Qantas Delays/Cancellations

[Boris spatsky]

Re: General Qantas Delays/Cancellations/etc. Discussion

QF should be very grateful for staff like jb747 who are prepared to have an extra night away from home.

Airlines expect crew to live where they are based. If crew choose to commute from elsewhere (which is normally allowed), then the entire risk lies with the individual - the company has nothing to be 'grateful for'. The crew either signs on on time, or they miss sign on and wear the consequences.

 

[Melburnian1]

Re: General Qantas Delays/Cancellations/etc. Discussion

QF2 has just landed in SYD despite making good time ex DXB, so the delayed QF7 will be unlikely to depart before 1715 at the absolute earliest.

 

[jb747]

Re: General Qantas Delays/Cancellations/etc. Discussion

Given that I can drive there in 2:30, I don't really consider it to be commuting. On the other hand, I don't feel like getting up early, so it's better to be there the night before.

 

[RooFlyer]

Re: General Qantas Delays/Cancellations/etc. Discussion

This is true Canberra people aways try to get first flight out in winter if they need to fly that day. I have known fog after the first flight to cause delays until midday. However if the first flight has mechanical problems or other issues, then you are stuffed, so I never risk it.

I am now so scarred by missed connections, that I am booking 4 airport hotels as part of a 17 day trip, so I don't have to have any connections anywhere!

+1; HBA is the same.

As a kid, after seeing my dad nearly have a fair dinkum coronary during a fog delayed departure out of HBA with an international connection in MEL, and now being of a similar er, constitution, I'm always do the HBA-MEL or -SYD leg the day before an international flight and nearly always allow 6 hours to make a critical connection overseas; if that's not available, I overnight it. For ultra critical connections (eg to pre paid cruises or tours), I build in 24 hours beforehand.

 

[Melburnian1]

Re: General Qantas Delays/Cancellations/etc. Discussion

The delayed QF7 was of blocks at 1728 and took off at 1750 in SYD for DFW, so it will be more than three hours late arriving in the latter if as forecast it picks up time on the schedule.

There must be a valid reason why QF did not send this aircraft (VH-OQH) on the 1600 hours QF1 back to DXB and LHR, and use the other A388 sitting in SYD (VH-OQA) for the 1300 hours departure of the excursion to DFW. That may have meant less overall unpunctuality, as the DFW flight might then have departed on time and the LHR flight less than an hour and a half late.

 

[jb747]

Re: General Qantas Delays/Cancellations/etc. Discussion

The delayed QF7 was of blocks at 1728 and took off at 1750 in SYD for DFW, so it will be more than three hours late arriving in the latter if as forecast it picks up time on the schedule.

There must be a valid reason why QF did not send this aircraft (VH-OQH) on the 1600 hours QF1 back to DXB and LHR, and use the other A388 sitting in SYD (VH-OQA) for the 1300 hours departure of the excursion to DFW. That may have meant less overall unpunctuality, as the DFW flight might then have departed on time and the LHR flight less than an hour and a half late.

Presumably, if they had done it this way, then QF1 would have been 90 minutes late. That route is far more slot sensitive than Dallas (which I don't think uses slots at all). Chances are that it would have blown out further in Dubai.

Additionally, you can't assume that aircraft are 'equal'. Everything in the industry is timed by hours/sectors, so it's not impossible that an aircraft could have the hours or sectors available for one trip, but not for another. OQA could well have had a work package underway that would not have been finished for an earlier departure.

There are lots of possible reasons, and I'm sure they would have looked at them, and done the swap if it was viable.

 

[Melburnian1]

Re: General Qantas Delays/Cancellations/etc. Discussion

Thank you again jb747.

QF2 arrived SYD this morning and hour and 35 minutes behind time due to departing LHR late.

Today (Monday 6 July's) QF7 is expected to be seven and a half hours late departing SYD at 2030 in lieu of the normal 1300 hours. Hopefully some AFFers will enjoy not just lunch but a nice winter dinner in the F or J lounges. This means (subject to revision) a 2035 hours arrival in DFW, in sufficient time all being well to form the 2240 hours scheduled QF8 flight back to SYD. This forecast assumes that 'the 7' (as jb747 would so delightfully call it) will pick up half an hour on the timetable. It wouldn't want to run much later to adversely affect passengers on tonight's QF8.

 

[SeatBackForward]

Re: General Qantas Delays/Cancellations/etc. Discussion

Can I just add, I'm so going to be queuing up for the MS Flight Sim, 2015 add on pack: QF Op's Room.

 

[Himeno]

Re: General Qantas Delays/Cancellations/etc. Discussion

Sitting at LAX waiting for QF12.
Screens are showing QF18 delayed to 0330. (was showing delayed to 0030 when I got to the lounge)
I guess the JFK tag is running late again.

