Qantas Delays/Cancellations

[Melburnian1]

On Wednesday 2 August, delays due to earlier fog in MEL are continuing with QF608, the 0800 hours MEL up to BNE taking off at 0857 with B738 VH-VXR. Arrival should be at about 1053, 43 minutes late.

QF414 (B738 VH-XZN, the 0800 hours MEL - SYD that took off at 0853) is expected to arrive at about 1002 hours, 37 minutes late.

QF605 (0600 hours from BNE down to MEL, B738 VH-VZP) took off at 0716; arrival should be at 0945 hours, 80 minutes behind schedule.

QF814 (0830 hours MEL - CBR, B738 VH-VYG) took off at 0916 so arrival is forecast as 1013, 38 minutes tardy.

The 0820 hours MEL - ADL (QF675, B738 VH-VYL) took off at 0920, about 40 minutes late.

Having diverted into SYD as noted above, QF94 (A388 VH-OQH) from LAX to MEL took off from the Australian mainland harbour city at 0845 hours on Wednesday 2 August with arrival suggested at 1012. This will delay QF93 until at least 1200 'high noon', which would be 165 minutes late compared to the 0915 hours departure that is timetabled.

QF413 (0745 hours SYD down to MEL that was in the sky at 0849) should be at its allocated arrival airport gate at around 1013, 53 late. Aircraft is B738 VH-VXH.

A3332 VH-EBJ on QF485, the 0905 hours MEL - PER took off at 1003 with arrival suggested 40 late at 1155.

 

[Melburnian1]

QF2280 (Wednesday 2 August 2017, 0635 hours LST to MEL) took off at 0934 but at 1020 there was discussion with ATC about returning to to LST. Aircraft is Q400 VH-QOH. The aircraft then began a hold to Wonthaggi's east and looked to be still proceeding to MEL.

 

[jpk]

At MEL this morning and the usual chaos when fog hits. The display screens have frozen as well (bad timing), so no one can really tell what is happening. Everything is going out late.

 

[Melburnian1]

Also on Wednesday 2 August, QF10 from LHR and more latterly DXB (A380 VH-OQC) did not take off until 0235, an hour after scheduled pushback, so arrival tonight is estimated as 2153 hours, 58 late.

Earlier, QF79 from MEL up to NRT departed 28 late at 1003 hours and is estimated to arrive at 1934, 34 late.

The 1145 hours MEL - SIN (QF35) pushed back 32 late; arrival is predicted as also 34 minutes tardy at 1729 late this afternoon local time.

QF93 was earlier said to be departing at a revised 1200 'high noon' but did so at 1227. LAX same day arrival has become a forecast 0920 hours, 165 minutes behind the schedule.

An 82 minute tardy departure at 1147 on 2 August was the case for QF81 from SYD up to SIN, where arrival is estimated at 1805 hours, 75 minutes late.

QF73 (B744 at 1300 from SYD to SFO) departed 75 minutes behind the schedule. Same day arrival is predicted as 1012 hours, 42 minutes late.

 

[jb747]

It is fog related ?
Heading out to airport now from Mornington and not foggy at all here. Was pea soup yesterday though.
Actually, it looks like quite a few aircraft holding at moment.

I was at Essendon at about the same time, and it was quite thick there.

The TTF had fog on it, so aircraft arriving in Melbourne would have needed a full alternate, or the ability to hold until beyond the end of the forecast fog (which would have been even more fuel). Short range flights may not have an issue with this, but very long range ones almost always will.

 

[nutwood]

Well, my flight out of Melbourne was fine. I was stressing unnecessarily. I arrived to check in exactly 60 minutes early as the day had run to schedule. For the sake of the exercise, I fired up the stopwatch on my phone as my checked bag disappeared down the chute. Five minutes and seventeen seconds later I was ordering a coffee in the business lounge. Would have been quicker but the lounge was quite full and it had taken a while to deposit my bag prior to heading for a coffee.
Brings up an interesting, if off topic thought. If everyone is arriving for flights two hours previous as a precaution, logically they must end up spending more time in the lounge. Check in thirty minutes prior, board twenty minutes prior, is a lounge dwell time of ten minutes. Check in two hours prior, board twenty minutes prior, is a hundred minutes lounge dwell time. 900% increase!

