Qantas Delays/Cancellations

[Melburnian1]

In one I missed yesterday, QF10 did not operate PER across to MEL. Today, it is expected to depart PER 45 late at 1445 hours, arriving MEL at 2115 hours, 50 late as the initial sector on Wednesday 25 pushed back in LHR at 1218 (23 late) with Thursday at gate PER arrival suggested for 1335, 65 behind.

International departure boards in Oz are really thinning out with QF15/93/11 from (respectively) BNE MEL and SYD to LAX not operating today, and while I've not looked the constantly changing timetables up, the LAX routes may (for the time being) have seen the last of their QFI eastbounds.

 

[milehighclub]

QF11 is operating tomorrow and is the last scheduled flight to the US.

I suspect a few repatriation flights in the future. There was one to HNL for the Norwegian Cruise Line passengers (and some are at the Swissotel which has been made a quarantine hotel).

 

[Melburnian1]

...I suspect a few repatriation flights in the future. There was one to HNL for the Norwegian Cruise Line passengers (and some are at the Swissotel which has been made a quarantine hotel).

If these repatriation flights are irregular, it again raises the question of 'how do cabin and flight crews either initially position in foreign cities - unless the aircraft stays there long enough for the staff to properly rest - or return from these locations?'

 

[milehighclub]

If these repatriation flights are irregular, it again raises the question of 'how do cabin and flight crews either initially position in foreign cities - unless the aircraft stays there long enough for the staff to properly rest - or return from these locations?'

On this occasion, HNL is a regular port, so a little bit easier to arrange in regards to crew. But outside this, then yes, the aircraft will probably have to wait until minimum rest periods are met moving forward.

 

[jb747]

If these repatriation flights are irregular, it again raises the question of 'how do cabin and flight crews either initially position in foreign cities - unless the aircraft stays there long enough for the staff to properly rest - or return from these locations?'

It's not an RPT operation, so it's possible that different FTLs may apply. Beyond that, I expect CASA would be more amenable with extensions and variations than they usually are.

 

[ayebee]

Not a delay or cancellation per se, but I notice yesterday 26 March there were 2x B789 flights PER-LHR, the usual QF9 plus a QF5.

 

[Melburnian1]

Not a delay or cancellation per se, but I notice yesterday 26 March there were 2x B789 flights PER-LHR, the usual QF9 plus a QF5.

QF5 used to be a specific flight number, but not for quite a few years IIRC.

 

[ayebee]

QF5 used to be a specific flight number, but not for quite a few years IIRC.

Flew QF5 to Frankfurt a number of times, maybe late 80's and early 90's.

 

[levelnine]

And tomorrow (27 March), both QF10 and QF6 are operating LHR-PER.

 

[Melburnian1]

Wednesday 25 March 2020's differently routed QF2, the 2035 hours mid evening scheduled ex LHR, departed at 2207 with Thursday 26 DRW arrival suggested as 2336, 19 minutes early, a huge gain on the timetabled gate-to-gate times. However departure for SYD is expected at 0215, an hour late with likely arrival tomorrow at 0805 hours, 115 late on the normal schedule. For comparison, this morning's LHR-DRW-YD QF2 arrived at 0842 hours.

 

[JessicaTam]

Flew QF5 to Frankfurt a number of times, maybe late 80's and early 90's.

Yep. QF5 used to be SYD-SIN-FRA. *sigh*

 

[Melburnian1]

Yep. QF5 used to be SYD-SIN-FRA. *sigh*

Which reminds us all how QF (not a huge number of years ago) had a far more extensive network in that part of the world with flights Oz-LHR via BKK, HKG or SIN (own metal) and at one stage intra-Asian flights, not to mention those SIN-India flights that have since disappeared. But I digress as this is the delays/cancellations current day thread, not historical.

 

[flydoc]

Wednesday 25 March 2020's differently routed QF2, the 2035 hours mid evening scheduled ex LHR, departed at 2207 with Thursday 26 DRW arrival suggested as 2336, 19 minutes early, a huge gain on the timetabled gate-to-gate times. However departure for SYD is expected at 0215, an hour late with likely arrival tomorrow at 0805 hours, 115 late on the normal schedule. For comparison, this morning's LHR-DRW-YD QF2 arrived at 0842 hours.

Re longer than timetabled on-ground times for QF2 in DRW this week: local media reports indicated one occasion (not currently sure which) was due to a mechanical issue which also required pax disembarkation (unverified), at which time 1 pax became unwell, was taken to hospital and has subsequently tested positive to COVID-19.

 

[flydoc]

Not strictly delay or cancellation, but some unusual B712 movements though ASP currently, with 3 departures to PER in little more than an hour this morning.

