Qantas Delays/Cancellations

[Melburnian1]

Sunday 29 October's QF79 (VH-QPE) was uneventful with NRT arrival (ex MEL) at about 1718, 27 minutes early. However the same is not true for the returning QF80, which did not take off from NRT until 2056. Consequently Monday 30 October arrival in MEL is expected at 0907 hours, 67 minutes tardy. This aircraft should then form QF29 to HKG, the scheduled 0945 hours ex MEL that will be delayed until at least 1020 in its pushing back.

QF81, the 1135 hours SYD - SIN is predicted to depart 80 minutes late on Monday 30.

Sunday 29's B744 on QF11 departed LAX 17 minutes late at 0837 but arrival in JFK was not until 1722 hours, 42 late. As a result QF12 is predicted to depart JFK an hour late at 1900 hours and arrive back in Hollywood city at about 2125 on Sunday evening Californian time, half an hour behind schedule. This should only delay QF12 (LAX - SYD) marginally provided all goes well.

Adding to Quickstatus' post regarding yesterday's QF149 from SYD to AKL that diverted via MEL, it does not appear (as at 1040 hours) to have continued from MEL to AKL. Yesterday's partial operation was A333 VH-QPF, which seems a waste of an A333 (although perhaps an A332 had failed in Sydney.)

QF143 (1015 hours Monday 30 October SYD - AKL) has been cancelled.

 

[Melburnian1]

In further on Monday 30 October, QF23 from SYD to BKK, the 1030 hours departed at 1110. Arrival should be at 1653 hours, 43 minutes late.

QF129 from SYD up to PVG, the 1055 hours, departed 67 minutes late. Projected arrival is 1935, 65 late. In turn, this will delay the redeye QF130 that operates back down to Sydney.

B738 VH-VXG on the 1200 hours 'high noon' QF430 took off at 1246. Forecast arrival has become 1402 hours, 37 minutes late.

 

[Melburnian1]

QF is suddenly blaming 'maintenance required' for several Townsville QantasLink cancellations during the weekend. See story in 30 October's 'Townsville Bulletin.'

What this omits is that both National Jet and Cobham pilots are taking protected industrial action. A part of that relates to a ban on planes departing if MELs (minimum equipment lists) are not met.

However, flights (at least those shown on the Townsville Airport website as at 1235 Queensland time on Monday 30 October) are operating normally.

 

[Melburnian1]

Continuing with Monday 30 October, QF81 (A332 VH-EBC) did not end up 1810 hours, 85 minutes late.departing from SYD until 1312 hours. SIN arrival is suggested as 1810 hours, 85 late. Sometimes this flight can be an A333.

QF769 (the early afternoon 1305 hours MEL - PER that did not take off until 1559, A332 VH-EBQ) should arrive in the western capital at 1622 hours, 127 minutes behind time. QF768, the 1500 hours PER to MEL is instead as a result expected to commence pushback at 1725 with MEL arrival tonight at 0005 hours (Tuesday 31) instead of the usual 2135 tonight.

 

[jb747]

........ A part of that relates to a ban on planes departing if MELs (minimum equipment lists) are not met.

A flight can never depart if the MEL is not fulfilled. But, whilst the engineers can apply an MEL, it must be accepted by the Captain.

 

[Melburnian1]

Another MEL - PER flight on Monday 30 October is late, with QF777 (1535 hours that took off at 1753, A332 VH-EBB) suggested as arriving at 1836 hours, 111 minutes tardy.

Tuesday 31 will see the early morning 0630 hours from MEL up ro SYD cancelled - QF404.

 

[Flyerqf]

QF5 is cancelled today due to aircraft delay back from PEK

 

[Melburnian1]

Also on Tuesday 31 October, QF16 from LAX to BNE is expected to arrive half an hour tardy at 0650 hours.

 

[JohnPhelan]

QF5 is cancelled today due to aircraft delay back from PEK

And the overnight QF6 back.

 

[Melburnian1]

The ever helpful AFF member Strategic Aviation posted a Canberra Times article 'flights between Canberra and Sydney most likely to be cancelled, new data shows' in the VA cancellations thread but it also mentions QF.

This refers to the BITRE statistics that also show flight cancellation rates of up to 7.5 per cent between Sydney and Melbourne, though variable by airline.

Notably, QF took a long time to respond to the journalist regarding the Canberra - Melbourne and Canberra - Sydney routes' poor performance.

It isn't just Federal public servants who require reliable access to the national capital. Lobbyists, domestic and foreign travellers who want to see numerous sights such as the museums, Parliament House, the Australian National Botanic Gardens, in season Floriade, the famous Lake, the High Court and numerous company representatives who have to meet public servants or politicians are some of the many visitors, let alone local residents travelling in and out.