 

[Melburnian1]

...Brings up an interesting, if off topic thought. If everyone is arriving for flights two hours previous as a precaution, logically they must end up spending more time in the lounge. Check in thirty minutes prior, board twenty minutes prior, is a lounge dwell time of ten minutes. Check in two hours prior, board twenty minutes prior, is a hundred minutes lounge dwell time. 900% increase!

nutwood, this point should be discussed more in the recently commenced 'aviation security' thread under 'Travel news' in AFF.

That said, if I can go off topic for 10 seconds, this may mean even greater pressure on seating in the airline and gate lounges (especially if there are delays) and great consumption of food and drink in the airline lounges (and at retailers.) Many more passengers might be standing in the airport (even in airline lounges) prior to departure.

 

[jb747]

Only if they get through security quickly.....

I'm sure everyone will adjust their timing to fit, so that they get exactly the lounge time they used to get.

 

[Pushka]

nutwood, this point should be discussed more in the recently commenced 'aviation security' thread under 'Travel news' in AFF.

That said, if I can go off topic for 10 seconds, this may mean even greater pressure on seating in the airline and gate lounges (especially if there are delays) and great consumption of food and drink in the airline lounges (and at retailers.) Many more passengers might be standing in the airport (even in airline lounges) prior to departure.

Already noted in that thread a couple of hours earlier. . For the lounges anyway.

 

[Melburnian1]

In further on 2 August, QF705, the 1700 hours CNS - MEL that did not take off until 1831 hours (B738 VH-VYL) is arriving at 2129, 69 minutes behind schedule.

The 1930 hours CBR - BNE (QF1554, B717 VH-YQT) was in the sky at 2049, so arrival should occur at 2221 hours, 66 late.

A388 VH-OQC on QF10 should be in at approximately 2153, 58 late, so another late departure for the 2255 hours MEL - DXB (QF9) looms, although it often picks up time in one way or another for the flight all the way to London Heathrow.

 

[Melburnian1]

Thursday 3 August has QF1511 (the early morning 0620 hours SYD for the short hop down to CBR that took off at 0709) arriving at 0754, 34 minutes late.

Wednesday 3 August's QF9 did not depart until 0209 on Thursday morning, 194 minutes late so DXB arrival is forecast for 0925 hours, 145 late. Optimistically (though not impossibly), QF claims that it will then push back in the Middle Eastern major centre at 1030, 85 minutes tardy for a LHR arrival at 1540, 90 minutes late.

QF416 (0830 hours 3 August MEL - SYD that took off at 0911 with B738 VH-VXD) should arrive at 1025, half an hour behind schedule.

The 0800 hours CBR - SYD QF1514 took off at 0854 with suggested arrival at about 0935.

 

[Melburnian1]

Also on Thursday 3 August, QF35 (1145 hours MEL - SIN, A332 VH-EBS) was airborne not until 1246, so estimated arrival has become 1859 tonight, 64 late.

QF23 (0950 hours SYD - BKK that is rapidly developing a reputation for unpunctuality) departed 39 minutes late. Suggested arrival is 1745, 65 minutes tardy.

Wednesday 2's transcontinental USA QF11 left LAX at 0853, 33 late, not the worst recently that it has been delayed, bur perhaps due to summer storms arrived JFK at 1820, 100 minutes late. In other words, the initial delay compounded by 200 per cent. This B744 then departed JFK as QF12 at 1852, 102 minutes late with estimated LAX arrival showing as 2204, 64 late.

The mid morning Thursday 3 August QF81 departed SYD 22 late at 1047; SIN arrival is forecast for 1737, 47 late.

QF63 was unusually very late away with SYD commencement of pushback at 1239, 109 late. Therefore, JNB arrival has become an estimated 1850, 110 minutes tardy, in turn delaying departure of tonight's (South African time) QF64 B744 back to Sydney.

