Qantas Delays/Cancellations

[Melburnian1]

QF63, the Friday 14 June 1055 hours midmorning SYD - JNB departed at 1138 hours so expected arrival is 1750, 50 late. This will delay the redeye QF64 back to SYD

 

[docjames]

docjames, perhaps not a question for this thread, but if I understand it, QF3/QF4 are B744s with the schedule showing an arrival in HNL at 0830 and a departure at 1050 hours local time on MWFSa (i.e. four days a week at present).

The allowed turnaround time is greater than the minimum observed that for an aircraft of this size is normally about 100 minutes. It always strikes me as sensible, when feasible, for turnarounds at outstations to incorporate more time than really needed as this advantages boarding passengers if an inbound is late. QF doens't have the option at HNL to substitute another another as it may in SYD, for example.

It was the SYD end i was wondering about - I thought relevant to this thread as can predict delay(s) knowing the inbound/operating aircraft. I’ve noted some have come in from SFO arriving early morning so long turn if that’s the case.

The HNL end is obviously an immediate turn from QF3 to QF4.

 

[Melburnian1]

It was the SYD end i was wondering about - I thought relevant to this thread as can predict delay(s) knowing the inbound/operating aircraft. I’ve noted some have come in from SFO arriving early morning so long turn if that’s the case...

docjames, of the last three ex SYD as QF3, two were formed by (as you suggest) QF74 ex SFO and one by QF26 ex HND, so in all three cases, the aircraft spent 10 - 12 hours in SYD.

However this isn't guaranteed, and one would like to be able to go back further to see if there were occasions where QF64 ex JNB, a mid afternoon arrival, or even QF28 (due in very late in the afternoon) formed 'the 3.' If the latter (the flight ex SCL) a late departure for QF3 would be extremely likely due to turnaround tightness.

 

[Melburnian1]

QF436, the 1330 hours MEL - SYD is another northbound cancellation on Australia's busiest air route for Friday 14 June 2019.

We can also add QF470, the 1545 hours northbound to the list.

Southbound QF461 (1020 hours SYD - MEL) was also cancelled as was QF2052 ex DPO for MEL. QF449, the 1630 hours ex SYD is another one that is not to run as is QF457, the 1745 hours ex SYD to the southern capital.

QF480, the 1135 hours scheduled arrival in MEL ex PER was also sent packing.

 

[Melburnian1]

In further on Friday 14 June 2019, B738 VH-XZA was airborne from PER at 1323 hours in what may be a 'ferry' (empty) flight QF6115 with MEL arrival likely at about 1847 hours.

Sister plane VH-VXJ is on QF6125 from ADL to MEL, arriving at about 1907. If these are both 'ferry' flights, it's unusual to see two so close together, but may just be coincidental.

QF453 (B738 VH-VZA, the 1700 hours SYD - MEL) was in the sky at 1754 so at gate arrival is suggested as 1911 hours, 36 late.

 

[Melburnian1]

QF93, the 0900 hours Friday 14 June MEL - LAX A388 is not expected to depart until tonight at 2050 with predicted arrival at 1820 instead of 0615 hours, 725 minutes late. While there are three overnight (redeyes) from LAX to JFK operated by AA, I wonder if some passengers ask for an hotel overnight in LAX (or pay for one themselves) and travel to JFK the next day on either QF's B789 or an AA flight?

This looks to be due to QF94 (A388 VH-OQF), the Wednesday 12 June 2240 hours LAX - MEL not departing until 1007 hours on Thursday 13 with arrival in MEL tonight at a suggested 1905 hours, 695 late...

VH-OQF on 'the 94' is now predicted to arrive at 1932 hours on Friday 14 June in MEL. The expected delay to QF93 (0900 hours MEL - LAX) has turned into a 2115 hours pushback, 735 late. Same day LAX arrival should be 1845 instead of 0625 hours, so 740 late. This should not adversely affect timekeeping of the Friday 14 late evening QF94 ex LAX.

QF708, the 14 June 1610 hours ADL across to CBR took off at 1703 so arrival should be 1855 hours, 40 late for VH-VZU.

 

[Quickstatus]

Note QF has one A380 in maintenance at the moment - VH-OQG which positioned LHR-DRS after Operating QF1 on June12.

Long may the 747 live on. It’s good to see the veterans are stepping into the breech with the recent JQ787 and now QF380 incidents.

 

[Melburnian1]

In more on Friday 14 June 2019, QF1551, the 1630 hours BNE down to CBR (B717 VH-YQS) was in the sky at 1811 so arrival is delayed to about 1945 hours, 85 late.

