Also on Friday 13 October, QF73, the longhaul from SYD to SFO that should push back at 1400 hours took off at a much delayed 1631. Arrival should be (same day) at 1034 hours, 64 minutes behind for B744 VH-OEH. QF has had quite a few of these two hour departure delays in the past week for its B744s but they are almost certainly for differing reasons in each case. VH-OEH had come in to SYD almost three hours late on 12 October (QF12 ex LAX, the usual Tuesday operation ex SYD and LAX of a B744 not an A388) but that gave it about 27 hours in Sydney before this QF73 was due to depart, so it wasn't a case today of a tight turnaround or waiting for a late aircraft inbound to form the SFO-bound service.
QF443 (1500 hours SYD down to MEL, A332 VH-EBM) did not become airborne until 1608 this afternoon, so it is set to arrive at 1724, 49 minutes late.
B717 VH-YQW has not managed to gain much on the timetable since its mention in the previous post. It is presently on the 1520 hours MEL - HBA (QF1507) that was in the sky at 1607. Arrival looks to be 1739 hours, 64 minutes tardy. These HBA B717 rosters had been improving in punctuality after being a major concern to QF about 12 to 18 months ago, but in the last few days unpunctuality has returned. If I recall on a previous occasion our erudite staff contributor milehighclub commented that 'QF was aware of the problems' so doubtless management may again look at this quite tightly timed, subcontracted operation. There will be many variables including available slots, staff hours of duty and factoring in connections to and from ADL, PER and DRW to name a few but it might be wise, if possible, to lengthen the turnarounds by five or 10 minutes to try to ensure better timekeeping.
QF623, the 1355 hours BNE - MEL with as usual a B738, in this case VH-VZV, took off at 1446; arrival is predicted as 1750, half an hour behind.
QF29 was noted above as an estimated three hours late in its MEL pushback today but A333 VH-QPG did not become airborne until 1518. Arrival in HKG should be at about 2107, 187 minutes late. QF98 from HKG down to BNE is as a result expected to depart HKG 135 minutes behind schedule at 2215, but this may be a slight underestimate of the delay as usually turnarounds of these aircraft take at least 70 to 75 minutes.
VH-QPG may have had to replace a failed colleague as it earlier operated QF82 from SIN to SYD, arriving at about 0700 hours, five minutes early before running QF427, the 1100 hours from SYD down to MEL where it was about five minutes late in arriving at 1240 hours. It would then have had to be placed at the international terminal which may account for some of the additional delay.