The quite lengthy SYD - PEK flight QF107 is usually pretty much on time, using one of the two unrefurbished A332s that have the increased crew rest provision and galley space. However on 3 August it departed at 1248, 23 minutes off target, with arrival likely tonight at 2249, 34 minutes behind the timetable.

Longhaul QF7 is expected to depart at 1330 hours from SYD, an hour late, for DFW.

 

[Melburnian1]

Wenesday 3 August's QF12 departed JFK at 1952, 102 late and arrived LAX at 2208, 68 late. The different aircraft then operated the second sector, pushing back in the movie nirvana at 2337 hours, 67 tardy. Friday 4 August SYD arrival should be at 0659, 39 minutes behind schedule.

Meanwhile QF94 (LAX - MEL) was held - this does not always occur - so it left at 2315 hours, 65 minutes behind schedule for a suggested Friday arrival at 0741, 46 late.

QF16 departed LAX at 0050 today (Thursday), 99 late with Friday 4 August arrival suggested as 0725, 75 minutes behind schedule.

 

[Melburnian1]

Wenesday 3 August's QF12 departed JFK at 1952, 102 late and arrived LAX at 2208, 68 late. The different aircraft then operated the second sector, pushing back in the movie nirvana at 2337 hours, 67 tardy. Friday 4 August SYD arrival should be at 0659, 39 minutes behind schedule.

Meanwhile QF94 (LAX - MEL) was held - this does not always occur - so it left at 2315 hours, 65 minutes behind schedule for a suggested Friday arrival at 0741, 46 late.

QF16 departed LAX at 0050 today (Thursday), 99 late with Friday 4 August arrival in BNE suggested as 0725, 75 minutes behind schedule.

 

[nutwood]

nutwood, this point should be discussed more in the recently commenced 'aviation security' thread under 'Travel news' in AFF.

That said, if I can go off topic for 10 seconds, this may mean even greater pressure on seating in the airline and gate lounges (especially if there are delays) and great consumption of food and drink in the airline lounges (and at retailers.) Many more passengers might be standing in the airport (even in airline lounges) prior to departure.

Thank you. Missed that thread. Heading there now!

 

[Melburnian1]

Late on Thursday 4 August, the transcontinental QF758 (PER - MEL, A332 VH-EBP) is likely to arrive at 2106 hours, 36 minutes tardy.

The 1900 hours QF465 from SYD to MEL took off at 1942, about half an hour late and should arrive with B738 VH-VYG at 2114 hours, 39 minutes later than timetabled.

QF493 (also a SYD - MEL, the 1915 hours that was airborne at 1955) remained in a hold above Mt Buller, Vic at 2055 but its aircraft B738 VH-VXQ should be ready for the door opening ceremony at the domestic allocated gate in MEL at about 2127, 37 late.

QF489, the 2015 hours southbound took off at 2057. With B738 VH-VXT the taskmaster, it should arrive at 2220 tonight, half an hour late.

Northbound QF478, the 1845 hours MEL - SYD (B738 VH-VYA) was in the sky at 1918, about 20 minutes late but encountered a holding pattern near Crookwell and Goulburn, so arrival is estimated at 2110, an hour late.

QF484 (also a northbound on Australia's busiest air route) was affected by the same hold and so arrival in SYD is suggested at 2125, 45 late for B738 VH-VYJ.

VH-XZE on QF846, the 2020 hours SYD up to DRW had not began pushback by 2112 hours.

The 2140 hours arrival in MEL ex AKL, QF156, has been cancelled. On Friday 4, the 0700 MEL - AKL has also received the boot.

QF9 is claimed to be departing at 2345, 50 late. This will be difficult because QF10 was at its gate (ex DXB) after 2210 tonight. Minimum turnaround for an A380, by observation, seems to be around 98 minutes - or perhaps a better figure would be an hour and 40 minutes, and that's with everything going well, including passengers turning up and not staying at the 'barrr-rrr' as AFF member JohnPhelan so memorably put it.

