Qantas Delays/Cancellations

[Melburnian1]

On Sunday 24 February, QF10 has not long ago departed LHR two minutes early at 1153 hours so that settles the argument. The QF website is still asserting that QF9 diverted to VIE.

jb747, is your 'surprise' at choice of VIE as an alternate due to its perceived (lack of) suitable infrastructure, its geographic location or something else?

 

[Quickstatus]

On Sunday 24 February, QF10 has not long ago departed LHR two minutes early at 1153 hours so that settles the argument. The QF website is still asserting that QF9 diverted to VIE.

jb747, is your 'surprise' at choice of VIE as an alternate due to its perceived (lack of) suitable infrastructure, its geographic location or something else?

Would have been better?? to aim for a Hub with partners if preplanning an alternate to LHR. VIE is not a hub and the airlines that fly into or out of VIE are not usual QF partners. Except for:
RJ. Using RJ would have required passengers to transit via AMM.
BA: Using A320. So not a lot of spare space for the 250 odd passengers.
EK operates into VIE but if they picked up any passengers the transit point would be further away at DXB.
OS operates between VIE and LHR but they do A320 as well so not a lot of space there.

The sandpit would have been better. Terminate the flight there, like the old A380 QF 1/9 used to occasionally do and transfer passengers to EK flights on the numerous A380s plus the occasional passengers might actually backtrack into Europe cna then go direct with EK.

The usual QF9/10 flights overfly DXB so it would be easier to decide to terminate there.

 

[Melburnian1]

VH-VXI (B738) on QF477, the 0750 hours SYD down to MEL on Monday 25 February has had a late start with takeoff still not having occurred by 0900, meaning arrival after 1035 hours, so at least 70 late.

QF417 (widebody A332 VH-EBB, the 0830 hours SYD - MEL) departed at 0900 so arrival is estimated at 1035, half an hour tardy.

The 0930 hours from MEL across to ADL, QF679, pushed back only a minute or so late at 0946 hours with B738 VH-VYB. However it did not become airborne until 1021 hours, 35 minutes from departure, a long time in Australia. Arrival should be at 1100 hours, 40 late.

 

[Melburnian1]

In more on Monday 25 February, QF79 (A333 VH-QPI, the 0920 hours MEL - NRT) was in the sky at 1027 hours after pushing back at 0954, so again, another longish period taxiing and queuing for takeoff. Expected arrival is 1836 early this evening, 56 late.

 

[Melburnian1]

QF11 on Sunday 24 February - one I had missed - apologies - departed BNE at 1515 hours mid afternoon, 235 late, arriving LAX at 0949 same day, 229 late. As a result QF11 and QF12 LAX - JFK - LAX were cancelled. One assumes passengers have been placed on AA flights.

 

[Melburnian1]

Additionally on Monday 25 February, QF438 (B738 VH-VXM, the 1400 hours MEL north to SYD airborne at 1447) should arrive at 1558 hours, 33 minutes behind schedule.

 

[Comoman]

QF833 Cbr to Mel cancelled. Plane being utilised to Adelaide as that aircraft has gone unserviceable and will be a long repair.

 

[Melburnian1]

QF833 Cbr to Mel cancelled. Plane being utilised to Adelaide as that aircraft has gone unserviceable and will be a long repair.

Comoman, many thanks. Looks like whether or not in the lounge it may be dinner for QF833 passengers at Canberra airport as normally the only remaining to MEL on a Monday is QF823, the Saturdays excepted 2030 hours.

The defective aircraft on the ground in Canberra may be B738 VH-VYI that was on QF818, the 1530 hours mid afternoon MEL - CBR that arrived 10 minutes late at 1640.

QF737, the 1735 hours CBR - ADL was airborne at 1820 with VH-VZR that had arrived three minutes early at 1722 hours on QF826, the scheduled 1620 hours ex MEL. QF737 should arrive in ADL at about 1930 tonight, 40 late.

The 1700 hours SYD - SIN (QF1) departed 45 late so arrival is expected 43 late at 2248 hours.

 

[jb747]

Would have been better?? to aim for a Hub with partners if preplanning an alternate to LHR. VIE is not a hub and the airlines that fly into or out of VIE are not usual QF partners. .....

The sandpit would have been better. Terminate the flight there, like the old A380 QF 1/9 used to occasionally do and transfer passengers to EK flights on the numerous A380s plus the occasional passengers might actually backtrack into Europe cna then go direct with EK.

The usual QF9/10 flights overfly DXB so it would be easier to decide to terminate there.

No. The aim is to get the aircraft to London, with the passengers on board. You can't get a crew to Dubai to operate back, so you're cancelling in both directions. Pointless.

