Qantas Delays/Cancellations

[Melburnian1]

QF2 yesterday...They waited fully boarded for a new slot for several hours...

In these circumstances - granted that the crew may not know when takeoff will occur (if at all) - are passengers fed and served a full range of beverages while the aircraft is stationary?

 

[MEL_Traveller]

You are not seriously suggesting that airlines should have planes sitting around 'just in case'? I am happy to go along with that as long as you pay the increase in fares to pay for planes that will be doing nothing for the majority of the time. So an A380 in MEL, SYD, DBX, LHR and LAX? An A330 in each airport across Asia? B737s across AU?

It's an option. BA does that at LHR. They have spare aircraft to (a) mitigate EU261 but also (b) to provide reliability (otherwise customers will go elsewhere). One of the issue is that Australian airlines don't have the same incentives. Competition means fares in Europe are on par or cheaper than Australia and that's with EU261 and any other measures airlines take to mitigate the effect of 261. You're going to run in to issues if you run the fleet to it's limits and then one of them needs maintenance.

 

[Melburnian1]

...You're going to run in to issues if you run the fleet to it's limits and then one of them needs maintenance.

As we see on these delay and cancellation threads. The many significant delays QFi has experienced in the last couple of weeks, coupled with some cancellations, are poor long term publicity in a competitive market.

 

[Flyerqf]

Flyerqf, do you have any idea when the stranded QF2D may depart DXB for SYD? Tomorrow at 1000, or are engineers still working on whatever problem has affected the aircraft and hence a time cannot be yet known? The QF website lacks any updated information.

No ETD. It will either be 24 hrs or they may turn around QF1 to minimise the delay but that would result in the DXB-LHR sector being cancelled.

 

[Melburnian1]

Tuesday 25 July's QF1 departed SYD 23 minutes late at 1613 hours; on Wednesday 26, it is expected to arrive DXB at 0100, 35 minutes late.

 

[Flyerqf]

Emirates will be chartering an aircraft at 10pm Dubai time arriving into SYD approx 5pm tomorrow Sydney time.

 

[Melburnian1]

On Wednesday 26 July, QF7, the 1230 longhaul from SYD to DFW is predicted to depart at 1600 hours with arrival at 1605, three hours and five minutes (185 minutes) late.

QF15 (1020 hours BNE - LAX) should depart according to QF at 1130 hours for an arrival at around 0712, 72 late, delaying the second sector that operates as QF11 across the USA to JFK. The delay is because the Monday 24 scheduled 2320 hours QF16 from LAX commenced pushing back at 0318 hours on Tuesday 25, and hence this morning is forecast to arrive at 1001 hours, 171 minutes tardy. 1130 is a little optimistic as an hour and 45 minutes is a more typical and achievable B744 turnaround, so a departure at about 1145 may be more realistic.

Tuesday 25 July's QF11 was off blocks in LAX at 1006, 106 minutes late so JFK arrival is anticipated at 1810 hours, an even 90 minutes behind schedule.

The late evening schedule 2255 hours QF9 on Tuesday 25 departed MEL at 2335 with A388 VH-OQD and should arrive 34 minutes late at 0739 in DXB.

 

[Melburnian1]

Emirates will be chartering an aircraft at 10pm Dubai time arriving into SYD approx 5pm tomorrow Sydney time.

Flyerqf, EK2666 might normally be an EK freighter flight number but is it possible that A380 A6-EOD that took off from DXB is the special working carrying much delayed QF2D passengers who left LHR on Sunday night 23 July, and who should have departed DXB on Monday morning? As at 0900 AEST it was approaching the west Indian coast to pass over Ratnagiri.

This must be an expensive charter as the aircraft presumably has to return empty from SYD to DXB. Would QF cabin crew (and perhaps flight crew) be travelling on this EK flight to get back to base in SYD?

 

[Flyerqf]

Flyerqf, EK2666 might normally be an EK freighter flight number but is it possible that A380 A6-EOD that took off from DXB is the special working carrying much delayed QF2D passengers who left LHR on Sunday night 23 July, and who should have departed DXB on Monday morning? As at 0900 AEST it was approaching the west Indian coast to pass over Ratnagiri.

This must be an expensive charter as the aircraft presumably has to return empty from SYD to DXB. Would QF cabin crew (and perhaps flight crew) be travelling on this EK flight to get back to base in SYD?

EK2666 is the flight. Not sure about QF crew being passengers on this flight. Some of them would need to bring the broken plane back once repaired!

