Qantas flight from Auckland to Sydney makes mayday call

[justinbrett]

Totally OT but the railway use of gauge refers to the distance between the rails. Now sure an up-gauge in that respect refers to a change in the distance between the rails - something not usually compatable with operating equipment. This leads to difficulties specially in Australia where some states use different gauge measurements.. because you know.. states... so in Vic the majority of the track is broad gauge which is wider than standard gauge which is used in NSW (and possibly elsewhere, such as SA?).. this has meant interstate rail links use different tracks and equipment (eg: PTV vic has a subset of locos and carriage stock to run on these lines). This allows for all same-train travel between places like Melbourne and Sydney. Back in the fun days one had to change physical trains at the border(Albury) to continue a journey due to this difference.

So the usage in rail terms is a bit different to the generally accepted aviation usage - though I suppose they are both size related.

(and ironically I am about to catch a broad gauge train on my way out to MEL to catch a flight.... )

Carry on....

The point was you’re taking an existing service and moving all of the pax to a different vehicle. So that is pretty much the same concept in aviation.

 

[Kiwi_Flyer]

Doesn’t mean it’s the primary motive.

They are picking up 111 pax in nan. Seems primary to me.

 

[Franky]

And it’s spelt gauge, not guage…

Doesn't get a mention in my trusty phone dictionary whether it's hyphenated or spelt ua

Totally OT but the railway use of gauge refers to the distance between the rails. Now sure an up-gauge in that respect refers to a change in the distance between the rails - something not usually compatable with operating equipment. This leads to difficulties specially in Australia where some states use different gauge measurements.. because you know.. states... so in Vic the majority of the track is broad gauge which is wider than standard gauge which is used in NSW (and possibly elsewhere, such as SA?).. this has meant interstate rail links use different tracks and equipment (eg: PTV vic has a subset of locos and carriage stock to run on these lines). This allows for all same-train travel between places like Melbourne and Sydney. Back in the fun days one had to change physical trains at the border(Albury) to continue a journey due to this difference.

So the usage in rail terms is a bit different to the generally accepted aviation usage - though I suppose they are both size related.

(and ironically I am about to catch a broad gauge train on my way out to MEL to catch a flight.... )

Carry on....

or au...

Totally OT but the railway use of gauge refers to the distance between the rails. Now sure an up-gauge in that respect refers to a change in the distance between the rails - something not usually compatable with operating equipment. This leads to difficulties specially in Australia where some states use different gauge measurements.. because you know.. states... so in Vic the majority of the track is broad gauge which is wider than standard gauge which is used in NSW (and possibly elsewhere, such as SA?).. this has meant interstate rail links use different tracks and equipment (eg: PTV vic has a subset of locos and carriage stock to run on these lines). This allows for all same-train travel between places like Melbourne and Sydney. Back in the fun days one had to change physical trains at the border(Albury) to continue a journey due to this difference.

So the usage in rail terms is a bit different to the generally accepted aviation usage - though I suppose they are both size related.

(and ironically I am about to catch a broad gauge train on my way out to MEL to catch a flight.... )

Carry on....

When rail lines were standardised, we in WA had the smallest guage at 3'6", so they added a third rail which required all of the sleepers to be repalced as well, but now one track can accommodate the different subsets that you refer to. All due to the Head Engineers in the States when rail was introduced - one was from England, one from Scotland and the other from Wales, and they insisted on using the gauge that was the go in their respective former homes. At least, that's what they taught us at school...

 

[justinbrett]

They are picking up 111 pax in nan. Seems primary to me.

The thing that doesn't add up is what about all the pax on cancelled JFK flights?

Are the loads that light they can absorb this? I doubt they'd bump 100 pax off a JFK flight just to pick up pax in NAN.

But would make sense if the JFK route isn't doing very well and they have that many empty seats.

 

[drron]

Totally OT but the railway use of gauge refers to the distance between the rails. Now sure an up-gauge in that respect refers to a change in the distance between the rails - something not usually compatable with operating equipment. This leads to difficulties specially in Australia where some states use different gauge measurements.. because you know.. states... so in Vic the majority of the track is broad gauge which is wider than standard gauge which is used in NSW (and possibly elsewhere, such as SA?).. this has meant interstate rail links use different tracks and equipment (eg: PTV vic has a subset of locos and carriage stock to run on these lines). This allows for all same-train travel between places like Melbourne and Sydney. Back in the fun days one had to change physical trains at the border(Albury) to continue a journey due to this difference.

So the usage in rail terms is a bit different to the generally accepted aviation usage - though I suppose they are both size related.

(and ironically I am about to catch a broad gauge train on my way out to MEL to catch a flight.... )

Carry on....

Should have watched Joanna Lumley's travel show 2 Sundays ago on the ABC. She caught the train from Hong kong to Siberia. When the train crossed into Mongolia it went into a long shed. The Chinese bogies taken out and the larger gauge Mongolian and Russian bogies wheeled in to replace them. so definitely the train was upgauged.

