Qantas Delays/Cancellations

[geordieladinoz]

Re: General Qantas Delays/Cancellations/etc. Discussion

Superb effort to get QF536 onto the ground in BNE at the 2nd attempt, conditions were pretty horrific. Bumpiest flight I've had in memory! BNE looked pretty chaotic, we raced away from the terminal as quickly as possible!

 

[Melburnian1]

Re: General Qantas Delays/Cancellations/etc. Discussion

The lovely Pushka's 'worse' half's QF flight ex SYD arrived at ADL at 1850, 30 minutes late.

Just to reassure Pushka, passengers on QF774 from ADL to SYD (the 1855) face an expected 105 minute late departure at 2040 for a forecast SYD arrival of a 'skin of your teeth' 2250 tonight. This flight (at this stage) is being formed by QF663 ex BNE (VH-VYJ) that is not due in ADL until 2010, 130 minutes late. Half an hour is pretty close to minimum B738 turnaround for QF.

QF701 from MEL to ADL, the 2015, is not due to depart until 2205 for a suggested hair raising (in curfew terms) arrival in The City of Churches at an eerily similar 2255. It looks to be formed by QF467, the 1930 ex SYD but as is often the case this can change at short notice. It is unclear why QF467 needs a full hour in MEL. Perhaps it's had a turbulent day and knows it's a long way from enjoying Friday night drinks.

Four of the five BNE - MEL QF flights at or after 1700 this evening are at least 90 minutes late with QF635, the 1800, not expected to depart until 2100 hours, 180 minutes late. The other is forecast to be 50 minutes late.

Airlines cannot control the weather but how much better off we would be with a properly built high speed lower east coast railway! Not a good start to May for airline timekeeping.

 

[RickyT84]

Re: General Qantas Delays/Cancellations/etc. Discussion

My JQ flight tonight from SYD to MEL was also affected by the adverse weather in SE QLD. JQ 529 is now running about 50 mins late but I think this will build as the aircraft has yet to leave MEL.

Oh well, at least I can enjoy the SYD QP for a little bit later. Although it is more busy than usual given many fights have been delayed.

 

[JessicaTam]

Re: General Qantas Delays/Cancellations/etc. Discussion

My QF864 arrived in OOL about 20 minutes late, but who's complaining!

The TT flight in front of us did a go around and ended up behind us. VA basically gave up on OOL after about 3pm

 

[Economy_Gold]

Re: General Qantas Delays/Cancellations/etc. Discussion

Tonight's QF10 arrival in MEL was 42 minutes late ex DXB despite having arrived in DXB on time ex LHR. This excess time in DXB may not occur every night, but it occurs sufficiently often to be a problem in enabling QF9 to depart on time given the relatively quick timetabled turnaround at night in MEL.

The QF website is having another 'night of sunny disposition' and predicting that QF9 can depart at 2320, only 25 minutes late. I suggest it will be more like 2340 or 2345 as two hours appears to be the minimum turnaround for an A388 as far as QF goes.

Is this excess time on the ground in DXB simply because that airport has become exceedingly busy with numerous EK and other A380s arriving and departing not to mention other flights, is it due to fog or sandstorms, are there often late passengers who have to be called multiple times and whose luggage cannot be quickly offloaded or is there some other typical reason? Allowing two hours 10 minutes southbound and two hours five minutes northbound to stop in DXB for 'the 10' and 'the 9' as QF staff call them is pretty generous.

On this busy night on the east coast, I just want to comment on the QF 1/2/9/10 issues. I have been travelling from Australia to LHR a few times in the last few months and the major issue at the moment is DXB. The airport seems to be overcroded (very long delays from leaving the gate to actual take-off due to the number of aircraft waiting for take-off) and there been comments that Dubai air traffic control sometimes prefer Emirates planes over other airlines, including QF. So unfortunately this issue is mostly out of the control of QF and I am not sure what they can do about it except further increasing the planned flight time from DXB to build more buffer in the schedule.

 

[Melburnian1]

Re: General Qantas Delays/Cancellations/etc. Discussion

Economy_Gold, many thanks. Valuable and stands to reason. On the occasions I have been there (not many) at around 0001 - 0200 in the 'small hours', that airport is best described as a 'zoo.' It lacks the civility that SIN manages even when SIN is busy. I am unsurprised that in the recent Skytrax ratings, SIN was again ranked the best in the world by a poll of thousands of travellers of many nationalities while DXB did not even make it into the top 10. I agree: it always looks to be like a procession out of DXB to Europe, presumably with some aircraft at minimum separation.