 

[Melburnian1]

Although it does not repeat the whole story about the delays that Flyerqf has informed us of, the problems with the Sunday 23 July QF2 (and subsequently QF2D that has become EK2666) have made it into the mainstream media:

Qantas passengers 'stranded for 46 hours' at Dubai International Airport

QF23 from SYD to BKK is becoming a perennial late runner, with departure today (26 July) at 1017, 27 late but arrival estimated as 46 late at 1726.

The 0935 hours SYD - PVG, QF129, departed 34 late at 1009 with suggested arrival tonight at 1910, 40 minutes tardy.

The expected departure delay to QF15 (1020 hours BNE - LAX) has blown out to two hours.

The 1200 'high noon' SYD - HKG (QF117) is delayed until 1255 and should be half an hour behind schedule in arriving in the SAR late this afternoon.

QF19, the 1205 SYD - MNL was delayed until 1255 but this has become 1345, so arrival is unlikely tonight prior to 1945, meaning the 2000 hours QF20 from MNL to SYD overnight will be unable to depart until about 2105 at the earliest.

QF7, the 1230 hours SYD - DFW is further delayed with the previously advised departure of 1600 moved to 1800 early this evening.

A388 VH-OQC appears to be still in DXB and has not moved (apart from perhaps to a hangar or tarmac space) for about 48 hours.

UPDATE: QF15 departed BNE at 1242, 142 minutes tardy with arrival same day in LAX expected at 0745, 105 minutes past the allotted. The 0820 hours QF11 from LAX across to JFK should be able to depart at about 0925.

 

[Melburnian1]

Adding to Wednesday 26 July's delays, QF41 (1350 hours SYD - CGK) is predicted to depart at 1435.

The longhaul B744 on QF73, the 1300 hours early afternoon SYD - SFO departed at 1359; arrival is expected same day at 1035, 65 minutes late.

QF2022, the 1200 hours 'high noon' from SYD up to ARM (Q300 VH-SBG) was in the sky at an unusually delayed 1408 hours, so arrival at a likely 1505 will be 105 minutes behind the timetable's requirement.

At 1411 hours, the 1230 hours MEL up to SYD B738 VH-VXK (QF432) was holding above Goulburn NSW with SYD arrival estimated as 1448, 53 minutes behind the schedule.

B744 VH-OEG on the 1230 hours SYD - SCL took off at 1425 so will be quite late into Chile, in turn delaying QF28's Thursday departure for the long trip back to SYD.

Contrary to QF's earlier suggestion, QF19 (A332 VH-EBP) took off at 1311, so arrival should be 55 minutes late at 1925 hours.

The 1300 hours CFS down to SYD, QF2109 (Q400 VH-LQB) took off at 1421. It is predicted to pull in at 1527, 72 minutes late.

Most aircraft (not QF27) appear to be using the SYD east-west runway 25 which is causing extensive delays.

 

[Melburnian1]

Adding to the many delays on Wednesday 26 July, not helped by most early and mid afternoon flights in SYD using east-west runway 25, QF1478, the lunchtime 1315 hours CBR short hop up to SYD did not point skywards until 1456. Expected arrival is 92 minutes late at 1542 for Q400 VH-QOH.

QF439 (B738 VH-VYG, the 1400 hours SYD - MEL that was in the sky at 1500 even) should arrive in the southern capital at 1614 hours, 39 minutes late.

The folloiwng flight, the 1430 hours QF441 (B738 VH-VYL) took off at 1519 with arrival suggested at 1625, half an hour late.

 

[docjames]

It's an option. BA does that at LHR. They have spare aircraft to (a) mitigate EU261 but also (b) to provide reliability (otherwise customers will go elsewhere). One of the issue is that Australian airlines don't have the same incentives. Competition means fares in Europe are on par or cheaper than Australia and that's with EU261 and any other measures airlines take to mitigate the effect of 261. You're going to run in to issues if you run the fleet to it's limits and then one of them needs maintenance.

Another factor is that the European market is very seasonal, so at some times of year the aircraft will be worked far less hard than others, so a "spare" will often be available outside peak demand times.

Bit like Saturday (domestic) travel in Aus where there always seems to be plenty of aircraft around.

 

[Sdtravel]

Does anyone know or know how to find out the flight number of the DXB - SYD EK rescue flight that is taking the QF2 pax back to sydney?
I have a friend on it and wanted to track when he gets back.

