Qantas Delays/Cancellations

[Melburnian1]

A predicted very wet day in Sydney, expecting 20 to 60mm of rain on Friday 18 December sees quite a few cancellations on the MEL to SYD route.

If that weather eventuates, it'll be unhelpful to on time running and may mean more cancellations. Last night in Melbourne I had a relatively brief thunderstorm of about two minutes and thought 'no more rain' but an hour or two later, another 'appeared out of nowhere' and meant further brief rain. If I'm not mistaken, Sydney on average experiences more intense storms than Melbourne although northern NSW, Brisbane and Qld beat the southern two.

Northbound QF420 and QF426 at 0830 and 0900 hours ex MEL are the first two. This means a gap in 'own metal' MEL - SYD QFd flights from 0800 to 1000 hours (there's no 0930 hours timetabled MEL - SYD it appears).

QF434's no show at 1300 hours from MEL to SYD means another two hour gap between 1200 'high noon' and 1400.

QF446, the 1600 hours northbound is another not operating. There's no scheduled 1630 hours so it's a 90 minute gap between 1600 and 1730.

QF401, first of the morning at 0600 from SYD down to MEL was cancelled. So is QF419 at 0900 hours, QF427 at 1100, QF471 at 1700 hours and QF473 at 1730. The latter means a 90 minute gap in QFd own metal flights southbound during the afternoon peak.

From BNE down to SYD, QF537 at 1420 hours mid afternoon is another cancellation.

At this time of year business travel would be down irrespective as to VCOVID-19, but even so, these are large waits between flights if one had been booked on a cancelled one. I am assuming that passengers are not placed on JQd.

Another cancellation is QF2260, the 1155 hours from SYD to LDH.

 

[Melburnian1]

Continuing with Friday 18 December 2020, QF2221, the 0645 hours SYD down to WGA is expected to depart at 0815 hours.

QF2205 from SYD to ABX< the 0700 hours, is displaying as amended to be an 0745 hours but it's now beyond that time.

UPDATE: The Albury-bound flight took off at 0749 hours with Q300 VH-SBB, expected arrival becoming 0909 hours, 39 minutes behind the timetable. This will delay the departure of QF2206, the 0855 hours back up to SYD.

Colleague VH-SBI is showing as the plane for QF2221 but as at 0840, it doesn't appear to have departed SYD for WGA, so badly late.

FURTHER UPDATE: QF2221 was airborne form SYD at 0853, with SBI suggested as arriving at 1002 hours, 117 minutes late.

 

[Melburnian1]

Sky News is reporting that a Queensland border closure with NSW is 'coming like a steam train'.

Past behaviour from the Qld Premier suggests it'll occur.

This will cause misery to thousands of air and surface travellers. I also feel sorry for airline staff who'll suddenly have less (or in some cases no) work.

A gross overreaction. Can one 'eliminate' a virus, and is the 'cure' from Qld worse than the 'disease'?

 

[Melburnian1]

Continuing with Friday 18 December 2020, QF783, the 1850 hours MEL - PER is another short notice cancellation.

Earlier, QF689 (1405 hours MEL - ADL) also got the boot.

 

[Melburnian1]

On Saturday 19 December as the Victorian Premier says Vic residents can't be assured of getting back home as the situation (in Sydney) is likely to worsen - his usual panic - QFd is cancelling a few flights from MEL to SYD. These are QF420 at 0830 hours, QF436 (1100), QF444 (1530) and QF454 at 1730.

Southbound from SYD down to MEL, QF417 at 0830 hours, QF421 at 0930 hours, QF431 at 1200 'high noon' and QF455 at 1500 hours have all been cancelled.

Given Victorians are fixated on 'getting back home', and the already much lower number of southbound flights compared to a year ago were apparently booked out, does this mean many will be stranded in Sydney, with the only options being to catch the XPT train (booked out itself most days and nights, and limited capacity) or drive?

QF581, the 1025 hours SYD across to PER has also received the boot.

QF2250, the 0900 hours from SYD to LDH Q400 turboprop is predicted to depart four hours late.

QF2262, another SYD - LDH (the 1320 hours with Q200 VH-TQS) took off at 1550 with suggested arrival at 1726 late this afternoon, 126 minute sbehind the timetable.

The 1600 hours afternoon flight from SYD to BNE, QF536 is also not to run.

 

[Melburnian1]

In more on 19 December 2020, QF841 (1215 hours DRW down to SYD airborne at 1337) has B738 VH-VYZ and should arrive at 1905 hours, an hour behind schedule.

QF781 (1705 hours MEL to PER) was in the sky at 1729. Arrival for B738 VH-VZQ looks to be 1834, 34 late.

 

[Melburnian1]

Sunday 20 December 2020 is to see QF442, the 1500 hours mid afternoon from MEL to SYD cancelled.

QF504 (0705 hours SYD - BNE) is another cancellation. So is QF581 to PER at 1025 hours ex SYD, while on SYD down to MEL, QF425 at 1030 hours has received the boot.

