Qantas Delays/Cancellations

[Melburnian1]

Re: General Qantas Delays/Cancellations/etc. Discussion

QF768 from PER to MEL this afternoon (Thursday 27 August 2015) should be an expected three hours and 10 minutes late departing at 2015 tonight with arrival in MEL at 0145 on Friday morning 28 August instead of 2235. With a quick look I could not see any inbound transcontinental flight that was late, so the aircraft may have mechanical or electrical issues.

QF1 (SYD - DXB - LHR) from Wednesday (above) that departed SYD 57 minutes late eventually arrived LHR today (less than an hour ago) 78 minutes late at 0813.

Although the delayed QF10 arrival on Wednesday came in to MEL at 2246, the returning QF9 from MEL to DXB and LHR did not depart until 0110 this morning (Thursday), 135 minutes late. It then arrived DXB at 0832, 97 minutes late but as can occur spent excess time there, departing at 1102, 112 minutes late with expected arrival at LHR now at 1540 local time, 110 minutes late, subject as always to no instances of excessive holding patterns prior to landing at LHR. The good news is that with a generous turnaround time in the timetable for the flight it forms, QF2, the latter should be unaffected (assuming no major sudden problems).

As jb747 keeps reminding us, 'the 9' as he affectionately and amusingly calls it can be a difficult timetable for each set of crew to maintain.

 

[coriander]

Re: General Qantas Delays/Cancellations/etc. Discussion

If our politicians had vision they'd be facilitating the building of a high speed rail east coast network.

What we need is to find coal next to Tullamarine. Then the Abbott would cheerfully stump up for a brand new railway to the coal loaders at Newcastle. If it's good enough to spend billions on a 300km railway for Adani, the 800+km MEL-SYD should be a doddle.

 

[TheRealTMA]

Re: General Qantas Delays/Cancellations/etc. Discussion

What we need is to find coal next to Tullamarine. Then the Abbott would cheerfully stump up for a brand new railway to the coal loaders at Newcastle. If it's good enough to spend billions on a 300km railway for Adani, the 800+km MEL-SYD should be a doddle.

But Adani will create 100,000 jobs (revised to 14 guaranteed jobs), according to the Minister for the Environment on Clarke & Dawe tonight!

 

[defurax]

People, people...this is a frequent flyer forum! A high speed train would be very detrimental to SC accumulation.

 

[Himeno]

People, people...this is a frequent flyer forum! A high speed train would be very detrimental to SC accumulation.

Nah, a high speed train along the major air corridor will transfer people towards the train from flying, which will then lower ticket prices and maybe increase SC/point earn to entice people to keep flying.

 

[SeatBackForward]

Nah, a high speed train along the major air corridor will transfer people towards the train from flying, which will then lower ticket prices and maybe increase SC/point earn to entice people to keep flying.

Unless Qantas is a part of the consortium operating the train service, as they were with Speedrail between Sydney and Canberra in the mid 90s

 

[Melburnian1]

The Thursday 27 August 2015 QF10 from LHR and DXB arrived MEL at 2043, 12 minutes early.

However QF9 last night (timetabled out at 2255 ex MEL) has been delayed until 1600 hours today, meaning a forecast DXB arrival at 2330 and departure at 0130 (the latter on Saturday 29 August) with suggested LHR arrival at 0610 on Saturday rather than 1350 hours today (Friday.)

As a result, the Friday 28 August QF2 is anticipated to be delayed from 2125 hours to 0800 on Saturday 29 August ex LHR, with the DXB Saturday stop to be between 1720 and 1900 for a Sunday 30 August 1430 hours afternoon arrival in SYD. Whether that slightly delays the 1600 hours QF1 back to DXB and LHR remains to be seen.

So perhaps just for a couple of days, the 'rolling 24 hour delays' that JohnPhelan discussed in a previous post on this thread are back with us. Not good, although one slight solace may be that on a Thursday night flight arriving in LHR after noon on a Friday (if on time) one might expect there to be a greater quotient of leisure travellers (but that will not be true for the return QF2 ex LHR on a Friday night, nor probably for QF1 Sunday departures, where business travellers could well be most notable.)

What hotels last night were any non-Melbourne resident passengers put up in? How was the disruption handled?

Thus far, www.theqantassource.com is silent on the matter. If the A388 failed in MEL last night and a replacement is required, one might expect a ferry flight to be operating down from SYD to MEL either late this morning or very early this afternoon, although perhaps the aircraft will have been repaired on the ground in MEL by 1600 hours today. I had a quick squiz at www.flightaware.com but could not see anything. Of the 12-strong fleet, one A388 is in MNL for maintenance at present if I recall. Advice from QFflyer, moa999 or other skilled AFFers would be welcome as I have probably missed something.

No transport operator is perfect but JohnPhelan's previous comment (which he said was a view shared by other AFFers) that QF was most unwise to have recently retired two relatively elderly B744s may well have been prescient in relation to these sorts of long delays.

