Qantas Delays/Cancellations

[Goodonya]

I was informed last night QF93 this Sat 22 Jun has been cancelled. I have been rebooked to LAX via AKL on AirNZ

 

[Melburnian1]

On Thursday 20 June, QF407 (0715 hours SYD down to MEL that was not airborne until 0816, B738 VH-VZR) should arrive at 0936, 46 minutes behind schedule.

A333 VH-QPG arrived on the MNL - SYD redeye, QF20 at 0751, 101 late due to yesterday being delayed on QF19 northbound.

QF1513 (0810 hours SYD - CBR, B717 VH-NXK) took off at 0857 with an 0937 hours arrival suggested, 32 late.

 

[Melburnian1]

In more on 20 June 2019, A333 VH-QPE on the 1010 hours morning SYD - SIN, QF81, did not take off until 1235, so arrival is delayed to a predicted 1847 hours, 117 late.

 

[JessicaTam]

Nancy, all going to plan, will depart Thursday night from LAX as QF12. The QF11 was cancelled today. This should see things get back to normal.

“What could possibly go wrong!”

 

[Melburnian1]

“What could possibly go wrong!”

Conduct a survey among QF LAX-bound or originating passengers of the past few days and there may be a choice number of expletives furnished

While tiny in comparison to annual QFi revenue, the problem with VH-OQA since 10 June must have cost QF at least a few hundred thousand dollars, especially having to use the fuel guzzling Queen of the Skies B744s on some TransPacific flights. I bet not all expenses are recoverable through insurance or claims against the catering company whose vehicle allegedly collided with the A388.

 

[Melburnian1]

In more on Thursday 20 June, QF33 (0955 hours SYD - KIX) is expected to arrive at 1950 tonight, 50 late. This will delay the returning redeye QF34.

 

[Melburnian1]

QF's flight status website page is inoperable, but as at 1730 hours on Thursday 20 June, the 1555 hours SYD - SIN - LHR QF1 A388 did not seem to have pushed back.

UPDATE: VH-OQH was pointing skywards at 1753 so SIN arrival is suggested as 2353 hours, 98 late. Friday morning LHR arrival will be similarly delayed, or worse.

 

[Melburnian1]

Friday 21 June's QF408 ((0700 hours MEL up to SYD that took off at 0753 with A332 VH-EBN) should arrive at 0907 hours, 37 minutes late.

The 0620 hours early morning transcon from SYD to PER, QF565, has A332 VH-EBB and took off at 0735, so delayed arrival is 1013 hours, 48 minutes tardy.

The 0610 hours BNE down to CBR, QF1543, took off almost on time at 0626 but has lost time en route with arrival for B717 VH-YQS suggested as 0845, 45 late. Presumably there has been some fog in CBR. Ground temperature at the BOM monitoring point was -0.8C at 0830 hours.

QF1509 (VH-YQW), the 0645 hours SYD - CBR was in the sky at 0755, about 55 late, and has then had to hold southwest of Nowra. Arrival is predicted as 0857, 77 late.

A332 VH-EBV on QF130 from PVG down to SYD should be at its arrival gate at 0955 hours this morning, 90 late.

UPDATE: QF1543 was still holding at 0842 so the fog must have swirled in.

FURTHER UPDATE: QF1543 has diverted to SYD where arrival should be at about 0947 on the ramp. This compares to its schedule that shows an 0800 hours CBR arrival.

QF1509 is also diverting (back to) SYD where it should be at about 1015 in comparison to its scheduled 0740 arrival in CBR.

Why during winter people continue to book on SYD - CBR morning flights is a mystery, as chances are fairly high from after 0800 that flights will either be badly delayed, diverted or cancelled. The first flights in the morning ex CBR are normally immune from fog-related cancellations or delays. My preferred alternative is NSW TrainLInk XPlorer trains (not as fast as driving, but comfortable with an on board buffet) but if one must, road coaches are also available, though sometimes get stuck in Sydney traffic.

 

[Melburnian1]

In more on Friday 21 June, the delayed QF1 departed SIN at 0145 hours, 110 minutes tardy with LHR arrival predicted at 0750, 85 late.

 

[Melburnian1]

Continuing with Friday 21 June, QF127 (1020 hours SYD up to HKG, B789 VH-ZND) was not airborne until 1153 hours, so arrival will be at about 1859, 59 late. The QF flight status website is not promptly updating. It has been temperamental for the last 36 hours.

QF97 from BNE to HKG is also tardy. A333 VH-QPF operated it yesterday and today, but QF98 from HKG last night did not arrive BNE this morning until 0937 hours midmorning, 157 minutes behind schedule, so 'the 97' was unable to take off until 1137, 87 minutes after its scheduled 1010 hours pushback in BNE. Hence HKG arrival should be 1828 hours, 63 minutes late.

The transcontinental USA '12' pushed back in JFK on Thursday 20 at 1915, 65 late with LAX arrival estimated as 2205, also 65 minutes behind schdule. This will delay QF12 onwards to SYD (the B744) and QF16.

 

[Melburnian1]

A388 VH-OQL on the 1235 hours, Friday 21 June 2019 SYD - DFW long flight (QF7) did not become airborne until 1417 this afternoon, so same day arrival has been delayed until a predicted 1352, 52 late.

