Qantas Delays/Cancellations

[Melburnian1]

As noted above, QF23 on 3 June departed SYD 107 late at 1137, taking off at 1202 and arriving BKK at 1912 hours, 152 minutes late. It then pushed back in teh Thai capital at 2025 (135 late), becoming airborne at 2054 with SYD Tuesday 4 arrival for A333 VH-QPF suggested as 0829, 124 late.

With a large amount of rain around SYD, QF2019, the 0710 from ARM took off at 0813 hours with Q200 VH-TQX. Arrival looks to be 0922, 52 late.

QF417, the 0830 hours SYD - MEL has been cancelled, as has QF516, the 1000 hours SYD up to BNE.

AFF member and pilot AviatorInsight remarked on the VA delays thread that there'd be many cancellations and delays today. He was referring specifically to north of Sydney, but unfortunately there's a compounding or ripple effect so it's inevitable that some south or westbounds will also get the flick on such a challenging day weatherwise.

The 0915 hours SYD - PQQ, QF2164 has been delayed by 150 minutes to a predicted 1145 hours departure.

QF1564, the scheduled 0945 hours SYD up to OOL is said to be pushing back 90 late. Yet Sydney Airport's website (in a frequent bug that the site has) states that this is 'on time.'

The 1045 hours SYD short hop down to CBR is suggested as departing 45 late.

 

[Melburnian1]

In more on Tuesday 4 June, QF38, the redeye from SIN to MEL has A332 VH-EBK and should arrive at 0947 hours, 32 minutes behind the timetable.

QF129, the 0930 hours SYD to PVG is predicted to depart 50 minutes late, meaning that tonight's QF130 back as the redeye from PVG will be delayed by at the very least a similar amount.

The 0800 hours SYD down to MEL, QF415, was not airborne until 0903. Estimated arrival for A332 VH-EBV is 1019 hours, 44 late.

QF1408, the 0740 hours morning BXG up to SYD (Q300 VH-TQZ) departed half an hour late with arrival suggested as 1005 hours, 35 late.

 

[Melburnian1]

Continuing with Tuesday 4 June, QF418 (VH-VZW), the 0900 hours MEL - SYD airborne at 0935 is arriving at 1055, half an hour late.

B738 VH-XZF was still waiting as at 1104 hours to take off on QF161, the 0945 hours SYD - WLG so it will be at least an hour late arriving in what those from the northern hemisphere would call the antipodean Windy City.

 

[Melburnian1]

Also on Tuesday 4 June, QF1564 (B717 VH-NXQ, the 0945 hours SYD up to OOL) was still taxiing as at 1144 hours for takeoff, so will be at least 100 minutes late.

The 1010 hours SYD - SIN (QF81) is far later than forecast above, having departed 64 late. It took off at 1142 hours with A332 VH-EBS. Arrival is predicted for 1846 this evening, 116 minutes behind the timetable.

QF129, the 0930 hours SYD - PVG pushed back at 1122 hours. It is showing as an estimated arrival of 2015 tonight, 110 minutes late, so QF130, the redeye back down to SYD will be similarly delayed.

The 1020 hours B789 from SYD up to HKG departed 57 late with nominal arrival 1854, 54 late as the expectation.

UPDATE: QF129's delay has blown out to 2036.

 

[Melburnian1]

QF427, the 4 June 1100 hours SYD down to MEL is another cancellation on Australia's busiest air route. QF488, the 0845 hours in the opposite direction was another one.

The 1040 hours PQQ down to SYD, QF2165 is expected to depart at 1405 (205 minutes late) with arrival at 1515 instead of 1145.

QF1422, the 1115 hours CBR - SYD was cancelled while QF1567 from OOL down to SYD should depart at 1324 hours, 94 late, arriving SYD at 1459 mid afternoon, 99 l;ate.

Q300 VH-TQE on QF2021, the 1000 hours ARM down to SYD pointed skywards at 1124 so arrival is 1237, 77 late.

QF429 (1130 hours SYD - MEL) has B738 VH-VXN and was airborne at 1217 hours with arrival suggested as 1338, 38 late.

 

[Melburnian1]

On Monday 3 June, QF11, the 0820 hours LAX across to JFK departed 127 minutes late at 1027. Arrival was at 1826, 106 late. 'The 12' returning then pushed back in New York at 2003 hours, 113 late with LAX suggested arrival to be 2240, 100 late.