The percentage cancellation rates in September 2017 between CBR - MEL and CBR - SYD were appalling compared to what modern high speed rail would deliver. From readers' comments at the bottom of this article, quite a few believe that it is about time high speed rail on the lower east coast was constructed:

Some of the cancellations were the result of adverse weather, while others would be due to low bookings, aircraft failures or even lack of qualified staff, all measures on which properly operated high speed trains could beat the pants off the domestic airlines if our politicians would allow it to be built and opened. It has been very successful in so many other nations over distances like CBR - MEL, MEL - SYD, SYD - OOL, SYD - BNE and so on.

It's a great tactic to schedule frequent flights to snare government travel contracts and resultant bookings but it's not much good if many of the flights are cancelled by airlines to minimise costs and 'combine' passengers on two flights into one.

 

[Melburnian1]

Tuesday 31 October sees QF81 (1135 hours late morning SYD up to SIN) delayed until an expected 1425, meaning Lion City arrival at 1930 rather than 1645.

Earlier, QF127 departed 75 late at 1045 ex SYD with suggested HKG arrival at 1710 this afternoon local time, 80 minutes behind the timetable.

QF97 is not often late but this 0940 hours departure from BNE left an hour late with predicted HKG arrival as 1723, 53 minutes tardy.

QF117 is expected to depart 25 minutes late at 1330 from SYD, also bound for HKG.

As the redoubtable Flyerqf suggested a few posts back, QF108 (0020 hours redeye from PEK down in a lengthy trip to SYD) is delayed in its departure until 2345 hours very late this evening Bejing time. Expected arrival has become 1420 hours on Wednesday 1 November instead of 1455 hours today, so as Flyerqf said these flights are more or less 24 hours late.

Also this morning QF2015 from WTB, QF2019 from ARM and QF2101 from CGFS, all arrivals in SYD around the 0730 to 0800 mark were cancelled. Another airline website with a forum suggests that Qantaslink is experiencing problems with its Q200s and Q300s, and on top of that some flights are cancelled due to low bookings. Contributors are complaining about the ARM, TMW and CBR routes into SYD in particular.

The three 'Eastern Australia' Q200s are between 17 and 21 years old; the Q300s were introduced between 2000 and 2009 (mostly in 2003 and 2004.) Proper maintenance is the key and like all transport equipment, many components will have been replaced over the years, but are the planes starting to fail a bit more as they age?

 

[docjames]

One might argue SYD-CBR is the perfect route to be cut as required - frequent flights with scope to "up-gauge" (as compared to MEL-SYD) if there are rollbacks in the system, reasonable (but not ideal) ground transport options in event of major snafus. if you lived South of SYD you'd almost be better driving anyway (with checkin cutoffs, luggage restrictions and security regimens etc)

Don't forget CBR is also very fog-prone at certain times of year, and is a good way to free movement capacity at SYD in the event of delays there too.

I'd also prefer to see reasonable consolidation of flights where SYD/ATC/fog delays mean running a full schedule impacts scores of other flights, and also pushes prices higher.

Just putting a counter view that it's not necessarily such a bad thing.

of course if i'm ever booked on SYD-CBR and they can my flight, well then

 

[Melburnian1]

docjames, yes, from an airline's perspective SYD - CBR is 'ideal' for cancellations because in a worst case passengers can be put on a bus - but from most passengers' perspective, especially those connecting to less frequent international flights (an operator who only runs once or twice a day out of SYD or MEL), those with urgent meetings or medical appointments, it is hardly ideal.

Most of all, the airlines heavily advertise their frequencies yet do not deliver, and sometimes that's not due to adverse weather.

 

[Melburnian1]

On Tuesday 31 October, the transcontinental MEL - PER QF769 is delayed for the second consecutive day but not as badly as yesterday. A332 VH-EBJ was airborne today at 1432, so arrival is predicted at about 1507 hours, 52 minutes late.

UPDATE: The delayed projected departure of QF81 from SYD occurred 14 minutes later than estimated, at 1439 but SIN arrival has remained at a suggested 1930 hours. VH-QPI is the A333, which came in about an hour and a half late from PVG on QF130 today, and did not have a fast turnaround. This was the third consecutive round trip on QF129/130 for this aircraft.

Monday 30 October's QF12 arrived ex JFK in LAX at 2126, 31 late but the connecting QF12 (different aircraft) has been delayed by an hour in its departure, and is expected into SYD on Wednesday 1 November at 0820 hours, 50 minutes late.

