Qantas Delays/Cancellations

[Quickstatus]

Heading from Sydney to Melbourne it's often advantageous to fly relatively low (FL280 or so). That's around the 'crossover' point where we switch from IAS to mach, so it is often around that altitude that you'll achieve the best TAS. Additionally, it's often below the strongest winds, so G/S is also as good as you'll get it.

Going from Melbourne to Sydney, it's generally better to climb to the high 30s.

whats the benefit of Mach over IAS?

 

[Melburnian1]

The Friday 13 November 2015 QF8 departed from DFW three minutes late at 2013 hours but then diverted to HNL where on Friday night it arrived at 2359 hours.

It may be a medical evacuation as it is shown as likely to depart at 0040 hours on Saturday 14 November for a Sunday 15 November arrival in SYD at 0725 hours, 80 minutes down which in the circumstances will be quite good if that is what occurs.

QF19 today has been operated by VH-QPA, departing SYD at 1249 (24 minutes late) but as is fairly standard it has encountered traffic approaching MNL and so will be at the terminal at about 1830 hours, an hour behind time. QF20 will be at least 35 minutes late departing but as of a minute or two ago this was not displayed on the QF website's flight departures status. This often happens and is befuddling as anyone watching a site such as FR24 can broadly work these things out and see that on a scheduled 90 minute turnaround if an incoming A333 flight is 45 minutes late, the return flight must depart late.

UPDATE: QF8 departed from HNL at 0106 on Saturday for an expected 0735 arrival in SYD tomorrow (Sunday) morning.

QF20 has been amended to depart from MNL at 2000 hours this evening with anticipated SYD arrival at 0650, 40 minutes late.

 

[Melburnian1]

The Sunday 15 November 2015 QF1 departed from SYD at 1748, 63 minutes late but on the new schedule arrived DXB 11 minutes early at 0039 on Monday 16 November.

On Monday 16 November 2015, the 0630 hours from SYD to MEL, QF405 did not take off until 0726. It is about to arrive in MEL 32 minutes behind time at 0837. Interestingly, it is being operated by A333 VH-QPE. Is this internationally configured aircraft proceeding north on QF29 from MEL to HKG at 1125 this morning or this afternoon's QF35 to SIN at 1220 hours?

UPDATE: Apologies for answering my own question - a habit for which Mr Mark Latham was or is infamous - but it appears that VH-QPE may be returning to SYD as QF418, the 0900 from MEL altered to depart at a projected 0925 hours.

 

[Melburnian1]

QF63, the 1135 SYD to JNB operated on Monday 16 November by B744 VH-OJU took off at 1236.

According to Qantas | Book airfares on Australia Pacific’s Best Airline it will arrive in JNB at 1700 hours; Flightradar24.com - Live flight tracker! suggests 1723 hours. Take your pick, but both are likely to result in at least a slightly late QF64 departure back to SYD.

QF129 (VH-QPD), the 1125 from MEL to HKG on 16 November took off at 1241 and is therefore due in HKG at 1829 tonight, 34 minutes late.

 

[Melburnian1]

Monday 16 November's QF64 from JNB to SYD departed 63 minutes late at 1953 and is expected to make up little time on the way, arriving on Tuesday 17 at 1640, an hour late.

 

[Melburnian1]

QF29 from MEL to HKG on Tuesday 16 November departed at 1223, 58 minutes late with forecast arrival in HKG tonight at 1827, 32 minutes behind time. VH-QPA is operating the flight.

 

[Himeno]

QF29 from MEL to HKG on Tuesday 16 November departed at 1223, 58 minutes late with forecast arrival in HKG tonight at 1827, 32 minutes behind time. VH-QPA is operating the flight.

I wonder what happened. QPA arrived early from SIN this morning. I guess late pax.

 

[Melburnian1]

That delay could be for many reasons, Himeno. Late passengers delayed from an incoming connection, a crew member going off sick at the last minute, 'no shows' whose bags had to come out of the hold, a defect discovered with the aircraft's mechanics or electricals at say 1115 requiring a quick repair...the list goes on.

 

[Melburnian1]

Possibly due to the APEC world leaders' meetings in Manila that has seen local airlines cancel hundreds of daytime flights - an overreaction - QF19 on Wednesday 18 November has ben altered to depart SYD at 2155 for an 0300 20 November MNL arrival. Departure of QF20 has changed from 1900 hours tonight to a most uncomfortable 0400 on the 20th, wth SYD arrival at 1510 in lieu of 0610 hours tomorrow.

Feedback as to whether QF offers hotel accommodation and if so where would be interesting.

Upon arrival in Sydney on Thursday afternoon this plane is forming the 1715 hours to SIN, so if QF20 is further delayed the SIN flight (QF5) will be delayed.

 

[Melburnian1]

QF10 is not arriving tonight (Wednesday 18 November) in MEL, probably due to low season and QF's cancellation of some LHR flights, which if I recall it also did in 2014.

This is an airline that claims demand is robust for its own metal flights, yet it is not so long ago that QF ran via Bangkok, Hong Kong and Singapore using its own planes, not largely EK's, to London, and daily to Frankfurt. How its own metal European flights have diminished - it cannot now even fill a single A380 ex MEL for DXB and LHR every day during low season months like November.

The QF website also lists a QF2004 as timetabled to depart from MEL at 1525 on Wednesday 18 November with forecast arrival in HKG at 2145 but both times remain as 'estimated', usually an indication that the flight has not departed. QF2004 is however normally a QantasLink flight from SYD to TMW so I do not know if the website listing is mistaken.

