Qantas Delays/Cancellations

[Melburnian1]

As at 2230 hours on Thursday 19 September, winds were gusting at up to 67kmh at MEL, but delays did not seem to be major, although QF698, the 2025 hours ADL across to MEL airborne at 2125 was an exception, holding near Bendigo as at 2300 and nominally expected to arrive at 2328, 73 minutes tardy.

Some aircraft were holding.

 

[Hvr]

QF94 has been diverted to AVV. Arrived at 0725.

 

[Melburnian1]

The strong winds at MEL on the morning of Friday 20 September - at 0750 hours gusting to 63kmh at the airport, but not apparent in many other suburbs where winds are far lower - sees QF408, the 0700 hours MEL up to SYD (A332 VH-EBG) not taking off until 0755, so suggested arrival is 0912 hours, 47 minutes tardy.

MEL appears to be down to single runway operations from what FR24 is displaying,. This always causes delays unless it's a lazy Saturday afternoon.

So many 'mainline' aircraft - a guess would be 40 - 60 per cent of the fleet - are scheduled to visit (or originate from) MEL or SYD during a typical weekday that delays at either one, or both, compound and affect other airports' punctuality.

 

[Melburnian1]

QF94 has been diverted to AVV. Arrived at 0725.

At 0700 hours on Friday 20 September, winds at AVV were gusting to 19kmh while at MEL the gusts were as high as 69kmh, a stark difference.

The QF website suggests QF94 will depart AVV at 0830, arriving MEL at 0920 hours (115 minutes late) but given winds at MEL by 0810 hours were still gusting to 69kmh (and prior to that had been as high as 72kmh), that delay estimate may be optimistic.

It's probable that QF35 (1155 hours MEL - SIN) may be delayed, but too early to state by how much.

QF677, the 0730 hours MEL - ADL departed at 0739 but did not take off until 0815 hours, so expected arrival is 0900 hours, 40 minutes behind schedule for B738 VH-XZG.

 

[Hvr]

The QF website suggests QF94 will depart AVV at 0830, arriving MEL at 0920 hours

Given it's 52 km (32 miles) flying distance, I need to ask, are they driving the plane to MEL?

 

[Melburnian1]

Given it's 52 km (32 miles) flying distance, I need to ask, are they driving the plane to MEL?

Yes from memory Hvr it's only 13 minutes or so time in the air (but that depends as always on which runway is in use.)

Remember I add five minutes at the end to account for the taxiiing to gate.

The flight is now expected not to depart AVV until 0955, arriving at its MEL gate at 1035 (five minutes less in total trip time than the 45 minutes previously advised). Perhaps the QF software is listening to you Hvr.

So passengers on QF94 are "enjoying" a pleasant 150 or so minutes staring at the blades of grass at AVV.

As I had guessed above, QF35 will be delayed on Friday 20 September, with anticipated departure an hour late at 1255 and resultant SIN arrival for the A388 at about 1845 this evening, 50 late.

 

[Melburnian1]

Continuing with a very windy Friday 20 September in MEL, QF674 (the 0640 hours ex ADL airborne early at 0648) has B738 VH-VXD and is arriving 32 late at 0902 hours.

B738 VH-VZP on QF405, the 0630 hours SYD to MEL airborne at 0741 had to hold for many minutes above Mt Buller so arrival should be at 0928 hours, 83 minutes late.

VH-VXO is on QF407, the 0715 hours from SYD in the sky at 0801. Its arrival looks to be 0938 hours, 48 minutes late but as at 0905 it remained in a Mt Buller holding pattern.

 

[Melburnian1]

Still on Friday 20 September 2019, QF438 (1400 hours MEL - SYD) took off at 1448 with B738 VH-VXU. Arrival is estimated as 1556, 31 minutes late. Winds have dropped somewhat since this morning and are gusting at 36kmh in the southern capital.

Earlier, QF23 departed SYD 38 minutes late at 1028 hours with BKK arrival suggested as 1721, 41 late, meaning that the 1810 hours QF24 back overnight to SYD will be delayed in pushback.

The B744 on QF63 was again late, departing at 1213 hours, 78 behind the timetable. Expected at gate JNB arrival is 1745, 45 late.

QF156 (B738 VH-XZK) is the 1325 hours AKL - MEL in the sky at 1436, so arrival looks to be 1621, 41 behind schedule.

 

[Melburnian1]

Yes from memory Hvr it's only 13 minutes or so time in the air (but that depends as always on which runway is in use.)

Remember I add five minutes at the end to account for the taxiiing to gate.

The flight is now expected not to depart AVV until 0955, arriving at its MEL gate at 1035 (five minutes less in total trip time than the 45 minutes previously advised). Perhaps the QF software is listening to you Hvr.

So passengers on QF94 are "enjoying" a pleasant 150 or so minutes staring at the blades of grass at AVV.

As I had guessed above, QF35 will be delayed on Friday 20 September, with anticipated departure an hour late at 1255 and resultant SIN arrival for the A388 at about 1845 this evening, 50 late.

The diverted QF94 departed AVV at 1032 hours, arriving at its MEL gate at 1107: 35 minutes.

QF35 then pushed back at an extremely late 1607 hours, 252 minutes late with SIN arrival predicted as 2157 tonight, 242 minutes tardy. QF36 is showing as a projected 2350 hours pushback in SIN (215 minutes late) with MEL Saturday 21 arrival 0905 hours, 210 late.

As 'the 94' ex LAX is forecast on Saturday morning to arrive MEL at 0728 hours, two minutes early, QF may decide to turn it around to operate 'the 93' (due out at 0900 hours back to LAX so as to minimise delay to the latter. From the days noted, this has very occasionally occurred since the QF move away from DXB.

