QF A380 out of action for 6 weeks

[Dmac6345]

Any ideas as to what damage the bird sustained?

Without digging out the article:
There was an issue with the aircraft on the jacks and as a result ended up with damage to the tail/stabiliser area.
I'm sure I will be corrected if that is the wrong technical term.

 

[ABC1]

The problem with OQF has had a knock on of disrupting 131 flights.

 

[serfty]

Any ideas as to what damage the bird sustained?

From what I have read, was that during mainteneance on the horizontal stabaliser a cracked brace was found. A temporary repair was done and a proper fix was schedule for this mid April hangar visit.

With the fix, the aircraft needed to be jacked up and leveled and the stabaliser had to be braced with a jack having enough load to take its weight. The jack loads needed were worked out separately and independently by competent people who had done this before.

Just after the task had begun something gave way, causing serious internal damage.

 

[Jenelle]

Just to give you our experience with this - we were booked on the bulkhead rows on the A380. We are flying JFK - LAX - MEL and then MEL - LAX - JFK with our 6 month old.

I had been logging in regularly to check that we hadn't been bumped from the bassinet seat. One one off chance a couple of weeks ago, I logged in and clicked on 'Change Seat' so I could see the seat map to see how full the flight may be. Obviously, our JFK - LAX was fine but when I clicked on LAX - MEL our A380 Bulkhead row was now a normal row. Same for MEL - LAX. They hadn't thought to let us know or even just change the seat when they can see we have an infant on our booking?! Luckily I contacted them ASAP and thankfully other people hadn't required bassinette's and got in ahead of us. It was only on the OFF CHANCE that I happened to log in and check this (because I am a sticky beak) that I found this out. I could just imagine thinking the whole way that we were fine as our seats hadn't changed, when in fact the plane had changed. I wouldn't have found this out until check in and then, it is often too late when it comes to bassinette's. I can't believe they wouldn't even just sent and automatic email?!

Just bizarre. Anyway - fingers crossed all goes ok as we depart next week. I don't trust them so have been checking our seats every single day. LOL

 

[Flying mermaid]

I can't believe they wouldn't even just sent and automatic email?!

Exactly!

Just bizarre. Anyway - fingers crossed all goes ok as we depart next week. I don't trust them so have been checking our seats every single day. LOL

Me too - my confidence is shattered.....

 

[Sale]

I received an email yesterday from Qantas saying that our June 22 flight QF93 (MEL-LAX) has been changed to a 747.

"We’ve had to make some changes to your flightWe’re currently undertaking some required maintenance on one of our A380 aircraft. For that reason your upcoming flight on QF93 will be on one of our Boeing 747 aircraft.
You’ll experience the same great Qantas service
Although you’ll be on a different aircraft you’ll enjoy the same great Qantas experience. Our Boeing 747s have been upgraded with the same high quality Qantas products you’ll find on our A380 aircraft – including lie-flat Skybeds if you’re travelling in Business.
Manage Your Booking puts you in control
Log in to re-check your flight details, including your seat selection. This shouldn’t have changed but in the unlikely event it has, you’re welcome to choose another available seat."

We are (were) seated in 13A,B. When I checked it still has the A380 - so rang Qantas. The girl I spoke with checked with her supervisor because she couldn't see any difference & the supervisor said that yes, the plane has changed but it hasn't loaded properly into their system yet.

Any suggestions on seats when we can reselect please? - or stay where we are if we have the same seats?

 

[QF029]

Interesting. Expert Flyer still has it as an A380.

I received an email yesterday from Qantas saying that our June 22 flight QF93 (MEL-LAX) has been changed to a 747.

"We’ve had to make some changes to your flightWe’re currently undertaking some required maintenance on one of our A380 aircraft. For that reason your upcoming flight on QF93 will be on one of our Boeing 747 aircraft.
You’ll experience the same great Qantas service
Although you’ll be on a different aircraft you’ll enjoy the same great Qantas experience. Our Boeing 747s have been upgraded with the same high quality Qantas products you’ll find on our A380 aircraft – including lie-flat Skybeds if you’re travelling in Business.
Manage Your Booking puts you in control
Log in to re-check your flight details, including your seat selection. This shouldn’t have changed but in the unlikely event it has, you’re welcome to choose another available seat."

