Qantas Delays/Cancellations

[Silvia]

Syd airport has held departures due to lighting risk. Expect lengthy delays for both arrivals and departures

 

[Melburnian1]

In more on Friday 7 September 2018, QF692 from ADL to MEL, the 1605 hours took off at 1649 with B738 VH-VZB. Arrival should be at 1829, 34 late.

 

[Silvia]

Qf756 is due to be diverted into CBR as lighting continues. Other aircrafts are looking at diverting into MEL

 

[Melburnian1]

Proving the accuracy of our lady-on-the-spot Silvia's advice, QF764 from ADL to SYD (timetabled to arrive at 1825, aircraft B738 VH-VYL) is diverting to CBR with at apron (probably not 'gate') arrival at around 1922 instead of the SYD timetabled arrival of 1825. The aircraft was in holding patterns above Gunning (NSW) and then slightly northeast of Goulburn.

This next one may be an outlier but it's a serious delay with QF441 (1430 hours SYD down to MEL) finally able to become airborne at 1852 tonight with B738 VH-VYE. Arrival expected at 2011, which would be 246 late.

QF147, 1600 hours scheduled from SYD across to AKL has B738 ZK-ZQH and was airborne at 1908. Predicted arrival is 2348 late tonight, 163 minutes late.

A332 VH-EBE on QF580, the 1230 hours PER across to SYD took off at 1257, about 10 minute late. It too is diverting to CBR where approximate arrival is 1927hours, 52 minutes after it should have been at its SYD gate.

 

[Lynda2475]

Sitting on QF462 (scheduled for 7pm departure) in Melbourne, we boarded on time, but as SYD is closed due to hail, we are still at the gate and have a revised departure time of 9pm. Wish they'd let us stay in the lounge.

 

[Melburnian1]

Sitting on QF462 (scheduled for 7pm departure) in Melbourne, we boarded on time, but as SYD is closed due to hail, we are still at the gate and have a revised departure time of 9pm. Wish they'd let us stay in the lounge.

Lynda2475, fantastic information.

If 'they' know it's not able to depart until 2100, I can't see whet they wouldn't let you 'escape' to the sanctuary of a lounge or the busier gate lounge area. Then they could call you for boarding.

Perhaps QF is petrified that someone (or multiple persons) would not reboard yet have booked luggage that then had to be removed, causing loss of slot.

I am 800 plus kilometres away down in Mexico but on these sorts of nights, more than a few may end up staying - not be choice - in their city of origin. Since some Australian airports close at night, if one doesn't have a relative or friend to go back to, or a hotel room, sleeping at the airport can be impossible.

 

[Melburnian1]

Continuing with Friday 7 September, QF1520 (1715 hours CBR up to SYD) took off at 1920 with B717 VH-YQW. Arrival is expected at 2015 hours, 125 minutes tardy.

QF2174 (1545 hours SYD - PQQ) has Q300 VH-SBJ and was able to become airborne at 1954. Expected arrival is 2048 hours this evening, 233 minutes behind schedule.

 

[Lynda2475]

Captain said that things could change so need to be able to take off within 10mins notice, if they let us deplane they are worried it could take 30mins to reboard. Only water offered so far.

Got to airport hoping to get on 6:30, it was cancelled and 6:45 were being told not departing til 8:30pm, but nothing in Qantas Club about my flight other than go to gate.

Assuming if we cant take off in time to land before Sydney curfew, Qantas will have to find me somewhere to stay. This is return leg of business travel for me so, if Qantas wont cover a hotel im assuming work will.

 

[Melburnian1]

...Assuming if we cant take off in time to land before Sydney curfew, Qantas will have to find me somewhere to stay. This is return leg of business travel for me so, if Qantas wont cover a hotel im assuming work will.

Lynda2475, things 'can change' but in the limited number of times I've had this occur, 'never for the better': delays tend to be longer than 'they' claim.

Ideally in these circumstances you should all receive a plastic cup of orange juice, tea or coffee or similar. It'd be better to distribute the 'meal' or 'snack' now given some of you may be hungry but I have never seen an airline do that on the ground.

One difficulty with hotels is that tonight has both an AFL final (very popular) and an NRL (what's that hehe?) final so hotel rooms may be in fairly short supply. That said, QF will have contracts with some, but on the downside, there may be many passengers needing accommodation.

If you would be kind enough to let us know how you get on - hotel or nil, transfer arrangements, which hotels, meals or allowance and if so how much, many other AFFers would be appreciative.

My worst experience was on Christmas night 2011 when rain in MEL was so bad that the terminal check in area leaked in more than one place. Fortunately with snazzy footwork for my long distance overseas trip I was able to board an alternative flight that night, but only because 20 passengers from HBA missed that overseas flight as their domestic was cancelled.

Thinking of you!

