Qantas Delays/Cancellations

[Melburnian1]

On Sunday 10 March, QF2 arrived in SYD at 0715, an hour late and similar to Saturday morning.

 

[Melburnian1]

Monday 11 March 2019 has QF63 departing SYD 26 minutes late at 1201 hours. JNB arrival should be at 1705, half an hour late. Aircraft is B744 VH-OEJ.

Another B744 on QF28, the 1335 hours Sunday 10 SCL - SYD overnight departed 58 late so Monday SYD arrival is predicted at 1810, also half an hour tardy. VH-OEI is the aircraft. It had arrived in SCL 33 late, so suffered a delay on the ground.

 

[Melburnian1]

A388 VH-OQI on QF36, the overnight SIN down to MEL daily, arrived on Tuesday 12 March at 0634 hours, 34 late. With the time change in the USA, there's a smaller gap between its scheduled 0600 arrival (unchanged) and what was the 1055 hours MEL - LAX QF93 becoming an 0940 hours. However, three hours this morning is plenty of time for a normal turnaround.

Unusually, the normally daily QF23/QF24 SYD - BKK and return are not operating today but this appears to be planned and not sudden cancellations.

 

[Melburnian1]

On Wednesday 13 March, A388 VH-OQA on QF8 from DFW to SYD is arriving at 0636, 31 minutes tardy.

Monday 11's QF2 departed LHR at 2102 hours but Tuesday 12 SIN arrival was 1829, 44 late, probably still due to the unavailability of Pakistani airspace. It left SIN at 2025 hours, 70 late so Wednesday 13 arrival is 0725, also 70 late for VH-OQL.

From the opposite direction, QF12 (VH-OQF), the LAX - SYD is about 50 late with expected arrival at 0825.

Due to generous turnarounds, none of these A388 delays inbound should on their own mean late departures ex SYD today.

 

[whughes3]

I was in the QFd J lounge at BNE this morning, and they announced that QF513 (0805 to SYD) would be delayed for over an hour because the FO's seat had to be replaced! Now that's not your everyday delay...

 

[Melburnian1]

I was in the QFd J lounge at BNE this morning, and they announced that QF513 (0805 to SYD) would be delayed for over an hour because the FO's seat had to be replaced! Now that's not your everyday delay...

Perhaps even more surprising that QF would have a spare of such an item readily available away from its Sydney 'Jet Base.'

 

[Melburnian1]

Also on Wednesday 13 March, QF15 departed 78 minutes late from BNE at 1138 with anticipated same day LAX arrival of 0634, 34 late. This should not affect the departure of QF11 across the USA by much.

The long flight, QF7 from SYD to DFW is predicted to depart 80 late bang on mid afternoon at 1500 hours, with arrival stretched to 1410, 70 minutes behind the timetable.

 

[Melburnian1]

On its third consecutive day operating QF79 (0920 hours MEL - NRT), A333 VH-QPF departed on Thursday 14 March at 1032, taking off at 1049. This was despite QF80 (the NRT - MEL redeye) arriving at 0804, only four minutes late. Today, 'the 79' is expected to arrive at the NRT aerobridge at 1829 hours, 49 late.

QF1, the 1700 hours flagship from SYD up to SIN and on to LHR has been altered to depart at 1830 hours on Thursday early evening. The SIN stop is anticipated as 2325 hours to 0050 (the latter on Friday 15) with arrival in LHR at 0705 hours, 50 late.

UPDATE: By 1220 hours on Thursday, QF had further put back expected QF1 departure to 1930 hours tonight, meaning LHR Friday arrival at 0805, 110 late.

 

[CMA222]

QF35 to Melbourne to Singapore is delayed till 1300 due to the inbound aircraft running behind schedule.

 

[Melburnian1]

QF35 to Melbourne to Singapore is delayed till 1300 due to the inbound aircraft running behind schedule.

CMA222, thanks. That was indeed because QF94, the 2255 hours Tuesday 12 March LAX - MEL took off at 0202 hours on Wednesday 13, arriving MEL on Thursday at 1103, 133 late. This is one of the worst recent examples of late running for 'the 94.'

While there has been some improvement in QF35's punctuality compared to the old QF9 schedule via DXB, QF35 often runs late, typically about 40 minutes, as JessicaTam recently discovered and discussed a few pages back in this thread.