Of these four flights, QF2 appears to be the most punctual, and I say that without looking up sites that can deliver a recent history of punctuality by flight number. Lately QF10 has at times been a shocker, but it is not so every night into MEL. QF1 is very good out of SYD but as you suggest can lose time in DXB or when departing.

Maybe DXB has simply got too big for its boots.

What's it going to be like (extra infrastructure notwithstanding) when EK further expands its flight numbers and has far more A380s in its fleet?

Wouldn't DXB's ATC have many foreigners (including Australians) working for it? Are you suggesting that this directive comes down from 'on high' in the combined world of Middle Eastern business and related politics of operating what the USA based airlines have not been shy in calling a 'very heavily' state subsidised airline in EK?

 

[Flyerqf]

Re: General Qantas Delays/Cancellations/etc. Discussion

Qf15 delayed 24 hours. Qantas now have an aircraft shortage with an A380 (OQD) off to MNL tonight and a B744 off to HKG (OJM) and OQF still out of action.
Wouldn't be surprised to see an A333 on the HKG or NRT route on Sunday as they don't have sufficient A380s and 744s to operate the schedule.

 

[JohnK]

Re: General Qantas Delays/Cancellations/etc. Discussion

Brisbane was chaotic today.

Couldn't get past Fortitude Valley on train and ended up hiring car from Avis. Couldn't get anywhere the airport as all roads gridlocked.

Finally called Qantas at 7:15pm and asked to be moved and was offered 7:45am tomorrow free of charge. Thanks Qantas. Took it and drove back to Milton apartment. Not sure how anyone managed to make it to airport for the evening flights.

As far as I am aware QF547 was cancelled, QF549 (our flight) departed ~75m late, QF551 cancelled, QF553 cancelled and QF557 was delayed slightly.

Hope everyone is safe.

 

[JessicaTam]

Re: General Qantas Delays/Cancellations/etc. Discussion

Brisbane was chaotic today.

Couldn't get past Fortitude Valley on train and ended up hiring car from Avis. Couldn't get anywhere the airport as all roads gridlocked.

Finally called Qantas at 7:15pm and asked to be moved and was offered 7:45am tomorrow free of charge. Thanks Qantas. Took it and drove back to Milton apartment. Not sure how anyone managed to make it to airport for the evening flights.

As far as I am aware QF547 was cancelled, QF549 (our flight) departed ~75m late, QF551 cancelled, QF553 cancelled and QF557 was delayed slightly.

Hope everyone is safe.

^^^ Indeed.

I am glad I chose to fly to OOL as opposed to BNE tonight. Just the luck of the draw.

 

[Pushka]

General Qantas Delays/Cancellations/etc. Discussion

The lovely Pushka's 'worse' half's QF flight ex SYD arrived at ADL at 1850, 30 minutes late.

Just to reassure Pushka, passengers on QF774 from ADL to SYD (the 1855) face an expected 105 minute late departure at 2040 for a forecast SYD arrival of a 'skin of your teeth' 2250 tonight. This flight (at this stage) is being formed by QF663 ex BNE (VH-VYJ) that is not due in ADL until 2010, 130 minutes late. Half an hour is pretty close to minimum B738 turnaround for QF.

QF701 from MEL to ADL, the 2015, is not due to depart until 2205 for a suggested hair raising (in curfew terms) arrival in The City of Churches at an eerily similar 2255.

Ah. Sweet.

The trouble with that second flight is that it is a connector to the Emirates flight departing not long before the curfew.

The flight MrP was on was "full" of people supposed to be on that later flight.

 

[Melburnian1]

Re: General Qantas Delays/Cancellations/etc. Discussion

Pushka, far be it from me to try to correct you as SWMBO is always right (and don't we males know it!), but QF774 is normally timetabled into SYD at 2115 while EK413 is due to depart for (and more or less did) DXB at 2110, so I do not understand how QF774 (which tonight may land about 2256, just in time to beat the SYD curfew after it departed ADL 116 minutes late at 2051) can be a 'connector' to that EK A380.

Flyerqf, great information. A380 VH-OQD took off at 2240 as QF6009 for what you inform us is MNL maintenance. How many days do you expect it to be in Philippines? A little earlier, B744 VH-OJS was in the final stages of ferrying to SYD as QF6005, having taken off from BNE at 2118 tonight.