 

[Lynda2475]

Announcement just said we will be the last Qanras flight departing for Syd tonight, we are pushing back now for a 8:50 take-off. Im guessing everyone who were booked on flights departing after 7pm are now staying in Melbourne.

 

[Melburnian1]

QF580 (PER - SYD) had diverted to CBR as noted above, so QF582 (the 1430 hours that took off at 1530 with A332 VH-EBM) has beaten it to timetabled destination, arriving at 2111 hours, 36 late.

Meanwhile QF551, the 1835 hours BNE down to SYD that was in the sky at 1954 (B738 VH-XZO) is arriving at 2115 hours, 65 late.

 

[Melburnian1]

Proving the accuracy of our lady-on-the-spot Silvia's advice, QF764 from ADL to SYD (timetabled to arrive at 1825, aircraft B738 VH-VYL) is diverting to CBR with at apron (probably not 'gate') arrival at around 1922 instead of the SYD timetabled arrival of 1825. The aircraft was in holding patterns above Gunning (NSW) and then slightly northeast of Goulburn.
...

QF764 arrived SYD at 2113 hours, 168 minutes behind schedule.

QF474 (1815 hours MEL - SYD) is showing on the QF site as departing at 2125 but according to Lynda2475 this flight and other later ones are cancelled.

The 1830 hours MEL - CHC, QF133, has also got the flick. SO has QF460, the identically timed MEL departure up to SYD.

The 1910 hours MEL - PER (QF481) is predicted to depart at a very much tardy 2300 tonight.

 

[Lynda2475]

QF462 Just landed in Sydney at 22:00, no gates available so more waiting for one to free up. I will check boards when get to luggage carousel to see what other flights made it.

Guy across the aisle is miffed he is going to miss his 22:20 international connection.

 

[Melburnian1]

B738 VH-VYC on the Friday 7 September QF563 (1905 hours BNE down to SYD that was airborne at 2055) is arriving at 2214 hours, 94 late.

QF450 (B738 VH-VXJ, the 1920 hours OOL down to SYD that took off at 2115) arrived at 2236 hours, 105 late.

In taking off at 2234 hours from SYD, the ADL-bound QF783 (B738 VH-VXC) must have a dispensation for the ADL curfew as arrival is predicted as 0003 hours on Saturday 8 September, 208 late.

 

[Lynda2475]

We have been on ground 50 mins and still no gate available captain has no clue how much longer we will have to wait

 

[Melburnian1]

We have been on ground 50 mins and still no gate available captain has no clue how much longer we will have to wait

Perhaps not surprising, as there must be planes that were meant to leave two or more hours ago and either aren't now, or have a curfew dispensation but lack ATC clearance.

So presumably there's no space on the tarmac for you all to clamber down stairs brought to the aircraft and then be transported by bus to the domestic terminal?

The FR24 diagram may not be completely accurate - sometimes aircraft are shown off the airport, for instance, perhaps due to interference with the signal from buildings - but a quick look suggests there may be as seven QF aircraft (with transponders on) that are queued waiting for a gate. One really needs advice from someone who's there though.

It'd be annoying sitting there twiddling thumbs, especially if you've had a long day and all you want is to get home and see family, or sleep.

 

[Melburnian1]

Still on Friday 7 September, QF3, the 1915 hours SYD - HNL took off to the south at 2300 hours, about 205 minutes late, so QF4 (due to arrive SYD tomorrow afternoon) will be badly delayed. B744 VH-OEJ is the aircraft, the first time I have recorded a delay since the flight switched from A333.

HNL arrival is estimated as 1146, 196 minutes behind schedule.

At 2309 hours on Friday night, QF548 (early evening 1900 hours SYD up to BNE) had yet to depart. Not sure if it has a dispensation: the QF website indicates it was meant to depart at the changed time of 2230.

 

[Lynda2475]

1hr 45 mins after landing we disembarked the plane, still waiting on luggage

 

[Lynda2475]

Absolute chaos in terminal, no Qantas staff anywhere to be seen, thousands of people waiting for luggage (those who have arrived and those that never got to depart), and no record of our flight having landed on the arrivals board.

Feels like there are no baggage staff working at all, no new cases have come out on any carousel in the last 35 mins.

 

[csueb31]

I was on QF550 to depart at 1930 from SYD tonight (Friday). No word until 2315 when they announced it was cancelled. And that there were no spaces for flights till Sunday! No word at all prior to that...Then "go home and call 131313". Then all flights cancelled and at least 6-8 flights' worth of people left stranded. Police had to be called to the crowd at Gate 6. Friend of mine still waiting for luggage at 0155. Been on the phone for 2.5 hours now and still in the queue. Ended up booking one of the last seats on Virgin tomorrow evening.
Really poorly handled by Qantas. It wouldn't have been hard to at least make an announcement some time. There were no crew on the desk to ask. Some very distraught passengers...