Qantas Delays/Cancellations

[sjk]

Certainly AJ can be blamed - not a single back up aircraft available in a major home hub?

LOL, that sounds cost-effective.

 

[Melburnian1]

Certainly AJ can be blamed - not a single back up aircraft available in a major home hub? Mistakes happen, aircraft break down etc

That would not necessarily eliminate every delay but it's a salient point. I bet SQ and EK have spares of the same model.

Most transport operators with a fleet of 12 would have at least one spare. In theory, with current timetables needing 10 A388s, QF has two but that makes no allowance for maintenance, or, as the airline is also doing with one at a time, refurbishment.

QF management doesn't really care because they know that so many have 'blind loyalty' to QF, such as politicians, public servants and many flying at employers' expense in the private sector. So if there's delays or cancellations, these travellers typically don't abandon use of QF, they just 'suck it up' and demonstrate inertia in a failure to book with a competitor next time.

It's similar to the banks or (especially in Victoria, with its longer history of deregulation) gas and electricity providers: there isn't as much 'churn' as one might expect. Many of us complain but switching is perceived as taking too much effort.

 

[Melburnian1]

LOL, that sounds cost-effective.

Your sarcasm is unwarranted, because it would be prudent to have spares, and as I just noted, QF (in theory) does.

 

[Mrmaxwell]

LOL, that sounds cost-effective.

Other major airlines seem to think so.

I've never had any major airline cancel a flight on me at their home hub and tell me to come back another day (unless major weather issue) - happened to me with QF at least three times in the last 24 months! CX@HKG swap out aircraft all the time when sometime goes wrong.

 

[Melburnian1]

In more on Saturday 9 November, QF863 (B738 VH-VZC, the lunchtime 1220 hours OOL down to SYD was in the sky at 1338. Arrival should be at 1601 hours, 71 minutes late.

 

[Melburnian1]

Later on 9 November, QF447 (1600 hours afternoon SYD down to MEL in the sky at 1648 with B738 VH-VZA) should be half an hour late, arriving at gate at 1805.

 

[Silvia]

In further, QF126 AKL-BNE (A332 VH-EBJ) has a revised arrival 18 54, 104 min tardy.

 

[Melburnian1]

The overnight delayed QF1D ('D' is the suffix typically used by some airlines when a flight is significantly delayed, and it's useful on a route like this, otherwise there'd be two 'QF1s' concurrently operating) pushed back in SYD on Saturday 9 November at 0814 (A388 VH-OQE) with SIN arrival estimated as 1329 hours this afternoon local time, 924 minutes late. Although as noted above QF had been displaying a later departure time from SIN, it has changed this to suggest 1425 hours meaning LHR arrival at 2035 hours, 860 minutes behind schedule.

Spending less than an hour at an intermediate stop may not be impossible, but based on observation, it'd be unusual, so this may be a tad optimistic...

QF1D on Saturday 9 was in SIN from 1331 to 1456 hours - 85 minutes. LHR arrival is displaying as 2035, exactly as QFi earlier predicted (although perhaps that's because it hasn't been amended.)

At this stage, this aircraft is to form QF11 (the 1110 hours latish morning SYD to LAX) on Monday 11 November, so if there's any further delay at LHR or otherwise on the way back, 'the 11' may be late. If all goes well, QF2 should arrive in SYD before 0800 which gives a more than sufficient three hours to turn the aircraft around.

 

[Melburnian1]

It goes from bad to worse for QFi passengers.

Not only are QF7/8 cancelled today (Saturday 9 November) and Friday's QF1 15 hours late due to the incident (see above) involving A388 VH-OQB, but the mid evening Saturday QF25 (2135 hours B744-operated SYD redeye to HND) is to depart at 1435 hours mid afternoon on Sunday for HND arrival at 2205, 1025 minutes behind schedule.

Consequently, QF26, the Sunday 10 2200 hours HND back down to SYD should depart at 2355 for Monday 11 arrival at 1135 hours, an even two hours late.

Another B744, QF73 (the late afternoon Saturday 9 November SYD - SFO) did not push back until 2043 so same day arrival should be 1458 hours, 143 minutes tardy. This was because B744 VH-OEE arrived from SCL as QF28 in SYD at 1755 hours (only five late) and was purloined to operate to SFO.

Possibly, the aircraft from QF64 (which arrived early after yesterday conveying AFFer Mattg as QF63) failed this afternoon in Sydney.