UPDATE: The delayed QF9D departed MEL today at 1617 (17 hours and 22 minutes late) with QF forecasting DXB as 2350 to 0130, the latter on Saturday (respectively 16 hours 45 minutes late and 16 hours 20 minutes late) with the 0610 on Sat. projected LHR arrival being still at 0610, also 16 hours 20 minutes late for a net total gain on the timetable of 62 minutes.

This is possible, but perhaps unlikely given that the previous three QF9 flights (albeit operating at much closer to the schedule, and hence at a different time of the 24 hour cycle) spent overtime in DXB.

0610 to 0800 for servicing the A388 in between QF9 arriving in LHR and the delayed QF2 departing is achievable (one hour 43 minutes is the best that I have seen from website timings recently) but my prediction is that departure of QF2 will be at 0845 or later. Let's see how wrong I am - trying to arrive at 0610 and depart at 0800 or 0900 must often be times when despite ATC's best efforts there are delays in the air or on the ground due to 'traffic.'

As a matter of interest at DXB and LHR, when there are delays like this, does an airline (not just QF) face difficulty in obtaining a slot for its arrival or departure (and can ATC more or less put the aircraft to the 'back of the queue' because it is badly late with others that are punctual up to a point receiving priority clearance?)

 

[dodgeyhack]

However QF9 last night (timetabled out at 2255 ex MEL) has been delayed until 1600 hours today, meaning a forecast DXB arrival at 2330 and departure at 0130 (the latter on Saturday 29 August) with suggested LHR arrival at 0610 on Saturday rather than 1350 hours today (Friday.)

Now why didn't I check this thread earlier! Just noticed a 12:30 layover in DXB (connecting from a CDG-DXB flight) and went WTF! Was watching J loading and seats seemed to be clearing out - I suppose people were moving onto other flights.

 

[Melburnian1]

dodgeyhack, that's why this and similar other airline delay threads were established - because on occasion despite modern technology, airlines may not provide travellers immediately with specific flight delays despite the information being available say on an airline website, or savvy travellers being able to work out in advance of official notification to one's device that if flight X is 12 hours late, flight Y will be similarly affected.

The other reason is that while flight histories do not guarantee that a particular flight on day Z will be on time (or alternatively be late), it can be a guide to whether flight A is generally punctual. Unfortunately since the changed, tighter timetables, QF9, 10, 1 and 2 have had many problems - but again, it is not every day.

Since I posted above, the delayed QF9 (A388 VH-OQI) has stopped this morning in DXB from 0001 to 0200, with departure being half an hour later than QF had predicted. LHR arrival is now estimated at 0620 today (Saturday 29 August) which seems a tad optimistic to me. The delayed Friday 28 August 2015 QF2 back to DXB and SYD is still shown as departing LHR at 0800 today (Saturday 29 August) - again this appears a little unrealistic, meaning that the times for DXB are likely to be an underestimate of the delay. Let's see....

 

[Melburnian1]

The often problematic MEL - HBA QF B717 operation is back to its old tricks again today - Sat 29 August 2015.

QF1502, the 0940 ex HBA was cancelled although QF1501, the 0900 arrival ex MEL had pulled in at the gate only 12 minutes behind time. QF1503, the 1135 from MEL was also (not surprisingly) cancelled. QF1504, the 1330 departure from HBA to MEL has been delayed until an expected 1540 this afternoon.

QF1505, the 1525 from MEL to HBA will now depart (hopefully) at 1730. QF1506, the 1720 hours from HBA has been delayed until a suggested 1915 hours - almost two hours late.

QF1507, the final HBA-bound departure ex MEL is forecast to leave at 2100 tonight instead of 1925 for a 2215 hours arrival in the Apple Isle, an hour and 35 minutes late.

It must be difficult when a plane in a relatively small fleet like this malfunctions (or there are other problems) as QF's contractor (Cobham if I recall) can often not rustle up another B717 at five minutes' notice. Sometimes it might consider cancelling other flights such as those to CBR (which I think it also operates) but that then obviously leaves those passengers in the lurch.

The delayed QF9D from Thursday night ex MEL (which left on Friday afternoon) has just arrived in LHR at 0623 local time on Saturday. Friday afternoon's SYD-departing QF1, which was running early, is not far behind.

 

[Melburnian1]

The Friday night (timetabled 2125) delayed QF2 was retimed to depart LHR on saturday 29 August at 0800 but QF have just put this back to 0835 with DXB arrival slated for 1800 tonight local time. Departure from there is still shown on the QF website as at 1900 hours. In and out of there in an hour would be extremely good going and unlikely to occur. Sometimes the website adjusts such departure times after it has had a 'think about it.'

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Looks like there's going to be some hefty EU261 compensation bills. 471 pax x600 euros starts to add up.

 

[Melburnian1]

Indeed, MEL_Traveller plus less costly (contract rate) hotel bills about which it would be lovely to hear from delayed QF2 passengers: where were they put up, how long did it take to get there, what horrible time did they have to get picked up by bus this morning and so on.

