Qantas Delays/Cancellations

[Melburnian1]

B744 VH-OEG on QF 63, the Tuesday 31 December SYD to JNB departed only nine minutes late at 1144 hours but has been delayed in taking off so arrival, local time, is predicted at 1733, 58 late, meaning at least a minor delay to the pushback of tonight's QF64 redeye back to SYD.

 

[TomCC]

B744 VH-OEG on QF 63, the Tuesday 31 December SYD to JNB departed only nine minutes late at 1144 hours but has been delayed in taking off so arrival, local time, is predicted at 1733, 58 late, meaning at least a minor delay to the pushback of tonight's QF64 redeye back to SYD.

Departed the gate - twice - some issue with a valve and now back in the lounge awaiting further information

 

[Melburnian1]

Departed the gate - twice - some issue with a valve and now back in the lounge awaiting further information

Great reporting! Though 'grating' for passengers.

QF63 is now displaying as a 1530 hours departure, 235 minutes late with arrival at 2020 hours, 225 behind.

Given normal flight crew duty hours maximum is 18, including ground tasks at origin and terminus, and this aircraft has a 14 hour gate-to-gate schedule, it would not surprise if a new flight crew had to be found, which may add to the delay. An AFF aviator has though mentioned that by agreement duty hours can be extended to 20, and there is already CASA approval for PER to LHR 18 hrs 50 mins if I recall.

QF64 passengers are in for a long wait tonight. QF website normal practice seems not to update with a revised projected departure time until the flight forming it has reached cruising altitude, but expect pushback at later than 2245 hours if 'the 63' manages to operate.

As there is an Antarctic flight ex MEL today IIRC, the B744 fleet of six has more use than on a typical Tuesday.

UPDATE: A further changed estimated departure ex SYD of 1545 hours is displaying, but that time has passed.

FURTHER UPDATE: QF63 departed at 1601, 266 minutes behind its timetable with suggested JNB arrival becoming 2050 tonight, 255 late.

 

[Melburnian1]

Also on 31 December, QF43, the late afternoon 1650 hours SYD up to DPS A332 is predicted to depart 145 minutes tardy at 1915 with consequent arrival 2230, 150 late. This means a similar delay to redeye QF44 vack down to SYD.

Both it and QF45 ex MEL to DPS have fairly good timekeeping histories, so a delay of this magnitude is unusual.

While too early to be definitive, QF64 is indicated as arriving SYD at 1935 hours on 1 January. It should form QF25, the 2135 hours SYD to HND redeye so any further delay to 'the 64' will result in a knock-on delay to 'the 25.' Given the reduction in the B744 fleet, it is more difficult for QFi to substitute a sister aircraft should one that has a limited timetabled turnaround be behind schedule. The good news is that often 'the 64' makes up some time on a gate to gate basis.

 

[Bwood9]

Great reporting! Though 'grating' for passengers.

QF63 is now displaying as a 1530 hours departure, 235 minutes late with arrival at 2020 hours, 225 behind.

Given normal flight crew duty hours maximum is 18, including ground tasks at origin and terminus, and this aircraft has a 14 hour gate-to-gate schedule, it would not surprise if a new flight crew had to be found, which may add to the delay. An AFF aviator has though mentioned that by agreement duty hours can be extended to 20, and there is already CASA approval for PER to LHR 18 hrs 50 mins if I recall.

QF64 passengers are in for a long wait tonight. QF website normal practice seems not to update with a revised projected departure time until the flight forming it has reached cruising altitude, but expect pushback at later than 2245 hours if 'the 63' manages to operate.

I am on QF64 on the 1st and noticed availability all got zeroed out an hour or so ago. Is the delay of todays QF63 likely to impact my flight due to crew rest in JNB?

 

[Melburnian1]

I am on QF64 on the 1st and noticed availability all got zeroed out an hour or so ago. Is the delay of todays QF63 likely to impact my flight due to crew rest in JNB?

Our aviators, neither of whom have recently flown in the coughpit on this route will be able to give you the definitive answer but it will depend as to whether they have one night's stay or two in JNB.

 

[jb747]

Departed the gate - twice - some issue with a valve and now back in the lounge awaiting further information

What sort of valve? Start valve?

