Qantas Delays/Cancellations

[redwoodw]

Apologies redwoodw, I'm fallible and sometimes miss things, and wasn't monitoring that flight yesterday.

Nothing to apologise for at all! I've been impressed by how closely you've been following the delays and canx, please don't tell me you do it manually each and every day, there's got to be some form of automation generating a list of irrops?

P.S. Just as a side note, had the chance to talk to a QF guy who IIRC is related to asset management, during which I asked him if he agree that QFi is driving its fleet too hard, particularly for the A330s (I raised the aftermath of the prior A330 air con issue diversion to MEL as an example). His answer seems to somewhat acknowledge the issue, although with the usual "we're always looking into optimising utilisation and robustness of the schedule".

 

[Melburnian1]

Nothing to apologise for at all! I've been impressed by how closely you've been following the delays and canx, please don't tell me you do it manually each and every day, there's got to be some form of automation generating a list of irrops?

P.S. Just as a side note, had the chance to talk to a QF guy who IIRC is related to asset management, during which I asked him if he agree that QFi is driving its fleet too hard, particularly for the A330s (I raised the aftermath of the prior A330 air con issue diversion to MEL as an example). His answer seems to somewhat acknowledge the issue, although with the usual "we're always looking into optimising utilisation and robustness of the schedule".

redwoodw, I won't tell you that it's manual (but it is.)

I'm not on QF's asset management staff but as a simple observation, probably only the mainland Chinese airlines into Oz come close to QF for flights that are late. Cancellations: QF probably tops the list as a percentage of flights but BITRE does not collect these statistics for international flights. So an observer may well conclude that QF is working its assets too hard, and passengers bear the fallout. Of course from a shareholder perspective there may be a different view.

On Sunday 3 June 2018, QF30 ex HKG should arrive in MEL at 0851 hours, 76 minutes late.

 

[Melburnian1]

QF108 departed PEK at the unsavoury hour of 0314 on Sunday 3 June so SYD arrival should be at 1645, 205 minutes behind schedule.

The HKG - SYD flight duie to depart at 2325 last night did so at 0238 on Sunday 4, so SYD arrival of QF118 is predicted at 1355 hours, 185 minutes tardy.

QF29, the 0935 hours morning MEL up to HKG should depart 50 late as a result of QF30 being tardy.

QF79 (0910 hours MEL - NRT) is predicted to commence pushing back at 1200 'high noon' for a 2120 arrival, 160 minutes late. Both QF62 (1955 hours NRT down to BNE redeye) and colleague QF80 (2005 to MEL) are displaying as on eimt, but one will be delayed. Sometime QF does a swap with QF79 forming QF62 and vice versa for QF61 to QF80, so we'll see.

The Saturday 2 June QF3 arrived HNL four minutes early at 0856 hours, but QF4 returning is expected to depart two hours late at 1230, meaning SYD Sunday 3 June arrival at 1905 hours, 115 minutes late.

 

[Melburnian1]

redwoodw... So an observer may well conclude that QF is working its assets too hard, and passengers bear the fallout....

Adding to the delays above, on Sunday 3 June 2018, QF23 (0950 hours SYD - BKK) has been cancelled. I did not check this flight earlier this morning so I don't know if it was a last minute cancellation.

A333 VH-QPI that returned unexpectedly to SYD on QF23 on Friday 1 June due to 'engine problems' has still not been on another flight since.

 

[Melburnian1]

Continuing with Sunday 3 June 2018, QF73, the lunchtime 1245 hours SYD to SFO B744 is expected to depart at 1730 late this arvo. Expected arrival is 1335 hours same day, 270 minutes tardy.

'The 29' departed MEL a little later than forecast above by QF, at 1051, so expected arrival has become 1820, an hour late in HKG, which has played host to a number of quite late QF flights in the last couple of days.

QF79 departed MEL a little earlier than forecast, at 1139 (149 minutes late) so NRT arrival has advanced to 2040, 125 late.

 

[Melburnian1]

Although QF4, the 1030 hours Saturday 2 June 2018 HNL down to SYD had been expected to depart two hours late - see above - it did not do so until 1400. Sunday 3 arrival is estimated at 2035 hours, 205 late.

