Qantas Delays/Cancellations

[Melburnian1]

Current storm around Sydney is creating a Friday evening chaos.
Plenty of delays and diversions, like QF580 PER-SYD (A333 VH-QPC) which diverted to MEL.

Great info. The aircraft arrived in SYD at 2123 hours, 173 minutes late, so at least no one had to spend the night in Melbourne.

 

[Melburnian1]

QF434 (1030 hours midmorning MEL - SYD) was cancelled on Saturday 13 March.

 

[Melburnian1]

Sunday 14 March 2021 has seen early morning flights QF414 to SYD (the 0730 hours) and QF1554 to CBR at 0755 getting the flick.

QF773 (A332 VH-EBC), the 0935 hours transcontinental MEL - PER, took off at 1043 with suggested arrival becoming 1110 hours, half an hour behind. Last time I checked a few weeks ago the A332s appeared to be all inoperable, but EBC has been in limited use since Thursday 11 March, operating QF6116 (probably an empty - 'ferry' - working) on that day and then QF619 from BNE to MEL yesterday, the 1130 hours that arrived three minutes late at 1443.

For many months it has been usual practice for the 0700 hours SYD - MEL to form the 0935 hours MEL - PER and then fly back to SYD via MEL that day using an A333, a number of which have also been used for freight flights to locations like PVG in mainland China. Mostly or always, there has only been one widebody operating SYD - MEL - SYD for months with it having been on these flights. While B738s have been hugely favoured by QFd on SYD - MEL for some time, pre-COVID-19 there may have been slightly more A332s than just one each way each day. I never thought to 'save' a typical week's timetable prior to the virus.

QF773 looks to be an A333 from Monday 15 to Thursday 18 inclusive of this week, then a B738 on Friday and Saturday, and for variety an A332 on next Sunday (21 March).

 

[Melburnian1]

QF890 (B738 VH-VXE, the 1240 hours lunchtime PER - ADL up up and away at 1313) should arrive at 1835 hours, 40 minutes behind the timetable. The aircraft had arrived in PER 10 early at 1145 hours as QF885 from ADL, so perhaps more 'border processing delays' as reported by another AFFer who's recently been at PER.

 

[Melburnian1]

On Friday 19 March, QF984 (0620 hours BNE - MKY) was not airborne until 0734, so arrival for B738 VH-VZE should be at 0854, 64 minutes late.

Q200 VH-TQS on QF2258, the 0800 hours SYD up to LDH took off at 0915 hours so predicted arrival has become 1058 hours, 58 minutes tardy.

 

[Melburnian1]

QF436 (1100 Melbourne - Sydney) on Saturday 20 March 2021 has been cancelled.

Earlier, QF2160 at an early start of 0740 hours from SYD to PQQ also got the boot while QF2162 at 1245 has also been cancelled on the same route. With the huge deluges Port Macquarie and Kempsey have received, it'd be no great surprise if PQQ airfield was closed.

QF2260 at 0900 hours from SYD to offshore LDH also received the boot.

The SYD - MEL QF445 (1300 hours) is also not running.

 

[Silvia]

To continue today QF2204 ABX-SYD (Q300 VH-TQH) has a revised arrival at 16 03, 53 tardy

 

[Melburnian1]

Sunday 21 March 2021 has seen QF434, the 1030 hours MEL - SYD cancelled.

QF179 at the same time, but from SYD to offshore NLK also got the boot. This government-subsidised flight was the only QFi departure scheduled for today ex SYD. As usual, foreign airlines are carrying the majority of international passengers (and freight).

B738 VH-VXL on QF508, the 0800 hours morning SYD to BNE did not take off until 0924, arriving at 0936 hours, 66 minutes tardy.

QF2164/QF2166 (1245 and 1815 hours SYD - PQQ) was again cancelled, unsurprising given what NSW Premier Ms Berejiklian calls a '1 in 100 year' flood for the NSW mid north coast. As luck would have it, the BOM has a weather station at Taree Airport: on Saturday 20, the location had 129.4mm of rain (more than five inches on the old scale) while today to 1400 hours it's had 69.8mm, or a high 14mm per hour on average.

Q300 VH-TQH forming QF2203, the 1130 hours late morning SYD down to ABX was airborne at 1200 so arrival was at 1323, 38 minutes late.

 

[coriander]

QF1536 HBA-MEL Sched dep 1905, now 2005.
The ONE charging station in QF club doesn't work (tips torn off USB-C, other cables non-functional). No power points with USB sockets (in 2021?). Advised staff at desk - "sorry, I don't work here enough to check those things" then have told me to go out into main terminal - all power power points are dual power and central (slow) USB port. First World problems, I know, but I would have thought QF Club would at least match main terminal facilities. Sigh

 

[Melburnian1]

QF1536 HBA-MEL Sched dep 1905, now 2005.
The ONE charging station in QF club doesn't work (tips torn off USB-C, other cables non-functional). No power points with USB sockets (in 2021?). Advised staff at desk - "sorry, I don't work here enough to check those things" then have told me to go out into main terminal - all power power points are dual power and central (slow) USB port. First World problems, I know, but I would have thought QF Club would at least match main terminal facilities. Sigh

You're paying, plus QFd mostly charges higher fares than any competitor(s) so a reasonable expectation in 2021.

She or he may not work there 'enough' but couldn't they jot down the problem and/or send an email to a supervisor to arrange a fix?