We are (were) seated in 13A,B. When I checked it still has the A380 - so rang Qantas. The girl I spoke with checked with her supervisor because she couldn't see any difference & the supervisor said that yes, the plane has changed but it hasn't loaded properly into their system yet.

Any suggestions on seats when we can reselect please? - or stay where we are if we have the same seats?

 

[moa999]

Any suggestions on seats when we can reselect please? - or stay where we are if we have the same seats?

I suspect when they load the new seat map. ☺
When that is I can't help on

 

[russ]

We are (were) seated in 13A,B.

13B is the worst seat in J because it's right next to the curtain and toilet. QF has done you a favour by changing aircraft!

 

[Sale]

13B is the worst seat in J because it's right next to the curtain and toilet. QF has done you a favour by changing aircraft!

Thanks for that Russ - I didn't realise. Now I just need to wait for them to update the website so I can change!

 

[maninblack]

I received an email yesterday from Qantas saying that our June 22 flight QF93 (MEL-LAX) has been changed to a 747.

"We’ve had to make some changes to your flightWe’re currently undertaking some required maintenance on one of our A380 aircraft.

Maintenance? Don't they mean repairs?

 

[straitman]

Maintenance? Don't they mean repairs?

In aviation speak repairs are included under the term maintenance.

 

[phily]

In aviation speak repairs are included under the term maintenance.

Similarly in the IT world, when one hears that an "upgrade" is being done, it often means that they're primarily fixing a fault rather than adding any new functionality.

 

[Stoopidsteve]

Similarly in the IT world, when one hears that an "upgrade" is being done, it often means that they're primarily fixing a fault rather than adding any new functionality.

Unless it's QF IT systems where "upgrade" = "add new errors we didn't even think were possible"

To err is human. To really screw up you need a big computer

 

[Flying mermaid]

I received an email yesterday from Qantas saying that our June 22 flight QF93 (MEL-LAX) has been changed to a 747.

Hmm - so a step forward - that's good. Hopefully they do it for everyone in future.

 

[Himeno]

Maintenance? Don't they mean repairs?

No, they mean maintenance. There is currently an A380 undergoing a C Check in MNL.

 

[maninblack]

No, they mean maintenance. There is currently an A380 undergoing a C Check in MNL.

That was scheduled maintenance. This appears to be an unscheduled delay due to damage to the aircraft that happened during maintenance which now requires repair irrespective of what aviation industry euphemisms are being used .

 

[serfty]

No, they mean maintenance. There is currently an A380 undergoing a C Check in MNL.

Which would mean there are currently two out of service.

 

[TripleB]

Depending on how recently the damaged A380 had a heavy check - I wonder if they will use some of the ground time to do some of the checks associated with its next heavy check and reduce the days it has to be in LH's shop in MNL next time around.

 

[Melburnian1]

If QF's A388 'C checks' are similar in duration to Emirates' '3C checks', QF may be looking at the A388 aircraft being in MNL for almost two months for planned maintenance:

Emirates completes first A380 heavy check | Australian Aviation

Coupled with the other A380 yet to be returned to service following the SYD hangar incident, it must be worrying times for the staff in QF's operations section - and not all the B744 fleet is available either.

I agree, maninblack, every other type of transport - shipping, rail, bus and coach and trucking - makes a clear distinction between 'repairs' (unplanned events) and 'maintenance' (a normal cycle of attention to equipment or rollingstock), as does the English language.

There are too many euphemisms used in the aviation sector. All that the travelling public cares about is safely getting to their destination on time (preferably with the seating matching what was booked.) At present, QF is meeting the first criteria (a given) but too many of its long haul flights are failing on the second and third measures. This isn't what QF's advertising suggests will be the experience.