 

[jb747]

I've never had any major airline cancel a flight on me at their home hub and tell me to come back another day (unless major weather issue) - happened to me with QF at least three times in the last 24 months! CX@HKG swap out aircraft all the time when sometime goes wrong.

I had a fairly extensive delay recently with Singair (in Singapore). Even they don't have A380s hanging around waiting to do something.

 

[Melburnian1]

I had a fairly extensive delay recently with Singair (in Singapore). Even they don't have A380s hanging around waiting to do something.

Your delay, though, seven hours (while annoying and the time must have dragged) IIRC didn't quite match a 15 or 24 hour QF one, or the 17 hour one to HND tonight (the latter partly due to restrictions as to when flights can arrive/depart that major Japanese airport, as Himeno always reminds us.) There are degrees of "extensive."

Unfortunately QFi has a less than impressive record when it comes to 'home base' availability of its largest aircraft should the rostered one fail. For A333s/A332s, it doesn't seem as bad as a solution there may be to cancel a domestic rotation or three to allow a return Asian flight to operate after an aircraft has become defective.

QF2 tonight (Saturday 9) is predicted to depart SIN half an hour late at 1945 with SYD Sunday 10 arrival at 0645, 35 late.

 

[dylarr]

QF1407 (QLK407) - SYD Sydney - BXG Bendigo

Minor issue discovered with aircraft (VH-SCE) in flight this evening. Was requested to divert back to SYD by QLK Ops as the issue had the potential to ground the aircraft at an outport (Bendigo).

Replacement aircraft (VH-SBG) departed SYD at 7:54pm arriving in BXG at 9:50pm.

The late arrival will likely cause a delay on QF1408 BXG - SYD tomorrow morning. Due to crew rest requirements.

 

[Melburnian1]

The badly delayed QF1 (Friday 8 ex SYD, but altered to depart on Saturday 9 morning) arrived LHR on the latter date at 2029 hours, 854 minutes behind schedule. Amended departure for QF2 remains showing as 2230 hours ex LHR.

The Saturday evening QF2 from SIN arrived SYD on Sunday 10 at 0659 hours, 49 late.

QF15, the Sunday 1110 hours BNE - LAX is predicted to depart an hour late. This is due to 'the 16' departing LAX at 0318 on Saturday 9, 238 minutes late and an unpleasant time to depart any public transport location. Arrival in BNE this morning should be at 1106 hours, 231 late. Turning a smaller aircraft of the size of a B789 around in 64 minutes may not be impossible but it's a bit better than on most observed occasions, so maybe the computer is a little optimistic. LAX arrival on Sunday for 'the 15' is said to be 0650, 50 late, which should just allow the 0820 hours LAX - JFK QF11 to punctually depart.

QF94 on Friday was 50 minutes late pushing back in LAX so MEL Sunday arrival is an estimated 1032, 42 minutes tardy. This may delay the 1210 hours QF35 (MEL - SIN) slightly but QF is suggesting an on time pushback. It is rare for an A388 turnaround to be achieved in under 100 minutes.

 

[Melburnian1]

..The late arrival will likely cause a delay on QF1408 BXG - SYD tomorrow morning. Due to crew rest requirements.

...that is a minimum of 10 hours IIRC.

QF1408 departed Bendigo at 0737 (57 late) with arrival in SYD suggested as 0915 hours, 45 minutes behind the schedule.

 

[jb747]

Your delay, though, seven hours (while annoying and the time must have dragged) IIRC didn't quite match a 15 or 24 hour QF one, or the 17 hour one to HND tonight (the latter partly due to restrictions as to when flights can arrive/depart that major Japanese airport, as Himeno always reminds us.) There are degrees of "extensive."

I'm sorry. I wasn't aware that it was a competition.

My point was that even Singapore Airlines don't have an A380 sitting around on 'alert 5', ready to jump in when another falls over. Nobody buys aircraft for that purpose. The more aircraft you have, of the same type, the easier it will be to fill in a gap.

Emirates probably do have spare aircraft, mostly sitting at Dubai World. But that is much more to do with unrestrained purchasing of unnecessary airframes than good planning. Quite the opposite.

 

[Mrmaxwell]

I'm sorry. I wasn't aware that it was a competition.

The airline industry is a competitive industry yes? OTP is a competitive edge.

Edit: As mentioned by jb747;

Qantas A380 grounded after door almost ripped off at Sydney Airport

The damage to the aircraft has forced the cancellation of a return flight between Sydney and Dallas, and is expected to take two weeks to fix.

www.smh.com.au

 

[Melburnian1]

The badly delayed QF1 (Friday 8 ex SYD, but altered to depart on Saturday 9 morning) arrived LHR on the latter date at 2029 hours, 854 minutes behind schedule. Amended departure for QF2 remains showing as 2230 hours ex LHR...

