Qantas Delays/Cancellations

[L1925]

QF2663 Port Hedland to Perth - delayed

plane returned to terminal after a fault in flight deck. Pilot advised unable to reset hence reason for returning. Calling maintenance. Refuelling at the moment

very full plane

 

[Melburnian1]

On Friday 4 December 2020, QF454 and QF458, respectively the 1700 and 1730 hours from MEL north to SYD were cancelled.

This meant a two hour gap between QFd flights northbound on this normally busy route, identical to an old style Saturday afternoon in some years past.

At present as it reintroduces flights but has to allow for delays in flight (and cabin?) crews becoming again available (due to not being 'in currency' thanks to the virus) and lower demand, QFd is not scheduling the pre-COVID-19 'quarter past' and 'quarter to' departures northbound.

Southbound, QF445, the 1515 hours ex SYD to MEL appears to be the only cancellation. This is unbalanced.

QF455, the 1720 hours SYD - MEL is expected to arrive 40 minutes late at 1935.

Notably absent from QFd schedules on the MEL - SYD or vice versa route thus far are the late night departures (such as the 2100 hours MEL - SYD, or the 2220 hours SYD down to MEL. On a Friday in early December in previous years these would have been quite well patronised.

 

[Melburnian1]

QF424 and QF560, respectively the 1030 hours and 1800 hours MEL - SYD flights on Saturday 5 December 2020 were cancelled.

The 1100 hours from SYD to popular BNK, QF2066, did not depart until 1150 hours, late this morning (just prior to midday).

 

[Melburnian1]

Sunday 6 December 2020 sees QF450, the 1600 hours MEL to SYD cancelled. This means a two hour gap between QFd metal flights northbound on this most popular of Oz domestic routes.

In previous years on a Sunday, typically at this arvo time there would have been 'half hourly' QFd departures both ways. That there are not tomorrow may be due to the pilots out-of-currency problem discussed in the AFF 'Ask The Pilot' thread, although as many including esteemed aviator jb747 have commented, demand has clearly declined. The $64 million question is 'by how much'?

One route that despite having open borders is really suffering is MEL - CBR, where tomorrow I can only find three northbound QFd flights and one VAd. The first flight looks to be a Q400 turboprop but the later two QFd ones are B717s. This means the first QFd flight only has 74 seats while the B717s (if two-class?) have 12J/98Y = 110 seats, or 125 seats if all Y. So it's a maximum number of 324 seats tomorrow northbound for QFd from MEL to CBR. A very small number.

 

[Melburnian1]

Also on 6 December, QF880 (1010 hours morning flight from MEL up to OOL) took off at 1053, so arrival for B738 VH-XZE is suggested as 1143, 33 minutes late.

 

[Melburnian1]

Monday 7 December 2020 has QF420, the 0830 hours morning MEL up to SYD, cancelled, as is the late morning QF436 at 1100. QF444 and QF450, the 1530 and 1630 hours MEL - SYD are also not to run. I don't know if QFd is combining these flights with others due to insufficient demand, or whether insufficient crews are available given the 'lack of currency' of many flight crew.

The cancellations leave QFd with 17 northbound MEL - SYD 'own metal' flights today. While a huge improvement on two weeks ago when it had as low as one flight a day on this most popular of routes, on a typical Monday pre-COVID-19 QFd would have had around 34-38 flights from memory.

QF689 to ADL (ex MEL at 1405 hours) is another casualty, as is QF691 on the same route with its 1535 hours departure canned.

 

[Melburnian1]

Monday 7 December 2020 has QF583, the 1940 hours SYD across to PER not in the sky until 2020 with A333 VH-QPI. Expected arrival is 2157 hours, 32 minutes tardy. Earlier it operated QF642 (an 1130 hours PER - SYD) with that being its first flight since Thursday 3 December when as QF583,it arrived PER 117 minutes late at 2322 hours, not long before midnight.

QF741, the 1430 hours mid afternoon SYD - ADL (B738 VH-VYK) departed at 1605 but did not take off until 1631 hours, arriving at 1750, 110 minutes behind schedule. Earlier, this aircraft operated the morning QF679 from MEL across to ADL, arriving half an hour late at 1120 hours, and was then more delayed on QF738 from ADL to SYD, the 1125 hours that did not become airborne until 1317, arriving at 1525, 100 late.

 

[Melburnian1]

QF404, the 0630 hours from MEL to SYD and thus the second scheduled for Tuesday 8 December 2020 on that route has been cancelled. So is QF420, the 0830 hours ex MEL while to ADL, QF679 (scheduled at 1005 hours midmorning) is another that won't show up. QF689 at 1405 hours from MEL to ADL is also to be given the flick.

