Qantas Delays/Cancellations

[jb747]

Meanwhile QF2, the delayed (altered probably due to crew rest requirements) 1415 hours Tuesday DXB - SYD has A388 VH-OQH that had arrived on QF9 at 1254.

Why "probably crew rest"? You have no idea of the pattern builds, and FR24 doesn't track crew movements.

 

[Melburnian1]

jb747, a previous flight had been a similar amount late. If it was another reason, fair enough. I didn't say 'definitely.' Happy Christmas!

QF81 above was predicted to depart 55 late but this became 72 minutes tardy. SIN arrival on Sunday 24 December is predicted at 1742, 57 late.

 

[Blackbird]

QF1 has diverted to Al Ain due fog in Dubai. Landed 6 hours ago and not due to depart for Dubai for another hour. Arrival into London is 1430 on the QF website at the moment.

 

[milehighclub]

QF9 has diverted to Bahrain also due to fog

 

[Melburnian1]

Continuing with Sunday 24 December, QF443 (1500 hours SYD - MEL, A332 VH-EBG) took off at 1551; arrival should be at 1722 hours, 36 minutes late.

Long haul QF7 is again late, having departed from SYD at 1708 this afternoon (148 minutes delayed); DFW arrival is suggested as 1510 hours, 130 late.

Adding to the (ex SYD Saturday 23) QF1 (A388 VH-OQA) and (ex MEL same night) QF9 diversions, QF2, the Saturday 23 2045 hours LHR - DXB (VH-OQK) diverted to DWC, where it arrived at 0812 hours local time.

As at 1000 local time in AAN, QF1 had not commenced its journey to DXB.

The diverted QF9 is still in BAH but is showing as amended to be at DXB at 0950 (now impossible) to 1430 for an 1825 hours arrival in LHR. A388 VH-OQJ took off from BAH at 0855 with a suggested 1053 hours arrival in DXB, since amended to 1103 hours.

It won't come as a surprise that many aircraft are holding for quite a while approaching DXB.

Delays can be expected to compound as DXB must be under much pressure with gate availability as well as slots.

 

[Blackbird]

QF2 diverted to Dubai World Central. Still there. QF9 just landed DXB.

 

[Melburnian1]

On Sunday 24 December, the diverted QF2 departed DWC at 1118 hours. DXB arrival is suggested as 1150 with departure at 1335 for SYD, where arrival is predicted on Christmas Day at 1020 hours, 330 minutes late. It is likely that this will be an underestimate of the delay.

QF5 departed SYD 34 late at 1729. SIN arrival is suggested as 2232 hours this evening, 37 minutes behind schedule.

The Sunday 24 December QF1 from DXB to LHR (i.e. ex SYD Saturday arvo) has been cancelled for its second sector. The aircraft remains at AAN from what I can see. The crew ex SYD would have run out of hours.

Sunday 24's QF10 (the 1155 hours) from LHR to DXB has been cancelled. The QF website indicates that it will operate from DXB to MEL.

One meteorological site suggests that September to December inclusive are typically the worst months for fog in Dubai.

 

[milehighclub]

The

The Sunday 24 December QF1 from DXB to LHR (i.e. ex SYD Saturday arvo) has been cancelled for its second sector. The aircraft remains at AAN from what I can see. The crew ex SYD would have run out of hours.

.

The crew operating to LHR from DXB were sent to AAN at around 2am to bring the pax and other crew to DXB. They were then scheduled to continue to LHR but no longer think this is happening given the cancellation. But I would expect further disruptions

 

[Melburnian1]

Thanks milehighclub! The delayed QF1 now should depart AAN at 1600 hours for DXB arrival at 1705.

Were QF1 passengers able to alight at AAN (assuming immigration was able to be staffed, with or without checked luggage?) and be transported by bus to DXB? Or were they held in a transit area, off the plane, but not allowed landside?

The delayed Saturday 23 QF9 ex MEL that arrived in DXB on Sunday 24 at 1126 hours is to depart DXB at 1430 this afternoon for an 1825 hours LHR arrival. In theory this is sufficient time to form a punctual QF2 ex LHR, as it is due to commence pushback at 2045 hours.

 

[Melburnian1]

On Sunday 24 December, the delayed QF1 (see above) departed DXB at 1448 hours (313 minutes tardy) with Monday 25 arrival in SYD suggested as 1105, 275 late.

QF9, also delayed by a diversion (again, see above) commenced its final sector in DXB at 1456 hours, 386 minutes behind schedule. LHR arrival is predicted for 1825, 345 late, but as mentioned above in what should be sufficient time for a punctual turnaround for the 2045 hours departing QF2 ex LHR for DXB and SYD.

Economy passengers on QF9 booked MEL to LHR might be able to collapse into an hotel or family bed in the latter 36 hours after leaving home, a marathon journey.

Advice from passengers in DXB affected by the cancellation of the DXB - LHR sector for QF1 and the reverse for QF10 as to what flight they were rebooked on would be great, and any other 'treatment' from QF. Many flights should be full or close to it so that makes rebooking challenging.

 

[Flyerqf]

Social media reports indicate that passengers were on the aircraft for 26 hours so they may not have been allowed to deplane at Bahrain.

It’s now on its way to DXB after the engineering issue was resolved.

The crew that were due to operate DXB to LHR positioned to Bahrain and operated the flight to DXB. They could have then gone on to LHR but the engineering issue meant they also ran out of hours.

 

[Melburnian1]

Further to above posts, the badly delayed QF9 should arrive LHR at 1900 hours on Sunday 24 December, later than previously indicated. It will require a bare minimum turnaround to get QF2 away punctually at 2045.

Looking at a small 'sample' of flights ex DXB at present, quite a few are three to four hours late. If there is again fog in a few hours' time, that may cause further diversions.

