Qantas Delays/Cancellations

[789nerd]

QF1D (the Tuesday 24 May overnight delayed QF1, B789 VH-ZNC) was in DRW from 2012 on Wednesday 25 to 2200 hours, so on Thursday 26, LHR arrival should be at 0710, 1475 minutes late.

The onwards leg was operated as QF201, not the QF1D used for the SYD-DRW sector.

The return FC Barcelona Charter QF303 (again using 789 VH-ZNI) was 67 minutes late leaving Sydney this morning, and had caught up just 2 minutes on arrival in Darwin. The onwards sector to Barcelona (BCN) is currently showing as a 50 minute delay. There is as yet no delay shown for the close out sector from BCN to LHR (as QF6003). As this places an extra 789 in London, the consequence is that today's QF9 is not operating i.e. not time-tabled.

 

[Melburnian1]

The return FC Barcelona Charter QF303 (again using 789 VH-ZNI) was 67 minutes late leaving Sydney this morning, and had caught up just 2 minutes on arrival in Darwin. The onwards sector to Barcelona (BCN) is currently showing as a 50 minute delay. There is as yet no delay shown for the close out sector from BCN to LHR (as QF6003). As this places an extra 789 in London, the consequence is that today's QF9 is not operating i.e. not time-tabled.

I 'get it' that charters/specials are typically not arranged at short notice, but given QFi has such difficulties operating regularly timetabled B789 flights (cancellations, especially to DFW and numerous examples of significant tardiness), it seems ill-advised and a snub to 'regular passengers' to have one aircraft employed on a long haul charter.

But QF isn't exactly renowned for 'service'. Who cares if DFW passengers have to reroute via a tedious transfer in LAX?"

 

[Melburnian1]

QF7 (B789 VH-ZNF) took off from SYD very late this afternoon at 1756 hours, 136 minutes after scheduled pushback, so arrival in DFW (same day) should be at about 1743, 103 minutes behind the timetable.

QF1 (VH-ZNK) arrived this morning in LHR at 0731 hours, 56 minutes tardy.

Today's QF1 (VH-ZNJ), the 1545 hours ex SYD took off at 1700 so DRW arrival is forecast as 2032, 52 late.

The overnight delayed QF2 (VH-ZNH) had been rescheduled to push back in LHR at 0800 this morning local time. It was airborne in line with this, at 0826 hours, so on Friday 27, DRW arrival should be at around 0922 hours, 652 minutes late.

 

[AIRwin]

QF12 operated by A380 VH-OQD diverted to BNE this morning

 

[CaptainCurtis]

QF12 operated by A380 VH-OQD diverted to BNE this morning

Perhaps due to the fog at SYD?

 

[Melburnian1]

Perhaps due to the fog at SYD?

A388 VH-OQD was airborne from BNE on Friday 27 May at 0828, arriving SYD at 0946 hours, 171 minutes late. QF11, the 1015 hours back to LAX was showing as delayed until 1130 but this time has passed.

B738 VH-XZI on QF1010 (0835 hours morning SYD - NAN) was up up and away at 0924 so expected arrival becomes 1519 hours, 44 late.

A B738 is also on the 0930 hours SYD - ZQN, QF121, that was expected to depart a few minutes ago at 1140 hours.

QF161 (0940 hours SYD - WLG) has B738 VH-XZK, and took off at 1123 so at gate arrival should be at around the 1612 hours mark, 82 minutes behind the timetable.

For the second time this week, QF7, the 1540 hours SYD - DFW has been cancelled. If QFi is having problems maintaining schedule4s with its 11-strong B789 fleet, it seems QF7 is the first to 'go' (I mean 'stop'). This adds many elapsed hours to the journey for those only going to DFW, and means say if one is instead placed on a domestic flight from LAX to JFK if that's the ultimate destination that one must negotiate border control at LAX. I've not found it a problem but numerous complaints are made about surly officers, slow queues and missing connections from LAX to domestic USA destinations.

 

[CaptainCurtis]

B738 VH-XZI on QF1010 (0835 hours morning SYD - NAN) was up up and away at 0924 so expected arrival becomes 1519 hours, 44 late.

I’m on this flight, still waiting to depart. The inbound from Auckland was diverted to Brisbane because of the fog this morning.

 

[Melburnian1]

Continuing with Friday 27 May, QF1, the 1545 hours mid afternoon SYD - DRW - LHR was formed by B789 VH-ZNH.