Apart from today's BNE - LAX QF15 having been delayed from 1025 today to 1000 tomorrow ex the Sunshine State's capital, tomorrow's same flight is forecast to be two hours late departing

 

[Flyerqf]

Re: General Qantas Delays/Cancellations/etc. Discussion

Pushka, far be it from me to try to correct you as SWMBO is always right (and don't we males know it!), but QF774 is normally timetabled into SYD at 2115 while EK413 is due to depart for (and more or less did) DXB at 2110, so I do not understand how QF774 (which tonight may land about 2256, just in time to beat the SYD curfew after it departed ADL 116 minutes late at 2051) can be a 'connector' to that EK A380.

Flyerqf, great information. A380 VH-OQD took off at 2240 as QF6009 for what you inform us is MNL maintenance. How many days do you expect it to be in Philippines? A little earlier, B744 VH-OJS was in the final stages of ferrying to SYD as QF6005, having taken off from BNE at 2118 tonight.

Apart from today's BNE - LAX QF15 having been delayed from 1025 today to 1000 tomorrow ex the Sunshine State's capital, tomorrow's same flight is forecast to be two hours late departing

OJS must be going into SYD maintenance as there is a replacement 744 due to position to BNE tomorrow morning to operate QF15. The inbound QF16 will turn around to operate today's delayed QF15.

There is also a ferry flight to Vancouver scheduled for tomorrow evening at 2200. This is unusual.

 

[Melburnian1]

Re: General Qantas Delays/Cancellations/etc. Discussion

The badly late QF701 departed MEL at 2219, 124 minutes late tonight. It must have a 'dispensation' from the 'delegate' who approves or rejects breaking of airport curfews as it is now 2307 and the flight (VH-VZL) is still 140 kilometres from ADL.

 

[Flyerqf]

Re: General Qantas Delays/Cancellations/etc. Discussion

The badly late QF701 departed MEL at 2219, 124 minutes late tonight. It must have a 'dispensation' from the 'delegate' who approves or rejects breaking of airport curfews as it is now 2307 and the flight (VH-VZL) is still 140 kilometres from ADL.

It is due to land in ADL at 2259 so just in time to beat curfew.

 

[Melburnian1]

Re: General Qantas Delays/Cancellations/etc. Discussion

I'm sorry: I was looking at Vic time not SA! Apologies.

 

[Flyerqf]

Re: General Qantas Delays/Cancellations/etc. Discussion

I'm sorry: I was looking at Vic time not SA! Apologies.

all good. Either way it's a close call.

 

[JohnK]

Re: General Qantas Delays/Cancellations/etc. Discussion

^^^ Indeed.

I am glad I chose to fly to OOL as opposed to BNE tonight. Just the luck of the draw.

In a way you are also lucky that you didn't have to rely on public transport.

A friend took 6 hours to get from Toowong to Caboolture yesterday in a car. Amazing the damage that much water can cause.

 

[Lonely Flyer]

Re: General Qantas Delays/Cancellations/etc. Discussion

This mornings radar shows it about all rained out and it landed mostly on my house. Chance to get things back to normal. Looking forward to a sunny day in "Paradise".

 

[jetlagger]

Re: General Qantas Delays/Cancellations/etc. Discussion

This mornings radar shows it about all rained out and it landed mostly on my house. Chance to get things back to normal. Looking forward to a sunny day in "Paradise".

It's a beautiful sunny day in Gold Coast

 

[Melburnian1]

Re: General Qantas Delays/Cancellations/etc. Discussion

QF27 from SYD to SCL has been delayed today from 1125 departing to 1600. It is being formed by QF64 ex JNB that is on time for a 1400 arrival. This much shorter than usual turnaround will be due to the aircraft 'shortage' due to unplanned and planned maintenance for the B744s and A388s to which flyerqf kindly drew our attention above. As QF27 is not expected to arrive in SCL until 1510 today local time, the Saturday 2 May departure of QF28 from SCL to SYD is expected to be delayed from the usual 1430 to 1710, meaning a Sunday 3 May 2015 arrival in SYD of 2000 in lieu of 1745.

At this stage, this B744 is forming the 2130 Sunday night departure of QF21 to NRT.

The QF website claims that this will depart on time but an hour and a half turnaround for a B744 is most unlikely and on top of that we do not yet know if everything to and from SCL will run to the minute to the amended plan as above. It may be a fairly close call as to whether QF21 makes it out before curfew on Sunday night, or perhaps the sagacious flyerqf's prediction of an A330 being substituted (if one can be rustled up) may come to reality.

The delayed QF15 from Friday that has been altered to depart BNE at 1000 today is forecast to arrive in LAX at 0600 today (Saturday 2 May) local time. It is then forecast to depart at 0810 (a two hour 10 minute close to minimum turnaround time) for a 1505 arrival mid afternoon on Sunday 3 May in BNE, 8 hours 25 minutes late.