The negative to Vienna is that it's subject to Euro-control, so if you plan a flight there, then you're likely to be hit with extensive delays getting a slot for the next sector. But, if you actually have no plan to go there at all, and it's simply a paper exercise, with the refile in flight lowering the required fuel reserves...then why not use something closer, such as Frankfurt. I didn't look to see how extensive the fog forecast was, but it would make sense if Vienna was the only place that was clear on the forecast...but there are a lot of airfields in Europe.

 

[Quickstatus]

There are no complete solutions if 9/10 has to do an intermediate stop.

Once that occurs, the aircraft and crew are not going anywhere soon. A big hub makes sense at least to get the passengers to destination.

The aircraft and crew then terminates, goes to a hastily arranged hotel for a couple of days then operate to either pick up where they left off without the pax or operate in opposite direction with or without passengers dropped off by a friendly partner airline.

 

[Melburnian1]

No. The aim is to get the aircraft to London, with the passengers on board.....

QF9/QF10 have not had to divert often, but if (say) there was fog around London and FRA was available, there'd still be a huge delay in getting another crew from London, and that then throws the slips/rosters out.

Fortunately there are comfortable trains that from Frankfurt Airport take in some cases under 6.5 hours to get passengers (with a change enroute at Bruussels Midi ) to St Pancras International station in the heart of London, so best to transfer at least the incoming passengers by rail. One way to avoid EuroControl.

The untold story is whether on some flights these nonstop PER - LHR - PER flights convey fewer than the maximum seating capacity of 236 due to adverse weather considerations.

 

[flychrisfly]

Fortunately there are comfortable trains that from Frankfurt Airport take in some cases under 6.5 hours to get passengers (with a change enroute at Bruussels Midi ) to St Pancras International station in the heart of London, so best to transfer at least the incoming passengers by rail. One way to avoid EuroControl.

Doesn't necessarily help pax with connections or destinations outside the heart of London

 

[Quickstatus]

Doesn't necessarily help pax with connections or destinations outside the heart of London

It may actually because St Pancras is a train hub with trains going every which way

Though the point is that using another aircraft to complete the journey may not necessarily be the quickest. However, all modes of transportation have their own issues including multiple trains

The SYD-MEL being a case in point. Often the XPT train gets booked out when substantial delays affect this route.

 

[Melburnian1]

On Tuesday 26 February 2019, QF35, the 1220 hours MEL - SIN A388 departed 68 late with arrival estimated at 1810, 65 late.

This was despite 'the 94' only being 18 minutes late at 1008 this morning in its arrival.

QF35 has a real problem departing MEL at anything close to time on many days a month, even when QF94 arrives on time ex LAX.

Monday 25's QF1 that departed SYD 45 late as noted above arrived LHR on Tuesday at 0659, 44 late so it failed to pick up any significant time. One factor that would not be helpful is that LHR will be at full bore by 0645 hours so an out of course arrival has somehow to be slotted in. I gather the LHR ATC is among, if not the, most competent worldwide. An enormous amount of pressure with one controller handling 400 arrivals in a shift according to a TV documentary.

 

[Melburnian1]

QF12 from LAX to SYD is arriving with A388 VH-OQH ar approximately 0908, 33 late on Wednesday 27 February.

 

[jb747]

QF9/QF10 have not had to divert often, but if (say) there was fog around London and FRA was available, there'd still be a huge delay in getting another crew from London, and that then throws the slips/rosters out.

If a diversion is unplanned, then that may be the case. But, if fog is on the forecast, they've actually got time to preposition a crew to Frankfurt, or somewhere else that makes sense. Much the same as when they put crews in Brisbane (and at least once Auckland) for the 8/12/94.

I don't know whether they've offloaded passengers to allow more fuel...but the luggage has been left behind to do so.

 

[Melburnian1]

On Wednesday 27 February, a flight that often arrives early to or is on time at CGK, QF41 (1350 hours afternoon trip ex SYD) is expected to depart an hour late.

 

[Quickstatus]

If a diversion is unplanned, then that may be the case. But, if fog is on the forecast, they've actually got time to preposition a crew to Frankfurt, or somewhere else that makes sense. Much the same as when they put crews in Brisbane (and at least once Auckland) for the 8/12/94.

I don't know whether they've offloaded passengers to allow more fuel...but the luggage has been left behind to do so.

How many days in advance is required for preposition so that an immediate departure can occur?

 

[Quickstatus]

Closure of Pakistani commercial airspace may impact on the schedules of QF1/2. I wonder how much more time is added to the SIN-LHR sector?

 

[defurax]

Closure of Pakistani commercial airspace may impact on the schedules of QF1/2. I wonder how much more time is added to the SIN-LHR sector?

QF1 on 18th January almost completely avoided Pakistan, seems to add about 15 minutes or less...but I'll let the experts comment, just wanted to provide a data point.