QF1536 (B717 VH-YQS), the 1925 hours HBA - MEL was airborne at 2043 with arrival suggested as 2151, 71 minutes behind schedule. This was because QF1535 (the 1735 hours MEL - HBA) arrived in the island capital at 2000 hours, 75 minutes tardy. This aircraft was not used on Saturday 20 while today its only flights were these two. Low utilisation, again showing how domestic demand has dropped.

QF1795 from ROK down to BNE (B717 VH-YQU), the 1705 hours, took off at 1749, arriving 50 late at 1900 hours sharp. This aircraft had been delayed arriving on its only other three sectors today by more than half an hour, starting with QF1777/QF1778 BNE-NTL-BNE, then QF1794 BNE - ROK. No doubt the weather around NTL (and along the way from BNE) was poor to put it mildly with all the rain belting down.

 

[Melburnian1]

Continuing with Sunday 21 March, QF1598, the 1910 hours evening MEL - NTL was cancelled. Given the amount of rain in 'the Hunter', the RAAF airfield may well be flooded or otherwise unusable. (JQ478 an hour earlier also got the gong).

QF1537 (2120 hours MEL - HBA) was predicted to depart 50 minutes late, probably as a result of delays to VH-YQS noted in the previous post.

 

[Melburnian1]

Monday 22 March has QF1501, the 0735 hours from SYD down the short hop to CBR cancelled.

With the ongoing massive - though not unprecedented - rain affecting the NSW mid north coast (and down to SYD, and up through Byron Bay - QF2160 (0740 hours SYD - PQQ) and QF2162 at 1245 are also not operating. Nor is QF2166 on the same route at 1815 early this evening.

Newcastle's Williamtown (RAAF) airport looks to still be closed as QF1596/QF1598 (0705 and 1910 hours respectively ex MEL) are also cancellations.

The 0830 hours MEL - SYD, QF422, is another that isn't operating today.

 

[AndrewL]

QF1795 from ROK down to BNE (B717 VH-YQU), the 1705 hours, took off at 1749, arriving 50 late at 1900 hours sharp. This aircraft had been delayed arriving on its only other three sectors today by more than half an hour, starting with QF1777/QF1778 BNE-NTL-BNE, then QF1794 BNE - ROK. No doubt the weather around NTL (and along the way from BNE) was poor to put it mildly with all the rain belting down.

I was on QF1777 yesterday. NTL was temporarily closed due to flooding on the runway so we had to hold for around 30-40 minutes. They said they'd give it a go and if they couldn't land we were heading back to BNE. Thankfully managed to get in.

I was booked on QF2420 NTL-BNE this morning but that was cancelled last night as NTL is closed, likely until Wednesday afternoon is the current advice. They rebooked us on a Wednesday afternoon flight but thankfully I was able to get rebooked from SYD this morning and did the dash last night.

 

[Melburnian1]

In more on 22 March, the 1145 hours MEL - CBR (QF1558 operated by B717 VH-YQS) took off at 1226 with suggested arrival becoming 1317 hours, 32 minutes behind schedule.

 

[Melburnian1]

On Tuesday 23 March, what may have been a 'ferry' flight or familiarisation working, QF6716 from MEL to MGB was cancelled.

QFd should be commencing flights on ths route (five times a week) from 28 March as it is from ADL.

It raises the question: if a flight on this route with a less than daily frequency is cancelled, would QFd put passengers on arch competitor ZL (which doesn't always have later that day flights), or would QFd ask passengers to travel on the next 'own metal' flight (which may not be the next day? Would it fly passengers from MEL to ADL if there was a next day QFd Qantaslink plane to MGB?

There is a late afternoon/early evening V/Line train to Warrnambool then road coach to Mt Gambier on Sundays and Fridays (plus a daily road coach from Ballarat to MtG earlier).

Would QFd hire a road coach?

It shows the potential perils of operating a sparse frequency.

With the continuing closure of NTL airport due to flooding, QF1596/QF1598 at 0705 and 1910 hours ex MEL got the boot.

 

[milehighclub]

would QFd put passengers on arch competitor ZL

I have seen QF put passengers on many other airlines over the years. Anything is possible. But unlikely, given the distance because....

Would QFd hire a road coach?

Yes, I have also seen this happen.

 

[Melburnian1]

I have seen QF put passengers on many other airlines over the years. Anything is possible. But unlikely, given the distance because....


Yes, I have also seen this happen.

And also one suspects relations between QFd and ZL are rather frosty. Appear to be worse than between QFd-VAd. As a former Transport Minister federally, John Sharp knows how to receive media attention, as does Alan Joyce. Neither hold back in criticising the other. The spat sometimes (to a bystander) can be rather amusing.

Yes, I know on occasion QFd has hired coaches between various airports in Tassie, as one example.

 

[Melburnian1]

...as NTL is closed, likely until Wednesday afternoon is the current advice.

AndrewL's advice remains on the ball as of Tuesday night, given that on Wednesday 24 March, QF1596, the 0705 hours MEL - NTL is cancelled but the 12 hours and five minutes later pushback of QF1598 is still a goer.

 

[Melburnian1]

Continuing with Wednesday 24 March 2021, QF426 and QF470 (respectively the 0900 and 1700 hours MEL - SYD, the start and end of once traditional 'working days') were cancelled.

QF1598 at 1910 ex MEL is operating to Newcastle NSW as the airport has reopened.

 

[Melburnian1]

B738 VH-VZY on the FRiday 26 March QF840 (0835 hours morning SYD up to DRW) took off at 0954 so arrival should be about an hour later than the scheduled 1130 hours.