Qantas Delays/Cancellations

[Melburnian1]

A332 VH-EBP on QF118, the Christmas Day late night 2335 hours HKG - SYD took off at 0032 on 26 December 2018, so arrival should be at 1235, half an hour late.

The B744 on QF27's long SYD - SCL QF27 is predicted to depart 35 late at 1325 hours.

UPDATE: QF27 departed SYD 62 late at 1352 on 26 December. SCL estimated arrival is 1140, half an hour late, so 'the 28' will be slightly tardy in its pushing back.

 

[Melburnian1]

QF1008 (26 December 2018, B738 VH-XZO, the 1320 hours HBA - BNE) was in the sky at 1528 mid afternoon. Suggested arrival is 1651 hours, 116 late.

 

[Melburnian1]

On Thursday 27 December, QF35 (1220 hours MEL - SIN, A388 VH-OQA) had been estimated to push back 25 minutes late but this occurred at 1308, with takeoff at 1322 hours. Resultant arrival should be 1743 hours, 38 late.

B738 VH-VZB on QF440, the mid afternoon MEL - SYD timetabled to push back at 1430 was 33 late in so doing. Takeoff was at 1516 with suggested arrival at 1632, 37 late.

 

[Melburnian1]

Earlier on Friday 28 December 2018, QF93, the 1055 hours MEL to LAX A388 departed 55 late with same day arrival estimated as 0700, 35 down. This may marginally delay QF11, the B789 transcon due to depart LAX at 0820 hours for JFK.

The 1135 hours SYD - JNB departed only 16 late at 1151 but suggested arrival has become 1715 hours, 40 minutes behind the timetable.

 

[Melburnian1]

Continuing with Friday 28 December, the arriving QF9 was only a minute late at LHR at 0506 hours. However QF10 has been delayed an expected hour to 1255 this afternoon local time in its departure. PER arrival on Saturday 29 is suggested as 1325, 40 late. This will delay the domestic QF10 leg, the 1415 hours PER across to MEL transcon.

UPDATE: THis QF prediction proved inaccurate, with departure at 1219, 24 late for expected PER arrival on 29 December at 1245, on time.

 

[Melburnian1]

Redeye QF62 from NRT down to BNE (A333 VH-QPC) is arriving on Saturday 29 December at 0644, 64 minutes behind schedule.

 

[Melburnian1]

On Friday 28, QF20 departed MNL 54 late at 1954, arriving SYD on Saturday 29 at 0714, also 54 late.

In further on 29 December, QF414 (0800 hours morning MEL - SYD) was airborne at 0900 with A332 VH-EBB. A 43 minute late arrival at 1008 is expected. The aircraft had arrived in MEL 25 minutes early at 0535 on redeye QF648 from PER, so no obvious reason for the delay.

This A332 looks to be forming QF427, the 1100 hours SYD - MEL so it may be slightly delayed.

QF28, the B744 for SCL to SYD was only 15 minutes late in pushing back on Friday 28 at 1350 hours but Saturday arrival is delayed until 1812, 32 late.

 

[Melburnian1]

Also on Saturday 29 December 2018, QF73 (1755 hours late afternoon SYD - SFO) is expected to depart at 1915 hours. From the gate numbers it isn't being formed by either the arriving QF28 ex SCL or QF64 ex JNB so not sure why it is to be delayed.

QF75 is predicted to depart 15 late at 1930 from SYD for YVR but again, it is not formed by either of the two arrivals.

 

[Melburnian1]

A333 VH-QPI on QF79 (0920 hours MEL - NRT, Sunday 30 December 2018) departed at 1007 and was airborne at 1025, so belated arrival is estimated as 1819, 39 late. This may marginally delay either QF62 to BNE or QF80 back down to MEL overnight.

QF29 (0945 hours MEL - HKG, the newest member of QF's long distance fleet in B789 VH-VNH took off at 1059 hours so likely arrival is 1650, 35 minutes tardy.

With the wet weather and relatively short bursts of heavier rain looking like it's on the way near MEL, timekeeping won't be assisted. I had thought MEL was on single runway ops but as there's just been a takeoff on runway 27, that's not the case.

 

[Melburnian1]

Later on Sunday 30 December, QF107 (1335 hours afternoon SYD - PEK) is forecast to depart 45 minutes late with arrival at 2305, 50 late.

QF35, the A388 (VH-OQH) timed at 1220 hours ex MEL should depart 80 minutes tardy for SIN, arriving in the early evening at 1820, 75 minutes behind. This is due to QF94, the scheduled 0950 hours arrival arriving instead at 1147 hours.

 

[Melburnian1]

The B744 on QF63 (1135 hours late morning SYD long flight across to JNB) pushed back 34 late with a 1715 hours same day arrival predicted, 40 minutes behind schedule.

'The 35' took far longer than estimated to depart MEL on Sunday 30 December 2018. This was at 1451 so SIN arrival has become 1930 hours, 145 minutes tardy. QF36 will be aiming for absolute minimum turnaround time with QF suggesting, realistically, that pushing back will take place at 2125. On Monday 31 December, MEL arrival should be at around 0740, 100 minutes delayed. This should not however adversely affect QF93, as it is not due to depart until 1055 hours.

QF107 had been predicted above to depart SYD 45 minutes late but this became 54. However due to favourable winds, PEK arrival should be at 2240 local time late tonight, just 25 late.

The 1415 hours from CBR north to BNE, QF1548 (B717 VH-YQT) took off at 1600, so delayed arrival should be 1626, 86 minutes behind the timetable.