QF544 from SYD to BNE at 1805 hours on Sunday evening is also not operating.

The election-facing (in March 2021)) WA Premier closed the border to NSW residents (from midnight), announcing it not long ago on Saturday evening. This will mean fewer passengers on flights from the 'eastern states' but some trips may still have to run as one would think they'll be full or very busy in the eastbound direction. There are still four QFd flights from Sydney to Perth operating tomorrow (at this stage!)

 

[milehighclub]

PER has become a real problem for crewing. Any PER based crew that do a SYD flight, have to isolate for 14 days or until their next flight. But their next flight cannot be intra WA, it has to be another inter state, followed by a restart of the 14 days. So they are trying to re-crew inter state flying with East Coast based crew to avoid loosing their PER crew who need to do intra WA flying.

 

[Melburnian1]

In more on Sunday 20 December 2020, QF1431 (0925 hours morning flight from SYD for the short hop to CBR) departed at 0955, arriving at 1053, 33 late.

B738 VH-VXM is on QF931, the 0700 hours BNE - PER that took off at 0759. Expected arrival is 1112 hours, 62 late. The plane is to then operate QF938, the 1220 hours lunchtime back to BNE, so in theory should not be delayed despite the late inbound trip.

QF642, the 1130 hours PER - SYD has been cancelled.

QF612 (1120 hours MEL - BNE, B738 VH-XZE) was in the sky at 1155 with arrival likely at 1255, 35 minutes late.

 

[Melburnian1]

JQd posted some SYD down to MEL Monday 21 December 2020 cancellations at least 45 minutes ago but by 1915 hours on Sunday evening (20 Dec), QFd had joined the fray given the ban on Sydneysiders (and those from NSW Central Coast) in entering Victoria from midnight tonight. Vic residents have until tomorrow night to do this. <redacted>

QF401, the 0600 hours first of the morning from SYD down to MEL on Monday 21 is cancelled. So is QF405 at 0630 hours, QF409 at 0700, QF411 at 0730, QF417 at 0830, QF419 at 0900 hours, QF423 at 1000, QF425 at 1030 and QF427 at 1100 but oddly, no more cancellations in the afternoon or evening. One explanation might be that the software hasn't notified SYD airport of the situation after 1100 hours - I was taking the information from the Sydney Airport site.

QF1401 from SYD across to MQL is also not to run. This was an 1100 hours departure.

 

[Melburnian1]

Again in more for Monday 21 December, northbound from MEL to SYD, the following QFd flights have been axed:

QF404 at 0630 hours; QF408 at 0700; QF412 at 0730; QF418 at 0800; QF420 at 0830; QF416 at 0900; QF424 at 0930 and QF430 at 1200 'high noon'.

So in the morning - a Monday (!), this leaves the 0600, 1000 and 1100 departures (prior to 1300 hours) as the only QFd northbounds on what is usually Australia's busiest route by far.

As noted above, perhaps the QF software has not yet transferred any afternoon flight cancellations to (in this case) the Melbourne Airport site software, as it's odd with travel restrictions imposed for Sydneysiders and Victorians discouraged from travelling to Sydney, so many flights in the morning are cancelled versus none past noon.

QF2051, the 0715 hours early morning from MEL to DPO is also not operating tomorrow.

From BNE down to SYD, QF509 (0720 hours morning flight) will also not operate. Nor will QF529 at 1120 hours ex BNE.

 

[milehighclub]

The situation in NSW is causing havoc for all airlines. Crew are becoming ineligible to work left, right and centre.

 

[Melburnian1]

The situation in NSW is causing havoc for all airlines. Crew are becoming ineligible to work left, right and centre.

And I bet with all the flights being cancelled (or that will be, but just not yet publicly displayed) many have fewer work shifts, and some none at all.

mile, one really has to wonder how any company or small business can operate with this level of choppin' and changin'.

 

[Melburnian1]

A further addition to Monday 21 December 2020 cancellations is QF444, the 1530 hours from MEL to SYD.

QF452 and QF454, the 1700 and 1730 hours northbounds have also got the chop.

Southbound from SYD down to MEL, QF449, the 1630 hours from SYD to MEL, plus QF459 at 1830 have also been axed.

However there's still a bit of an imbalance with more morning flights in both directions cancelled today than afternoon ones. Victorians have until midnight to arrive in Melbourne from Greater Sydney and the adjacent Central Coast.

 

[Melburnian1]

With the Vic/NSW border slammed shut, on Tuesday 22 December 2020, the only QFd northbounds from MEL to SYD are QF422 at 1000 hours, QF454 at 1730 and lastly QF464 at 1930 hours. All others have been cancelled (although being close to Christmas with little business travel even if 'the virus' wasn't with us, the four departures per hour that are often scheduled on weekdays during the morning and arvo peaks were not a feature of the timetable).

