Qantas Delays/Cancellations

[Melburnian1]

Not great I am guessing, but something has got to give. They need to start meeting schedules. The way they are using the Dreamliner seems optimistic and hard to stay on-time.

It would be OK, in theory, if that one plane hasn't become unserviceable. But you may have a point.

Running badly late was a major problem with QFi's A388s when all were in service in recent pre-COVID-19 times due to what seemed relatively high utilisation. Long distance schedules may have that typical half an hour or so extra allowance built in (bearing in mind wind and other weather varies) but the aircraft were nonetheless regularly badly delayed.

Comparing QFi's punctuality to the Asian and Middle Eastern airlines that operate from/to Australia, most of the latter easily come up trumps. Airlines like SQ, JL, NH and QR may not be perfect but from observation it's pretty uncommon for them to run late. Even if we account for how QFi has more flights overall, these foreign carriers still win for timeliness. (QFi is not always the dominant carrier on a route, and its 'own metal' is absent from others such as the ME3 or BWN, HND/NRT, KUL, SFO and so on).

Although business travellers are worst affected when international flights are delayed by hours (or overnight), leisure patrons may have self-imposed deadlines. While my modus operandi is to have a night's foreign accommodation (at least) booked before (say) a train journey or cruise, some cruise passengers book a same day early morning flight arrival as an evening departure for the high seas trip. If a flight is delayed by hours, they can be in a panic to travel to the port.

There are passengers bound for funerals or weddings who can't take a lot of time off work, so their schedule is tight. A 24 hour delay might result in the event being missed.

 

[Melburnian1]

On 19 April 2022, QF151 (B738 VH-XZF, the 0915 hours MEL - AKL up up and away at 1013) should arrive at 1534 hours, 44 minutes tardy.

FR24 is confused with this flight as another line shows VH-TQE (a turboprop) also operating MEL - AKL, which must be a false entry. As Must...Fly! opined, FR24 isn't always 100 per cent correct.

A333 VH-QPI was in the sky on the 1230 hours SYD - MNL (QF19) at 1331, so predicted at gate arrival becomes 1931 hours, 41 minutes behind, meaning tonight's QF20 should be delayed in pushback somewhere between 20 and 45 minutes. Unusually this A333 has lately been only on domestic trips (perhaps for crew training?) as it arrived in SYD today on QF511 (0840 hours BNE - SYD) that was airborne at 0935, arriving teh domestic terminal at 1047, 32 minutes late. Its previous international trip was a return to MNL a week ago.

 

[Melburnian1]

On Easter Monday 18 April, QF634 (1920 hours early evening MEL - BNE, B738 VH-VYA) took off at 2113, arriving its BNE gate at 2310, 100 minutes late.

Tonight (19 April) FR24 suggests the same flight (VH-VZH) 'diverted to MEL', which isn't clear from what one can see of the flight map. However the aircraft took off (again?) at 2100 hours so BNE arrival may be at around 2300 late in then evening.

B717 VH-YQW is making a fairly unusual appearance on a MEL - SYD flight tonight, being QF1594 (the 1945 hours, up up and away at 2054). Arrival looks to be around the 2202 hours mark, 52 late.

QF487 (1900 hours SYD - MEL) did not take off until 2112. B738 VH-VXE will therefore be at least a likely 110 minutes late arriving in the southern capital.

The 1930 hours MEL - HBA (QF1559, B717 VH-NXR) took off at 2121 hours.

Just like old times!

 

[Melburnian1]

After arriving as QF10 at 1934 hours in MEL, just four minutes late, on Tuesday 19 April, B789 VH-ZNG turned around (though not quite as fast as had been optimistically projected) and departed as QF9 (1430 hours MEL - DRW - LHR) at 2133 hours, 423 minutes late.

It took off promptly at 2146 for the first sector with estimated DRW arrival 0107 hours on Wednesday 20 instead of 1810 tonight. If no delays, it's possible to be at LHR by 1120 hours local time tomorrow, which would be 375 minutes behind the schedule.

QF10 from London on Wednesday 20 is displaying as 'on time' which must mean that the B789 from 'the 1' will form 'the 10'. This is an advantage of the staggered departures from LHR that QFi has fairly recently adopted.