I had envisaged that with the change in schedules and abandonment of DXB by QF that any rejigged schedules via SIN would see excellent punctuality but that's proven overoptimistic.

And yet major competitor SQ that has four daily SIN - MEL and return flights and a fifth one three times a week manages to achieve very good to excellent timekeeping despite Oz being at the end of the line for it.

UPDATE: Oh, poor CMA222.QF35 is expected to depart MEL at 1500, 160 minutes late and arrive SIN at 1930 tonight, 145 minutes tardy.

QF36 tonight, the 1930 hours SIN - MEL redeye has yet to be updated publicly by QF but it will be unable to push back until at least 2115 hours, so MEL arrival on Friday 15 will be at 0715 if not later.

If these delays increase, there's every chance that tomorrow morning's QF93, the 0940 hours MEL - LAX A388 will also be hit with a delay.

Has a staff member such as a pilot become sick on QF35?

 

[CMA222]

Yes - QF 35 has de-planed the passengers and we are back in the lounge being told it will not be long. They are saying it is an engine number 3 cowling issue but looking out the window there is no one working on engine number 3 or any other engine.

 

[CMA222]

Now advised QF35 will depart 1515, Still no work on any external aspect of the aircraft. No other explanation has been provided by QF. It was interesting that the Captain said before we de-planed that he was getting reports from passengers that social media was reporting a delay till 1500 and to disregard them as he had not been advised of the projected delay. The social media (from QF) turned out to be accurate so the passengers knew what was going on before the Captain.

 

[CMA222]

Update on QF 35 - engineers still working on the problem (must be totally internal) and QF will advise as soon a they know when we are likely to be leaving. "In the mean time enjoy the lounge !! "

 

[CMA222]

Further update. Several engineers are now climbing all over number 3 engine. Perhaps they were looking for a ladder !! Now saying departure is anticipated by 1700 but stay tuned. 1700 departure now confirmed by QF text.

 

[Quickstatus]

Monday 11's QF2 departed LHR at 2102 hours but Tuesday 12 SIN arrival was 1829, 44 late, probably still due to the unavailability of Pakistani airspace.

Pakistani airspace reopened to commercial traffic on 4 March 2019

QF traffic still avoiding Pakistani Airspace

 

[Himeno]

Pakistani airspace reopened to commercial traffic on 4 March 2019

QF traffic still avoiding Pakistani Airspace

The Pakistani FIR NOTAMs still list their airspace as closed with limited, specified airways open.

 

[pjm99au]

Some reasonably extensive domestic delays in Melbourne tonight due to weather in other parts of the network. Whilst I can’t confirm if it was always scheduled as such QF462 MEL to SYD is being run by a 747 and I was advised when checking in it was subbed in to deal with the delays

I saw the sub had the old first class seats earlier this afternoon but by the time I got to the airport they had all been assigned and I missed out on a great 5000 point upgrade from Y to F. I Mentioned this at check in and received a sympathy Op Up to J as Y was oversold. For once a delay doesn’t seem like such a bad thing

 

[Melburnian1]

Adding to pjm99au above, on Thursday 13 March 2019, QF833 from CBR down to MEL, the 1800 hours, took off at 1908 so B738 VH-VXT is arriving at 2003, 53 late.

 

[Quickstatus]

The Pakistani FIR NOTAMs still list their airspace as closed with limited, specified airways open.

You are absolutely correct @Himeno. I had erroneously read that the airspace NOTAM was cancelled
Here is the latest NOTAM from today:

 

[Melburnian1]

Further update. Several engineers are now climbing all over number 3 engine. Perhaps they were looking for a ladder !! Now saying departure is anticipated by 1700 but stay tuned. 1700 departure now confirmed by QF text.

QF35 departed at 1745 hours - so much for the '1700 hours' claim of QF. SIN arrival should be at 2125 hours, 260 minutes late. The redeye QF36 back down to MEL is predicted to push back in SIN at 2320 - I'd have though 2305 might have been achievable, but there may be a lack of available slots - with Friday 15 MEL arrival 0945 hours, 225 late.

'The 93' on Friday 15 is realistically altered to a suggested 1140 hours departure, an even two hours behind schedule with same day LAX arrival to be 0745, 95 late.