Normally, however, the arriving QF36 in MEL forms 'the 93' while QF94 forms QF35.

 

[Melburnian1]

From a quick look, MEL still appears to be on single runway operations as at 1900 hours on Friday 20 September as QF453 (B738 VH-VZR, the 1700 hours SYD down to MEL airborne at 1922 - only about 10 minutes tardy - arrives at 1912 hours, 37 minutes behind schedule.

 

[Melburnian1]

Due to the severe delay to QF35 yesterday - see above - QF36 from SIN on Friday 20 September departed at 2359 (224 minutes late), arriving MEL on Saturday 21 at 0901, 206 minutes behind schdule. The A388 then quickly formed QF93, the 0900 hours MEL - LAX< pushing back at 1037 with same day arrival estimated as 0752 hours, 87 minutes behind schedule.

QF23 on Saturday (0950 hours SYD - BKK) departed 29 late with arrival at 1715 to be 35 late. This will slightly delay the 1810 hours redeye (QF24) back down to SYD.

The 1020 hours SYD - HKG (QF127) is predicted to depart at 1200 'high noon', arriving at 1915, 75 late. B789 VH-ZND arrived in SYD this morning on QF128 (ex HKG) at 0642 hours, 13 early and looks to be forming QF127, so no obvious reason for the delay.

 

[Melburnian1]

QF63 is often tardy. The Sunday 22 September example pushed back in SYD at 1140, 45 late with arrival suggested as 1739, 39 behind.

 

[Melburnian1]

On Monday 23 September, QF23 (A333 VH-QPA), the often delayed 0950 hours SYd - BKK pushed back at 1013 and took off at 1041 but did not arrive until 1750, 70 minutes behind schedule. QF24, the redeye, then departed BKK at 1859 (49 late) with Tuesday 24 SYD arrival expected at 0700, 35 late.

The B744 on QF63 (VH-OEH) was worse, being off blocks in SYD at 1210 (75 down), meaning at gate JNB arrival should be also 75 late at 1815. This will delay redeye QF64 to what QF says is a 1950 departure (40 late) - maybe just a little optimistic with consequent SYD Tuesday arrival 1540 hours mid afternoon, 45 late.

Monday's QF73 (B744 VH-OEI) departed at 1829 (49 late) so same day delayed arrival is 1450, 50 down. It had arrived SYD on QF64 48 late at 1543, but even so, almost three hours to turn around an aircraft of this size is slow. 'The 64' often forms 'the 73.'

 

[Melburnian1]

QF140, the Tuesday 24 September 0620 hours early morning AKL - SYD did not take off until 0742, so B738 VH-XZJ is arriving at 0906 hours, 66 late.

The next flight, QF142 (the 0825 hours) was airborne from AKL at 0919 so SYD arrival should be 1054 hours, 39 minutes tardy.

It's surprising that QF140 isn't rostered as an A332 given that the first flight of the morning could be expected to attract many business travellers who have a day of meetings in Sydney.

 

[Melburnian1]

On Monday 23 September...QF63 (VH-OEH) was worse, being off blocks in SYD at 1210 (75 down), meaning at gate JNB arrival should be also 75 late at 1815. This will delay redeye QF64 to what QF says is a 1950 departure (40 late) - maybe just a little optimistic with consequent SYD Tuesday arrival 1540 hours mid afternoon, 45 late...

QF63 arrived in JNB on Monday at 1913 (73 late) with QF64 departing at 2011, 61 behind schedule. Today (Tuesday 24) arrival should be 1555, an even hour tardy. The aircraft is forming QF25, the 2050 hours mid evening to HND so that's good news for QF73 as it hopefully reduces the chances of a delay.

 

[flydoc]

QF1851, the scheduled 0645 CNS-AYQ diverted to ASP this morning after commencing descent and making a couple of circuits over the Rock. Potentially weather-related, as a system is moving across the region today. The scheduled 0930 AYQ-ASP, also QF1851, was cancelled and the aircraft, B712 VH-NXL, has now operated under this flight number ASP-AYQ instead of as QF1854. It will likely still operate the scheduled 1525 AYQ-CNS, also as QF1854.

 

[Melburnian1]

Earlier on Tuesday 24 September, QF63 (1055 hours SYD - JNB B744) was showing a 'mere' delay of 25 minutes, not one recorded here where the threshold is half an hour or above. However it did not depart until 1147. Expected arrival in the South African major centre (not its capital!) is 1740, 40 late, meaning yet another delay to SYD-bound redeye QF64.

These flights - particularly the westbound from Sydney - seem to be delayed more often than they are on time or within the accepted industry standard of no more than 15 late.

 

[Melburnian1]

Wednesday 25 September finds QF79, the 0910 hours morning MEL - NRT not departing until 1007. Forecast at gate arrival tonight is 1930 hours, 55 minutes behind schedule. Unlike some other Asian flights, this one rarely seems to pick up any significant time on a blocks off to blocks on basis.

 

[Melburnian1]

QF1464 (the 0715 hours CBR - SYD, Thursday 26 September, Q400 VH-LQG) took off at 0755. Arrival is at 0842, 32 late. Part of the slowdown is because the aircraft flew over SYD from the southwest and then loop to land from the south, probably adding five minutes to the total trip time.

 

[Melburnian1]

On Thursday 26 September, the A388-operated QF7 pushed back in SYD 61 late at 1336 so same day DFW arrival is turning to an estimated 1349, 49 late. The passengers one has to feel for with such delays are those with air or surface public transport connections, such as anyone flying to Miami or even worse, on a relatively low frequency route. This can mean a further connection delay of two, three or more hours, hard to bear especially if one hasn't been in J or F on the TransPacific run.