 

[Melburnian1]

Re: General Qantas Delays/Cancellations/etc. Discussion

Unfortunately QF18 is now delayed until 0630 on Monday morning. It's now 2356 in LAX as I write this, a minute past QF18's scheduled departure time.

indeed, Himeno, the 'tag' flight of QF18 from JFK did not depart until 0222 local time and hence is not due in LAX until 0430.

 

[Melburnian1]

Re: General Qantas Delays/Cancellations/etc. Discussion

The yet to depart QF7 from 1300 hours today has now been further delayed from 2030 tonight to a forecast 2130. Not a good sign so close to the 2300 hours curfew. It also means that tonight's QF8 from DFW to SYD (Monday 6 July 2240 hours departure) will be late away given the minimum achievable turnaround for an A388 of an hour and 40 minutes or so.

UPDATE: QF7 departed at 2123 and is due at DFW at a similar time. QF8 should be slightly under an hour late departing DFW on Monday 6 July if all goes well.

 

[Melburnian1]

Re: General Qantas Delays/Cancellations/etc. Discussion

Although Monday 6 July's QF7 is due in DFW at 2140, the return QF8 is forecast to not depart until 0020, an hour and 40 minutes behind time. QF suggests however that it will only be 75 minutes late arriving in SYD on Wednesday morning, 8 July 2015 at 0745.

The Sunday night delayed QF18 from LAX did not depart until 0733 on Monday 6 July so will not be in SYD until 1445 today, 55 minutes later than QF had forecast and more than seven hours late.

 

[Melburnian1]

Re: General Qantas Delays/Cancellations/etc. Discussion

Due to the now cleared fog in SYD this morning (Saturday 11 July), QF8 from DFW (VH-OQF) was diverted to BNE, taking off at 0801 and not far off a busy SYD now, while QF12 from LAX (VH-OQJ) took off from BNE at 0830 and should be in SYD at 0954.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Re: General Qantas Delays/Cancellations/etc. Discussion

Today's QF129 to Shang Hai has been delayed until tomorrow morning, presumably with a corresponding delay to tonight's flight back out to SYD.

Delay caused by the typhoon. Looks like CX cancelled all their HKG-PVG flights today.

 

[Melburnian1]

Re: General Qantas Delays/Cancellations/etc. Discussion

Saturday 11 July 2015's QF9 arrived from MEL a minute early into DXB - a creditable performance given what jb747 often suggests is the difficult or impossible overall timetable - but spent four hours and seven minutes 'in the desert' (timetabled allowance is two hours and five) with teh result that it is still a way off LHR, not now being due until 1550 on Sunday 12 July instead of 1350 hours. Often this forecast becomes even later if 'the 9' is placed in a holding pattern.

Ah, that poor QF manager who has to deal with yet another memo from LHR management as to why QF's timekeeping is less than ideal.

 

[jb747]

Re: General Qantas Delays/Cancellations/etc. Discussion

Saturday 11 July 2015's QF9 arrived from MEL a minute early into DXB - a creditable performance given what jb747 often suggests is the difficult or impossible overall timetable - but spent four hours and seven minutes 'in the desert' (timetabled allowance is two hours and five) with teh result that it is still a way off LHR, not now being due until 1550 on Sunday 12 July instead of 1350 hours. Often this forecast becomes even later if 'the 9' is placed in a holding pattern.

Ah, that poor QF manager who has to deal with yet another memo from LHR management as to why QF's timekeeping is less than ideal.

Two hours and five is for a turnaround without any issues.....

 

[Flyerqf]

Re: General Qantas Delays/Cancellations/etc. Discussion

Today's QF129 to Shang Hai has been delayed until tomorrow morning, presumably with a corresponding delay to tonight's flight back out to SYD.

Delay caused by the typhoon. Looks like CX cancelled all their HKG-PVG flights today.

Saturday's QF130 is delayed another night until 700 Monday morning.

 

[Kefci2000]

Re: General Qantas Delays/Cancellations/etc. Discussion

QF410 MEL-SYD 7.15am service cancelled for this morning.

premium service desk was kind enough to call me last night and offer the 6.30 or 7.30 service.

Suffice to say an extra coffee in the lounge and am on QF412

 

[Melburnian1]

Re: General Qantas Delays/Cancellations/etc. Discussion

Quite a few QF cancellations this afternoon from SYD to MEL: QF445 (the 1530), QF451 (the 1715), QF479 (the 1845), QF477 (the 1845), QF477 (the 1945) while in the other direction ex MEL, QF446 (the 1600 hours), QF454 (the 1730), QF484 (the 1915) are also cancelled.

Is this due to low bookings or some other (weather?) factor?

In some recent months (not confined to QF), the SYD - MEL - SYD route has been notable for extremely high cancellation rates of very close to five per cent.

 

[Boris spatsky]

General Qantas Delays/Cancellations/etc. Discussion

Sydney is operating on one runway today (runway 25) due to a strong Westerly wind. Lengthy delays for most aircraft into Sydney (up to 2 hour delays for domestic arrival slots in some instances). Hence also some cancellations.