During the coronavirus Victorian lockdown, IIRC without trawling back many pages, QF464 was the most regular runner by far, sometimes as the only flight offered by QFd on this normally most popular of routes.

Given that most of us are ineligible to travel MEL - SYD from this morning, it's surprising that there's still three northbounds tomorrow.

 

[Melburnian1]

Continuing with Tuesday 22 December 2020, QFd was to operate 75 flights ex SYD (including mainline B738s/A333s/B717s etc. and smaller routes' Q200/Q300/Q400 etc.) but with Victoria and Queensland shutting the borders to Sydneysiders and/or Central Coasters, only 36 flights are timetabled. As always, some more may be cancelled tomorrow, although one would hope '36' is only added to if weather is particularly irksome.

If correctly counted, 18 of these cancellations ex SYD are to MEL and eight to BNE. These routes are usually #1 and #2 for passenger numbers so it's a heavy financial blow to QFd, and also hits staff hard as the number of flight and cabin crew, plus terminal staff and baggage handlers' shifts required must drastically reduce.

I am in the camp that disagrees with esteemed jb747 who has basically said (paraphrasing) that QF won't survive. For me, it's too iconic a brand for the Feds to allow it to disappear. However, one has to question how any business can tolerate this on again, off again modus operandi. Airlines have high fixed costs.

QF must face the reality of fewer domestic aircraft in use and passenger willingness to travel being reduced because many consider that if the State borders can slam shut so quickly, this can occur again in the future even after a period of 'normality'.

While airlines like QF will offer travel credits, some will want refunds. This will be a drain on QF's finances that a month ago could not have been predicted by a stadium of accountants.

 

[Melburnian1]

In further on 22 December 2020, QF627, the 1530 hours BNE down to MEL was airborne at 1617. B738 VH-VYA should arrive at 1922 hours, 42 late.

Regarding aircraft, the skies are almost vacant between SYD and MEL, not what one would expect just before Christmas.

Earlier, QF2229, the 1515 hours (Q200 VH-TQS) mid afternoon SYD down to WGA was in the sky at 1636, arriving at 1744 hours, 69 late. Yesterday this flight arrived at 1752, so two bad runs in consecutive days.

VH-TQS is estimated to arrive back in SYD as QF2230 bang on 2000 hours, 100 minutes late.

A long way away, B738 VH-VYB is on QF890, the lunchtime 1240 hours PER across to ADL that did not take off until 1514 mid afternoon, so predicted arrival is 2021 hours, 146 minutes behind the timetable.

QF566 is the aftrenoon 1530 hours PER - SYD (VH-VZK) that was not airborne until 1631, so at this stage arrival should be at 2314, 44 minutes late and breaching curfew if it lands at around 2309. Given the Sydney Northern Beaches lockdown and prohibition on pariah Greater Sydney residents entering other states, one would assume that the Federal Minister's delegate will almost automatically approve the delayed post-curfew arrival should it not have gained further time enroute.

The 1730 hours westbound from MEL across to PER, QF709 (VH-XZF) was in the sky at 1709 so at gate arrival in the West's capital should be at 1859, 34 minutes late.

 

[Melburnian1]

QFd cancellations ex MEL on Wednesday 23 December 2020 are concentrated on the SYD route due to the Vic/NSW border closure, but QF2281, the 0730 hours down to LST also got the flick.

 

[Melburnian1]

In the seven and a half years since this thread commenced, there've been some unusual flights recorded, though after a while - not long - they're forgotten.

However, in what may be a repatriation flight for 'stranded Aussies', B789 VH-ZNK was on QF178 from MAA to HBA, the scheduled 2100 hours on Monday 21 December 2020 that took off promptly at 2112. However, next morning instead of going to HBA, it diverted to PER, where it was from 0825 hours on that day. Today (after a 24 hour rest by the looks of it), QF178 was airborne from PER at 1045 (the schedule called for a 1020 hours pushback) with SYD arrival (not HBA) at 1724 hours, only four minutes late on the amended timetable.

One assumes that given border closures, SYD was preferable to 'HBA International'.

 

[Melburnian1]

Although QF9 has historically been a MEL to SIN (IIRC) and more recently a MEL - PER - LHR flight, on Boxing Day (Saturday 26 Deecember 2020) it made a sudden reappearance after what has probably been a lengthy absence as a 1605 hours proposed SYD - PER - LHR. However the initial leg to PER was cancelled, perhaps because of the WA ban on NSW residents (border closure).

It is supposed to depart PER at 1905 hours tonight for a Sunday 27 December LHR arrival at the unseemly hour in winter of 0505 hours. I'm with AFF's 'Dr Ron' in endeavouring where possible to avoid these horrible early morning arrivals, much as it's an academic point given most of us cannot fly internationally at present.

QF9 will presumably form a 'repatriation flight' ex LHR as QF10.

QF111, an 0700 early morning departure from SYD to DEL was also axed this morning.