This aircraft was on the overnight delayed QF2 that took off from LHR at 0826 hours on Thursday morning and, after a stop at DRW today from 0912 to takeoff at 1120, arrived SYD at 1541 hours, 631 minutes tardy.

Given the tight turnaround, it was thus unable to become airborne on 'the 1' until 1745, so DRW at gate arrival should be approximately 2116 hours, 96 minutes behind schedule.

The 1625 hours SYD - DPS is displaying as delayed until 1750 in pushback (QF43) while the later QF163 from SYD to windy WLG is expected to push back at 1930 hours early evening, 50 late. QF139, the 1925 hours SYD - CHC should be half an hour late in performing that task.

 

[Melburnian1]

Still on Friday 27 May 2022, QF9 ex MEL arrived in PER at 1739 (24 minutes tardy) but B789 VH-ZNE on the 1850 hours second sector didn't take off until an hour later, so expected LHR arrival has become (on Saturday 28) 0607 hours, 62 late.

QF1, the 1545 hours ex SYD today arrived DRW at 2112 hours, 92 minutes behind the timetable.

 

[Melburnian1]

On Saturday 28 May 2022, QF63, the 0930 hours B789 from SYD across to JNB has been cancelled. IIRC, this wasn't showing as axed on websites yesterday. The next scheduled flights on this route are on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, so nothing tomorrow. There's no other nonstop operator on this sector, and alternatives such as flying Singapore Airlines via SIN are indirect.

Do passengers booked on this QF63 and tonight's ex-JNB cancelled QF64 have to wait two days to be on board, or would QFi route them on other airlines if seats were available?

On Saturday, QF24 (A333 VH-QPB) arrived from BKK in SYD at 0721, 51 minute slate as takeoff on Friday night from BKK was at 1927, while QF20 from MNL to SYD (QPH) that had become airborne at 2126 arrived at 0708, 38 late.

On Friday 27, the delayed QF1 took off from DRW at 2311 hours so on Saturday, LHR arrival should be at about 0726 hours, 51 minutes late for B789 VH-ZNH.

QF82 from SIN to SYD, the Friday night 2100 hours (A333 VH-QPJ) was airborne at 2148 but possibly due to fog in SYD, it diverted to ADL, taking off at 0713 and arriving SYD at 0920 hours, 150 minutes behind the normal 0650 hours.

VH-QPE on the Friday 27 May QF104 (1055 hours) from HNL down to SYD was airborne right on 1200 'high noon' so Saturday 28 arrival is estimated as 1819, 54 minutes tardy.

 

[Melburnian1]

After two days of punctual operation, the midmorning QF143 (0930 hours SYD - AKL) was on Saturday 28 May back to its normal late running self, with A333 VH-QPJ not airborne until 1138 hours. At gate arrival was 1611 hours, 96 minutes tardy. QF146 back to SYD is delayed.

 

[789nerd]

Do passengers booked on this QF63 and tonight's ex-JNB cancelled QF64 have to wait two days to be on board, or would QFi route them on other airlines if seats were available?

Tonight's QF64 is NOT cancelled - this is presumably to allow the return to service of 789 VH-ZND which has been grounded in JNB since late on 23 May. The absence of this aircraft is the root cause of all the recent delays and unfortunate but necessary cancellations - a full schedule for 11 planes can't be completed by the 10 available.

 

[Melburnian1]

QF69 from MEL to ADL and up to DEL has unimpressive timekeeping much of the time.

On Saturday 28 May, it took off at 0921 (66 minutes after scheduled pushback) with A332 VH-EBP, and was in ADL from 0956 until being up up and away at 1130 hours. Expected Indian arrival at gate is 1907, 67 behind, so the returning QF70 won't be timely.

 

[Melburnian1]

Sunday 29 May finds QF143 (0930 hours SYD - AKL) not airborne until 1107. Three days a week including Sundays, this flight looks to have been downgraded from the A333 to a tacky B738, but it still could not depart in a timely fashion. VH-XZD had arrived on QF140, the 0600 AKL - SYD in the sky at a delayed 0808, so arrival at gate was 0904, 84 late. AKL arrival should be 1546 hours mid afternoon, 71 behind.

QF151 has become an early morning 0710 hours MEL - AKL, today taking off at 0759 with VH-XZB (B738). AKL at gate arrival was 1332, 47 late. The aircraft had overnighted in MEL, arriving last night at 1848, 43 late as QF172 from windy WLG.

