Qantas Delays/Cancellations

[Himeno]

and where is VH-ZNN? It was supposed to fly to Perth on 23 Aug but FR24 has not recorded a flight.

From FR24, it looks like it was meant to operate QF34 PER-SYD on Friday, but instead operated QF6005 to MEL before running a delayed QF93 to LAX

 

[exLXCXFF]

From FR24, it looks like it was meant to operate QF34 PER-SYD on Friday, but instead operated QF6005 to MEL before running a delayed QF93 to LAX

yes - agree, silly me, a lot happened to that airframe on Friday.

So with VH-ZNC out, it looks all REALLY tight for QFi Dreamliner operations

 

[Himeno]

- Do they have an A330 spare who could to the Honolulu run? Or cancel honolulu?

They can pull A330s from the domestic legs. EBD is doing SYD-PER at the moment, EBK has been running golden triangle and transcon sectors all weekend.

 

[Melburnian1]

Light fog had been predicted for BNE this morning, so on Monday 26 August 2024, B738 VH-VYD on the 0600 hours MEL-BNE that took off at 0611 as QF600 is diverting to MCY. Not a great distance from BNE, so easy for passengers to be put on a road coach if QAN decides to organise that, but the flow-on means the airframe will be late all day.

'Ferry' working QF6001, an 0600 hours SYD-BNE with A332 VH-EBB took off at 0636. Instead of its timetabled BNE arrival at 0703 according to FR24 (which is wrong - it probably means '0733'), this has become 0840 hours. The flight map suggests it attempted to land at OOL.

QF319D from BDB down to BNE is the 0645 hours that took off punctually at 0658 with Q400 VH-QOF. However its mooted equivalent to an 'at gate' arrival has become 0844 hours, 64 minutes late, showing how disruptive the fog must be.

QF1962 from NTL up to BNE is similar: E190 VH-XVP on this 0630 hours departure was only a couple of minutes late taking off at 0647 hours but is arriving BNE at 0849, 64 minutes behind the eight ball.

 

[ABC1]

Diversions galore from BNE this morning. QF504 landed at OOL. AC also at OOL and EK and SQ to SYD.

 

[Melburnian1]

Class leader A388 VH-OQA is arriving in SYD at 0935 hours as QF12 from LAX, 85 minutes late on Monday 26 August.

 

[docjames]

1730 MEL-SYD today got cancelled circa 830pm last night.

Auto re-accomodate worked but allocated seating options now significantly poorer…..

 

[Melburnian1]

There'll be multiple reasons aircraft are rostered in a particular way, but at face value it seems inappropriate to have a B738 booked to arrive SYD at 0915 hours on an international flight and then do an 1100 domestic, as the plane needs to be shifted from one terminal to another.

This is the case with VH-XZI that arrived on Monday 26 August at 0934 hours, 19 minutes late as QF142 from AKL and is now due to run QF437, the 1100 hours SYD down to MEL. As at 1121, the latter had yet to push back.

 

[exLXCXFF]

Looks like QF7 is delayed until very late due to missing a Dreamliner in SYD, using the incoming aircraft from Santiago landing at 2030. Might be a close one to curfew…

 

[Melburnian1]

Light fog had been predicted for BNE this morning, so on Monday 26 August 2024, B738 VH-VYD on the 0600 hours MEL-BNE that took off at 0611 as QF600 is diverting to MCY. Not a great distance from BNE, so easy for passengers to be put on a road coach if QAN decides to organise that, but the flow-on means the airframe will be late all day.

VH-VYD ended up taking off from MCY at 0944 hours for the short hop to BNE where gate arrival was 1019 hours, 129 minutes late. Not too bad in the trying circumstances.

It is now on QF613, the 0915 hours BNE down to MEL airborne at 1110 with arrival at gate shortly at 1326 hours, 106 minutes late.

Its next flight is the 1400 hours MEL-SYD, QF448 with the departure to be at least a quarter of an hour late.

 

[Melburnian1]

Looks like QF7 is delayed until very late due to missing a Dreamliner in SYD, using the incoming aircraft from Santiago landing at 2030. Might be a close one to curfew…

B789 VH-VNJ is showing on FR24 as landing at 2042 tonight as QF2 from SCL, so if accurate that means c.2047 hours (my arbitrary five minutes' taxiing) at the gate.

FR24 optimistically claims QF7, the 1550 hours SYD across to DFW will depart at 2125. Impossible.

My guess: 2220 hours is the absolute earliest it could be off blocks, but often a QFi turnaround in Australia takes longer, perhaps due to various light maintenance tasks required given the aircraft has returned to home soil.

As jb747 pointed out a long time ago IIRC, apparently the crucial factor is in SYD an aircraft ought commence taxiing by 2245. However the legislation/regulations require clearance from the Federal Minister for Transport's 'delegate' for unscheduled takeoffs and landings post 2300 hours in SYD (plus ADL and OOL).