 

[ChrisGibbs]

There were a bunch of MEL-SYD flights cancelled this afternoon (Thursday 3/8).

QF442 - 3:00pm - A330
QF472 - 3:15pm - 737
QF466 - 7:45pm - 737
QF7354 - 8:15pm - ?
QF492 - 8:30pm - ?

I was originally on QF446 the 4:00pm Mel-Syd flight. Arrived at the airport early and the lounge host put me on the earlier 3:00pm QF442 which was already boarding from Gate 23. When I arrived at Gate 23 boarding had temporarily stopped due to a technical issue. Boarding recommenced at 2:45pm. With all passengers on-board the flight the Captain advised that Engineers were inspecting some damage to the rear cargo door. At 3:25pm the Captain advised the flight was cancelled as the engineers advised that it would take a number of hours to repair the Cargo door. I'm not sure if the damage was caused by an airside vehicle vs plane or some other incident. Passengers (including the crew off the already cancelled QF472) were moved to QF446 (4:00pm A330 service) and later flights.

As an aside, with just the rightmost lane operational, the security lines at QF domestic in Melbourne were not that busy.

 

[Melburnian1]

As noted above, the Wednesday 2 August 2255 hours QF9 from MEL to DXB departed at 0209 on Thursday. Updating this, it then arrived in the Middle East at 0916 hours, 131 minutes late but did not depart from DXB until 1336, 271 late. LHR arrival on Thursday 3 was at 1806, 236 minutes tardy.

Due to QF10's late arrival last night, Thursday 3's QF9 pushed back in MEL exactly an hour late at 2355, so DXB arrival on Friday 4 is predicted to be 0735, half an hour behind.

On Friday 4, QF94 arrived in MEL at 0750 hours, 55 late. QF93 then departed at 1007, 52 late, but if it had been able to achieve the approximate minimum observed turnaround for an A380 of an hour and 40 minutes, departure could have been around half an hour earlier. QF93 was airborne at 1039: same day LAX arrival is predicted as 0705, half an hour late.

QF15 (also a longhaul, the 1020 hours BNE to LAX B744) has been delayed until an expected 1100 in pushing back.

Once again, QF23, the 0950 hours SYD - BKK is delayed, with expected 4 August departure at 1130 meaning arrival into the Thai capital at after 1820 this evening. QF24 back to SYD this evening will be at least 80 minutes late departing.

QF19 from SYD to MNL should depart at 1230, 25 minutes late.

Lengthy flights QF7 (to DFW, A388 operated) and QF73 (to SFO, B744 having the job) are predicted to depart SYD an hour behind schedule at 1330 and 1400 hours respectively.

 

[Melburnian1]

Continuing its less than marvellous timekeeping - although in summer, some delays are often encountered at the JFK end due to storms - the Thursday 3 August QF11 departed LAX at 0946 hours, 86 minutes late with arrival at JFK at 1821, 101 minutes behind the schedule.

It will be instructive to observe if the new March 2018 schedules from Oz improve punctuality for the QF TransPacific and transcontinental USA flights. A major difficulty is that the QF15-QF11-QF12-QF16 timetabled BNE-LAX-JFK-LAX-BNE and back again lack much opportunity for picking up time, and as one AFFer (Flyerqf) pointed out, a tardy arrival in JFK almost inevitably results in further time being lost on the tarmac, presumably due to the departure slot being missed.

 

[Melburnian1]

On Friday 4 August, QF23 (VH-QPI) has been further delayed, with departure showing at 1300 hours, although that was some 45 minutes ago. An update from any AFF member who is booked on this flight would be great.

QF7 departed 70 minutes late at 1340 from SYD. DFW arrival is estimated at 1335, 35 minutes behind schedule.

With the exception of QF15, QFi's BNE departures are mostly punctual but on 4 August, QF51 (1200 'high noon' BNE - SIN) departed at 1238 hours. Arrival is forecast as 1850 in the early evening Singapore time, 35 minutes late.