Later, QF430, the 1530 hours mid afternoon from MEL to SYD is cancelled. QF450, the 1630 hours is another one that's got the boot as is QF454 at 1730 hours.

So on the MEL to SYD northbound sector, of 21 QFd flights scheduled, at least five have been cancelled tomorrow. This is a cancellation rate of a little under 25 per cent, very high.

I don't know if this is because QFd still has insufficient 'qualified' crews available or whether being a Tuesday demand is not what the marketing folk hoped it would be. Apart from the alleged reduction in business travel due to 'the virus' and possibly hesitation from some potential leisure travellers who don't perceive it safe, another reason may be the limited time that the latter group has had to decide upon travel. One could not book in mid November for this journey as there had not been any announcement then as to when the NSW/Vic border would reopen.

While a true comparison would involve looking at every flight to see if it's still a B738 or if some are an A333 tomorrow as compared to the same day last year, 16 flights compared to what on a Tuesday would 'normally' have been around 35 northbounds is a very large reduction.

QF741, the 1430 hours SYD - ADL is also to be cancelled on 8 December.

 

[Melburnian1]

On Friday 11 December 2020, QF1554 (0755 hours morning MEL - CBR) was cancelled (Q400 turboprop, but QF866 (B738 VH-XZO) operated at an identical scheduled departure time.

QF1558 (1125 hours MEL - CBR) was similarly replaced by QF868. IIRC, this was the last sitting day of Federal Parliament for calendar 2020 so many MPs, staff and lobbyists would be returning to state capital cities.

QF1562 (1555 hours mid afternoon MEL - CBR) was another 'no show', but did not seem to be replaced by a B738 or other larger aircraft.

The peak period QF452 and QF460 (1700 and 1830 hours MEL - SYD) also did not operate.

 

[Melburnian1]

Saturday 12 December 2020 has seen QF1781 from ISA to BNE, the scheduled 1245 hours arrival, cancelled.

Earlier, B717 VH-NXI on the 0700 hours morning BNE up to ISA, QF1780, did not take off until 0932 hours, arriving at 1145, 130 minutes tardy. It appears NXI is still in ISA.

QF575 (A333 VH-QPI, very welcome on the transcon route) was the aircraft for this 0835 hours that took off at 0948, arriving at 1054, 34 late.

The 1150 hours SYD down to WGA, QF2225 (turboprop Q300 VH-TQK) was in the sky at 1240 hours for arrival at 1341, 31 behind.

 

[Melburnian1]

QF414, the 0800 hours MEL - SYD was cancelled on Sunday 13 December 2020. So was QF444 at 1530 ex MEL.

QF421 and QF425, the 0930 and 1030 hours SYD - MEL was also cancelled. Later, QF439 at 1400 was another not to run, as was QF479 at 1800 hours.

The 1005 hours SYD up to BNE (QF516) did not operate.

The 1555 hours afternoon MEL - CBR, QF1562, was another no-show.

On Monday 14 December, QF1554 (0755 hours MEL - CBR) has also been cancelled. QF1558 at 1125 hours has also got the boot but larger capacity QF864 at 1130 hours is operating.

 

[Melburnian1]

On Sunday 13 December, B738 VH-VYF was initially on QF604 (morning 0720 hours MEL up to BNE) that was not airborne until 0804, arriving 31 late at 0854 hours. Three sectors later, it operated QF754, the 1440 hours BNE up to TSV in the sky at 1528, and so arrived at 1707, 37 late. On the latter flight, it must have substituted for a defective class member as its inbound was scheduled to arrive at 1420 hours, an impossible 20 minute turnaround. On that flight (QF618 from MEL to BNE) it arrived at its gate 17 late at 1437.

From non-exhaustive observation, QFd at present is usually scheduling turnarounds (where demand necessitates) of 40 or 45 minutes for the shorter duration flights (i.e. not east coast to/from PER).

A media report indicated QFd has increased the number of its B738s available for revenue passengers to 53 out of the 75-strong fleet. milehighclub will have an updated, more accurate figure if she happens to tune in.

 

[Melburnian1]

On Monday 14 December 2020, QF1543, the 0600 hours BNE down to CBR is having a badly delayed start to the morning with pushback predicted for 0720 AEST.

QF1777, the 1000 hours morning flight from BNE down to NTL has been cancelled.

