Qantas Delays/Cancellations

[Melburnian1]

QF459, the Monday 4 March 2019 scheduled 1800 hours from SYD to MEL took off at 1842 with B738 VH-VXN. Arrival should be at 2007 hours, 32 late.

Earlier, QF61, the 0920 hours BNE - NRT was off its blocks at 1044, arriving 56 late at 1826.

QF80, the 1920 hours NRT - MEL had been expected to depart 90 minutes tardy but is later than that. GR24 suggests it will depart NRT at 2200, which is as I write. This may delay QF79 tomorrow.

UPDATE: QF79, the 0920 hours MEL - NRT on Tuesday 5 is delayed until an expected 1045 hours.

 

[Melburnian1]

A333 VH-QPF is living up to QF24 (overnight BKK to SYD) as the worst performing (along with outbound QF23) pair of QFi offerings. On Tuesday 5 March, 'the 24' is arriving at 0824, 54 late as last night this scheduled 1800 hours departure did not become airborne until 1859 hours.

 

[jb747]

On days when there's adverse weather and many flights to monitor, it may well be constantly highly stressful.

Doubtless they're expected to be "professional" but does shouting erupt when someone fails to work efficiently and misses something that in turn holds up an aircraft further?

I doubt that it’s anywhere near as stressful as you might think. To them, it’s just a video game. They aren’t on an aircraft attempting to actually deal with the weather, or at a departure gate, copping abuse from offloaded passengers.

They don’t get to make any decisions regarding aircraft in flight...that belongs to the pilots alone.

 

[Melburnian1]

On Monday 4 March, QF9 from MEL across to PER departed half an hour behind at 1735, arriving at 1819 hours, nine late. This was not the usual B789 but A332 VH-EBA that subsequently returned to MEL empty as QF6001.

Looking at where each of the B789s were last night, they were all operable but there appeared to be insufficient to operate all the B789 scheduled flights. If someone else could have a look at this I'd be appreciative.

The 90 minute stop is mostly adhered to (or occasionally even a little less) but that was not the case last night, as departure was at 2031, 51 minutes tardy with Tuesday 5 arrival predicted at 0545, 40 minutes behind the schedule. VH-ZNB is the B789.

Although QF10 arrived PER at 1254 hours (also nine late) on Monday 4 March, the second sector from PER to MEL was cancelled. From the way in which the Qantas site was amended, it looks like this 1415 hours timetabled out of PER somehow became a 1900 hours but then got the flick. VH-ZNB was the aircraft from LHR: as noted above, it turned around in PER, operating QF9 back to London.

On Sunday 3, QF16 with VH-ZNE from LAX to BNE pushed back three minutes early and took off promptly at 2338 but Tuesday 5 arrival was at 0757 hours, 42 late.

 

[Melburnian1]

Nine Group newspapers ('The Age', 'SMH' and so on) and other media report that QF706, the 0615 hours ADL - CBR (B738 VH-VXL) that took off at 0623 on Tuesday 5 March had to divert to MEL due to loss of cabin pressure. MEL arrival was shortly after 0800 hours.

As sometimes occurs, ATSB has not yet determined whether it will formally investigate.

QF811, the 0945 hours from CBR down to MEL was cancelled as a result of VH-VXL staying in MEL, where it remains as at 1200 'high noon.'

UPDATE: This is a more emotional, tabloid-style report of the QF706 incident:

Category: | Herald Sun

I've rechecked: it should be viewable, but if not, type 'oxygen masks deployed Qantas bang' and the text may appear.

VH-VXL is operating 'ferry' (empty) flight QF6122, taking off from MEL at 1654 and estimated to arrive BNE at 1807. FR24 suggests it was meant to push back in MEL at 1500, so if so it's almost two hours late. That aligns with the normal roster as this is ADL - CBR - MEL - BNE.