I could not find detailed comment indicating how often there are consecutive nights of fog in DXB at this time of year.

 

[Flyerqf]

I don’t think this will be the last we hear of this one. Once again the disaster recovery plan at DXB is non existent for QF and pax are not happy.

The move back to SIN can’t come quick enough.

 

[Melburnian1]

Flyerqf, I agree. Effectively with the new schedules, QF is cutting its Australia - London capacity by 25 per cent (i.e. 2 A388s currently daily each way v the 2018 change to 1 X A388, 1 X B789 - albeit complicated by how the latter is a nonstop from PER).

This speaks volumes for despite all the self-congratulations of the CEO, ultimately DXB for QF will be judged to be a failure. Many of us might think "SIN would have more weather problems for airlines because of its tropical rainforest climate', but it's arguable that DXB is more challenging with fog and sandstorms.

Mind you, how would you suggest QF implement a 'disaster recovery plan for DXB?' At Christmas, many if not all planes would be full or close to it, and it's not like a bus company where QF could have a spare aircraft sitting around at an intermediate point not doing anything a lot of the time. If planes can't get in or out due to fog and if codeshare EK flights are similarly affected and also heavily booked, it doesn't strike me there's a lot an airline can quickly do about it.

 

[Melburnian1]

Adding further to the above delays, QF2 ex LHR on Saturday 24 December (that diverted to DWC) is now not arriving in SYD until 1145 hours on Christmas Day, 315 minutes late.

QF9 arrived LHR at 1908 on Sunday 24 December, 388 minutes late. QF2 did not then depart London until 2244 hours, 119 minutes late. DXB arrival on Christmas Day is expected at 1000, 125 late with an extremely lengthy enforced 12 hours stay (or close to it) and departure at 2135 (exactly 12 hours late) for a Tuesday 26 December expected SYD arrival at 1805 hours, 695 minutes behind schedule.

If the reason for this extremely lengthy passenger layover on QF2 isn't the need for staff to have their minimum mandated rest period given the previous disruptions thanks to fog, what is it?

The QF2 delay makes it likely that QF1 (which is showing as departing from the same gate 24) on Boxing Day will be delayed from its usual 1655 hours departure to around the 2000 hours mark.

VH-OQA, the A388 that had a lengthy fog-related stay in AAN (see above) left there yesterday afternoon to operate a short flight to DXB and should be punctual into MEL tonight (25 December) on QF10.

Although the Saturday 23 December QF10 ex LHR was only six minutes late into MEL on Sunday 24 at 2131 hours, the scheduled 2325 hours QF9 did not depart until 0739 this morning (Christmas Day). The DXB stop is estimated as 1430 to 1600 hours with LHR arrival at about 2005 hours on Monday evening, 445 minutes late.

This presumably means a delayed departure on Christmas evening for QF2, the 2045 hours to LHR and SYD.

 

[jb747]

...."SIN would have more weather problems for airlines because of its tropical rainforest climate', but it's arguable that DXB is more challenging with fog and sandstorms.

Singapore is way easier. Whilst it does have storms, they generally clear within an hour or so. KL isn't all that far away, and is a good destination, plus there are a couple of diversion spots closer in if necessary. The flights themselves aren't as long, so the aircraft are not as heavy, so less wear and tear on the engines. An no sand either.

Dubai is so busy that it's literally choking at the best of times. Singapore was never as bad, though I haven't been there for 5 years, so perhaps it's caught up.

 

[jb747]

Social media reports indicate that passengers were on the aircraft for 26 hours so they may not have been allowed to deplane at Bahrain.

The actual tour of duty for the crew was under 19 hours, so 26 hours cannot be correct.

The crew that were due to operate DXB to LHR positioned to Bahrain and operated the flight to DXB. They could have then gone on to LHR but the engineering issue meant they also ran out of hours.

Are you sure you're not referring to either Dubai World or Al Ain? The crew that diverted to Bahrain continued to Dubai.

 

[Flyerqf]

Singapore is way easier. Whilst it does have storms, they generally clear within an hour or so. KL isn't all that far away, and is a good destination, plus there are a couple of diversion spots closer in if necessary. The flights themselves aren't as long, so the aircraft are not as heavy, so less wear and tear on the engines. An no sand either.

Dubai is so busy that it's literally choking at the best of times. Singapore was never as bad, though I haven't been there for 5 years, so perhaps it's caught up.

At the very least Qantas has a base and 5-7 daily return flights that must make managing delays easier.

 

[Flyerqf]

The actual tour of duty for the crew was under 19 hours, so 26 hours cannot be correct.



Are you sure you're not referring to either Dubai World or Al Ain? The crew that diverted to Bahrain continued to Dubai.

Yes I confused QF9 with QF1. I was referring to the crew that ended up at Al Ain.

The comment regarding 26 hours was also regarding QF1 that went to Al Ain.

Sunday’s QF2 has been delayed 12 hours, with a long stop in Dubai Andrew expected arrival into SYD at 6pm Tuesday evening.

 

[Melburnian1]

NewsCorp has just put up an extensive report on its 'Herald Sun' (and probably 'Daily Telegraph') website(s) entitled 'Passengers stranded in Dubai and London as Qantas experiences significant flight delays.'

There are passenger claims of not receiving food for six to 10 hours and various other expressions of anger such as a pregnant woman venting that she was kept on (QF1?) for 23 hours. QF suggests that the QF1 delay (the flight that ended up being cancelled from DXB to LHR, meaning in the opposite direction QF10 was cancelled from LHR to DXB) was in part due to repairs being required to the A388.

The story does not mention that EK flights are also significantly late (although DXB is its home base, so not quite as bad in terms of meeting passenger needs for food.)