QF26 HND-SYD Schedule Change - Now departing 06:50, previously 08:40

[TheDefenestrator]

Not sure if this warrants its own thread, but have a CR ticket on QF26 HND-SYD in Feb 2025, and got this earlier today:

Hi,

Due to scheduling requirements at Tokyo Haneda Airport, we have had to retime some of our flights from Haneda to Sydney.

As a result, your upcoming flight QF26 from Haneda to Sydney has changed and is now departing earlier.

There are a few things to know before your flight

Getting to the airport: Trains in Tokyo do not start running until 5.00am in the morning, so you may wish to consider booking alternative transport to the airport.

Check-In times: Check in will open at 4.00am and close at 5.40am.

Bag drop will open at 4.00 am and close at 5.40 am.

View your options

Please view your options including a refund and select your preference at Manage Booking or the Qantas App. If you require further assistance, please contact us on 131313 (within Australia) +61 2 8222 2439 (outside Australia).

For Japanese: call +81 3 6833 0700 (within Tokyo) +81 120 207 020 (outside Tokyo/Kanto) Monday to Friday 9.00 am-4.00 pm.

We sincerely apologise for the inconvenience.

So previously:
QF26 HND 08:40, arrive at SYD 20:35
Now:
QF26 HND 06:50, arrive at SYD 18:45

QF60 which departs 22:00 appears unchanged.

Can't say I'm particularly happy about this. I don't suppose anyone has access to additional info (like when the change is due to start, nothing mentioned on AeroRoutes as of yet afaik) that might shed light on this change?

 

[offshore171]

Not sure if this warrants its own thread, but have a CR ticket on QF26 HND-SYD in Feb 2025, and got this earlier today:

So previously:
QF26 HND 08:40, arrive at SYD 20:35
Now:
QF26 HND 06:50, arrive at SYD 18:45

Sounds like a lot of people will be spending their final night of the trip at the Villa Fontaine

 

[Himeno]

Have they changed QF25?

QF25 (arrival) and QF60 (departure) are using the night slots. QF26 and QF59 are using the day slots.
The night slot period is 10pm to 6am.

The only timing changes on HND-SYD flights currently showing on Expert Flyer (through to March) are daylight saving related.

Taxi's have a flat rate to the airports, but you'd still be looking at around $90-120 for the taxi early in the morning.
There are night buses, but last I checked, they haven't resumed the full pre covid schedule yet.

 

[ozmouse]

Not happy. Will be making other arrangements. Ie back to SQ

 

[Kendall Roy]

Sounds like a lot of people will be spending their final night of the trip at the Villa Fontaine

Worth it for the Onsen!

 

[brett-au]

First train seems to be arriving at 5:26am..

 

[im.daniel]

Not happy. Will be making other arrangements. Ie back to SQ

Or how about NH with the more sociable departure time of 0835? Either that, or the red-eye with NH/JL/QF.

 

[turnip666]

I was booked on that flight back in Feb. The schedule change was the other way...from 6.40 to 8.40 am and it caused issues with connections out of SYD.

I had booked the onsite hotel so just had a longer sleep in

Is it a seasonal change?

 

[Himeno]

The timetable on the QF website has the time change phasing in over September and October, with some flights departing HND at either 0650 or 0840, and the change completed by late Oct.

 

[Himeno]

Is it a seasonal change?

The seasonal changes on this route are on the AU end as Australia starts and ends daylight saving.

It may be a northern winter issue. The BNE and MEL flights were at HND March 2023-October 2023 and moved back to Narita after that to allow the double daily SYD-HND flights from November. QF has only had the morning departures from Japan since then. Prior to that, they had their normal afternoon/evening operations at the Asian ports.
The morning QF HND departure started at 0700.


Yep, looks like a seasonal change. QF26 listed on the QF website as going back to ~0800 departure in April.

 

[JoeyKangaroo]

Well that's $260 for a hotel stay at the airport. Least the Fontaine onsen is lovely and I can do some plane spotting the night before again so it isn't too bad, plus getting to have an actual sleep will be good.

 

[Mattg]

This is the information that Qantas sent to travel agents about the QF26 schedule change:

Update to HND-SYD flights​

Due to scheduling requirements at Tokyo Haneda Airport between October 2024 and March 2025, we have had to retime our QF26 services from Haneda to Sydney, with flights now departing earlier. There are a few things to know before your customer's flight:

Getting to the airport: Trains in Tokyo do not start running until 5am in the morning, so customers may wish to consider booking alternative transport to the airport.

Check-in times: Check-in will open at 4am and close at 5.50am.

Please refer to the Qantas Agency Connect site for options available to customers who are affected by these schedule changes, including rebooking your customer onto alternative flights or a refund of your customer's ticket.

It's a seasonal change affecting the northern winter schedules only.

 

[opusman]

Surely Qantas had advance warning that Winter was coming? Seems weird that seasonal changes should be a surprise.

 

[kdubz]

Anyone got this change ticketed? How long should I wait before needing to be concerned? It’s a CR/CR+ return tix with QF only.

 

[justinbrett]

With those timings I’d rather the red eye.

 

[TheDefenestrator]

Anyone got this change ticketed? How long should I wait before needing to be concerned? It’s a CR/CR+ return tix with QF only.

Mine is a CR multicity booking, got notified around Tues 2pm (email as per post 1 + QF app push notification), then received the updated itinerary and ticket to my email about 40 mins later.

 

[offshore171]

Surely Qantas had advance warning that Winter was coming? Seems weird that seasonal changes should be a surprise.

If I understand correctly, it was the Haneda airport operators that decided to adjust the schedule for its upcoming winter slots, and Qantas has had to respond to that.

Is that not the case?

 

[Himeno]

At the moment, there are 2 international flights departing HND between 6 and 8am, and close to 30 departing between 8 and 10am. Most of the flights between 8 and 10 are to Greater China, SE Asia and Europe.

Might have to see if other flights, such as AF163, BA8, NH889, JL47 and LH715 are also being moved to the earlier slots.

It's possible that the domestic flights want more morning slots during the winter.

 

[justinbrett]

If I understand correctly, it was the Haneda airport operators that decided to adjust the schedule for its upcoming winter slots, and Qantas has had to respond to that.

Is that not the case?

If the flight departed at 0850 like now it would land in SYD at 2045 during AEDT, meaning MCT would not be met for any connections due to curfew.

 

[Captain Halliday]

Anyone got this change ticketed? How long should I wait before needing to be concerned? It’s a CR/CR+ return tix with QF only.

Mine is a CR multicity booking, got notified around Tues 2pm (email as per post 1 + QF app push notification), then received the updated itinerary and ticket to my email about 40 mins later.

Mine was also reticketed within and hour.

But the schedule change has worked in my favour.

I successfully changed to QF60 the evening before.

This eliminated the need for a hotel night at HND and another in SYD before our connection to BNE.

The down side is arriving home Christmas eve and being expected to attend multiple festive feeding frenzies.

But if I don’t tell my family or the in-laws about the change…