Qantas Delays/Cancellations

[Melburnian1]

Updating, QF23 on Sunday 11 August (A332 VH-EBS - this flight is mostly an A333) departed at 1110, 80 late but did not take off until 1154, a very slow taxi. Arrival should be at 1815 tonight, 95 late so the 1810 hours QF24 back to SYD will be unable to depart until at least 1930.

QF127 ended up departing SYD at 1141 hours, 66 late so HKG arrival should be at 1853, 53 late. B744 VH-OEI has the task. This aircraft had arrived in SYD this morning on QF74 (ex SFO) four early at 0621 so no obvious reason for the delay unless a connecting flight was tardy, although punctuality into SYD so far today seems OK.

Another B744, QF27 from SYD to SCL is predicted to depart 55 late at 1230 with arrival in the distant Chilean capital at 1210 hours same day, an hour late.

'The 19' to MNL is predicted to depart SYD 70 late at 1320 this afternoon with arrival at 1945, 75 late so QF20, the 2000 hours returning redeye will be tardy.

The long flight QF7 (1235 hours lunchtime SYD to DFW) is predicted to depart at 1310.

QF73 from SYD to SFO has a similar estimated delay of 45 minutes with 1330 the revised departure.

 

[Melburnian1]

Continuing with Sunday 12 August, QF427 (1100 'high noon' SYD down to MEL, B738 VH-VXH) took off at 1233 so arrival has become 1347, 82 late. The aircraft had been a minute early arriving in SYD on QF418 at 1024 ex MEL, so no standout reason for the delay to 'the 427.'

 

[Melburnian1]

On Monday 13 August 2018, QF20 from MNL down to SYD arrived at 0811, 121 minutes late.

Further south, QF79 (0910 hours MEL - NRT) that is often on time was not today, with the aircraft pushing back at 1030 hours. Arrival should be at 1950, 75 late.

QF33 from SYD up to NRT departed at 1103, 48 late with suggested arrival at 2028, 78 late, so QF34 back down overnight will be delayed.

QF63 is predicted to depart SYD 40 late at 1135 for its trek across to JNB.

UPDATE: QF63 departed SYD at 1135, as suggested, but arrival is not anticipated until 1805, 65 late.

 

[Melburnian1]

Tuesday 14 August 2018 sees QF94, the LAX - MEL main flight set to arrive at 0913 hours, 103 late.

Although QF20 departed MNL at 2006, only six minutes late on Monday 13 August, on Tuiesday 14 it arrived SYD at 0658, 48 late.

Formed by the late QF79 ex MEL, QF62 NRT - BNE on 13 August departed 59 minutes behind time at 2054 with Tuesday 14 BNE arrival at 0655 an hour late.

The 1235 hours lunchtime long flight from SYD to DFW, QF7 is predicted to depart two hours late, arriving Texas at 1505, 125 late.

 

[Melburnian1]

On Monday 13 August 2018, due to the late arrival of QF63, QF64 departed JNB at 2055, 105 late. Arrival in SYD on the afternoon of Tuesday 14 should be at 1557 hours, 62 late.

 

[Melburnian1]

Later on 14 August 2018, QF2057, the 1540 hours MEL - DPO (Q400 VH-QOE, timetabled into DPO at 1745 hours in the late arvo) has an extremely unusual flight pattern.

It took off at 1553 - basically on time - and then flew south to near George Town (TAS), was in a holding pattern and is returning to MEL by the looks of things. There is a NNW wind at DPO that was gusting to 61kmh and a somewhat less severe NW wind at LST so that may be the reason. However winds are gusting to 56kmh at MEL.

Was projected wind shear a factor in the diversion?

As at 1720 the flight was about to pass above Inverloch, Vic.

 

[Melburnian1]

Continuing with 14 August 2018, A388 VH-OQD on QF7 took off at 1501 hours. Expected arrival in DFW (ex SYD) is 1505 same day, 125 late.

 

[Melburnian1]

Also on Tuesday 14 August, QF129 (SYD - PVG) departed 75 late as noted above but arrived only 24 late at 1849 hours. QF130, the returning redeye is expected to depart at 2020, half an hour behind.

 

[docjames]

DPO is 06/24 so I’d assume with a NNW it would potentially be beyond crosswind limits for a dash 8 (our resident pilots will know).

Later on 14 August 2018, QF2057, the 1540 hours MEL - DPO (Q400 VH-QOE, timetabled into DPO at 1745 hours in the late arvo) has an extremely unusual flight pattern.

It took off at 1553 - basically on time - and then flew south to near George Town (TAS), was in a holding pattern and is returning to MEL by the looks of things. There is a NNW wind at DPO that was gusting to 61kmh and a somewhat less severe NW wind at LST so that may be the reason. However winds are gusting to 56kmh at MEL.

Was projected wind shear a factor in the diversion?

As at 1720 the flight was about to pass above Inverloch, Vic.

 

[Melburnian1]

Earlier on Wednesday 15 August 2018, QF23, the so often delayed 0950 hours SYD - BKK pushed back at 1116, arriving 95 late at 1815 hours. 'The 24' was unrealistically shown as departing an hour late at 1910 but by 1945 had not as far as I could see.

On Tuesday 14, the 1810 hours early evening B744 (JFK across to LAX) as QF12 departed at 2028, arriving at 2259, 119 late. The '12' then left LAX at 0116 hours on Wednesday, 166 late so Thursday 16 arrival in SYD is estimated as 0844 hours, 134 minutes behind schedule.

B744 VH-OJU had sat in LAX all day so its Thursday BNE arrival is expected to be less than half an hour late.