 

[Melburnian1]

The delayed QF9 (VH-ZNG) arrived DRW at 0112 hours on Wednesday 20 April but overstayed, not taking off until 0325 hours. Consequently, LHR arrival should be at 1153 hours, 408 minutes behind the timetable. Today's QF10 ex LHR continues to show an on time departure at 1155 as the plan, so it still must be the aircraft from 'the 1'.

B738 VH-VZU is on QF139, the recently resumed 0730 hours SYD - CHC that was airborne at 0832, with suggested arrival 1317 hours, 42 late.

A332 VH-EBM on the overnight DEL - MEL QF70 looks to be arriving this arvo at about 1325, 55 minutes tardy. This 1935 hours flight did not take off last night until mid evening at 2114.

 

[pippen_2k]

QF23 will be at least an hour late as there is only one or two people loading luggage

 

[Melburnian1]

QF23 will be at least an hour late as there is only one or two people loading luggage

Indeed: A333 VH-QPE was up up and away at 1104 hours for this 0950 hours scheduled pushback, so BKK arrival should be at about 1713 hours, 33 minutes late.

 

[Melburnian1]

In more on Wednesday 20 March, A333 VH-QPI arrived from MNL as QF20 in SYD at 0700 hours, half an hour late. It has returned to the Philippine capital as QF19, but again is unable to be punctual. Its 1230 hours lunchtime departure became takeoff at 1327 and expected at gate arrival as 1925, 35 late. Hopefully this will only marginally delay pushback for QF20, the 2035 hours redeye, but the wait for takeoff at this busy airport can be fairly lengthy.

Today may be the first day of the recommenced QF41 SYD - CGK but thankfully A332 VH-EBR looks to be under 10 minutes late in predicted at gate arrival this evening.

A332 VH-EBM arrived MEL at 1323 hours, 53 late as QF70 ex DEL last night.

QF9 from MEL up to DRW and on to distant LHR is again delayed, with its 1430 hours timetabled departure put back to 1700 hours. Presumably this is another flow-on from the inoperable B789, VH-ZNE that AFFer milehighclub suggested may be back in service later this week after a two week collision-related absence (not its crew's fault in the slightest).

 

[Melburnian1]

Continuing with 20 April 2022, the 1925 hours SYD - HNL (meant to be always an A333) has been delayed in departure until 2200 hours.

Sydney Airport gate numbers indicate this flight may be formed by QF146 from AKL (VH-QPH) that was only 12 minutes late, arriving at 1802 early this evening.

Yesterday's badly late QF9 from MEL to LHR should arrive the latter at 1212 hours, 427 minutes past the allotted.

QF9 from this afternoon (the 1430 hours ex MEL) took off at 1732, a little later than expected as departure had been delayed to a projected 1700. B789 VH-ZND should arrive DRW at 2057 hours instead of the timetabled 1810 hours, so 167 minutes behind.

QF1 (VH-ZNI), the 1545 hours SYD - DRW - LHR was in the sky at 1629 so a 40 minute tardy DRW at gate arrival (2020 hours local time) is suggested.

UPDATE: QF1 was at its DRW gate at 2014 hours.

 

[Melburnian1]

As predicted, QF103 tonight was A333 VH-QPH. It took off at 2153 so expected same day HNL arrival has become 1103 hours, 113 minutes behind schedule. The 1055 hours QF104 returning to SYD is likely to depart at somewhere around 1305 if all goes well, meaning SYD arrival at approximately 1900 hours early tomorrow evening.

 

[Melburnian1]

QF9 on Wednesday 20 April was in DRW from gate arrival at 2057 but again overstayed, taking off at 2319 hours for what should be a Thursday 21 LHR at gate arrival time of roughly 0726 hours, 141 minutes late.

QF24 from BKK arrived SYD on Thursday at 0701 hours, 31 minutes behind the schedule with A333 VH-QPE.

The delayed QF103 from Wednesday finally got to its HNL gate at 1120 hours, 130 minutes tardy, with the return QF104, the 1055 hours from HNL (A333 VH-QPH) yet to depart (though may soon).

VH-ZNK (B789) was only 27 minutes late arriving JNB at 1617 hours yesterday on 'the 63' from SYD, but with the return QF64 (scheduled pushback being 1750) it took off on time but winds must be against it as SYD arrival this afternoon is suggested as 1442 hours, 67 late according to FR24 or 1414 according to QFi, which would be 39 minutes behind schedule.

