Qantas Delays/Cancellations

[Melburnian1]

QF766, the 7 June 1805 hours early evening ADL - SYD (B738 VH-VXQ) took off at 1843 with suggested arrival 2117 hours, 52 late.

The 1915 hours MEL - SYD, QF484 was in the sky at 2003. VH-XZO is expected to be at its destination gate at 2112, 32 behind the schedule.

QF487 in the other direction, the 2000 hours, has B738 VH-VZW but was not pointing skywards until 2132 hours, about 75 - 80 late. Claimed arrival later is 2242, 67 late. earlier, QF493, the 1915 hours took off at 2047 so arrival is 2203, 73 behind for VH-XZM.

'The 25' from SYD to HND is not often delayed but it pushed back 31 late at 2121 with Saturday 8 June arrival to be 0551 hours, 36 minutes tardy.

 

[Melburnian1]

QF2220, the 0630 hours Saturday 8 June WGA - SYD (Q400 VH-QOY) did not take off until 0839 so arrival should be at 0932, 117 minutes tardy. There may well have been fog at Wagga Wagga.

On Friday 7, QF20 departed MNL eight minutes late at 2008 but Saturday 8 arrival was not until 0719, 69 late. A332 VH-EBQ had not taken off until 2111 hours, explaining much of the delay.

 

[Melburnian1]

Continuing with 8 June 2019, QF81 pushed back in SYD 118 late at 1208 hours, so arrival is put back until 1805, 75 late early this evening.

This is because QF24, the 1810 hours Friday 7 BKK - SYD (A333 VH-QPG) diverted to MEL, arriving at 0624 hours and then departing at 0807, taking off f from the latter at 0818. SYD gate arrival was at 0937 hours, 192 minutes late. Fog had been forecast in SYD this morning so that may have been the reason.

'The 63' departed SYD at 1131 hours, 36 late with arrival in JNB estimated as 31 late at 1731 hours.

QF107 (1210 hours SYD - PEK) is predicted to depart at 1300 hours, so passengers on QF108 back overnight down to SYD are unlikely to punctually depart.

The 1235 hours lunchtime long SYD - DFW offering, QF7, was displaying an hour ago as incurring a minor delay to 1300 hours in its pushback but this has become more severe with pushback expected at 1400. Same day arrival should be 1400 hours, an hour behind the timetable.

Friday 7's 0820 hours LAX - JFK (QF11, the B789) pushed back 38 late at 0858, arriving in the 'Big Apple' at 1712, 32 minutes tardy. The returning QF12 was off blocks 50 late at 1900 hours but is expected on a total journey basis to pick up some time, arriving LAX at 2130 hours, half an hour behind schedule. This will assist in keeping any delays to Oz-bound QF12, QF94 and last but not least QF16 to a minimum.

 

[Melburnian1]

QF923 from CNS down to SYD on Saturday 8 June 2019 (A332 VH-EBE) is the 1340 hours that did not become airborne until 1610 hours, so deferred arrival is 1839, 124 minutes behind the schedule.

 

[Silvia]

QF1 SYD-SIN (A380 VH-OQG), the scheduled 15 55 service was airborne at 17 17, with a predicted arrival at 23 15, 60 behind schedule.

 

[Melburnian1]

QF1 SYD-SIN (A380 VH-OQG), the scheduled 15 55 service was airborne at 17 17, with a predicted arrival at 23 15, 60 behind schedule.

Often at present, QF1 seems to be losing time on a gate-to-gate basis between SIN and LHR. On Saturday 8, it departed SIN at 0009, 14 late but arrived LHR at 0700 hours, 35 late despite having taken off in SIN at 0028, which is standard given the usual allowance for these international flights from pushback to being in the air is roughly 20 to 25 minutes.

 

[Melburnian1]

Earlier on Saturday 8 June, the 1235 hours lunchtime SYD - DFW QF7 departed at 1409 hours, 94 late with same day arrival predicted at 1427, 87 minutes behind the timetable.

 

[Silvia]

QF74 SFO-SYD (B744 VH-OEJ) departed at 23 52. The revised arrival is 7 02, 57 behind schedule.

 

[jb747]

Forecasts for Sydney, Brisbane and Canberra all include fog. You might need to sharpen your pencil....

 

[Melburnian1]

Forecasts for Sydney, Brisbane and Canberra all include fog. You might need to sharpen your pencil....

Three major airports potentially affected by fog in one morning is pretty rare. Inland, I assume it's as bad in many east coast centres as CBR is forecast, but being a Sunday, not as many early morning 0600/0630 hours timetabled departures from rural airports.

Are MEL (runway 16 only) and PER (also one runway, not both) still the only major Australian airfields with that CAT IIIB certification?

One report I read claimed MEL has up to 15 days of fog per annum but SYD only a median of five. My imperfect memory is in the last few years it'd be lucky to have been three or four for MEL. Whether that reflects only days where significant disruption occurred is unclear.

If "recovery" is needed later on Sunday 9 June, it may be helpful that Queen's Birthday is a public holiday on Monday in all states and territories except Qld/WA, so business traveller numbers (and weekend leisure passengers) should be down on Sunday.

