Qantas Delays/Cancellations

[ChrisGibbs]

Was originally booked on the QF462 4:00pm MEL/SYD service today 1/12. Flight was cancelled so I was moved to the earlier QF454 3:00pm service. Departure delayed to 4:35pm. While in the lounge the announcement was made that QF626 the 5:20pm MEL / BNE service was also cancelled due to a ‘reduced number of slots’?

FYI - as well as the 4:00pm MEL / SYD service being canned the 5:15pm and 6:45pm MEL / SYD services were also cancelled.

With the cancellation of a handful SYD-MEL or MEL-SYD 737 flights on any given day the ability to move 400-500 passengers onto other flights must be difficult. Years back every so often a 767 or A330 would do SYD-MEL-SYD sectors and be able to take up additional capacity.

On Thursday morning 30/11 the QF500 SYD BNE 06:05am service was cancelled with no available seats until late in the afternoon. As an alternative QF were offering seats on the SYD - Gold Coast service..

 

[Silvia]

Not a great afternoon to fly. My husband was on QF467 SYD-MEL. Delayed initially for 30 min due to a broken window, now cancelled and has been rebooked into QF481.

 

[Saab34]

MEL is a mess today, single runway poor visibility, 30 aircraft queuing on the taxiways, more holding at the gate.

Seems to be a similar story this morning, 20 currently lined up awaiting departure.

I moved my morning SYD connection late last night to a direct for early evening as a reward seat opened up and I was stuffed after work, thank god I did otherwise I would have missed my connection!

 

[jrfsp]

Seems to be a similar story this morning, 20 currently lined up awaiting departure.

I moved my morning SYD connection late last night to a direct for early evening as a reward seat opened up and I was stuffed after work, thank god I did otherwise I would have missed my connection!

The two united flights had to be cancelled the other day as the crew timed out while taxiing.

 

[#flying]

Been sitting in the queue at MEL for 40 minutes now (since pushback). Listening to ATC they’re saying 70 minutes from pushback to takeoff for current departures.

 

[tomlee1986]

Been sitting in the queue at MEL for 40 minutes now (since pushback). Listening to ATC they’re saying 70 minutes from pushback to takeoff for current departures.

i think it is due to the ongoing wind and showers in melbourne today

 

[jrfsp]

i think it is due to the ongoing wind and showers in melbourne today

Amazing how LGW manages more movements off a single runway with wind and rain all year round

 

[tomlee1986]

Amazing how LGW manages more movements off a single runway with wind and rain all year round

i know what you are saying but the weather isnt great in melbourne atm as you can see now

 

[jase05]

Slots are causing big problems unfortunately.
We had a couple of freighters knocked back due to slot constraints and have had others turned back due for slot timings in conjunction with the weather

 

[#flying]

Wheels up at 11.16am (exactly 60 minutes after pushback) on QF769 MEL-PER, which was scheduled for 9.30am. Congestion seems to be easing at MEL now.

 

[tomlee1986]

Wheels up at 11.16am (exactly 60 minutes after pushback) on QF769 MEL-PER, which was scheduled for 9.30am. Congestion seems to be easing at MEL now.

safe travels to you!

 

[patrickw]

Quite a few flights affected by the thunderstorms that rolled through Sydney.
Been following on FR24 and LiveATC

QF, JQ, VA and ZL had flights diverted to Canberra, but from what I can see right now, only QF and JQ seem to have taken off to Sydney despite arrival times after curfew... QF549 and JQ791.

VA532, JQ530 and JQ724 all look to be stuck in Canberra for the night.

Meanwhile in Sydney, interesting to see some intl flights get pushback clearances after 11pm e.g. CX138. Maybe the fine is less than the cost of hotels and onward effects from a mispositioned aircraft?

 

[tomlee1986]

Quite a few flights affected by the thunderstorms that rolled through Sydney.
Been following on FR24 and LiveATC

QF, JQ, VA and ZL had flights diverted to Canberra, but from what I can see right now, only QF and JQ seem to have taken off to Sydney despite arrival times after curfew... QF549 and JQ791.

VA532, JQ530 and JQ724 all look to be stuck in Canberra for the night.