Earlier, QF64, the 1910 hours (Saturday 2) JNB across to SYD that pushed back only seven minutes late arrived on Sunday 3 at 1527, 32 late.

The 2050 hours SYD - HND B744, QF25 is not often late - it often arrives HND early - but on 3 June its departure from SYD had been delayed by an expected 70 minutes.

 

[Flyerqf]

Although QF4, the 1030 hours Saturday 2 June 2018 HNL down to SYD had been expected to depart two hours late - see above - it did not do so until 1400. Sunday 3 arrival is estimated at 2035 hours, 205 late.

Earlier, QF64, the 1910 hours (Saturday 2) JNB across to SYD that pushed back only seven minutes late arrived on Sunday 3 at 1527, 32 late.

The 2050 hours SYD - HND B744, QF25 is not often late - it often arrives HND early - but on 3 June its departure from SYD had been delayed by an expected 70 minutes.

QF25 is being operated by VH-OJU which earlier was subbed out for the QF73 which instead operated with the aircraft inbound from QF64 (VH-OEB), which had been planned to take tonight’s QF25.

 

[Melburnian1]

Thanks Flyerqf. Can I assume there was something more that needed fixing with B744 VH-OJU?

QF73 (1245 SYD - SFO) was meant to depart at 1730 but this occurred at 1823, meaning arrival is further delayed until an expected 1345 hours, 280 minutes behind schedule.

Sunday 3's QF1585 (1855 hours SYD down to HBA that took off at 2000 with B717 VH-NXJ) should arrive at 2143 tonight, 48 late.

QF487 (B738 VH-VXU, the 2000 hours SYD - MEL that was airborne at 2120) looks to be arriving at 2231 tonight, 56 late.

 

[Melburnian1]

With $ June 2019's Monday morning ADL fog having resulted in at least 11 flights diverting, QF671, the 0640 MEL - ADL that was airborne at a much delayed 0956 (B738 VH-VYL) should arrive at about 1135, 245 minutes late.

QF679 on the same route (VH-VXN) is not as badly affected as it should be there at 1139 hours, 49 late.

 

[Melburnian1]

In further on Monday 4 June, QF79, the 0910 hours MEL up to NRT departed 41 late with arrival suggested this evening at 1915 hours, 40 minutes behind schedule.

Sunday 3's delayed QF25 (see above) did not depart SYD until 2025, arriving HND 80 late at 0635 on 4 June.

Yesterday, QF23 from SYD to BKK was cancelled. Today, it's the turn of QF117, the 1420 hours SYD - HKG. This may be related to Friday's engine problems with A333 VH-QPI that forced it to turn back to SYD as the aircraft has not been tasked with another flight since Friday.

 

[Melburnian1]

Matt O'Sullivan of 'SMH' has written an excellent article "There's no one: pilot sickness, faults stretch Qantas" (also on 'The Age' and 'Cnaberra Times' websites re how QF27 was the subject of an urgent email from the Manager, Base Operations (strangely in MEL not SYD) when a FO could not at first be found. This flight on Sunday 3 departed SYD at 1318, 43 late, arriving SCL at 1152, 42 late. The returning QF28 departed SCL 26 late at 1356, arriving in SYD on Monday 4 June not long ago at 1834 hours, 34 late.

The article also discusses problems with the A333 fleet including the engine problem on Friday 1 June that forced A333 VH-QPI back to SYD on QF23, the 0950 hours SYD - BKKK that had departed about two hours late.

QF's claim that it has 'a level of redundancy' in case of problems is questionable.

I've suggested before that at least from observation, the A333 fleet is being worked too hard.

Good maintenance is important, but even if this is a 'given', there doesn't seem to be much ability from QF to, for instance, substitute an A332 for an A333 if the latter is suddenly available. It's complex and aircraft may be 'anywhere' and there's lots of other considerations such as crewing, the number of cycles each aircraft does, seating capacity varying, catering, maintenance schedules and probably a zillion other things, but to have six international flights delayed during the weekend when the weather was benign is unimpressive.