There is a valve that has to open to allow air to get to the engine starter to turn it over for start. That's normally opened electronically, and there is a manual way of doing it (from the engine). But, if it won't open the engine won't start, and if it won't close the start has to be aborted, because the starter will overspeed and do nasty things.

......and there is already CASA approval for PER to LHR 18 hrs 50 mins if I recall.

Such approvals are for specific operations and are not transferable to others. They come with various scheduling conditions.

 

[Silvia]

Wednesday 1 January 2020 sees QF80 NRT-MEL (A333 VH-QPJ) with a revised arrival at 10 12, 197 min behind.

QF44 DPS-SYD (A332 VH-EBV) had a late arrival at 9 27, 187 min tardy. This later formed as QF143 SYD-AKL which is now expected at 15 48, 53 late.

QF26 HND-SYD (B744 VH-OEI) also arrived late at 10 44, 69 behind.

 

[TomCC]

Great reporting! Though 'grating' for passengers.

QF63 is now displaying as a 1530 hours departure, 235 minutes late with arrival at 2020 hours, 225 behind.

Given normal flight crew duty hours maximum is 18, including ground tasks at origin and terminus, and this aircraft has a 14 hour gate-to-gate schedule, it would not surprise if a new flight crew had to be found, which may add to the delay. An AFF aviator has though mentioned that by agreement duty hours can be extended to 20, and there is already CASA approval for PER to LHR 18 hrs 50 mins if I recall.

QF64 passengers are in for a long wait tonight. QF website normal practice seems not to update with a revised projected departure time until the flight forming it has reached cruising altitude, but expect pushback at later than 2245 hours if 'the 63' manages to operate.

As there is an Antarctic flight ex MEL today IIRC, the B744 fleet of six has more use than on a typical Tuesday.

UPDATE: A further changed estimated departure ex SYD of 1545 hours is displaying, but that time has passed.

FURTHER UPDATE: QF63 departed at 1601, 266 minutes behind its timetable with suggested JNB arrival becoming 2050 tonight, 255 late.

What sort of valve? Start valve?

There is a valve that has to open to allow air to get to the engine starter to turn it over for start. That's normally opened electronically, and there is a manual way of doing it (from the engine). But, if it won't open the engine won't start, and if it won't close the start has to be aborted, because the starter will overspeed and do nasty things.



Such approvals are for specific operations and are not transferable to others. They come with various scheduling conditions.

I'm no aeronautical engineer but did hear a crew member mention a regulator valve.
We left the gate on time, and were taxiing when they stopped and waited a few minutes. Eventually call came through for us to return to the gate for maintenance to rectify with everyone on board - which they believe had completed. However, after leaving the gate again issue was still there so call was made to get us all off the aircraft and investigate/rectify a deeper issue. Was pleasantly surprised that it only turned out being a couple of hours and we pushed off again for the third and final time five hours behind.

Crew were terrific on board despite the huge day for them, must give a lot credit there. From my experience all passengers took it in their stride too (however less representative as was in business, which no doubt alleviates much of the stress of such delays).

 

[Melburnian1]

Kicking off the 2020 New Year, QF79 departed MEL 154 minutes late at 1154 hours with NRT suggested arrival 1950, 130 behind. This flight does not have a great punctuality record.

Q11 left SYD 48 late at 1158 hours so LAX same day arrival should be 0640, 40 late.

Usually this would still be in good time to see the namesake QF11, the B789, timely at 0820 in departure to The Big Apple. However QF93 ex MEL is worse, having pushed back 113 behind at 1233 with LAX at gate arrival estimated as 0748 hours, 98 minutes tardy.

 

[Melburnian1]

Because A332 VH-EBV on QF43 ex SYD did not arrive at its DPS gate until 2252 hours on New Year's Eve, the 1 January 2020 QF143 from SYD to AKL arrived 53 late. However return working QF146 managed to arrive SYD at 1811, only 11 minutes tardy.

 

[Silvia]

Friday 3 January finds QF12 LAX-SYD (A388 VH-OQC) with arrival suggested at 9 43, 68 min behind.

 

[jb747]

I'm no aeronautical engineer but did hear a crew member mention a regulator valve.

Possibly a PRV or pressure reduction valve.