 

[BD1959]

QF10 is not arriving tonight (Wednesday 18 November) in MEL, probably due to low season and QF's cancellation of some LHR flights, which if I recall it also did in 2014.

I booked Monday's QF10 (Tuesday arrival into MEL) back in April, Tuesday's departure (and IIRC a couple of other Tuesday departures also in November) were not running back then, so has been known for a while.

Regards,

BD

 

[Melburnian1]

QF9 on Wednesday 18 November (the 2325 hours) has been delayed until 1900 on Thursday 19 and looks to only be operating to DXB, not operating the DXB - LHR usual sector.

 

[Melburnian1]

The delayed 2325 hours QF9 from Wednesday 18 November departed MEL on Thursday 19 November 2015 at 1923 with an 0235 Friday 20 arrival forecast in DXB. As noted above, the Thursday 19 November QF10 has been cancelled between LHR and DXB but is expected to depart the latter at 0405 for a 2345 hours arrival in MEL rather than the usual 2120 hours. QF is not showing on its website yet that QF9 on Friday 20 ex MEL is delayed, but given that one A388 (if I recall, VH-OQL) has been in MNL undergoing scheduled maintenance since 4 November, QF does not have any spare A388s at present so if true it is logical that QF9 will depart late from MEL.

QF448 from MEL to SYD, the 1645 hours departure did not take off until 2007 on Thursday 19.

 

[Melburnian1]

As with competitor PR (and 5J yesterday - it does not operate into SYD today), QF19's SYD to MNL departure has been delayed on Friday 20 November 2015 due to the APEC leaders' meetings or as today goes, leaders' departures ex Philippines.

QF19 normally departs at 1225 but has been altered to depart at 1555 with arrival suggested as 2100 hours instead of 1730. Tonight's QF20 return flight is expected to depart MNL at 2215, three hours and 15 minutes late for a SYD Saturday 21 November arrival of 0925 in lieu of 0610 hours.

 

[Melburnian1]

The delayed QF9 that left MEL at 1923 on 19 November arrived DXB at 0228 on Friday 20. It had a fast turnaround with departure a few minutes ago at 0408 as QF10 back to MEL where arrival should be at 0010 on Saturday 21 November. QF has finally amended its web page and now shows QF9 on Friday 20 November departing at a delayed by two and a half hours 0155 on Saturday 21 November, so some overtime payments look to be in store for QF lounge staff in MEL tonight.

QF426 from MEL to SYD on Friday 20 November departed at 1311, 131 minutes late, arriving at 1422, 117 minutes late.

QantasLink QF1660 from CBR to BNE on 20 November 2015 was due to depart at 1745 but did not take off until 1854, with arrival expected at 1912 Queensland time, 42 minutes late.

 

[Melburnian1]

The delayed QF10 arrival from DXB on Friday 20 November arrived MEL at 0027 this morning (Saturday 21) at 0027 but the returning QF9 did not depart until 0314, so it is due in DXB at 1020, three hours and 50 minutes late. QF then optimistically expects that it will depart at 1135 and given the changed, more generous timewise schedule now applying it should be two hours and 40 minutes behind time in arriving at LHR at 1535. This should be in plnety of time for the evening 2035 hours QF2 to DXB and SYD.

Because of the delayed due to APEC MNL meetings departure of QF19 yesterday (Friday 20 November), QF20 was late into SYD this morning (0927 instead of 0610) - Saturday 21 November. QF129 from SYD to PVG is using this aircraft (A333 VH-QPE) and has been delayed from 1050 to an expected 1130 in its departure.

In turn, this may slightly delay QF130 from PVG this evening back to SYD.

 

[Melburnian1]

QF19 was delayed today but this was not due to APEC as that had concluded. The flight departed SYD at 1404 hours (99 minutes late) and is due in MNL at 1905 (95 minutes late.) QF has yet to change its website to show how late QF20 is forecast to get away, but as it is a 1900 hours timetabled departure 2020 or later would be a guess.

QF129 from SYD to PVG departed 82 minutes late at 1212 with arrival likely at 1931, 61 minutes late. The return QF130 is likely to depart an hour late at 2105 with SYD Sunday morning arrival on 22 November at 1025, 40 minutes late.

UPDATE: QF20 is now forecast to leave MNL at 2020 hours, 80 minutes late. SYD Sunday arrival should be 50 minutes down at 0700.

 

[flychrisfly]

FYI, the QF28 late arrival into Sydney yesterday at 19:10 instead of a scheduled 17:45 was due to a cargo loading issue in Santiago. It seems the ground handlers stuffed up the load as it had to be taken out and reloaded.

 

[flychrisfly]

FYI, the QF28 late arrival into Sydney yesterday at 19:10 instead of a scheduled 17:45 was due to a cargo loading issue in Santiago. It seems the ground handlers stuffed up the load as it had to be taken out and reloaded.

Meant to add that pax with connections seemed to be well managed... Pax to MEL and BNE were moved onto later flights, pax to PER, OOL, CBR (and a couple of others) were moved to flights the following morning and provided with accom, pax to other destinations had to contact ground staff. This was all communicated before landing. There was also a team of staff greeting the flight on the ground with a whiteboard of details, etc

 

[Melburnian1]

Good to hear re the organisation, flychrisfly.

Sunday 22 November's QF93 has been delayed in its MEL departure from 1120 to a projected 1220 for LAX. Arrival is expected at 0720 hours rather than 0635.

There has been heavy snow in Chicago but this does not appear yet to be feeding into delays for LAX to Oz QF flights, but time will tell.