 

[Melburnian1]

QF1 is again late, with this Tuesday 5 March 2019 scheduled 1700 late afternoon SYD - SIN - LHR pushing back at 1846. A388 VH-OQJ should arrive in the Lion City at approximately 2347 hours local time, 102 late. Departure is predicted as 0110 hours on Wednesday 6, 75 late with LHR at gate arrival 0735, also 80 late.

On Monday 4, QF94, the LAX - MEL A388 departed at 2334, 39 late. Wednesday 6 at gate arrival should be at 1043, 53 late.

Based on recent observation, late running to this extent may well mean a delayed departure for QF35, the 1220 hours lunchtime MEL up to SIN. While an A380 can turn around in about an hour 40 or a tad less, in practice this often takes longer.

Monday 4 saw QF2, the 2045 hours A388 from LHR down to SIN depart 31 minutes late, arriving SIN on Tuesday 5 at 1836, 51 late. Pushback is predicted for 2000 hours meaning SYD Wednesday 6 March at gate arrival at 0635, just 20 late.

 

[Quickstatus]

And the media writes that passengers were “forced” to wear oxygen masks

Hey journalists!. no one was forced to do anything. If passengers dont want to wear an oxygen mask, they don’t have to. Breathing oxygen, in fact breathing, is optional.

 

[Melburnian1]

...This may delay QF79 tomorrow.

UPDATE: QF79, the 0920 hours MEL - NRT on Tuesday 5 is delayed until an expected 1045 hours.

On Tuesday 5 March, QF79 arrived NRT at 1921 hours, 101 minute late.

QF62 (NRT - BNE) departed 80 minutes tardy at 2050 hours thanks to the late inbound QF79. BNE arrival on Wednesday 6 should be at 0645 hours, 65 late.

 

[Melburnian1]

...Monday 4 saw QF2, the 2045 hours A388 from LHR down to SIN depart 31 minutes late, arriving SIN on Tuesday 5 at 1836, 51 late. Pushback is predicted for 2000 hours meaning SYD Wednesday 6 March at gate arrival at 0635, just 20 late.

This QF2 (A388 VH-OQK) did not become airborne in SIN until 2109 hours, so Wednesday 6 March arrival, not helpd by a holding pattern above Marulan, is likely at 0748 hours, 93 late.

 

[Melburnian1]

Wednesday 6 March 2019 sees QF1 (1700 hours afternoon SYD to SIN and LHR) again late, with departure at 1909 hours. The SIN intermediate stop should be from 2355 to 0120 (latter on Thursday 7, and would be 85 late) with LHR arrival suggested as 0745 hours, 90 late.

UPDATE: QF1 departed SIN at 0141 hours so LHR is further delayed to 0815, two hours late.

 

[Melburnian1]

Thursday 7 March 2019 finds QF16 from LAX down to BNE arriving at 0745, half an hour behind schedule with B789 VH-ZNE.

 

[Quickstatus]

@Melburnian1 have you reviewed the March Bitre?

 

[Melburnian1]

On Thursday 7 March 2019, the 0930 hours SYD - HKG (QF127) departed 163 minutes tardy at 1213 hours. Arrival should be at 1805 early this evening local time, 135 late. A388 VH-OQB, the aircraft, had arrived from LAX at 0941 hours, 66 minutes late.

It would not be normal for an 0835 hours QFi arrival to form an 0930 timetabled departure (although former aviator jb747 recently cracked a joke suggesting that he wouldn't put anything 'past' the scheduling section of airlines). It looks today as if another A388 was suddenly unavailable for this HKG-bound flight.

Due to this, QF128 tonight, the 1825 hours HKG to SYD redeye is expected to depart at 2000 with Friday 8 March arrival at 820 hours, 85 late.

The A388 due to be off blocks at 1440 hours on Thursday mid afternoon in Sydney, QF7, is worse, with departure deferred until 2030. This puts DFW arrival at 1840 hours, 340 late.

'The 8' on Thursday evening has therefore been delayed from 1855 to a suggested 2050, 115 late, with Saturday 9 likely SYD arrival at 0650 hours, 45 late.