 

[Melburnian1]

Does anyone know or know how to find out the flight number of the DXB - SYD EK rescue flight that is taking the QF2 pax back to sydney?...

If you look back about a page on this thread, I suggested it was EK2666 and the ever reliable AFF member Flyerqf confirmed that.

I'm guessing that it will arrive SYD at about 2000 hours tonight (26 July) as the aircraft (A380 A6-EOD) not long ago entered Australia by passing above Port Hedland, WA. You can track its progress at the FlightRadar24 (dot) com site.

In time, if you could ask your friend what hotel (i.e. its name, arrangements for meals and transfers) he was given for his stay in DXB (given the delays) and any other details and post them here many of us would find that helpful.

 

[Sdtravel]

Thanks Melburnian1
Sorry for missing that info. Ill ask him if i see him tomorrow about how it all went if he comes in, i assume he might be a bit jet lagged so may decide to take another rest day. I fly out tomorrow night for 2 weeks so apologies if i dont get anything for you.

 

[Melburnian1]

Continuing with Wednesday 26 July, QF691, the 1540 MEL - ADL took off at 1625 with B738 VH-VXI. Arrival should be 33 late at 1703.

QF791 (1310 hours lunchtime ASP - SYD that using B738 VH-VYA was in the sky at 1458 hours) is estimated to arrive at 1754, 89 minutes behind time.

On Wednesday 26, QF2 departed DXB 19 minutes late at 0934 so Thursday 27 arrival is estimated at 0547, 37 minutes late in SYD.

QF453 (B738 VH-VXB, the 1700 hours SYD - MEL that was not in the sky until 1755) has a suggested arrival at 1917 hours, 42 minutes behind schedule. QF449, the 1630 hours is worse with takeoff at 1804, so its aircraft, B738 VH-XZA looks to be arriving at 1934 this evening, 89 minutes tardy. QF455 (the scheduled 1730 hours southbound) pointed skywards at 1902 and with VH-VZO should be at its allocated arrival airport gate at 2023, 78 minutes tardy. The 1845 hours southbound, QF479 was in the sky at 1938. It is predicted to be ready to open the main cabin door at 2059, 39 late with B738 Vh-VYA as the taskmaster.

QF456, the 1715 hours MEL - SYD was cancelled.

QF459 (B738 VH-VXR, the 1800 hours SYD - MEL that was in the sky at 1838) is arriving at roughly 2010 hours, 35 late. QF451,what should normally be a preceding departure as it is due out of Sydney at 1715 hours did not become airborne until 1844; with Vh-XZB, it is likely to arrive 83 late at 2013 this evening.

The 1825 hours CBR - MEL (QF833, B738 VH-VYL) was in the sky at 1905 and should pull in to its allocated airport gate at 2021, 46 minutes behind the timetable.

QF1525 (1845 hours SYD short hop down to CBR that took off at 1946 tonight with B717 VH-NXJ) is arriving at an assumed 2023, 38 minutes late. The earlier timetabled Q400 VH-LQG on QF1493 (1735 hours SYD - CBR that took off at a much delayed 1924) is pulling in to the national capital at 2007 hours, 97 minutes late.

It is 52 hours since A388 VH-OQC arrived in DXB on QF9 ex MEL: it has yet to undertake another flight.

 

[Quickstatus]

What happened to the "normal" practice of offloading an ontime passenger group to accomodate a delayed passenger group.

 

[Melburnian1]

What happened to the "normal" practice of offloading an ontime passenger group to accomodate a delayed passenger group.

If you are referring to the QF2D Dubai Debacle, that would be very complicated - luggage would have to be transferred, and a second group of passengers (that is, those on the almost on time QF2) would be aggrieved.

Yes, I'd like to think airlines could do this but in practice they aren't Melbourne or Sydney suburban trains that can have 1200 passengers alight on a platform when one train is defective and within about four minutes have them on their way on a second train that is right behind the first.

 

[Quickstatus]

Some time ago there was another DXB debacle. The QF CEO was stranded there. The airline spun a story to say it was "normal" to offload an ontime load of passengers returning to AUS coming in from LHR at DXB to uplift the severely delayed pax from another QF2/10 at DXB. Cant remember if it was QF2 or 10.

Yes the logistics was crazy not only delaying 2 sets of passengers. But they did it

Funny how its not/no longer used in this current QF2D(VH-OQC) delay. Maybe its because AJ is not stranded in DXB