QF542 (1730 hours peak period SYD to BNE, B738 VH-VZD) took off at 1824 so its arrival will be 1941, 41 late.

QF1740 (1545 hours SYD up to PQQ) is worse, with Q400 VH-LQD pointing skywards at 1826. Hence arrival is suggested as 1910 hours, 145 late.

 

[nat965]

Thursday 13 June's QF552 from SYD-BNE was cancelled, Friday 14 June's QF552 (VH-VZL) arrived in BNE at 1853, 68 late.
QF1972 BNE-TSV (VH-YQV) arrived at 1727, 77 late. Arrival back in BNE QF1973 advised around 1943, 74 late.

 

[Melburnian1]

Thursday 13 June's QF1 departed LHR only two minutes late at 2107 hours but on Friday 14, SIN arrival was 34 late at 1759.

 

[Melburnian1]

VH-OQF on 'the 94' is now predicted to arrive at 1932 hours on Friday 14 June in MEL. The expected delay to QF93 (0900 hours MEL - LAX) has turned into a 2115 hours pushback, 735 late. Same day LAX arrival should be 1845 instead of 0625 hours, so 740 late. This should not adversely affect timekeeping of the Friday 14 late evening QF94 ex LAX.

QF708, the 14 June 1610 hours ADL across to CBR took off at 1703 so arrival should be 1855 hours, 40 late for VH-VZU.

QF94 arrived at 1919 hours on 14 June, 709 minutes late.

'The 93' pushed back at 2136 hours, 756 minutes tardy but A388 VH-OQF was not airborne until 2203 due to a stream of arriving traffic from the east. The Friday 14 June 2019 MEL to LAX QF95 is ahead, with this 2055 hours flight departing at 2130 and taking off at 2145 with B789 VH-ZNB.

QF487 (B738 VH-XZP, the 2000 hours SYD - MEL airborne at 2101 hours) is arriving at 2216 hours, 41 late.

 

[Melburnian1]

Saturday 15 June 2019 will see QF7, the lunchtime 1235 hours A388 for the long flight from SYD to DFW delayed until a predicted 1910 in its departure. Same day arrival should be 1850 hours, 350 minutes late.

This is due to the Thursday 13 June's QF12, the 2230 hours scheduled ex LAX not departing until 0903 on Friday 14 so Saturday 15 SYD arrival is forecast as 1715 hours, 645 minutes tardy. While those delayed may not share this view, this would be a good schedule for 'the 12' but QF and other airlines believe that more revenue comes from the traditional late night departures. However departing at 0900 or 1000 and arriving at 1700 or 1800, at a time when hotels can check one in, or one can go home, have an evening meal and sleep, and there are still connecting flights available in Oz to many destinations departing at around 1900 - 1930 hours makes a lot of sense.

The QF7 delay today should not affect QF8 due out of DFW at 2225 hours on Saturday night, unless this afternoon/early evening's Sydney turnaround of the delayed '12' to 'the 7' takes longer than expected.

A388 VH-OQA (apparently hit by a catering truck in LAX as advised by AFFer milehighclub above) remains in LAX so with, as Quickstatus said, another QF A380 under maintenance in Dresden, Germany, these disruptions to the A388 roster will continue. The bill for repairs, and the cost to QF in arranging hotels for delayed passengers, altered staff arrangements and so on wouldn't be cheap. Depending on which operator's catering truck hit the 'bird', there could be a substantial bill to some other entity, or a sizeable insurance claim.

It's terrific that people like milehighclub (amusing username) 'fill in' the missing detail. Huge thanks to this lady!

 

[Melburnian1]

The other unfortunate aspect of two A388s unavailable means less time for what may be necessary maintenance in LAX. This must eventually have some consequences for timekeeping as it'd be logical that some maintenance cannot be deferred ad infinitum.

 

[Quickstatus]

The other unfortunate aspect of two A388s unavailable means less time for what may be necessary maintenance in LAX. This must eventually have some consequences for timekeeping as it'd be logical that some maintenance cannot be deferred ad infinitum.

At least VH-OQE completed its planned maintenance by Elbe Flugzeugwerke (Not Lufthansa Teknik) at DRS and departed the workshop approximately as VH-OQG entered. The OQE maintenance took approx 2 weeks. Is OQG going to be the same?

 

[Melburnian1]

QF79, Saturday 15 June's 0910 hours MEL - NRT departed 50 minutes late so arrival is put back to 1914, 39 late.

The 1055 hours SYD - JNB, QF63 is forecast to depart half an hour late.

UPDATE: QF63 did not push back in SYD until 1156, 61 late with JNB arrival put back to a suggested 1802 hours, 62 minutes behind schedule.