In most cases, a dispensation is granted. The reports are regularly tabled in Federal Parliament and available publicly: they can be fascinating reading.

 

[Melburnian1]

Continuing with Monday 26 August 2024, A333 VH-QPH arrived ex MNL in SYD at 0751 hours, 71 minutes late as QF20. It then formed QF59, the 1110 hours SYD to Japan's HND for which it was in the sky at 1242 hours. Mooted gate arrival is 2123 mid evening, 73 late.

 

[Melburnian1]

'Sydney Morning Herald'/'The Age' have an article about the travails of B789 VH-ZNC with its rear starboard tyre tread being propelled on Friday 23 August 2024 into one of its wings during takeoff from FCO when operating QF6.

QFi has declined to state how long repairs would take - a sure sign it could be weeks as @TheInsider asserted.

Cracks are across two panels and a wing flap.

The article says a 'ferry flight' will operate to MEL or SYD from PER to enable a full inspection and repairs. (I'd assume SYD as it is home base).

Today thus far, the plane remains on the ground in Perth, WA.

 

[FlyboyAl]

We had an odd delay today on 679 today. We started 10 mins late due to late arrival of aircraft.
After loading and closing up, we sat for 10 mins and the announcement to dis arm the doors came over!
2 young ladies left the flight which the captain announced were for medical reasons, and we then spent another 70 mins while they found their bags.
I would have thought that they had an idea where bags are, but they searched the front hold, then the rear hold, then the front hold again!
We arrived about 90 mins late into ADL.

 

[Melburnian1]

We had an odd delay today on 679 today. We started 10 mins late due to late arrival of aircraft.
After loading and closing up, we sat for 10 mins and the announcement to dis arm the doors came over!
2 young ladies left the flight which the captain announced were for medical reasons, and we then spent another 70 mins while they found their bags.
I would have thought that they had an idea where bags are, but they searched the front hold, then the rear hold, then the front hold again!
We arrived about 90 mins late into ADL.

QF679 was B738 VH-VXO and was the scheduled 1030 hours midmorning MEL across to ADL airborne at 1209 hours with gate arrival at 1246 hours, 86 minutes behind the timetable.

The aircraft subsequently operated QF682 back to MEL, arriving at 1514 hours, 84 late. Its next tour is QF620, the 1425 hours MEL-BNE that's amazingly been put back to an expected pushback at 1825 tonight, four hours late. The times suggest that the aircraft is substituting for a failed colleague for the flight up to BNE.

 

[Melburnian1]

B789 VH-VNJ is showing on FR24 as landing at 2042 tonight as QF2 from SCL, so if accurate that means c.2047 hours (my arbitrary five minutes' taxiing) at the gate.

FR24 optimistically claims QF7, the 1550 hours SYD across to DFW will depart at 2125. Impossible.

My guess: 2220 hours is the absolute earliest it could be off blocks, but often a QFi turnaround in Australia takes longer, perhaps due to various light maintenance tasks required given the aircraft has returned to home soil.

FR24's prediction turned out to be pessimistic, as QF28 is about to land in SYD at about 2013, so by about 2018 it should be at the arrival gate.

In theory, having two and a half hours' leeway before it's (normally) required to commence taxiing (by 2245 hours) should mean it has no problems getting away tonight as the much delayed '7'.

QF8 ex DFW on Monday 26 remains showing as an on-time planned departure at 2215 hours. It's surprising it hasn't been amended.

 

[Melburnian1]

B738 VH-XZN on Sunday 25 August operated the evening 2035 hours SYD-DRW airborne just in time at 2243 with DRW arrival at an unsociable 0230 hours on Monday 26, 105 minutes late.

Further flights today have seen it route DRW-BNE-MKY-BNE-MKY-BNE with it now operating QF555, the 1945 hours BNE down to SYD that was in the sky at 2046 hours. Expected at gate arrival is 2203 hours, 43 late.

Despite generous scheduled turnaround times of respectively 110, 50,40,50, 40 and 60 minutes, it hasn't been able to completely make up the deficit. BNE having fog this morning would not have helped, as many other flights ran late, and being placed in a hold has been common.

 

[Melburnian1]

On Monday 26 August, QF7 (B789 VH-ZNJ) was airborne at 2210 hours, instead of departing from then gate at 1550 hours, so about six hours late. Expected arrival is 2212 same day, so the 2215 hours 26 August QF8 back across to SYD will be delayed.

 

[Melburnian1]

B789 VH-ZNC remains on the ground in PER.

Given jb747 has implied it is able to be safely flown, this is surprising. I'd have thought it would have been flown by now across to SYD for repairs. Does the outstation of Perth have the facilities to undertake such work?

 

[Melburnian1]

On Tuesday 27 August 2024, the A333 operating QF127 (midmorning 1015 hours SYD-HKG) is predicted to depart 75 minutes late at 1130.