Qantas Delays/Cancellations

[ABC1]

There had been comment that B789 VH-ZNC would reenter service 'this week' but with the week half over, that's yet to occur.

On Wednesday 11 September, A388 VH-OQG arrived in SIN as QF2 from LHR only 11 minutes late, but then did not take off for SYD until 2108 hours, resulting in arrival on Thursday 12 at 0619 hours, 69 minutes tardy.

The following QF2 (VH-OQJ), the 2045 hours ex LHR was airborne at 2217 so SIN arrival tonight should be 1819, 54 minutes behind schedule.

B789 VH-ZNE on QF6 from FCO down to PER is arriving on Thursday 12 half an hour late at 1010 hours.

The QF2 did a bit of circle work into SYD this morning. The BA & SQ flights also landed after 0600 due to southerly winds. They also left late.

 

[Melburnian1]

Continuing with Thursday 12 September 2024, QF291 (Finnair wet lease, A333 OH-LTR), the 1025 hours SYD-SIN took off at 1132 with gate arrival forecast for 1732 hours in the late afternoon, 42 minutes behind schedule.

 

[Melburnian1]

As at 1900 hours on Thursday 12 September, radar indicates Brisbane and Sydney are both experiencing storms.

One delay example is QF1937 (E190, the 1635 hours BNE down and across to ADL airborne at 1901 hours) with gate arrival said to be 2106 hours, 126 minutes behind schedule.

Another is QF543 (B738 VH_VYI, the 1710 hours BNE-SYD in the sky at 1744 about 20 minutes behind schedule) that is arriving at about 1948 hours, 63 late.

Many aircraft are holding on the approaches to each.

 

[Melburnian1]

In more on Thursday 12 September, QF25 (2020 hours SYD-HND, A333 VH-QPF was airborne at 2135 hours, so arrival on Friday 13 should be at about 0627 hours , 67 minutes late.

 

[Sprucegoose]

My first time on Finnair. Not a fan of the seat.

I think it is one of the best J seats in the sky!

QF1 arriving about 21:00, but then delayed for 7 hours.

I hope they kept the food and drink coming along.

I was on a terribly delayed CX, and they tried to kick me out of The Pier at midnight—which this erstwhile correspondent remedied—but the thought caused me distress.

 

[Melburnian1]

I'd worked out QFi was one short for the remaining Sydney departures after noon on Friday 13 September normally operated with a B789.

This explains why VH-ZNA that arrived in PER from LHR yesterday at 1204 hours, 24 late as QF10 and subsequently was on QF780 (1630 hours PER-MEL 12 September) is running empty from MEL to SYD. It is due at the latter at 1116.

It will probably form QF33, the 1355 hours to PER and CDG. In theory this should be on time.

VH-ZNF that's arriving from JNB (QF64) at 1319 this afternoon is likely to become QF7, the 1550 hours SYD up and across to DFW: another relatively tight turnaround leaving not much time for maintenance or proper cleaning.

VH-ZNJ will complete the B789 Sydney roster for today I assume, arriving hopefully at 1630 hours as QF34 from PER and before that Paris, in good time to form QF103, the 2025 hours to HNL mid evening.

QF93, another required B789 for today (often this is an A388) is delayed from 1155 hours to 2135 hours tonight ex MEL for LAX. If it's able to depart mid evening, the returning QF94 from LAX to MEL on Friday 13 should (again in theory) be punctual.

B789 VH-ZNC remains at PER, having been out of service for weeks.

 

[Melburnian1]

I'd calculated that there was no available B789 to operate the badly delayed QF93 from MEL to LAX.

However QFi has solved that, albeit with a time penalty, by operating an A333 tonight as QF103/104 SYD-HNL-SYD. When I was contributing a year ago, from memory A333s were still operating that popular route to what's a luxury destination, but B789s have subsequently been running up and down for months.

On Friday 13 September, B789 VH-ZNJ is QF6001 that took off from SYD at 1839. Arrival in MEL should be 2006 hours. Looks like it'll become QF93 (1155 hours MEL-LAX) showing as departing mid evening at 2135.

It'll be surprising if it achieves pushback at that time: 2150 hours or later is my guess.

ZNJ had arrived in SYD at 1655, 25 minutes late as QF34 from PER and previously Rome's FCO, so it didn't spend long in Sydney this afternoon.

The absence of B789 VH-ZNC is palpable. It's either a cancellation, or substantial delay, to a long haul flight every couple of days. Recently, QF93/QF94 have been cancelled so tonight's late operation is an improvement, though far from ideal.

 

[Melburnian1]

B738 VH-XZO operated QF172, the 1435 hours WLG to MEL on Friday 13, taking off at 1707 and arriving at 1846 hours, 131 minutes behind schedule.

It is also the aircraft for a delayed QF45, the 1745 hours MEL-DPS yet to take off as at 2009 hours.

UPDATE: QF45 is likely to arrive DPS at 0015 hours on Saturday 14, 135 minutes behind the timetable.

 

[Melburnian1]

QFi has altered its flight status to indicate the delayed QF93D (operated by B789 VH-ZNJ) will depart MEL for LAX on 13 September at 2230 hours instead of the previously shown 2135. Its normal time is 1155 out of MEL.

UPDATE: It took off at 2256 hours with LAX arrival to be 1945 hours on Friday 13, 635 minutes late.

 

[Melburnian1]

On Saturday 14 September, QF67, the 0905 hours SYD to BLR QF67 is predicted to push back at 1015 hours. Aircraft is A332 VH-EBP. that was badly late on QF648 yesterday (1235 hours PER-SYD), QF655 (1945 hours SYD-PER, arriving at 0021 this morning, 91 behind and then QF654, the 2355 hours redeye PER-SYD airborne at 0232 that arrived SYD at 0813, 128 minutes late.