The connecting QF12 (an A388 not a B789) is only showing a half hour delay delay to 2300 hours in expected pushback. I've not done this transfer but 20 minutes cannot be sufficient time. QF16 (LAX - BNE) is showing an 0005 hours Tuesday departure, 45 late. As more often than not usual in such circumstances, QF94 to MEL is predicted to punctually depart, as passengers for that destination are forced to travel via SYD (or BNE).

UPDATE: QF12 ended up departing LAX at 2337 on Monday 3 for an expected Wednesday arrival at 0738 hours, 68 late. QF16 left its LAX gate at 0037 this morning - Wednesday arrival is predicted as 0759 hours, 114 late, but should not adversely affect QF15 from BNE back to LAX as it has a generous turnaround allowed in Brisbane.

Contrary to what QF's site had earlier indicated, QF94 was delayed, departing at 0025 on Tuesday (105 late) for a predicted Wednesday 5 arrival at 0946 hours, 136 late. This leaves just sufficient time (in theory) to form QF35 to SIN.

'The 8' is a pretty good performer timewise but on Wednesday it is forecast to be at its SYD arrival gate at 0710, 45 late.

 

[Melburnian1]

QF548, the 4 June 1900 hours SYD - BNE took off at 1949 with a 32 minute tardy, 2102 hours arrival the prediction for B738 VH-VYL.

QF1, the 1555 hours SYD - SIN - LHR departed at 1624 with arrival at teh intermediate stop forecast as 40 late at 2305. The second sector should then depart on Wednesday 6 at 0025, half an hour tardy for LHR arrival at 0700, 35 late.

 

[Melburnian1]

On Tuesday 4 June, QF130 is expected to push back in PVG two hours late at 2150 with Wednesday 5 arrival at 1020, 115 late. QF23, the 0950 hours SYD - BKK on 5 June is showing as departing from the same gate number as QF130 is arriving at.

Gate allocations may change as aircraft are transposed, but I suspect the departing QF23 tomorrow has not had its expected pushback time altered yet, as the software seems to only do this once the flight 'forming it' is act cruising altitude - tonight, hopefully just after midnight AEST. My guess is that QF23 tomorrow will be tardy.

UPDATE: By 0700 hours on Wednesday 5 June, the gate numbers had changed, so the delayed QF130 is no longer forming today's QF23 that should arrive at about 1013 hours, but the 1210 hours to MNL (QF19).

 

[Melburnian1]

On Wednesday 5 June 2019, QF415, the 0800 hours SYD - MEL took off at 0905 with A332 VH-EBB making a pleasant change from the ubiquitous, uncomfortable B738s or A320s used on most flights by the four major airlines. Arrival should be 1022, 47 late. In the lottery that high frequency air routes can be, QF415, the 0830 hours ex SYD is ahead of 'the 417.'

 

[Melburnian1]

QF23, the 0950 hours SYD - BKK departed 18 late with arrival estimated at 1713, 33 late on Wednesday 5 June.

The 0930hours SYD - PVG, QF129 similarly departed 22 late, but its delay is greater with arrival suggested as 1910, 45 minutes behind schedule.

 

[Melburnian1]

Much later on 5 June, the 1735 hours late afternoon SYD down the short hop to CBR QF1493 Q400 VH-QOY was not in the sky until 1925. Arrival should be at 2008 hours, 98 late. Little wonder so many choose other modes for this sector.

 

[Melburnian1]

Although QF12 ex JFK creditably arrived nine minutes early in LAX at 2051 hours mid evening on Tuesday 4 June 2019, this B789's effort was not matched by the A388 operating the second sector.

The latter pushed back at 2335, 65 late with SYD Thursday 6 arrival estimated as 0729, 59 late.

QF94 (LAX to MEL) was off blocks 45 late at 2325 hours so Thursday MEL arrival is suggested as 0810, 40 down. In contrast, QF96, the second stringer is only a claimed 15 late.

'The 16' to BNE departed LAX 27 late with Thursday BNE arrival likely at 0648 hours, 43 minutes late.

 

[Melburnian1]

QF30, the Wednesday 5 June redeye from HKG to MEL did not take off until 2123 so on Thursday 6, A333 VH-QPF should arrive at 0806, 31 minutes late.

 

[Melburnian1]

Continuing with 6 June, QF23, the 0950 hours SYD - BKK was only eight minutes late off blocks, but arrival is not predicted until 1722, 42 late as A333 VH-QPG did not take off until 1042.