 

[Melburnian1]

In further on Sunday 30 December 2018, QF81 (1130 hours late morning SYD - SIN, A333 VH-VPE) took off at 1212, about 20-25 minutes tardy and is arriving at about 1740, 55 minutes behind schedule as SIN is very busy with some holding occurring.

The JFK to LAX QF12 on Saturday 29 was not very late, arriving at 2121, 26 minutes tardy but the onward leg (operated by A388 not B789) to SYD pushed back at 2259, 29 minutes behind time with Monday 31 arrival in SYD expected at 0912, 32 late.

 

[Melburnian1]

I missed this yesterday - apologies - but QF27 on Saturday 29 December, the 1250 hours long flight from SYD to Chile's SCL departed at 1809 hours, arriving same day at 1610, five hours late. The returning QF28 departed SCL at 1806 hours, 269 minutes late (a gain of 31 minutes in the turnaround) with arrival in SYD on Sunday 30 December estimated at 2210, 270 minutes behind schedule. B744 VH-OEI is the aircraft. It had not been used since arriving on Thursday 27 December at 0620 hours, 10 minutes late, on QF74 ex SFO.

As a result QF25 from SYD to HND tonight (Sunday 30), the 2135 hours has been altered to depart at 1445 on Monday 31 December with estimated Japanese at gate arrival 2215 instead of 0510 hours or 1025 minutes late.

In turn this will mean QF26 on Monday 31 December departing HND at 2355 at the earliest, 115 minutes late.

Meanwhile fellow B744 VH-OEJ arrived only six late in SYD at 1541 this afternoon on QF64 ex JNB but was required for QF3, the 1925 hours SYD - HNL. There will have been other reasons but at face value I would have guessed the Japan flight (to/from HND) was more important than the HNL flight. The latter was prioritised.

This is far from the first time that QF25 has been delayed overnight and contrasts with the generally excellent timekeeping of JL and NH to and from Japan.

As AFFer Himeno regularly reminds us, the QF25 aircraft (if delayed overnight) cannot normally depart SYD at say 0700 or 0800 for HND as might occur on other routes. (Himeno says it could instead go to NRT ex SYD in the morning). Unavailability of slots at HND sees to that. There are severe restrictions on when QF25 can arrive (and QF26 depart) if badly delayed.

Sunday 30's SYD - SCL QF27 was also delayed, pushing back 49 late at 1339 this afternoon, giving an estimated arrival of 1125, only 15 late.

 

[Melburnian1]

Poor weather in SIN as QF2 ex LHR was running a little early but with a quite extensive hold is now anticipated to arrive after 1825 hours, so at least 40 late, delaying the redeye leg down to SYD on Sunday 30 December that should depart at 1915. The A388 is VH-OQK.

 

[jb747]

The 35 had two issues. First was that the 94 was late. As best I can tell this was again a consequence of the ongoing terminal work at Tom Bradley. But, it also had a maintenance issue. This was fully corrected before we departed. And because things always come in threes, Singapore had extensive holding, which delayed arrival for a further 30 minutes or so. The holding must have been going on for a while prior to our arrival, as we heard four aircraft declare minimum fuel whilst we were going around in circles.

 

[Melburnian1]

As jb747 notes, QF35 on Sunday 30 December arrived SIN at 2001 hours, 176 minutes late. QF36 was able to push back at 2143 (123 late) so MEL arrival on the last 2018 day should be at 0756 hours, 116 minutes behind schedule.

QF2 departed SIN last night at 1954, 39 late, arriving SYD on 31 December at 0646,31 late.

 

[Silvia]

Not delay related, but interestingly QF423 SYD-MEL 10 00 service is being operated by 747 VH-OEI.

 

[Melburnian1]

The overnight delayed QF25 (probably officially known as 'QF25D') departed SYD at 1441, four minutes earlier than rescheduled on Monday 31 December 2018 with B744 VH-OJS. It was airborne at 1506 hours. Qantas suggests arrival in Haneda (Tokyo) tonight at 2202 hours, 17 hours and two minutes late.

Earlier, QF63 departed SYD 40 minutes behind schedule at 1215 hours with JNB arrival estimated as 1705, half an hour behind.

 

[Melburnian1]

.. The holding must have been going on for a while prior to our arrival, as we heard four aircraft declare minimum fuel whilst we were going around in circles.

Apart from the possibility of getting in trouble with airline management (who may conversely applaud any fuel savings) or personal morality/ethics, what's to stop flight crew 'declaring minimum fuel' as a tactic to receive priority from ATC for touchdown?

I assume ATC (or CASA/ equivalents) would not have or request access to fuel records to see how much fuel was left in the tanks upon arrival.

 

[Melburnian1]

QF28 from SCL to SYD is displaying as arriving at about 1817 on Monday 31 December 2018, 37 late. B744 VH-OEE departed SCL yesterday (Sunday 30) only 19 minutes tardy at 1354, but there are a fair few thunderstorms or significant rain areas around Sydney that the BOM may have underestimated as its forecast downplays these except 'for the west.'

At about 1753 hours, QF146 (1625 hours afternoon AKL - SYD that took off on time or a little early at 1640 with A333 VH-QPC) had a missed approach so arrival may now be about 1815, 15 late. Looking at a weather site is a poor substitute for being there but a storm cell passed over SYD at roughly that time of the missed approach.

UPDATE: As the storms around SYD have increased, QF28 is further delayed with a nominal at gate arrival of about 1845, 65 late.

FURTHER UPDATE: QF28 is delayed even more with arrival likely at 1854, 74 minutes behind schedule.