Qantas Delays/Cancellations

[ABC1]

Saturday 5 April's QF94 from LAX down to MEL (the 2150 hours) is delayed in its departure until an expected 2100 on Sunday 6. This should be A388 VH-OQJ.

I reckon that might be a crew rest issue.

Meanwhile Sunday’s QF2 ex LHR delayed until Monday 0900 due to late arrival of aircraft being the QF1.

 

[Melburnian1]

Meanwhile Sunday’s QF2 ex LHR delayed until Monday 0900 due to late arrival of aircraft being the QF1.

QF1D arrived LHR at 2202 hours on Sunday 6 April, 927 minutes late with A388 VH-OQG.

The overnight delay to QF2 will have ramifications for the schedules ex Australia.

The Sunday departing QF1, VH-OQD was in SIN from 2349 hours until 0211 when it took off. LHR arrival on Monday 7 should be 0856 hours, 141 minutes tardy.

VH-OQK should arrive in SYD today from JNB at about 1535 hours mid afternoon, 50 minutes late.

 

[ABC1]

QF1D arrived LHR at 2202 hours on Sunday 6 April, 927 minutes late with A388 VH-OQG.

The overnight delay to QF2 will have ramifications for the schedules ex Australia.

The Sunday departing QF1, VH-OQD was in SIN from 2349 hours until 0211 when it took off. LHR arrival on Monday 7 should be 0856 hours, 141 minutes tardy.

VH-OQK should arrive in SYD today from JNB at about 1535 hours mid afternoon, 50 minutes late.

Also saved by not having a QF63 on Tuesday

 

[Melburnian1]

Monday 7 April's QF1 (the 1450 hours ex SYD) took off at 1619 with A388 VH-OQA. A 2157 hours arrival in SIN, 42 late, is on the cards.

Tuesday 8's QF1 that normally departs SIN at 2325 hours is not expected to do so until 0830 on Wednesday 9, presumably due to crew rest requirements from the hugely delayed QF2 that should depart LHR at 0900 hours on Monday 7, still 75 minutes away as I type. If QF1 tomorrow departs SYD at 1450 hours, this makes for an awkward wait overnight for anyone travelling from Australia to London. I wonder are those joining in Singapore who don't live in Lion City being given an hotel room for the night?

 

[Melburnian1]

The overnight delayed QF2D with A388 VH-OQG was airborne from LHR on Monday 7 April at 0924 hours with SIN gate arrival likely at around 0514 hours on Tuesday 8.

Another overnight delayed A380 flight, QF94D should arrive MEL (ex LAX) tomorrow morning at around 0652 hours. The aircraft is VH-OQJ.

Not exactly reliable!

 

[tomlee1986]

The overnight delayed QF2D with A388 VH-OQG was airborne from LHR on Monday 7 April at 0924 hours with SIN gate arrival likely at around 0514 hours on Tuesday 8.

Another overnight delayed A380 flight, QF94D should arrive MEL (ex LAX) tomorrow morning at around 0652 hours. The aircraft is VH-OQJ.

Not exactly reliable!

This situation - similar to the A330 mess earlier this year, now it is the A380's turn!! Why do I feel its systemic issue within Qantas itself? Not about the aircraft manufacturer but inside QF management!

 

[ABC1]

This situation - similar to the A330 mess earlier this year, now it is the A380's turn!! Why do I feel its systemic issue within Qantas itself? Not about the aircraft manufacturer but inside QF management!

And this is all basically because one plane went US (unserviceable)..

 

[tomlee1986]

And this is all basically because one plane went US (unserviceable)..

This is just personal opinion - is Qantas over stretched with its International fleet? The A330 and the A380 fleet (of course they are different issues to fix), but is it also because of the overuse of its fleet causing these delays? one must wonder this possibility

 

[Melburnian1]

This is just personal opinion - is Qantas over stretched with its International fleet? The A330 and the A380 fleet (of course they are different issues to fix), but is it also because of the overuse of its fleet causing these delays? one must wonder this possibility

As @ABC1 reminded us, QF63/64 SYD-JNB and return have a 'rest day' on Tuesdays.

