Qantas Delays/Cancellations

[Flyerqf]

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?

This is due to the aircraft that would have operated this service turning around to operate the previous day’s delayed flight.

As a result of this, Saturday’s QF12 to SYD is cancelled. This will ensure the schedule returns to normal with the 744 sub in for OQA while grounded.

 

[Melburnian1]

Friday 14 June's very late night 2355 hours QF96 from LAX to MEL departed at 0034 on Saturday 15, so Sunday 16 arrival for this B789 is predicted as 0910, 45 late.

 

[Melburnian1]

Sunday 16 June sees the NRT down to MEL QF80 (A333 VH-QPA) arriving at an expected 0819 hours, 44 late.

The NRT - BNE QF62 was also late, arriving at 0700, 65 minutes tardy.

 

[Melburnian1]

In further on 16 June, QF23 (0950 hours SYD - BKK) pushed back 16 late but arrival is predicted 35 late at 1715 in the late afternoon local time. A333 VH-QPJ has the honours.

'The 129' from SYD up to PVG departed 22 late at 0952 with at gate arrival said to be 1856, 31 behind for A332 VH-EBR.

QF11 today (SYD to LAX) has B744 VH-OEE in lieu of the usual A388. It departed 16 late at 0951 hours so uneventful, unless it was full and some passengers had to be transferred to other flights, downgraded to an inferior travel class or both. Please let us know if any of this occurred.

 

[JohnM]

QF11 on Thursday 20 June has been cancelled. I've been put on QF7. No explanation from QF.

 

[Melburnian1]

QF11 on Thursday 20 June has been cancelled. I've been put on QF7. No explanation from QF.

Very poor that no reason given.

However this thread comes to the rescue, as reading the preceding posts, you will note that some TransPacific flights have already operated 12 hours late, been cancelled, or in the case of today's QF11 been substituted with a lower capacity B744 rather than the usual A388. There are only nine of the 12 A388s available at present, but QF's schedules require 10, so something has to give.

I thought with QF now down to seven B744s, it normally had at least one spare, but perhaps not next Thursday.

JohnM, it would be instructive to know when A380 VH-OQA (hit by a catering truck in LAX, and inoperable since 10 June) will be back carrying passengers. (There are two others in scheduled maintenance.) I assume that with your flight cancelled, it won't be before next Friday (21 June 2019.)

Just out of interest, what was your final destination? ORD? MIA? Does this mean a later arrival for you? If so, how many hours?

Perhaps you could ring the QF call centre and ask them why it's cancelled to see what reason(s) are forthcoming.

 

[Melburnian1]

QF2, the Saturday 15 June 2105 hours LHR - SIN departed 22 minutes late with arrival on Sunday 16 estimated as 50 late at 1815 hours. The 1930 hours second sector down to SYD overnight has been put back to 1945 hours.

 

[Silvia]

Weather in Brisbane is causing some delays as some aircraft had to circulate a bit prior landing, even some aircraft being diverted to OOL.

QF825 DRW-BNE (B738 VH-XZK) is now expected to arrive at 18 35, 75 min tardy.
QF1792 BNE-TSV (B717 VH-NXM) departed at 16 43, arrival how revised at 18 32, 142 min behind.
QF1782 BNE-ISA, the 15 20 hours service is also delayed with a tentative departure at 16 55.
QF541 BNE-SYD, the 16 00 hours service has a tentative departure at 17 00. Similarly to QF627 BNE-MEL, originally scheduled at 16 10.
QF532 SYD-BNE (B738 VH-VZL) diverted to OOL. QF620 MEL-BNE (B728 VH-VZD) had the same luck.
QF1548 CBR-BNE (B717 VH-YQW) now expected at 18 06, 56 behind.

 

[Melburnian1]

Weather in Brisbane is causing some delays as some aircraft had to circulate a bit prior landing, even some aircraft being diverted to OOL...

Thanks Silvia. In the hour to 1630, 17mm fell at the Brisbane (city) weather station, but less than 3mm at the airport. A lot more is arriving.

 

[Melburnian1]

On Saturday 15 June, QF12 departed JFK at 1853 hours in the early evening, 43 late, arriving LAX at 2155, 55 late. As noted above, on Saturday night QF11 (LOAX - SYD) had been cancelled so no Monday morning arrival in SYD.

On Sunday 16 June, QF2549 from RMA to BNE should arrive at 1800 hours, half an hour late with Q400 VH-QOJ.

 

[JohnM]

Very poor that no reason given.

However this thread comes to the rescue, as reading the preceding posts, you will note that some TransPacific flights have already operated 12 hours late, been cancelled, or in the case of today's QF11 been substituted with a lower capacity B744 rather than the usual A388. There are only nine of the 12 A388s available at present, but QF's schedules require 10, so something has to give.