QF2 on Saturday night 9 November 2019 departed LHR at 2306 hours, 151 minutes late, so the aircraft's turnaround took 157 minutes.

The SIN intermediate stop on Sunday 10 is estimated as 1951 to 2100 (possibly slightly optimistic) with SYD Monday 11 arrival at 0800 hours, 110 late and in plenty of time, hopefully, to form a punctual QF11 at 1110 hours from SYD across to LAX.

 

[Melburnian1]

Oh dear.

More B744 troubles (with the small fleet remaining of six) as QF63 on Sunday 10, the 1135 hours SYD - JNB is delayed until 1735 hours this afternoon. Arrival is estimated as 2220 hours tonight JNB time, 345 minutes late.

Redeye QF64 from JNB is estimated to depart at 0015 on Monday 11 (325 late) with SYD arrival 2050 hours instead of the timetabled 1535 hours, so 315 late. This will mean missed connections (given the SYD 2300 hours curfew) to major cities such as ADL, BNE and MEL so a Monday night in an hotel at QF expense beckons for passengers ex JNB.

While there may be many good reasons including QF28 being due back in SYD later than QF64 and hence in more danger of missing the 2300 hours curfew, interesting how 'the 27' - the 1245 hours SYD - SCL is prioritised above QF63, as 'the 27' is showing as likely to punctually push back. The current B744 rosters only require five aircraft at maximum, so in theory there should be a spare. Was it a mistake for QF to recently retire the seventh one?

This is unlikely to be related to the A388 'door snap off' VH-OQB SYD hangar incident.

Also on Saturday 9 November, QF3 (1920 hours SYD north to HNL) departed at 2013 hours, arriving same day at 0849, 34 late.

 

[Melburnian1]

...QF15, the Sunday 1110 hours BNE - LAX is predicted to depart an hour late. This is due to 'the 16' departing LAX at 0318 on Saturday 9, 238 minutes late and an unpleasant time to depart any public transport location. Arrival in BNE this morning should be at 1106 hours, 231 late. Turning a smaller aircraft of the size of a B789 around in 64 minutes may not be impossible but it's a bit better than on most observed occasions, so maybe the computer is a little optimistic. LAX arrival on Sunday for 'the 15' is said to be 0650, 50 late, which should just allow the 0820 hours LAX - JFK QF11 to punctually depart....

QF now suggests (after QF16 arrived at 1109 hours) that QF15 will depart at a more realistic 1230 hours from BNE on Sunday 10, with same day LAX arrival at 0710 hours, 70 late. This may slightly delay the 0820 hours Sunday QF11 from LAX across to JFK.

 

[Melburnian1]

Flyerqf is the AFF equivalent of deceased Australian racecaller Bill Collins - 'the accurate one' - and, filling in the holes, believes B744 VH-OEH is defective.

Meanwhile, VH-OEI is operating today's BNE - Antarctica - BNE charter, having taken off from BNE at 0755 hours. It is expected to return to gate at about 1822 tonight in BNE.

The QF64 arrival, B744 VH-OEF (estimated as 1450 hours at gate in SYD, 45 early) is forming the delayed QF63 (see above). Thankfully QF73 (usually a 1755 hours SYD - SFO) was not planned to operate on Sunday 10.

Because the Antarctica charter's VH-OEI will not be back in SYD until Monday 11 November, tonight's QF25, the 2135 hours SYD - HND is again delayed overnight (as with yesterday's) to a suggested 1435 hours ex SYD (for the second day in a row) and 2205 hours arrival in HND. Tomorrow night's QF26 should depart HND at 2355 hours, 115 minutes late and arrive SYD on Tuesday morning at about 1135, roughly two hours late.

Of the other B744s, VH-OEE is on QF74 from SFO to SYD, VH-OEG has just departed on QF27 SYD - SCL and VH-OEJ is rostered for tonight's HND - SYD redeye QF26.

There is another Antarctica charter flight next Saturday using (as always) a B744. The 17 November one departs from and returns to SYD, easier for scheduling given it's the B744 base, while a third one on 24 November has ADL as its origin and destination, meaning ferrying of the B744.

Chaos with the QF A388s, and similar with the limited remaining B744 fleet.

Not a good look, and not the mark of a 'top 20' airline.