 

[milehighclub]

A media report indicated QFd has increased the number of its B738s available for revenue passengers to 53 out of the 75-strong fleet

I count 58, but my list is probably too accurate, because it will also show an aircraft out of service for checks or general maintenance. And since I had the screen up, there are 9x333 and 1 x332 in service.

 

[Melburnian1]

I count 58, but my list is probably too accurate, because it will also show an aircraft out of service for checks or general maintenance. And since I had the screen up, there are 9x333 and 1 x332 in service.

Continues to be interesting that even the 'domestic' A332s largely remain out of revenue passenger service. On the flipside, a bonus if passengers can travel east-west on an A333, and an advantage over VA 2.0.

 

[Melburnian1]

Continuing with Monday 14 December, QF2180, meant to be a Q300 in VH-TQS, is the 0710 hours SYD up to MRZ. Expected departure has become 0910 hours.

UPDATE: TQS must have been defective as the plane became Q300 VH-TQX, airborne at 0923 hours.

 

[Melburnian1]

On Tuesday 15 December 2020, QF2164 (1445 hours mid arvo SYD up to rainy and possibly flooded PQQ) is predicted to depart 45 minutes late.

QF1587, the 1555 hours SYD - HBA should be 35 minutes tardy in departing.

The 1630 hours SYD down to ABX, QF2213, is similar with a half hour late departure expected.

QF435 (1730 hours SYD down to MEL) has got the boot.

QF2042 (1920 hours early evening from SYD across to DBO) should depart 45 late. Earlier, QF2046 (1500 hours SYD - DBO) departed about 55 minutes behind schedule so that probably explains this later predicted holdup.

Earlier, QF663 (0900 hours BNE across and down to ADL) was cancelled.

 

[Melburnian1]

Q400 VH-QOM on QF2104, the Wednesday 16 December 2020 scheduled 0700 hours from SYD up to CFS did not take off until 0909 hours. On the return, QF2105 arrived back in Sydney at 1139 hours, 99 minutes behind the timetable. Yesterday on QF2062 from SYD up to popular but rainy BNK, that 1255 hours lunchtime flight with this plane was airborne at 1313 but after almost recahing Ballina, it diverted back to Sydney (presumably due to poor weather). Some parts of southeast Queensland/ Murwillumbah NSW area have received in excess of 700mm in the last few days, something that southerners may perceive as more reminiscent of Manila than Mt Warning.

QF504 (B738 VH-VXQ, the 0705 hours from SYD up to similarly rainy recently BNE) was in the sky at 0800, arriving at 0821, 51 minutes late. On its return as QF513, the 0820 hours, it was airborne at 0906 for a Sydney arrival at gate at 1117 hours, 32 minutes behind the timetable.

VH-VZI is today's B738 for QF575, another morning offering at a scheduled 0835 hours from SYD across to PER, taking off at 1007 hours for projected arrival at about 1140, 80 minutes tardy. The aircraft had been in Sydney since arriving yesterday mid afternoon at 1516 hours on QF576 from Perth, so no obvious reason for this morning's tardiness.

 

[Melburnian1]

Thursday 17 December 2020 sees QF436, the 1100 late morning MEL - SYD and QF434 at 1300 hours on the same route cancelled. This means in each case a two hour 'own metal' gap between QFd northbound flights, reminiscent of a Saturday late afternoon.

Much later, QF697 (1835 hours MEL - ADL) has also got the boot.

 

[Melburnian1]

In more on 17 December, QF642 (A333 VH-QPE, the 1130 hours PER across to SYD) was in the sky at 1226 hours so predicted arrival is 1900, half an hour behind its timetable. It was 77 minutes late last night on QF583 from SYD, arriving at 2247 hours, so perhaps crew travel plus rest times meant a delay this morning?

QF454 (unusually timed as a 1740 hours departure, not 'xx30' or 'XX00') from MEL to SYD should depart at 1815.

Earlier., QF1160, the 1100 hours from SYD up to BNK (B738 VH-VZE) took off at 1253, arriving exactly an hour later, making it 98 minutes tardy. The aircraft must have substituted for a failed class member as it arrived in SYD on the ex-BNE QF513 at 1048, three minutes late. Subsequently, QF1161 arrived back in SYD (ex BNK) at 1548, 88 late, but the next flight, QF449 (1630 hours SYD down to MEL) was only seven late arriving at 1802 hours. However QF783, the 1850 hours evening MEL - PER did not go up up and away until 1942 so expected arrival in the West is 55 late at 2040 mid evening.