I thought with QF now down to seven B744s, it normally had at least one spare, but perhaps not next Thursday.

JohnM, it would be instructive to know when A380 VH-OQA (hit by a catering truck in LAX, and inoperable since 10 June) will be back carrying passengers. (There are two others in scheduled maintenance.) I assume that with your flight cancelled, it won't be before next Friday (21 June 2019.)

Just out of interest, what was your final destination? ORD? MIA? Does this mean a later arrival for you? If so, how many hours?

Perhaps you could ring the QF call centre and ask them why it's cancelled to see what reason(s) are forthcoming.

I had a very quick look up thread before my previous post and guessed that there may have been a cascading chain of events.

It's all good, as my final destination is MIA and I had a day up my sleeve.

 

[Melburnian1]

...It's all good, as my final destination is MIA and I had a day up my sleeve.

One appreciates this is not possible for all in every circumstance, especially if travelling to an urgent business meeting or a by necessity short notice funeral, but the last six words ending with 'sleeve' are the mark of a sensible traveller.

 

[Melburnian1]

QF11 and QF12 are also being operated by a B744 on Tuesday 18 June ex SYD and ex LAX, so there's another substantial reduction in seating capacity coming up due to the wing tip of A388 VH-OQA requiring repair in LAX. Latter has not operated since 10 June 2019.

 

[BgoFlyer]

Fog hasn't lifted in Bendigo yet. QLK1408 is still sitting on the tarmac waiting for it to clear.

 

[Melburnian1]

Also on Monday 17 June 2019, QF23, the 0950 hours morning SYD - BKK departed 22 late, but arrival is not expected until 1736, 56 late.

The 0955 hours SYD - KIX (QF33) was 14 late off blocks with at gate arrival estimated as 1939 tonight, 39 late, delaying the returning QF34 redeye.

'The 127' from SYD up to PVG, the 0930 hours pushed back half an hour late. It should be at its gate in the major mainland Chinese city at 1909, 44 late.

The SYD - JNB B744, QF63 was 15 late away at 1110 with arrival showing as a suggested 59 late at 1759. This will preclude a punctual departure for QF64 back across to SYD overnight.

Another B744, QF28 from SCL to SYD departed 83 late at 1453 hours on Sunday 16 so Monday 17 arrival is suggested as 1836, 46 late.

QF107 (1210 hours lunchtime SYD up to PEK) is delayed by 35 minutes in its departure with arrival likely tonight at 2235, 20 late.

Sunday 16's QF10 departed LHR a creditable five minutes eraly at 1205 but Monday 17 PER arrival is estimated as 1236 hours, 41 late, so the second sector to MEL will be delayed in pushback to a rather optimistic 1345, 20 late (though 1400 to 1405 would be a better estimate).

While there will be numerous reasons for late departures, including late connecting passengers from other major airports like MEL and BNE in the case of SYD, QF's international timekeeping is poor compared to many of its competitors out of and into Australia.

UPDATE: QF107 departed SYD at 1300 hours with PEK arroval forecast as 2319, 64 late, meaning 'the 108' will be unlikely to depart until at least 0025 on Tuesday 18 June.

 

[Melburnian1]

In yet more on Monday 17 June, QF73, the 1740 hours B744 from SYD to SFO is expected to depart at 2100 hours mid evening with arrival suggested as 1715 hours, 195 minutes behind schedule. It looks to be formed by the QF64 arrival expected at gate 25 late at 1520 hours, so it's not clear why there's a delay of several hours. With the available A388 fleet down to nine (schedules require 10) and QF1/12 operating on Sunday and Tuesday as a B744, it may be that the available crew needs more time off from a previous jaunt.

 

[Melburnian1]

QF736 (1250 hours ADL - SYD, B738 VH-VZP) did not take off until 1410 hours with arrival expected at 1617, 67 late.

 

[chk123]

any idea why QF498 was cancelled today? Melb to Syd

 

[Melburnian1]

any idea why QF498 was cancelled today? Melb to Syd

This is the weekly (Mondays only) first of the day at 0530 hours.

I can't answer your question, but cancellations can be up to six per cent of scheduled trips on the MEL - SYD - MEL route, which is high. During the weekday peaks when flights may be scheduled at 15 minute intervals, one or two can be prone to cancellation even if the weather's good, and especially if in both directions QF (or its major competitor) can transfer some passengers to other flights and avoid the c.$20000 return cost of operating a B738 MEL - SYD - MEL, or reverse.

One reason may be low bookings. Perhaps insufficient numbers of prospective patrons want to rise in the eastern or southern suburbs at 0230 or 0300 hours during a Melbourne winter?

 

[chk123]

thank you! I wasn't sure if qantas published the reasons. I'm on that flight shortly, secretly hoping it gets cancelled and I get moved to QF400 30 min later in an A330!