QF122 cancelled, then not cancelled, then refuelling with pax on board?

[CaptainCurtis]

Yikes can Qantas get any worse? App showed my flight was cancelled, and received a text message saying so. Then told we’re diverting to Christchurch to refuel, but they’ll be refuelling with passengers onboard?

 

[AIRwin]

Then told we’re diverting to Christchurch to refuel, but they’ll be refuelling with passengers onboard?

I've boarded flights where refuelling was still in progress...

 

[CaptainCurtis]

I've boarded flights where refuelling was still in progress...

I’ve always thought it was prohibited, but agree that I have been on flights that have boarded with refuelling in progress.

 

[Scr77]

Remaining onboard while refueling is not new (you’re asked to leave seatbelt undone). But why the need to refuel in Christchurch? Isn‘t Christchurch further Than Queenstown?

 

[dajop]

I’ve always thought it was prohibited, but agree that I have been on flights that have boarded with refuelling in progress.

I've been on a number of services, where there are scheduled refueling stops, where passengers remain on board, both domestically and internationally (eg. CX's old HKG-JFK-YVR service, SQ's SIN-MXP-BCN service, domestically less common, but certainly been on some Dash 8 triangle routes like this).

 

[kpc]

Remaining onboard while refueling is not new (you’re asked to leave seatbelt undone). But why the need to refuel in Christchurch? Isn‘t Christchurch further Than Queenstown?

I assume they need more fuel than what they are allowed to take off from Zqn with

 

[TheInsider]

Can Qantas get any worse for refuelling their aircraft?? Geez...

Happens nearly on every domestic turn where refuelers are doing their thing whilst passengers are on board.

 

[TomVexille]

Remaining onboard while refueling is not new (you’re asked to leave seatbelt undone). But why the need to refuel in Christchurch? Isn‘t Christchurch further Than Queenstown?

It is, but as @kpc says, the CHC runway is significantly longer then the one at ZQN.

 

[CaptainCurtis]

Can Qantas get any worse for refuelling their aircraft?? Geez...

Happens nearly on every domestic turn where refuelers are doing their thing whilst passengers are on board.

So sending a text messaging saying a flight is cancelled when it’s not is acceptable?

 

[Quickstatus]

Can Qantas get any worse for refuelling their aircraft

Not sure how that is a bad thing. Fuel is good from my POV.
Just part of rapid aircraft turnarounds.

Ive been on lots of aircraft when refuelling is underway.
There is a non smoking sign on and the airbridge remains in place and the doors open

Yikes can Qantas get any worse?

Not sure how that is bad either, if a message gets sent but shortly after a subsequent update message also sent.

I assume they need more fuel than what they are allowed to take off from Zqn

There is a strong weather system out in the Tasman sea. QF122 possibly accounting for easterly headwinds and short ZQN runway 1800m vs 3200m.
Also posted here for hopefully an aviator comment

 

[offshore171]

Would this be related to the polar blast sweeping through SE Australia and out across the tasman?

For example, expected headwinds require higher fuel load than what can be achieved with the Queenstown runway.

 

[Quickstatus]

out across the tasman

 

[offshore171]

That explains it pretty clearly!

 

[NM]

It is, but as @kpc says, the CHC runway is significantly longer then the one at ZQN.

and at a different altitude and prevailing weather conditions. Lots of things factor into performance limits for flights.

And yes, passengers are asked to leave seat belts unfastened during refueling.

 

[TheInsider]

So sending a text messaging saying a flight is cancelled when it’s not is acceptable?

You literally got sent a text message straight after saying it's not and being operated via CHC.

Post automatically merged: May 31, 2022

Not sure how that is a bad thing. Fuel is good from my POV.
Just part of rapid aircraft turnarounds.

Ive been on lots of aircraft when refuelling is underway.
There is a non smoking sign on and the airbridge remains in place and the doors open

It isn't a bad thing at all!

 

[Kiwi_Flyer]

Would this be related to the polar blast sweeping through SE Australia and out across the tasman?

No it is a separate weather low.

 

[CaptainCurtis]

You literally got sent a text message straight after saying it's not and being operated via CHC.

No, the second message came through 30 minutes after the original cancellation text. The flight was also showing as cancelled in my Qantas app for an hour. Straight after I received the first text, I called Qantas only to be told the wait time would be 60-90 minutes. So for thirty minutes I was frantically trying to make plans to get home, given I have work tomorrow and there is only one daily flight back to Sydney. It is unacceptable.

 

[TheInsider]

No, the second message came through 30 minutes after the original cancellation text. The flight was also showing as cancelled in my Qantas app for an hour. Straight after I received the first text, I called Qantas only to be told the wait time would be 60-90 minutes. So for thirty minutes I was frantically trying to make plans to get home, given I have work tomorrow and there is only one daily flight back to Sydney. It is unacceptable.

So you'd rather the flight cancelled then?

They clearly worked their coughs off trying to get another approved flight plan and an additional stop over in another airport (which has hundreds of moving parts) to get the service where it needed to be. Still not good enough I guess.

cough happens in aviation with weather issues.

 

[CaptainCurtis]

So you'd rather the flight cancelled then?

I never said that. I said it is unacceptable to be texting passengers telling them their flight has been cancelled when it has, in fact, not been cancelled. Chatting to people at check-in and in the lounge now, every person has shared my sentiment.

If we had a number to call to speak to someone immediately, then fair enough. But when the expectation is to wait on hold for 60-90 minutes, we have every right to be disappointed.

 

[kangarooflyer88]

Seems to me like Uncle Alan noticed a sale on Petrol at Christchurch and thought he'd save a couple bucks refuelling there rather than in ZQN or an Australian port. Hopefully the pilot's got their Costco membership card ready!

-RooFlyer88