 

[Melburnian1]

QF7 (Wednesday 1 November 1340 SYD - DFW, recently usurped as the longest flight to the USA by UA SIn - LAX's new offering) took off at 1413. Arrival should be same day at 1335 hours, 35 late.

The 0940 hours BNE - HKG, QF97, departed just four minutes late but arrived half an hour behind schedule at 1700 this afternoon local time.

QF81 (SYD - SIN) commenced pushing back 17 late at 1152; arrival is forecast for 1720 hours, 35 late.

 

[drron]

QF1578 tonight-SYD-MCY has been cancelled.
So QF1579 on 3/11 MCY-SYD is cancelled also.

 

[Melburnian1]

Thursday 2 November has seen QF417, the 0830 hours from SUD to MEL cancelled.

VH-VXI (the usual B738) on QF678 (1005 hours from ADL across to MEL) was airborne at 1102 hours. Arrival should be 43 late at 1238.

QF23 (1030 hours SYD - BKK) departed at 1100 with arrival of A333 VH-QPA estimated as 45 late at 1655 hours.

The 1135 hours SYD - SIN (QF81) was only 23 late away but is projected to pull in to the Lion City airport allocated gate at roughly 1721 this afternoon local time, 36 late.

QF129 from SYD to PVG departed 36 minutes tardy at 1131; arrival should be at 1922 hours tonight, 52 minutes behind schedule.

The 1340 hours SYd to DFW A388 has been delayed to an expected 1530 hours in its pushing back. This will mean arrival at an estimated same day 1445 hours, 105 minutes behind the timetable. QF7 is often punctual.

B744-operated QF73 from SYD to SFO, the recently rescheduled to a 1755 hours departure should instead depart at 1920: same day arrival will be 1450 instead of 1325 hours, same day.

UPDATE: QF73 is expected to depart at 1940 hours, not 1920. As QF63 and QF64 did not operate yesterday from SYD and JNB respectively (not a cancellation: it was not timetabled as far as I could see), the delay is not due to waiting for the aircraft from South Africa being ready for the San Francisco flight.

 

[Melburnian1]

QF35, the 1225 hours early afternoon Friday 3 November 2017 from MEL up to SIN departed 37 minutes late and should arrive at 1801, 36 late.

Earlier, QF79, a flight that is normally like all the Japan flights of QF, JL and NH mostly punctual departed 64 minutes behind the timetable at 1024. Arrival should be at about 1835, 50 minutes late.

QF81 (A332 VH-EBV) departed just 13 minutes tardy at 1148 late this morning, but arrival is predicted to be 35 minutes late at 1720 hours.

QF19 (1225 hours SYD - MNL, A332 VH-EBM) departed 64 late; arrival should be an hour behind schedule at 1830 hours.

Although QF27 from SYD to SCL only departed 20 late at 1310 this afternoon, same day arrival is not predicted until 1140 hours, half an hour tardy.

In further problems for the B744 fleet, QF63 (1135 hours SYD to JNB) is delayed overnight with an 0830 hours Saturday 4 November departure expected, making arrival 1320 hours on Saturday instead of 1635 hours this afternoon South African time. There will be a reason, but at face value it would seem preferable to delay QF25 (the evening SYD - HND overnight whose B744 sits on the ground for many hours in Japan, but perhaps an altered slot is unavailable) and despatch QF63 as early as possible tonight to avoid overnight delays to both it and tonight's returning QF64.

Due to the above, QF64 is expected to arrive back in SYD at 1215 hours on Sunday 5 instead of 1530 hours on Saturday 4 November.

 

[Melburnian1]

Continuing with Friday 3 November, QF1 from SYD is delayed by an hour to 1755 for its long trip to DXB and LHR.

 

[Flyerqf]

In further problems for the B744 fleet, QF63 (1135 hours SYD to JNB) is delayed overnight with an 0830 hours Saturday 4 November departure expected, making arrival 1320 hours on Saturday instead of 1635 hours this afternoon South African time. There will be a reason, but at face value it would seem preferable to delay QF25 (the evening SYD - HND overnight whose B744 sits on the ground for many hours in Japan, but perhaps an altered slot is unavailable) and despatch QF63 as early as possible tonight to avoid overnight delays to both it and tonight's returning QF64.

Due to the above, QF64 is expected to arrive back in SYD at 1215 hours on Sunday 5 instead of 1530 hours on Saturday 4 November.

M1, an evening departure of QF63 means QF64 can’t turn around straight away because of curfew.

OJT is the aircraft that’s grounded this evening.