Although milehighclub stated that (if all goes well), A388 VH-OQA (wing hit by catering truck in LAX on 10 June) would return to service carrying passengers on the Thursday 20 June QF12 LAX - SYD, this did not occur, with VH-OQF operating the flight.

QF94, the late night Thursday 20 June LAX - MEL has been cancelled according to FR24. The QF flight status pages appear to have some software bug(s) and have not been updated for this and many other flights.

An update as to when OQA will again be operable would be helpful, as until it is, one of the QF long distance flights will have to either be a (lower capacity) B744, or be cancelled.

 

[Melburnian1]

“What could possibly go wrong!”

I can't specifically answer what has, but see the previous post.

And Alan Joyce thinks this sort of a farce, with only nine of 12 QF long distance A388s operating, justifies (as Terry McCrann said in News Ltd papers today) hitting the most valued passengers hard with higher numbers of QF FF points required to redeem W, J or F seats. The schedules require 10 of the 12 QF A388s to be available. It's true QF cannot plan on the basis that one will be hit by a truck, as occurred in Los Angeles, but it seems poor planning to have another two concurrently out of service given how hard these aircraft are pushed.

(VH-OQB has been in AUH since 14 May 2019 while VH-OQG has been in DRS - Germany - since 12 June 2019 for maintenance.)

 

[Melburnian1]

QF1520 (Friday 21 June, the 1715 hours peak afternoon CBR - SYD) with B717 VH-NXQ was airborne at about 1803 so will be at least 40 late.

The OOL - SYD QF1575 (VH-YQY) is the 1555 hours departure that pointed skywards at 1727, so arrival is likely at 1844, 79 late.

A third B717, VH-NXR is either operating empty ('ferry') or a special from CBR to BNE, having taken off at 1730 late in the afternoon.

 

[Melburnian1]

QF is avoiding Iranian airspace for QF1/2/9 and QF10, but expects any increase in flying time to be 'negligible':

Qantas to re-route flights after US ban on Iran

Qantas will re-route flight paths to avoid parts of Iran after the US banned its airlines from certain areas amid escalating tensions between the two countries.

www.smh.com.au

What does that mean? Three minutes? 25 minutes?

 

[Melburnian1]

The continuing 'shortage' of QF A388s sees QF93, the 0900 hours MEL - LAX cancelled on Saturday 22 June 2019, as goodonya had advised from Wednesday this week. However, had VH-OQA returned to service on Thursday night (20) as milehighclub suggested would occur 'if all goes well', then this '93' could have been reinstated.

The alternative for QF if not cancelling today's '93' would have been to cancel multiple QF35/36 runs MEL - SIN - MEL.

Advice from any AFFers booked on these LAX flights as to what alternative arrangements (flights, hotels, transfers and meals) are being made would be most helpful. gooonya, for instance, was rebooked on NZ via AKL, adding hours to the trip.

While there may be some spare seats on other airlines (or QF7/11/15/55 ex SYD or BNE), if QF has 400 plus booked on today's QF93 that's a large number of passengers to reacommodate, particularly since MEL does not have the number of nonstop flights to LAX that SYD does. The majority of departures are in the morning (QF95 ex MEL, now down to twice a week on Monday and Friday evenings from MEL, is one that isn't.) Rerouting some via SFO on tonight's QF49 may be another option if it isn't full.

Also on Saturday, B738 VH-VZC is operating QF6116 as either a 'ferry' (empty) or charter flight from MEL to BNE, with takeoff at 0710 hours.

QF30 (A333 VH-QPF), the overnight HKG down to MEL is arriving at 0808 hours, 33 late. As a result, QF29, the 0940 hours back to HKG is expected to depart at 1025.

 

[Melburnian1]

Continuing with Saturday 22 June 2019, QF19 (1210 hours SYD - MNL) is predicted to depart at 1255 hours.

A332 VH-EBQ on QF29, the 0940 hours MEL - HKG was in the sky at 1103 so an 1813 hours arrival, 53 late is the expectation. This flight is normally an A333 but after arriving on QF30 this morning late (see above), A333 VH-QPF was despatched to PER on QF475, the 1120 hours.

 

[Melburnian1]

Sunday 23 June finds QF82, the SIN - SYD redeye (A332 VH-EBS) arriving at 0816, 76 late. Yesterday, the QF81 (1010 hours ex SYD) did not take off until mid afternoon - 1511 - so it looks like EBS may have been substituted for another.

QF23 (0950 hours SYD - BKK) has A333 VH-QPF and pushed back at 1043. Arrival should be 46 late at 1726, meaning QF24 tonight will be tardy.

A388 VH-OQK on the 2105 hour Saturday 22 QF2 from LHR to SIN was in the sky at 2215 so Sunday 23 arrival should be 1833, 68 late, meaning that the second sector due out at 1930 hours will be late for the run down to SYD.

 

[Melburnian1]

Later on 23 June, B738 VH-VZC on QF796, the 0925 hours midmorning MEL - ASP did not become airborne until 1304 hours. Instead of the usual 1150, arrival should be at 1511, 201 minutes tardy.

QF437 (1330 hours early afternoon SYD - MEL) has got the boot.

 

[Melburnian1]

Continuing with Sunday 23 June 2019, QF2005 (1410 hours TMW down to SYD that was in the sky at 1456 with Q400 VH-QOV) is arriving at 1541, 31 late.

QF690 (1455 hours ADL across to MEL) was cancelled.

 

[milehighclub]

Nancy is back in service, operating as QF94.