It would be fascinating to know the cost to the QF and VA "groups" of a bad day affected by fog for domestic flights. Frustrating for passengers, but spare a thought for airline staff who at the end of a day may find themselves in a location other than what they'd expected from rosters.

 

[Quickstatus]

I don’t think there is a “sign off” time that adds to the regulated duty hours for a pilot. I believe the clock stops once the aircraft doors open or perhaps when engines turned off.

 

[Melburnian1]

With fog in CBR on Sunday 9 June 2019, the 0630 hours CBR up to SYD, QF1510 was cancelled.

The 0715 hours (QF1464) is showing as altered to depart at the unusually exact, USA-style time of 1001. QF1466, also a CBR to SYD should depart at 1010, 55 late.

QF1463, the 0740 hours SYD down to CBR is predicted to push back at 0900. QF1467, the 0900 hours, is also expected to be 80 late in departing.

With a quick squiz, and without reference to aviation weather forecasts, I couldn't see any problems thus far at BNE or SYD despite what jb747 said were the forecasts. Maybe BOM overestimated what has occurred.

 

[Quickstatus]

At least in SYD the Fog was thin. Visibility at one stage for SYD reducing to 5km, not enough to significantly disrupt operations.

 

[jb747]

I don’t think there is a “sign off” time that adds to the regulated duty hours for a pilot. I believe the clock stops once the aircraft doors open or perhaps when engines turned off.

There is. It must be specified in the company's manual, and it's a minimum of 15 minutes.

 

[jb747]

The problem with fog, especially when it's at multiple airports, is that it takes away the alternate options. As often as not, you'd be able to land off a Cat 1 approach, and not need to go to Cat 111...but you'll always require some sort of alternate to even allow you to shoot the approach.

So, if you have fog at Melbourne, and Avalon, then you'll need an alternate that is quite some distance away. QF94 (for instance) is very unlikely to be able to carry Adelaide from the bottom of the approach. The upshot is that even though you'd almost certainly be able to land off the approach (assuming the systems all work of course), you can't even have a go unless you have some alternative plan.

 

[Quickstatus]

There is. It must be specified in the company's manual, and it's a minimum of 15 minutes.

What are duties in sign off period

 

[Fergo747]

Sitting here in the lounge and Today’s (9 June) 7 is currently delayed by 40 due to ‘maintenance requirements’.

The 63 is also delayed by an unknown amount of time. Waiting for aircraft to arrive at gate. I’ve been watching it stuck on the other side of the airport for about 20 mins trying to be towed across the main North/South.

 

[Melburnian1]

Sitting here in the lounge and Today’s (9 June) 7 is currently delayed by 40 due to ‘maintenance requirements’.

The 63 is also delayed by an unknown amount of time. Waiting for aircraft to arrive at gate. I’ve been watching it stuck on the other side of the airport for about 20 mins trying to be towed across the main North/South.

Fergo747, you will have better information as you're there, but officially QF suggests 'the 63' will depart SYD for JNB at 1135 hours, 40 late. Similarly QF7 to DFW is expected to depart at 1315 hours, 40 late.

I've observed the inability to promptly tow QFi aircraft across there as well. An inhibitor is how mid morning is peak for departures at SYDi. One can't really tell when one's there, but at times with late arrivals/departures there must be insufficient gates.

UPDATE: Fergo747 would not be surprised, but the mooted delay to QF63 ex SYD has extended to an hour, with an 1155 hours departure predicted. Arrival is to be 45 late at 1745, so tonight's returning QF64 ex JNB will be adversely affected.

The A388 from SYD the long distance to DRW, the 1235 hours, has been delayed until 1700, not just 1315 as above, so arrival will be (same day) also 1700, 240 minutes late. Earlier on 9 June, QF8 arrived in SYD 41 late at 0706 hours.

FURTHER UPDATE: QF63 departed at 1205 hours so JNB suggested arrival is 1757 very late this afternoon local time, 57 late.

QF7 was off blocks at 1711 for estimated DFW arrival of 1644 hours, 224 late.

 

[Fergo747]

Fergo747, you will have better information as you're there, but officially QF suggests 'the 63' will depart SYD for JNB at 1135 hours, 40 late. Similarly QF7 to DFW is expected to depart at 1315 hours, 40 late.

I've observed the inability to promptly tow QFi aircraft across there as well. An inhibitor is how mid morning is peak for departures at SYDi. One can't really tell when one's there, but at times with late arrivals/departures there must be insufficient gates.

The 63 started boarding about 10 ago (11:25) based on the announcement here. Final call just made now.

Can confirm insufficient gates. The 127 (a 787) was at gate 26 requiring the bus, as was one of the QF Auckland flights. From personal experience, Arriving back a few weeks ago on a late 8, we were relegated to a remote stand (down past gate 8). Whilst frustrating at the time to have to bus it to the terminal, I was in awe a the size of the 380 when walking down the stairs at LM2. It seems so much bigger than just watching from the terminal.

 

[Fergo747]

Update. The 7 now scheduled to depart at 17:00