Air is constantly taken off the engines for various functions. The engines don’t produce a constant supply though. At idle there isn’t all that much, whilst at high power there’s a lot. So, depending upon the engine power setting, the air is taken from two different points in the engine, with one being a much higher pressure than the other. So, at low power settings (i.e. taxiing, or an idle descent) the air will come from the high pressure stage, and most of the rest of the time, it comes from the low pressure stage. You can sometimes feel/hear the stage change in the cabin at top of descent.

Taxiing around, you might get an occasional stage change, when for instance, power is applied to rapidly cross a runway, when it would go from high, to low, and back to high.

A warning is generated by the EICAS/ECAM if the system detects a fault. This could be a valve that’s not totally in either position, or one that has failed to move from one to the other. If an engine is stuck in low stage, you can work around it by simply not using idle in flight. It doesn‘t take much power above idle to generate sufficient air, especially as the only real need from an individual engine would be for the engine anti ice. On the other hand, if it’s stuck in high stage it could deliver air to the bleed system that’s way above its ability to handle. At that point there’s the risk (likely) of major damage to the ducting. Turning the bleed off should solve that problem in flight. A PRV failure on takeoff is the most likely time to run into real issues. The power changes pretty rapidly from very low to a lot. There isn’t a great deal of time, and attention is not on auxiliary systems. A PRV failure that annunciations prior to about 80-100 knots is cause for an abort. After that you’ll have to live with it, but you won’t be in a position to turn the bleed off until the aircraft is at a few hundred feet. Duct damage is likely in that case, and so is a return.

The most likely engineering action in this case, with the aircraft coming back to the blocks, is for the engineers to lock the bleed closed on the affected engine. No air, no potential issues. The other engines produce more than enough for all of the functions.

 

[Silvia]

Sunday 5 January finds QF1466 CBR-SYD (DH8D VH-QOC) with a delayed arrival at 11 55, 105 min late.
QF581 SYD-PER (A332 VH-EBF) was airborne at 13 17, now suggested to arrive at 14 41, 141 tardy.
QF796 MEL-ASP (B738 VH-VYL) has a revised arrival at 12 34, 104 min behind schedule.

 

[jase05]

Was just speaking to my father and he said QF has cancelled all flights to and from CBR for the remainder of the day due to smoke and hazardous weather.

 

[Melburnian1]

Was just speaking to my father and he said QF has cancelled all flights to and from CBR for the remainder of the day due to smoke and hazardous weather.

I just did a search. It seems the 0800 and 0810 hours SYD to CBR were cancelled, and probably others on other routes, but subsequent flghts have operated on Monday 6 January. But I am overseas so do not have complete information.

 

[Silvia]

Monday 6 January finds QF28 SCL-SYD (B744 VH-OEJ) with revised arrival at 22 31, 281 min tardy.

QF2213 SYD-ABX (DH8D VH-QOF) diverted back to SYD after 3 unsuccessful attempts to land.

 

[Melburnian1]

Monday 6 January finds QF28 SCL-SYD (B744 VH-OEJ) with revised arrival at 22 31, 281 min tardy.

QF2213 SYD-ABX (DH8D VH-QOF) diverted back to SYD after 3 unsuccessful attempts to land.

One assumes for latter smoke haze the culprit?

 

[Melburnian1]

Adding to Silvia's post above, on Sunday 5 January, B744 VH-OEJ on QF27 arrived in SCL about an hour late, but return working QF28, the 1335 hours, did not depart until 1846 meaning likely SYD Monday 6 arrival at 2258 hours, 308 minutes late, not beating curfew by much. Skates on, noting the further delay since Silvia contributed.

Was this lengthy delay a repair problem or a key crew member having to go off sick?

With the B744s no longer on QF73/74 (although they are operating the limited seasonal QF75/76 to/from YVR) on some days there isn't quite the constant pressure on utilisation that has been the case on occasion, especially during Christmas// January holidays, previously for these oldies.

 

[Melburnian1]

On Tuesday 7 January 2020, QF29, the morning MEL to HKG has been cancelled. It is very rare for this flight to be cancelled, though as highlighted elsewhere, QFi has reduced its overall seating capacity to and from HKG as the pro-democracy demonstrations continue.

The last figures I saw for Hong Kong said that Australian visitors to the SAR were down about 35 per cent comparing a month in 2019 with the same one in 2018, a huge drop and similar to declines from other Western nations.