VH-NXH has operated QF1934/1935, the scheduled PER-ASP-PER today.
VH-NXL operated BNE-ASP yesterday as QF1798 (normally a weekend-only service which has also operated as scheduled today) and has today operated as QF1937 to PER.
A 3rd 717 service, QF6201, has operated an extraordinary BNE-ASP-PER both yesterday and today. Possibly FIFO-related?

 

[Melburnian1]

On Sunday 29 March 2020 as coronavirus really 'takes hold' in minimising airline schedules, the only flights northbound from MEL to SYD to operate are the 0900 hours, 1200 'high noon', 1600, 1800 and the last at 2000 hours.

Prior to this virus, from memory on a Sunday QF would normally operate (exception: Sundays in middle of public holidays such as Easter Sunday) roughly 30-35 flights from MEL up to SYD (v. c.46 on weekdays) so the reduction to five means about 15 per cent of the normal schedule. I've not checked to see if all are B738s or whether a couple are higher capacity A332s. If all are the former, that's an even greater decrease in seating capacity as a minority of flights were on most days operated by the larger A332s, sometimes (as with VA) running SYD - MEL - PER or v.v.

The QF website still suggests there will be 88 return trips a week MEL - SYD - MEL but that has almost certainly been superceded by the further fall in demand given the Government's (and National Cabinet's) strong messaging that we should (unless absolutely necessary) stay home, and some states such as Queensland, Western Australia, Tasmania and South Australia closing their borders or requiring arriving travellers to 'self isolate' for 14 days.

UPDATE: There are also only five QF flights timetabled northbound MEL to SYD on Monday 30 March. I've not checked Tuesday to Saturday but it could be as low as 35 trips each way per week on this normally #1 route instead of ('normal times') 250 flights each way each week.

A huge drop that none of us would have expected as we celebrated at Christmas or saw in the New Year.

 

[milehighclub]

Sadly, most of the last scheduled international flights arrived this morning (QF2,QF10,QF12) The very last flight QF28 safely on its way back now (and of course it is nearly 25 hours late!)

From what I can see all 787/380 are now out of service. The 747 will join them once the QF28 lands. There are 5 330 still in service, but one heading to AVV after it's last flight.

There are still a large number of 737 with about 26 out of service out of 75.

 

[Melburnian1]

Sadly, most of the last scheduled international flights arrived this morning (QF2,QF10,QF12) The very last flight QF28 safely on its way back now (and of course it is nearly 25 hours late!)

From what I can see all 787/380 are now out of service. The 747 will join them once the QF28 lands. There are 5 330 still in service, but one heading to AVV after it's last flight.

There are still a large number of 737 with about 26 out of service out of 75.

Thank you milehighclub. Engineers' union secretary Mr Purvinas issued a media release yesterday complaining about an engineer not being allowed to check QF28's B744 when it departed, all 'for A$1000.' I didn't understand his point, since someone (the captain?) must have believed the aircraft was fine to push back.

*its not it's

So that means roughly 50 B738s still flying, far more than I thought.

It's ironic that a B744 is operating the "last for some time" QFi flight as they'd be #1 on Mr Joyce's list to dispose of. Photos will no doubt be visible in a few hours of its landing in SYD despite the impossibility of greeting any arriving passengers due to them being escorted onto buses to hotels for 14 days' quarantine.

If any of us knew when the situation will return to normality, we'd tell you. I can safely suggest there'll be nil responses to that question.

 

[jb747]

Thank you milehighclub. Engineers' union secretary Mr Purvinas issued a media release yesterday complaining about an engineer not being allowed to check QF28's B744 when it departed, all 'for A$1000.' I didn't understand his point, since someone (the captain?) must have believed the aircraft was fine to push back.

The aircraft would have been signed off.

 

[Flyerqf]

The aircraft would have been signed off.

The engineer was reinstated.

 

[Melburnian1]

On Tuesday 31 March 2020, due to six QFd baggage handlers at ADL testing positive for coronavirus (and as a result initially c.100 staff were reported as having to 'self isolate' for 14 days, but a more recent report says that health authorities are merely investigating), QF741 (B738 VH-VXB, the 1535 hours from SYD airborne at 1534 - perhaps testimony to how few other flights are operating - had to divert back to SYD. It got as far west as just south of Werrimull (Vic, not far from MQL.)

There may be 100 reasons why aircraft divert. This is the 101st. Media suggest passengers will be conveyed on another flight tomorrow, and that's not an April Fool's Day joke.

For Wednesdays Google shows two SYD to ADL nonstop westbounds, one from JQ and one TT (?) although I though TT flights had been suspended immediately in recent days, although one other source made reference to the TT pilots shortly being made redundant.