 

[milehighclub]

Looks like ZNE is all fixed up and operating the 9 today

 

[PineappleSkip]

QF2354 ROK-MKY etc due out 10.15, now 11.10 and should leave soon. Maybe. Delay announced as "network wide issue with ipads and flight planning meaning we have to use manual systems". QF2365 ROK-BNE due out 10.30 is still parked here.

Moments of angst for moi as 2354 disappeared from the departures board some time ago. I thought I had somehow failed to board. The announcements here are barely intelligible but mostly mentioned BNE.

update: pulled into MKY 12.15 with 2x 737s at the terminal. looks like they're QF985 which was due out 8.15 and QF987 was due out 12.00 and left 12.45. Most flights out of SYD this morning left 30-70 minutes late, so seems the problem is indeed network wide.

Here's two QF 737s at MKY, not something you see every day.

update: seems to have been sorted this afternoon.

 

[larrymull]

Looks like ZNE is all fixed up and operating the 9 today

Good to hear, obviously wasn't too much damage done and the fact that their was easter holidays pushed back its return to service.

 

[Melburnian1]

Good to hear, obviously wasn't too much damage done and the fact that their was easter holidays pushed back its return to service.

To have an aircraft out of service unexpectedly for 11 or 12 days is a fairly lengthy time, and very costly given numerous delays and cancellations that resulted, apart from the cost of the repairs. That said, the staff repairing such complex pieces of transport equipment are highly skilled, and 'near enough is not good enough'.

 

[Melburnian1]

A388 VH-OQD arrived in SYD on QF12 (ex LAX) at 0709 hours on Thursday 21 April 2022, 14 minutes late, but departure back to LAX as QF11 (the 1015 hours) was delayed, with takeoff at 1123 hours suggesting arrival at hgate at 0739 in LAX same day, 39 minutes behind the timetable.

QF104 from HNL (A333 VH-QPH) is not arriving SYD tonight until a predicted 1947 hours, 142 minutes tardy, as takeoff from HNL on Wednesday 20 April wasn't until 1336 hours, significantly later than its 1055 scheduled pushback.

The ex-JNB QF64 is showing as arriving at its gate this afternoon at 1412 hours, 37 minutes delayed. VH-ZNK is the B789.

 

[Melburnian1]

Looks like ZNE is all fixed up and operating the 9 today

Today's QF9 is badly delayed again, from 1430 hours on Thursday 21 August 2022 to '1650 hours', but it's 1702 as I write and the aircraft (B789 VH-ZNE) appears to have just commenced pushback as it's moving at two kilometres an hour.

A minute or so ago FR24 finally acknowledged this aircraft is operating 'the 9'.

UPDATE: It apparently departed at 1708 not 1702 and took off at 1732, with DRW arrival suggested as 2106 hours, 176 minutes tardy.

 

[Melburnian1]

The Thursday 21 April departing QF9 (with the returned to service B789 VH-ZNE) arrived DRW at 2101 hours, 171 late, and took off at 2307 with Friday 22 LHR arrival claimed to be 0720, 135 behind.

 

[Melburnian1]

QF143 (0930 hours nicely timed SYD - AKL, A333 VH-QPH) had three days of arriving less than half an hour late but on Friday 22 April, it's back to its old tricks, not taking off until 1046 hours for suggested arrival at about 1519 this afternoon in NZ's major metropolis, 44 minutes late. This aircraft had arrived in SYD last night at 1956 hours.

 

[Melburnian1]

A388 VH-OQD, the 2255 hours Thursday 21 April LAX to SYD QF12 is still on the tarmac as at 0224 Friday morning USA west coast time, so it's possible that QF11 (if formed by this aircraft) will be delayed ex Sydney on Saturday morning (it's the 1015 hours to LAX). The way 'the 12' is (not) going, it may not arrive SYD tomorrow morning until 0930 hours or after.

Google attributes the unpunctuality to 'runway delay'.

UPDATE: QF12 was airborne from LAX at 0226 hours on Friday. Suggested SYD arrival is 0937 hours on Saturday 23.

QF11 SYD - LAX on Saturday 23 is predicted to depart SYD 80 minutes late at 1135 hours.