 

[OZDUCK]

I like the Spanish rail version where the train simply slows down to pass through a shed and the gauge is changed without a halt. You don't feel any bumps or judders. Like this video below.

 

[milehighclub]

Are the loads that light they can absorb this? I doubt they'd bump 100 pax off a JFK flight just to pick up pax in NAN.

Isn't there a weight restriction due to the length of the flight? This would free up some seats depending on the day. QF had to block 100 for QF8 on the A380.

 

[docjames]

I know what they’re trying to say, but ‘upguaged‘ is not a word…. I realise that AFFers are different, but seriously…

And it’s spelt gauge, not guage…

Surely in the airline industry it’s up-gouged…….

On AFF that’s otherwise an “enhancement”.

 

[SeatBackForward]

Surely in the airline industry it’s up-gouged…….

On AFF that’s otherwise an “enhancement”.

engougement.

 

[cambriamarsh]

Isn't there a weight restriction due to the length of the flight? This would free up some seats depending on the day. QF had to block 100 for QF8 on the A380.

I think you're correct. That would have given capacity for the shorter NAN-AKL leg.

 

[Kiwi_Flyer]

Also jfk pax could if needed be rerouted via hnl, lax, sfo, ord, iah (and others).

 

[exLXCXFF]

Could an AFF rep maybe inquire with QF what the deal was with QF22 to enlighten us all?

Being continental-European, I am still laughing how up-gauge can create such a ping pong reaction in this thread - it‘s such a usual word in continental Europe (in various languages).

 

[justinbrett]

Isn't there a weight restriction due to the length of the flight? This would free up some seats depending on the day. QF had to block 100 for QF8 on the A380.

That was my point entirely.

But they do not block 100 seats as a matter of course. There is only 275 seats on that aircraft.

EF shows the flight tomorrow only has 14 seats blocked off. Of course when they do the detailed flight planning and get wind information, that number may increase significantly.

Flying an aircraft half full for 16.5 hours in order to pick up 100 pax for a 3 hour flight does not make any commercial sense, unless they knew they were going to have to fly that empty anyway because of conditions.

That said, who knows when it comes to NZ

 

[Kiwi_Flyer]

That was my point entirely.

But they do not block 100 seats as a matter of course. There is only 275 seats on that aircraft.

EF shows the flight tomorrow only has 14 seats blocked off. Of course when they do the detailed flight planning and get wind information, that number may increase significantly.

Flying an aircraft half full for 16.5 hours in order to pick up 100 pax for a 3 hour flight does not make any commercial sense, unless they knew they were going to have to fly that empty anyway because of conditions.

That said, who knows when it comes to NZ

Actually nz normally flies jfk-akl with about 100 seats unsold due to weight restrictions. There was a bit of media reporting on it when the route started as initially they hadn't quite got the number right.

 

[justinbrett]

Actually nz normally flies jfk-akl with about 100 seats unsold due to weight restrictions. There was a bit of media reporting on it when the route started as initially they hadn't quite got the number right.

Not the case for today’s flight (Just over 24 hours way US time). 14 blocked and 25 unallocated in Y. Business and premium each have one seat remaining on sale, the rest of the cabins are full.

 

[Mwenenzi]

Not the case for today’s flight (Just over 24 hours way US time). 14 blocked and 25 unallocated in Y. Business and premium each have one seat remaining on sale, the rest of the cabins are full.

Actually nz normally flies jfk-akl with about 100 seats unsold due to weight restrictions. There was a bit of media reporting on it when the route started as initially they hadn't quite got the number right.

The 100 unsold seats may marked in blue. Could help weight & balance . Only shows what white seats available for selection.

 

[Kiwi_Flyer]

In addition to the jfk flight stopping at nan to pick up stranded pax; nz has flown or scheduled additional flights for iue, apw, lax, Tokyo.

 

[justinbrett]

The 100 unsold seats may marked in blue. Could help weight & balance . Only shows what white seats available for selection.

The seats with a cross are the ones blocked.

The blue ones are allocated.

 

[justinbrett]

The 100 unsold seats may marked in blue. Could help weight & balance . Only shows what white seats available for selection.

The only person who's referenced 100 seats is @Kiwi_Flyer.

ET says "as many as 55" here: Review: Air New Zealand’s nonstop Auckland-New York flight.

Not 100.

And if it was increased to 100 due to winds, that's my whole point.

 

[Kiwi_Flyer]

The only person who's referenced 100 seats is @Kiwi_Flyer.

ET says "as many as 55" here: Review: Air New Zealand’s nonstop Auckland-New York flight.

Not 100.

And if it was increased to 100 due to winds, that's my whole point.

Media reporting last year is nz carries max 180 pax for jfk-akl. So 95 less than the number of seats. They tried flying with more pax when the route was launched but it created issues (baggage and pax needing to be offloaded).

Note they can carry a lot more pax akl-jfk thanks to tailwind. However, that direction still has many unsold seats.