This is a long time for Sydney Airport, 44 minutes, between pushback and lift off.

QF11, the 0935 hours SYD - LAX is often a good timekeeper but this morning it was off blocks at 1024, meaning a same day 0702 hours, 42 late arrival. This will come close to delaying the crosscountry QF11 B789 to JFK, depending on how quickly passengers can proceed through security.

QF33 (0955 hours SYD up to popular KIX) did not push back until 1047 so tonight's arrival has become 2009, 69 late, delaying redeye QF34 back down to Sydney.

The B744 on QF63, the 1055 hours SYD - JNB is expected to depart 40 late.

This afternoon's 1740 hours SYD - SFO (QF73) is predicted to depart 80 late. This is the second time in the last few days that this sort of delay has been envisaged.

 

[Melburnian1]

A388 VH-OQC on QF1 departed 58 minutes late on Thursday 6 June so SIN arrival has been put back to an estimated 2256, 41 minutes late. Departure remains displaying as punctual from this intermediate stop but based on many observations, it would be extremely difficult to cut the stop down to 59 minutes given the ULDs (containers) that must be removed or placed in the hold, the crew change, passengers alighting and (re)boarding and numerous other tasks like cleaning.

The previous night (Wedensday 5) QF1 departed SIN at 2357, just two minutes late but did not take off until 0104 hours, arriving LHR today at 0702, 37 late.

I remarked above how 44 minutes pushback to in the air is a pretty long time for Sydney. jb747 previously informed us that the standard allowance for international flights for that procedure is 20-25 minutes. So 67 minutes at Changi is an exceedingly long period, more associated with a congested (and less efficient in handling movements per hour) airfield like CGK or MNL. The numerous times I've travelled from SIN, the longest it's taken has been roughly half an hour.

 

[Melburnian1]

Continuing with 6 June...This afternoon's 1740 hours SYD - SFO (QF73) is predicted to depart 80 late. This is the second time in the last few days that this sort of delay has been envisaged.

The expected delay to QF73 is showing as 1920 hours, but that time has passed.

UPDATE: It departed at 1929, with same day SFO arrival set for 1550 hours, 110 minutes tardy. With QF74 on Thursday not timetabled to push back until 2225 hours, it is unlikely to be adversely affected.

 

[Melburnian1]

On Friday 7 May 2019, the A388-operated QF7 was flagged by QF as departing at 1300 hours (25 late.) That's what occurred. Arrival same day is estimated as 51 late at 1351.

 

[Melburnian1]

Later on 7 June, QF577, the 1220 hours SYD - PER was up up and away at 1348 hours. A332 VH-EBE should arrive at about 1620, 55 minutes behind schedule.

 

[Melburnian1]

QF73, the 1740 hours SYD - SFO B744 has had a few delays in recent days. Friday 7 June continues this, with departure estimated at 1830 and same day arrival at 1435 hours mid afternoon, 35 late.

Thursday 6's QF8 pushed back in distant DFW at 2243 hours so Saturday 8 SYD arrival should be half an hour behind at 0655.

 

[Melburnian1]

'The 73' on Friday 7 June is incurring a far greater delay than predicted. It is said to be departing at 2030 tonight. SFO arrival is likely at 1625 same day, 145 minutes tardy.

It may be able to depart then, but on some previous occasions for similarly timed flights that keep on being further delayed, eventually in the case of SYD it means - heaven forbid - an overnight stay due to the curfew and/or the flight crew running out of permissible working hours, which as jb747 has repeatedly explained are normally 18 but can be extended by agreement to 20. He has also commented that it's normal for the flight crew to agree to the "extra" two hours if need be.

B744 VH-OEJ is the aircraft. It arrived in SYD this afternoon at 1519 hours, 24 minutes late on QF64 ex JNB, so it in theory had sufficient time to form a punctual QF73.

Flight time (i.e. in the air) in the past few days for QF73 has varied from 12:51 to 13:07, so pretty consistent. We have to add sign on time (an hour IIRC), sign-off allowance (half an hour IIRC) and the delay thus far (a shade under three hours) plus (in total) taxiing time at origin and destination.

If still the original crew, by my quick calculations we're up to approximately 17 hours and 50 minutes so not panic stations yet. jb747, happy to be corrected if my calculations have errors.

UPDATE: it pushed back at 2038 hours and did not waste any time in becoming airborne at 2051. Forecast arrival has changed again, to 1631 - 151 late.