However, some of the other flights - notably QF1/2/11/12 - are daily. QF93/94 MEL-LAX and return seem to be a maximum of two a week as an A380: other five days are a B789.

There are seven operable A380s in the QFi fleet IIRC. Not much margin for error.

Especially with its A333s, QFi is arguably attempting to do too much. Again IIRC, A332s lack some features such as special crew rest areas that make them not ideal for international flights.

 

[Himeno]

However, some of the other flights - notably QF1/2/11/12 - are daily. QF93/94 MEL-LAX and return seem to be a maximum of two a week as an A380: other five days are a B789.

There are seven operable A380s in the QFi fleet IIRC. Not much margin for error.

Especially when QF1/2/11/12 require 5 aircraft to operate both LHR and LAX routes daily.

 

[ABC1]

As @ABC1 reminded us, QF63/64 SYD-JNB and return have a 'rest day' on Tuesdays.

However, some of the other flights - notably QF1/2/11/12 - are daily. QF93/94 MEL-LAX and return seem to be a maximum of two a week as an A380: other five days are a B789.

There are seven operable A380s in the QFi fleet IIRC. Not much margin for error.

Especially with its A333s, QFi is arguably attempting to do too much. Again IIRC, A332s lack some features such as special crew rest areas that make them not ideal for international flights.

What also doesn’t help through SIN to LHR is the flexibility with crew.. Only London based FA’s do the SIN-LHR-SIN legs.. Hence why today’s QF1 has a sleepover in SIN so the crew can get 24 hours rest because of the late QF2. London FA’s also do the PER-LHR flights. Another is distance.. QF operates long long haul flights and when something goes wrong on the other side of the world it’s hard to play catch up. Every day must be a knife edge for them.

 

[Melburnian1]

What also doesn’t help through SIN to LHR is the flexibility with crew.. Only London based FA’s do the SIN-LHR-SIN legs.. Hence why today’s QF1 has a sleepover in SIN so the crew can get 24 hours rest because of the late QF2.

Would passengers travelling from Sydney to London receive an hotel room?

 

[ABC1]

Would passengers travelling from Sydney to London receive an hotel room?

If there is accommodation available then yes they should. It’s a fairly significant delay. Also connecting pax from BNE and MEL I should imagine.

 

[Melburnian1]

In more on Tuesday 8 April 2025, A388 VH-OQG arrived from LHR and SIN as the delayed QF2 at 1633 hours mid afternoon, 683 minutes late.

It formed QF11, the 1745 hours SYD-LAX airborne at 2007 with same day arrival at gate forecast as 1618, 113 late.

 

[Melburnian1]

The QF1 (A388 VH-OQI) that spent overnight in Singapore due to crew off a very much delayed QF2 requiring sufficient rest took off from Lion City at 0858 local time on Wednesday 9 April. Gate arrival at London Heathrow should be about 1539 local time, 544 minutes late, but in plenty of time to form the QF2 mid evening departure.

 

[Melburnian1]

In more on Wednesday 9 April, A332 VH-EBV operated QF437, the 1050 hours SYD down to MEL that arrived at gate two minutes early at 1223 hours. It then looked to have gone on a rescue mission, running empty as QF6113 from Melbourne up to Brisbane, arriving at 1530 mid afternoon.

It is now operating a much delayed QF51, the scheduled 1105 hours BNE-SIN airborne at 1725 in the late afternoon. Gate arrival should be about 2243 hours late tonight, 318 minutes behind the timetable. FR24 suggests it will then return to BNE as QF52, the 2030 hours ex SIN altered to depart at 0020 hours on Thursday 10.

Presumably another A332 had failed, so 'the 6113' was a hastily arranged move.

 

[Melburnian1]

On Sunday 13 April 2025, QF11, the scheduled 1745 hours SYD-LAX with A388 VH_OQD has been delayed to an expected 2000 hours mid evening pushback. The plane has been in SYD since 0705 hours this morning, so unsure why the delay.

 

[tomlee1986]

QF29 to HKG is also delayed today in departure from 1020 to 1144 - now facing a 20 minute delay in arrival to 1816 instead of 1755 on QPB (A333) - I expect 30 min delay to gate due to long taxi at HKIA as expected. CC @Melburnian1