QF117 (SYD - HKG on Wednesday) departed at 1555 hours, 95 late so should arrive at 2325, 85 late. QF118, redeye back down to SYD should depart an hour late at 0025 on Thursday 16 (too optimistic) with SYD arrival at an estimated 1145, 55 late (also rather looking on the bright side).

QF1, the 1555 hours SYD - SIN - LHR departed at 2114 hours (319 late) so SIN arrival is at the hardly ideal time of 0314, 299 late. Departure is suggested as 0430 for an 1115 hours LHR Thursday arrival, 260 late but possibly an underestimate of the delay.

 

[Melburnian1]

Updating the last paragraph of the previous post, QF1 arrived SIN on Thursday 16 August at 0319 hours, 304 minutes behind schedule and commenced pushing back from the SIN gate at 0504 (309 late). LHR predicted arrival has been put back a small amount more to 1125 hours (270 minutes behind schedule). This should not affect QF2 as it is not timetabled to depart London until 2115 tonight local time.

The delayed QF118 (overnight from HKG to SYD) will arrive later than QF had suggested last night. New time is 1215 hours, 85 late for A332 VH-EBS.

'The 24' from BKK is looking to arrive SYD at 0846 this morning, 141 minutes past the allotted. VH-QPJ is the A333.

Tuesday's QF96, teh 2355 hours very late night ex LAX did not depart until 0227 on Wednesday so Thursday 16 arrival is an expected 1123 hours, 178 minutes tardy, but normally in plenty of time to form the QF9 at 1515 hours mid arvo for PER and on to LHR.

 

[jb747]

DPO is 06/24 so I’d assume with a NNW it would potentially be beyond crosswind limits for a dash 8 (our resident pilots will know).

A quick search on the net gives a crosswind limit of 32 knots. But, the limits are lower if the runway is wet, so it could easily fall to below 25 knots.

 

[Melburnian1]

A quick search on the net gives a crosswind limit of 32 knots. But, the limits are lower if the runway is wet, so it could easily fall to below 25 knots.

Tanks jb747. Most helpful in solving why the flight returned. The BOM website has a listing for Devonport Airport that states 'no rain' on that day around that time. The aircraft subsequently took off from MEL for DPO (again) at 1920 on 14 August, so it looks like the original flight (after having returned to its origin of MEL) was cancelled.

 

[Melburnian1]

On Thursday 16 August, although QFi arrivals into MEL were on time, the 0910 hours MEL - NRT (QF79) is inexplicably delayed until a suggested 1130 in its departure (although it's 1141 as I write). Arrival should be at 2040 hours, 100 minutes late. Either QF62, the 1955 hours redeye to BNE or QF80, the same to MEL but due out at 2025 will be delayed.

QF143 (A332 VH-EBA, the 1050 hours SYD - AKL that was in the sky at 1125) should arrive at 1606, 31 minutes tardy.

 

[Melburnian1]

B738 VH-VXK on QF620, the timetabled 1410 hours MEL up to BNE took off at 1512 so arrival should be at 1655, 35 late.

 

[Melburnian1]

Later on 16 August, QF463 (1830 hours SYD don to MEL that was in the sky at 1918 with A332 VH-EBB) should arrive at 2035, half an hour late.

The delayed QF1 from SYD yesterday is arriving in LHR on Thursday 16 (A388 VH-OQA) at 1146 hours, 291 minutes tardy.

 

[Melburnian1]

'The 96' has a worse timekeeping record between LAX and MEL than the A388 on QF94. Wednesday 15 August's 96 departed at 0037 on Thursday 16, 42 late with Friday 17 arrival estimated as 0905, 40 late.

QF128 departed HKG 36 late at 2036 on Thursday night so Friday arrival in SYD should be at 0735, 40 down.

Due to QF79's late running, the evening QF80 from NRT was off blocks at 2157 (92 late) for a Friday estimated MEL arrival at 0920 hours, 75 minutes tardy.

 

[Melburnian1]

QF80 is late in to MEL on Friday 17 August as noted above. QF29 (0935 hours MEL up to HKG) is expected to depart 70 late at 1045 with arrival at 1815 tonight to be 55 late.

UPGRADE: QF29 departed at 1112 hours. Arrival should be at 1826.

 

[Melburnian1]

Later on Friday 17 August 2018, QF19 (1210 hours SYD - MNL) is predicted to depart 200 minutes late at 1530.

 

[Melburnian1]

Oh dear. Updating the previous post, QF19 from SYD to MNL on Friday 17 August is now not departing until 1200 ('high noon') on Saturday 18 with arrival suggested as 1815 hours, almost 24 hours late. It will become QF19D if it accords with the usual QF practice.

QF20 tonight is even worse, with MNL departure estimated at 0800 hours on Sunday 19 for arrival in SYD at 1815 hours instead of the usual 0610 hours. This will be so that the cabin and flight crew alike can have minimum rest in MNL between ariving on Saturday evening and departing on Sunday morning.

While airline crews who've been in the job a while must have 'seen close to it all' and some might be perpetually tired from all the different shifts that must play havoc with body clocks, I've often wondered in such circumstances whether crews get a little grumpy because a designated roughly 20 hours off duty is cut down to the bare minimum.

And if QF19D is late in to MNL on Saturday, presumably QF20D on Sunday morning will be delayed even more.

On Thursday night at 2356 hours, MF8667 (B738 B-5498) overran the runway at MNL (and left engine separated, while in heavy rain all 157 passengers were safely evacuated).

Apparently runway 06/24 (the one used by most international flights) was to be closed until 1200 (noon) o 17 August but it was shut until at least 1600. 'Philippine Daily Inquirer' has a comprehensive report online.

This is probably why QF19/QF20 were cancelled.