 

[Melburnian1]

While it can't be assumed QF11 ex SYD or QF12 ex LAX on Sunday 16 June are full, the downsizing from an A388 to a B744 (as advised by milehighclub above) means there may only be 366 available seats compared to the usual 484 on both flights. There's also a 'shortage' of the higher cost fare classes.

If any AFFer is involuntarily rerouted or rebooked on a later flight, or has their seat changed to a lower class of travel, please let us know as this information is always helpful to other travellers.

On addition to VH-OQA marooned in LAX due to being hit by a catering truck (aircraft inoperable since 10 June 2019) and VH-OQG undergoing Dresden maintenance since 12 June 2019, VH-OQB has been in AUH undergoing maintenance since 14 May 2019.

As the QF schedules at present require 10 A388s, with only nine available, it's inevitable that there'll be either cancellations, substitutions when available of a B744 or delays.

Fortunately the ageing, fuel guzzling and dated in cabin design and fitout (but still 'Queen of the Skies') B744s are not heavily utilised now, as (unless I've omitted something), the seven remaining only operate SYD to HND (daily), HNL (MWFSa only). JNB (six days a week, W excepted) and SCL (SuWF only, but has been more frequent in some recent weeks.) Availability of spares varies but there's usually at least one spare in Sydney.

Bear in mind this is not Christmas school holidays when all aircraft have to be on hand given that peak travel season.

 

[ayebee]

Fortunately the ageing, fuel guzzling and dated in cabin design and fitout (but still 'Queen of the Skies') B744s are not heavily utilised now, as (unless I've omitted something), the seven remaining only operate SYD to HND (daily), HNL (MWFSa only). JNB (six days a week, W excepted) and SCL (SuWF only, but has been more frequent in some recent weeks.) Availability of spares varies but there's usually at least one spare in Sydney.

Also SYD - SFO

 

[Quickstatus]

As the worldwide A380 fleet matures, heavy MRO (maintenance,repair and overhaul) slots are in demand. It may be difficult for an airline to delay an entry into maintenance in order to fill a short term gap in the fleet. It is my understanding that MRO slots are planned and booked in advance and even if an aircraft could do their checks 1 or 2 weeks later, they may not be able to because a spare slot accomodating the delay may not be available.

 

[Melburnian1]

...It is my understanding that MRO slots are planned and booked in advance and even if an aircraft could do their checks 1 or 2 weeks later, they may not be able to because a spare slot accommodating the delay may not be available.

jb747 informed us quite a while back that these bookings were made many, many months in advance. I can't recall his exact words but he may have suggested 'more than 12 months' ahead.

In the West, there must be a relatively small number of facilities/hangars equipped for A380 major checks.

I assume the number of 'cycles', not age, is the key but the initial three of QF's A388s are more than ten years old, and two more will be in that category by the end of 2019. VH-OQA however must have many new parts after its 17 months out of service from late 2010 to April 2012.

As we've discussed many times, QF is using its A388s far more intensively than say EK. While QF's median sector length for these aircraft would be higher, it doesn't have the luxury (or the need due to lower demand) that EK finds it has to be able/forced to stable some of its A380s on the ground in the Middle East.

 

[Melburnian1]

Saturday 15 June 2019 will see QF7, the lunchtime 1235 hours A388 for the long flight from SYD to DFW delayed until a predicted 1910 in its departure. Same day arrival should be 1850 hours, 350 minutes late.

This is due to the Thursday 13 June's QF12, the 2230 hours scheduled ex LAX not departing until 0903 on Friday 14 so Saturday 15 SYD arrival is forecast as 1715 hours, 645 minutes tardy...

QF12 arrived in SYD on Saturday 15 at 1720 hours.

It is forming QF7 that is further delayed to an expected 1945 hours pushback in SYD with DFW arrival predicted (same day) as 1910 hours, 370 late.

Meanwhile, the Friday 14 June 2230 hours ex LAX, QF12, has been delayed to expected departure at 0930 hours on Saturday 15 for arrival in SYD on Sunday 16 at 1735 rather than 0630 hours, so 665 minutes late. Is this due to staff not having had the requisite mandated time off duty, rather than the A388 fleet down to nine as noted above?

While Saturday 15's QF9 arrived (ex MEL) in PER bang on time at 1715 hours, departure for LHR is delayed until 1940, 55 late with Sunday 16 arrival suggested as 0605 hours, an hour behind schedule.

UPDATE: QF7 pushed back in SYD on Saturday 15 evening at 1947 hours with predicted DFW arrival 1925 hours, 385 late.