FR24 indicates that QPI remains grounded in SYD; as noted above, today QF117 SYD - HKG was cancelled.

Thursday to Monday inclusive tends to be the busiest days for QFi (a comment that could be made also about other airlines) so perhaps tomorrow will be less disrupted.

 

[Melburnian1]

In more on Monday 4 June, QF631 (B738 VH-VYG, the 1700 hours BNE - MEL that was in the sky at 1759) is arriving at 2002 hours, 37 minutes late.

 

[Melburnian1]

On Tuesday 5 June 2018, B738 VH-XZP on QF415, the 0800 hours SYD down to MEL did not depart until 0835 but then take off was slow, occurring at 0903, so it is likely to be at least 40 minutes late arriving.

 

[Melburnian1]

In further on Tuesday 5 June 2018, QF29 (0935 hours MEL - HKG) is again delayed, with departure expected at 1100 so arrival will be at least 55 minutes late at 1815 hours. QF80 arrived in MEL this morning 32 minutes late.

 

[flydoc]

Announcement in MEL QP- Delays brewing due to forecast storms in SYD. QF448 MEL-SYD just cancelled. Rebooking in progress.

 

[Melburnian1]

Later on what has been a stormy and rainy Tuesday 5 June 2018 in SYD, QF2217, the 1905 hours SYD - ABX that took off at 1958 with Q400 VH-LQQ should have its Twin Cities arrival at 2052 hours, 32 minutes tardy.

 

[Melburnian1]

The Monday 4 June 2018 QF2 departed LHR 15 late at 2130 hours but SIN Tuesday 5 arrival was 1804, 39 late.

Also on 5 June, QF467 (B738 VH-VXO, the 1930 hours SYD down to MEL that was airborne at 2039) should arrive at 2141 hours, 36 minutes behind schedule.

 

[Melburnian1]

A332 VH-EBL on the Wednesday 6 June 2018 QF408, the 0700 hours MEL - SYD that took off at 0751 (about 35 minutes late) remained in a hold west of Giulburn at 0850 hours so while its arriving is showing as 0912 hours (47 minutes tardy), this may be an underestimate. There look to be some storm cells over Sydney as the rain continues - almost 50mm in 23.5 hours at the airport.

QF29 (0935 hours MEL - HKG, normally an A333) has been cancelled. This is because the same fate occurred to QF30 ex HKG last night, as QF29 on 5 June (A333 VH-QPB) took off from MEL at 1529 hours mid arvo, hours late, arriving HKG at 2202 hours, 282 minutes behind schedule.

From what I can see VH-QPB remains in HKG as at 0900 hours AEST on 6 June.

The overnight HKG- BNE QF98 arrived on 6 June at 0740 hours, 35 late.

QF128, the HKG - SYD redeye departed last night on time at 2000 hours but did not arrive this morning until 0748 hours, 53 minutes behind schedule.

The 1015 hours morning 6 June SYD - KIX (QF33) departed at 1039 but did not take off until 1114 hours. Arrival should be at 2008 hours, 58 minutes late.

 

[Melburnian1]

Continuing with Wednesday 6 June 2018, QF19, the 1210 SYD - MNL is expected to depart 75 late.

QF73, 1245 hours SYD - SFO should depart about 90 minutes late.

UPDATE: QF73 did not depart until 1517 hours with arrival in SFO suggested as 1140 hours, 55 late,

QF19 was ony 27 late arriving in MNL.

 

[Melburnian1]

Thursday 7 June 2018 finds QF23, the 0950 hours SYD - BKK expected to depart 55 minutes late with arrival 40 late at 1720 hours.

QF79, the 0935 hours MEL - NRT is similar with predicted pushing back 50 late.

The 0930 hours SYD - PVG should depart 45 minutes late.

The B744 from SYD to SFO, QF73 is forecast to be half an hour late in its departure with arrival 35 late.

A332 VH_EBN on QF417, the 0830 hours morning SYD down to ME that was not in the sky until 0921 is arriving at 1042 hours, 37 late.

QF1583 (1000 hours SYD down to HBA, B717 VH-NXQ) took off at 1041 so arrival is delayed by half an hour to 1230 this arvo.