The delayed QF2 has just departed LHR at 0846 so I cannot see how it will be in DXB at 1800 sharp but I am happy to be corrected later on.

Delays on the QF B717 MEL - HBA - MEL route have got worse with the 1525 hours flight, for instance, delayed to a projected 1830 departure. Fortunately footy was in Launceston today not Hobart.

 

[milehighclub]

Looks like there's going to be some hefty EU261 compensation bills. 471 pax x600 euros starts to add up.

I imagine they would probably have been able to accommodate some passengers on EK or whoever to try and reduce the amount of passengers who can claim.

The final load of the flight isn't very full.

 

[Melburnian1]

By 'isn't very full' how many passengers are there (roughly) between LHR and DXB? 250, milehighclub? As you imply, though, more may have been originally booked and in the last 24 hours transferred to EK.

My lowest load on any A380 operator was actually on QF: 260, but I've also been on a few flights (not just with QF) when the aircraft has been full.

QF2 has now been amended to show a DXB arrival and departure of 1820/1950 for a Sunday afternoon arrival in SYD of 1520 hours.

 

[Melburnian1]

QF has just posted on its website that QF7 from SYD to DFW on Sunday 30 August is delayed from 1300 to a projected 1715 hours departure, presumably because QF2D is so badly late. This is an expected one hour 55 minute turnaround between the arriving QF2 and the departing QF7.

I had wondered how QF was finding a 'spare' A388 given the delay, so there's the answer. It isn't, therefore the rolling delays are continuing, though thankfully pared back to (by tomorrow afternoon) about four to five hours.

 

[TheRealTMA]

I'm afraid these delays, while understandable, don't engender me to fly QF, unfortunately.

 

[Melburnian1]

TheRealTMA, while QF is now profitable - thanks in a big way to lower oil prices, though that's disputed by its CEO who maintains that other factors instituted by him and his managers are essentially more important - its QFi when these schedule changes was unprofitable were presumably discussed and then implemented.

It's great for investors that QFi is trying to make better use of assets each worth many, many millions, but passengers are indeed suffering. Some leisure travellers may be delighted to receive 600 Euros per person plus an extra (free) night in an hotel, but equally there must be businessn travellers, people travelling at the last minute for funerals and weddings and others with tight connections who are extremely annoyed with the unpredictable (but when it occurs potentially serious) late running.

More and more JohnPhelan's comment about QF being unwise to recently dispose of two B744s is relevant, but there is no indication in the next couple of years before the new B789s arrive that there is any 'relief' in store.

Perhaps on the LHR runs from SYD and MEL via DXB travellers can be shunted onto EK flights if QF is badly delayed, but that will not work in school holiday periods, Christmas or whenever there is heavy existing demand and flights are already full or very close to it.

We still have yet to hear from delayed QF9D or QF2D travellers so some information would be good as to how they were treated.

 

[TheRealTMA]

TheRealTMA, while QF is now profitable - thanks in a big way to lower oil prices, though that's disputed by its CEO who maintains that other factors instituted by him and his managers are essentially more important - its QFi when these schedule changes were presumably discussed and then implemented.

It's great for investors that QFi is trying to make better use of assets each worth many, many millions, but passengers are indeed suffering. Some leisure travellers may be delighted to receive 600 Euros per person plus an extra (free) night in an hotel, but equally there must be businessn travellers, people travelling at the last minute for funerals and weddings and others with tight connections who are extremely annoyed with the unpredictable (but when it occurs potentially serious) late running.

More and more JohnPhelan's comment about QF being unwise to recently dispose of two B744s is relevant, but there is no indication in the next couple of years before the new B789s arrive that there is any 'relief' in store.

Perhaps on the LHR runs from SYD and MEL via DXB travellers can be shunted onto EK flights if QF is badly delayed, but that will not work in school holiday periods, Christmas or whenever there is heavy existing demand and flights are already full or very close to it.

We still have yet to hear from delayed QF9D or QF2D travellers so some information would be good as to how they were treated.

Fair points. It may we'll be that European travellers are eligible for E600 but there's no mandated compensation for pxs originating in Australia. I'd be very pissed off if my European travel plans were delayed by half a day leaving Australia resulting in lost connections, hotels, car hire and the like.

Notwithstanding the QF profit, and profit to smart shareholders, the paying passengers seem to be the meat in the sandwiche here...

 

[Melburnian1]

The delayed QF2D has lost a bit more time with arrival in SYD now forecast for 1545 this afternoon (Sunday 30 August 2015). The QF website still shows QF7 from SYD to DFW as departing at 1715 but turning around an A388 in an hoyur and a half is extremely difficult and based on past performance unlikely, and perhaps a tad more unlikely because the aircraft had minimal turnaround time in LHR and therefore the chance of it requiring a little more attention from the engineers may well have risen.