier in the flight.

 

[Melburnian1]

QF25, the 2045 hours Saturday 15 July 2017 B744 between SYD and HND is now to depart at 0930 hours on Sunday 16 July, reaching its Tokyo destination at a projected 1805 hours instead of the normal early morning 0515 hours (that in practice can be as early as 0430 or so.)

AFF member Himeno commented that if QF25 was delayed, it would have to depart at around noon to arrive at 2200 hours, so is Sunday an exception to this rule?

The 15 July QF3, the 1930 hours mid evening SYD - HNL has been altered to depart at 2200 late tonight with anticipated arrival in the USA at 1140 hours rather than 0920 hours. This will mean QF4 returning is delayed.

While it is rarely a single factor and every air or surface transport operator, passenger or freight, suffers from failures, cancelled trips or delays (look at what happened in Melbourne late last Thursday 13 July afternoon with train franchisee Metro!), QFi sometimes has difficulty coping when passenger loadings are at their peak during school holidays. Today has not been one of the company's better days punctuality wise for its international passenger flights.

 

[Himeno]

QF25, the 2045 hours Saturday 15 July 2017 B744 between SYD and HND is now to depart at 0930 hours on Sunday 16 July, reaching its Tokyo destination at a projected 1805 hours instead of the normal early morning 0515 hours (that in practice can be as early as 0430 or so.)

HND is the busiest airport in Japan and 2nd busiest in Asia after PEK overtook it a few years ago.
The airport is limited to 440,000 movements per year (350,000 domestic). This gives a daily movement limit of 930 domestic, 160 day long haul and 80 night long haul. There are also ATC limits on movements per 5, 10, 15, 30 and 60 minutes, similar to the rolling 15 min caps at SYD.
The slots QF has at HND are for night time, arrival and departure between 2200 and 0600. If QF attempts to use the runways outside of those times, they face congestion, ATC delays and possible diversion (perhaps to NGO).

The only times I can recall night slot long haul flights being permitted to use the runways outside those hours have been when weather has caused delays and/or airport closure. Though I guess it is possible they've secured an adhoc 6pm slot that wouldn't normally be available due to lighter weekend travel.