 

[Melburnian1]

Continuing with Sunday 29, QF41 (1345 hours SYD up to CGK) has been delayed until 2005 hours in expected pushback, so an uncomfortable post-0200 arrival time awaits the unlucky patrons. Redeye QF42 back will also be badly delayed.

B789 VH-ZND that arrived punctually on QF64 ex JNB after spending a few nights there (see above with thanks to 789nerd) took off on the 1545 hours QF1 from SYD at 1658 so expected DRW arrival is 2029 hours, 49 late.

 

[Melburnian1]

In more on Sunday 29 May, QF139 (evening 1925 hours SYD - CHC, B738 VH-XZJ) took off at 2047 with Monday small hours arrival the suggestion at 0129 hours, 59 late. It had arrived ex NAN in SYD at 1849 (29 late) as QF102.

Going backwards from the 28 May departure to the 22 May one, it arrived CHC respectively 72, 64, 16, 172, 38, 130 and 29 minutes late.

I wonder is it lack of baggage handlers, slow passage through SYDi security, slow check-in or some other reason causing these delays?

A shocker, timekeeping-wise.

 

[Melburnian1]

A333 VH-QPD did longer domestic trips from Friday 27 to today, respectively a return from SYD to DRW, PER and today DRW, arriving SYD at 1800 hours this evening, 10 minutes late as QF841 from DRW.

Another aircraft may have failed, as it's been requisitioned for QF41, the 1350 hours afternoon SYD - CGK. It finally pushed back at about 2114, taking off at 2142 hours, so will be extremely late into the Indonesian major city, probably around 0330 on Monday 30 local time, meaning QF42 back to SYD might push back at 0445 if all goes well.

 

[Melburnian1]

Monday 30 May has QF19 (1230 hours lunchtime SYD - MNL) delayed to an expected 1440 hours mid arvo.

A333 VH-QPE on QF143, the 0930 hours SYD - AKL perennial late runner took off at 1036 hours, arriving at 1514, 39 late.

QF121, the identically times flight but to ZQN wa sup up and away at 1116 hours with B738 VH-XZJ so it should shortly arrive at 1550 hours, 80 late. The plane had arrived this morning in CHC at 0138, 68 behind as QF139 from SYD and then took off this morning from the South Island at 0825, arriving in SYD as QF138 113 minutes late at 0928 hours.

Class leader VH-ZNA is on QF63 (0935 hours SYD across to JNB) airborne at 1047. A 1624 hours arrival at gate, 44 minutes tardy, is the prediction.
QF51 from BNE to SIN usually has excellent timekeeping, but Monday 30 May is an exception with A332 VH-EBV on this 1055 hours scheduled departure taking off at 1146, so predicted at gate arrival at 1749 hours will be 39 minutes behind the eight ball.

A332 VH-EBR on 'the 69' from MEL (0815 hours) was in the sky today at 0909 with the ADL stop becoming 0944 to takeoff at 1053 (efficient!) so delayed arrival at DEL is suggested as 1844 early this evening, also 44 minutes tardy.

 

[Melburnian1]

Continuing with Monday 30 May 2022, A333 VH-QPD that was so badly delayed on QF41 from SYD to CGK arrived at the latter today at 0209 hours, 444 minutes late. QF42 back from CGK was up up and away at 0353 (yuk!) with lunchtime SYD arrival 1258 hours, 413 late.

The aircraft has promptly been turned around to operate QF19 (1230 hours SYD - MNL) that was airborne at 1502, so arrival should be at 2101, 131 minutes behind schedule. Hopefully the 2035 hours red eye (QF20) should push back at about 2215 if all goes well (although one always wonder how much cleaning occurs on board in an effective 45 minutes given cleaners can't easily be on board when passengers are alighting or boarding).

 

[Melburnian1]

Still on 30 May, QF146 was again late, with this AKL - SYD flight (A333 VH-QPE) arriving at 1830, 40 minutes behind the timetable. No wonder QF103 (which this plane is forming) is delayed.

VH-XZI (B738) is operating QF163 (1840 hours SYD - WLG up up and away at 1947) so forecast arrival becomes 0033, 43 behind and in the small hours of Tuesday 31.

'The 2' from LHR took off on Sunday 29 at 2157 so predicted DRW arrival tonight is 52 minutes late at 2322. Lately, this flight has largely had good timekeeping, but since it spends all day at London Heathrow, in theory there's little reason why it shouldn't.