QF35, the lunchtime 1220 hours from MEL up to SIN is often late with Thursday's departing at 1323 for a projected hour late tardy arrival at 1805 hours.

 

[Melburnian1]

@Melburnian1 have you reviewed the March Bitre?

No, as the BITRE domestic airline and international airline reports come out with a lag, particularly the latter. Domestic one for March won't be available until mid to late April 2019.

 

[JessicaTam]

QF35 touched down at 1740.

 

[Melburnian1]

On Thursday 7 March 2019...QF7, is worse, with departure deferred until 2030. This puts DFW arrival at 1840 hours, 340 late.

'The 8' on Thursday evening has therefore been delayed from 1855 to a suggested 2050, 115 late, with Saturday 9 likely SYD arrival at 0650 hours, 45 late....

QF7 departed SYD at 2023, a little earlier than forecast, so predicted same day DFW arrival has become 1821 hours, 321 minutes late.

The 1945 hours MEL - SYD, QF466 took off at 2035 so its at gate arrival is 2143, 33 late.

QF701 (VH-VXJ), the 2030 hours from MEL across to ADL was airborne at 2136 hours so arrival has become a suggested 2211 hours, 51 late.

 

[Melburnian1]

QF35 touched down at 1740.

This shows how as a flight progresses, aircraft can make up time, helped in many cases by timetables that are padded (although one former aviator disagrees that the latter occurs).

It had a relatively brief hold above Bintan Island, but no further delays according to FR24.

Interestingly FR24 agrees with you that the landing time was 1740 hours, but the QF website says '1739.' I'd have thought clocks would be synchronised.

Irrespective, the arrival at gate (allowing for the usual estimated five minutes from touchdown) was still 40 late.

Many expected that when QF began to operate its MEL - LHR flights via PER (QF9/10) and SIN (QF35/QF36, connecting to QF2/ex QF1) that timekeeping of the SIN flights formed by or forming QF94/QF93 respectively would become excellent.

Unfortunately, this hasn't been the case. QF94 is not always held in LAX for a late QF12 ex JFK, the B789. However if 'the 94' is more than about half an hour late (scheduled arrive during AEDT is 0950 hours), 'the 35' is mostly unable to punctually depart, even though in theory an A380 can turn around in about an hour 38 minutes (based on observations in Oz).

 

[Melburnian1]

Also on Thursday 7 March, the BNE down to CBR QF1553 (B717 VH-NXE, the 1915 hours up up and away at 2023) should arrive at 2254 tonight, 49 late.

The LAX - BNE QF56 should arrive on Friday 8 at 0540 hours, 40 late.

 

[Melburnian1]

A333 VH-QPA on Friday 8 March is on QF922 from SYD to CNS, the 0900 hours that was in the sky at 0945. Arrival should be half an hour late at 1130 hours.

While QF will have its reasons for this aircraft being allocated to this flight, at face value it is a 'waste' of an A333 when so many QFi flights that have A332s would benefit from the somewhat nicer A333s.

It's also inefficient, as after arriving from KIX on QF34 at 0626 hours, 19 minutes early, the aircraft had to transfer to the domestic terminal.

 

[Melburnian1]

It's normally not known much in advance that this will occur, making the use of an alternative mode on the day unlikely, but the huge delay to Friday 8 March's QF1511, the scheduled 0650 hours SYD down the short hop to CBR shows why so many now catch the NSW TrainLInk XPlorer railcars, drive or if they enjoy being cramped the Greyhound or Murrays buses.

B717 VH-YQX took off at 0948 so arrival is at 1030 hours, 165 minutes late. One has to feel sorry for anyone who'd purchased a ticket but was unable to be accommodated on an alternative flight that arrived CBR earlier than 1030, but departed SYD after 0650 hours.

No wonder air patronage has dropped on this route.

Should high speed rail be built from Sydney to Melbourne via Canberra, the Sydney - Canberra route is one from which in line with what's happened overseas, the major airlines (and perhaps all airlines) would withdraw given high speed trains' numerous advantages.