Given the aircraft has to transfer from the QFd domestic to the international terminal, it might well be even later than indicated.

QF63 (0930 hours SYD-JNB, a B789) is suggested as departing an hour late at 1030 hours midmorning.

The A332 on QF35 (1200 'high noon' MEL-SIN) should depart 90 minutes late at 1330.

B789 VH-ZNK on QF6 from FCO down to PER is arriving on Saturday 14 at 1013, 33 minutes tardy.

UPDATE: QF67 has been further delayed to a forecast 1100 hours SYD departure for BLR in India.

FURTHER UPDATE: QF67 was in the sky at 1123, so predicted gate arrival in Bangalore becomes 1818 hours, 98 minutes late.

QF63 (B789 VH-ZND) pointed skywards at 1115 hours from SYD so arrival at 1701 in JNB is the go, 51 minutes behind schedule.

 

[Melburnian1]

Continuing with Saturday 15 September, QF35 (1200 'high noon' MEL-SIN) has A332 VH-EBA. It took off at 1355 with arrival suggested as 1940 hours, 85 minutes late.

 

[Melburnian1]

In yet another B789 delay, this time on Saturday 14 September, QF5, the 1920 hours SYD-PER and then the 2355 hours PER-FCO is expected to depart two hours late from each.

The aircraft is B789 VH-ZNK that has just arrived as QF6 at 1735, 25 minutes late in SYD from PER and earlier FCO, so it's doing 'the yo-yo'.

Passengers arriving in Perth will have the bonus of gazing upon marooned B789 VH-ZNC that remains out of service. An AFFer said it was due to return to duty this week but with the week almost over, that hasn't occurred.

QF104 from HNL (unusually, A333 VH-QPB) is arriving in SYD tonight at a forecast 2136 hours, 186 minutes late.

On Sunday 15, the 2025 hours evening SYD-HNL QF103 is again to be operated by an A333, although tonight's (14) is a more usual B789.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Not unique to qantas by any means… but given the huge padding of schedules these days, it’s rare to see flights depart on time, but they still actually arrive on time.

Maybe airlines should move away from ‘departure time’ to only list check-in closure, and arrival time! Would be a lot less grief for the *delayed* passengers, who aren’t actually delayed at all most of the time.

There are some pretty big exceptions, as you point out it’s the flights above. But it’s not uncommon to see a departure 30, 40 or even 60 minutes late still arrive on time at the destination!

 

[Melburnian1]

Still on Saturday 14 September, QF5 has been put back further to an estimated 2220 hours ex SYD, three hours late for its initial sector to PER. This means the second leg to FCO in Italy may depart PER close to 0300 hours.

The aircraft has changed to B789 VH-ZNI that has been in Sydney since 0611 early this morning, arriving as QF74 from SFO.

 

[Melburnian1]

Maybe airlines should move away from ‘departure time’ to only list check-in closure, and arrival time! Would be a lot less grief for the *delayed* passengers, who aren’t actually delayed at all most of the time.

It's rarely clear in advance to me if an airline knows a flight will be delayed (say) an hour because its inbound is late (and there's no possibility of swapping to another aircraft) whether check in stays open until (say) an hour prior to the amended departure time, or whether staff religiously stick to the 'original' time.

 

[Melburnian1]

Given B789 VH-ZND was delayed on QF63 (SYD-JNB) yesterday, 'the 64' returning to Sydney is also tardy, with gate arrival likely at 1438 hours, 53 minutes behind schedule. This will delay the 1550 hours QF7 SYD-DFW with pushback predicted as 1630 hours.

 

[Melburnian1]

In a sign that defective B789 VH-ZNC (stuck in PER) may not be returning as quickly as hoped, QF103/QF104 SYD-HNL and return on Saturday 21 and Sunday 22 September have transformed into A330-300s rather than the usual B787-900.

As QF has a finite number of international widebody aircraft that apart from planned maintenance days are fully committed, which A333 route is suffering?

 

[Melburnian1]

B738 VH-VYD had a pleasant overnight in MEL, relaxing from 1531 hours yesterday after it arrived from MCY.

However this morning it was late out of bed, with the 0930 hours MEL-SYD airborne at 1101 hours, meaning arrival at gate in Sydney becomes about 1206, 71 minutes late. Its next tour is the 1200 'high noon' QF441 back down to MEL, which may be able to depart at about 1300 hours if all goes well.

This aircraft may well run late for the rest of the day.

UPDATE: From FR24, QF430 appears to have had a missed approach in SYD at 1201 hours. It was successful on the second try, arriving at its gate at 1219, 84 minutes behind the timetable.

 

[Melburnian1]

Also on Sunday 15, QF10 (B789 VH-ZNM) is arriving in PER (ex LHR) at 1211 hours, 31 late.

 

[Melburnian1]

Continuing with Sunday 15 September, QF34 from PER and earlier, CDG, arrived SYD at 1709 hours, 39 minutes late with B789 VH-ZNA.

B738 VH-VZI was just behind. This was the 1320 hours AKL across to SYD airborne at 1541 as QF144. It arrived at 1711, 136 minutes behind the eight ball.

QF7 (VH-ZND) is on the 1550 hours SYD-DFW long haul, QF7 in the sky at 1713, about an hour late. Amusingly, it waited for clearance while arch rival QR908 landed six minutes late from DOH (A388 A7-APF, with twice the number of seats compared to QFi's SYD-DFW offering). QF7 should be at the DFW gate at 1703 same day, 58 minutes late.