Meanwhile in Sydney, interesting to see some intl flights get pushback clearances after 11pm e.g. CX138. Maybe the fine is less than the cost of hotels and onward effects from a mispositioned aircraft?

I think there are special rules if delayed departures and arrivals because of weather related thus out of airline control, curfew exemption applies

 

[Himeno]

I think there are special rules if delayed departures and arrivals because of weather related thus out of airline control, curfew exemption applies

https://www.infrastructure.gov.au/sites/default/files/migrated/aviation/environmental/files/Sydney_Airport_Curfew_Factsheet.pdf

Curfew Dispensations
In exceptional circumstances, an operator may apply to the Department for approval to take-off
or land during the curfew (a curfew dispensation). All requests for permission to take-off or land
are made through a Curfew Duty Officer who will assess the situation in relation to a set of
criteria which must be met before permission to take-off or land can be granted.
Three primary criteria must be met for permission to take-off or and at Sydney Airport:
1. The circumstances are immediate in origin (e.g. they occurred at the time of preparing to
depart from, or commencing a flight to arrive at, Sydney Airport.
2. Of such character that they could not reasonably have been foreseen (e.g. mechanical
fault, passengers who fail to board requiring baggage offload etc.)
3. Not reasonably able to be met by alternative arrangements (e.g. flight cancellations, using
other aircraft, or other modes of transport).
When all three of these criteria are satisfied, the following matters may be taken into account to
determine whether permission to take-off or land should be granted:
 By what margin the movement falls into the curfew period (i.e. whether shortly after
11.00pm or shortly before 6.00am).
 Whether the cause of the delay is within the control of the operator.
 The noise level of the aircraft.
 Number of passengers involved.
 The severity of the likely hardship.

 

[tomlee1986]

https://www.infrastructure.gov.au/sites/default/files/migrated/aviation/environmental/files/Sydney_Airport_Curfew_Factsheet.pdf

Curfew Dispensations
In exceptional circumstances, an operator may apply to the Department for approval to take-off
or land during the curfew (a curfew dispensation). All requests for permission to take-off or land
are made through a Curfew Duty Officer who will assess the situation in relation to a set of
criteria which must be met before permission to take-off or land can be granted.
Three primary criteria must be met for permission to take-off or and at Sydney Airport:
1. The circumstances are immediate in origin (e.g. they occurred at the time of preparing to
depart from, or commencing a flight to arrive at, Sydney Airport.
2. Of such character that they could not reasonably have been foreseen (e.g. mechanical
fault, passengers who fail to board requiring baggage offload etc.)
3. Not reasonably able to be met by alternative arrangements (e.g. flight cancellations, using
other aircraft, or other modes of transport).
When all three of these criteria are satisfied, the following matters may be taken into account to
determine whether permission to take-off or land should be granted:
 By what margin the movement falls into the curfew period (i.e. whether shortly after
11.00pm or shortly before 6.00am).
 Whether the cause of the delay is within the control of the operator.
 The noise level of the aircraft.
 Number of passengers involved.
 The severity of the likely hardship.

Thanks for the extra information... it is extremely useful... and due to weather storms, it meets all of the criteria as it is not reasonably foreseen, and not reasonable to arrange alternate arrangements that quickly

 

[trendwhore]

Sitting on qf80 right now and paperwork delay due to some kind of door problem.. 1 hour and counting after already arriving late into Narita

 

[SydneySwan]

Just boarded QF43 - will be about an hour late departing. No entertainment screens in economy! Qantas having another practice run as an LCC.

 

[encryptededdy]

No entertainment screens in economy! Qantas having another practice run as an LCC.

Yeah, they've been running domestic config A330s on MEL-SIN recently too.

 

[elanshin]

Yeah, they've been running domestic config A330s on MEL-SIN recently too.

I was actually quite happy when I saw the lack of seatback infotainment and an ipad instead. This is the route that you can use wifi for the longest I believe. Solid 5-6 hours of work on my way to SIN then chill for the last part.

 

[encryptededdy]

I was actually quite happy when I saw the lack of seatback infotainment and an ipad instead. This is the route that you can use wifi for the longest I believe. Solid 5-6 hours of work on my way to SIN then chill for the last part.

No A/C power in Y on some of those A330s though