Regional Express Delays/Cancellations

[Melburnian1]

Continuing with Friday 18 August 2017 and its strong winds in Sydney, ZL781 (1645 hours SYD down to ABX that was airborne at 1743) should arrive at about 1902 hours, 52 minutes tardy with SAAB340B VH-OLL.

ZL673 is worse, with this 1515 hours SYD - WGA departure pointing skywards at 1735. Arrival for VH-ZJS is suggested as 119 minutes behind schedule at 1828 hours.

The 1600 hours OOM - SYD (ZL738, VH-ZLX) was in the sky at 1820; arrival should be at approximately 1913, 128 minutes behind schedule.

ZL333 (1655 hours late afternoon GFN down to SYD that took off at 1853 with VH-SBA) is likely to arrive at 2036 hours, 131 minutes past the allotted.

 

[Melburnian1]

Mich later on Friday 18 August, ZL472 (VH-REX, the scheduled 1640 hours latish afternoon GFF up to SYD that did not take off until 2121 hours mid evening) should arrive at 2300 hours, 300 minutes late.

The 1835 hours early evening SYD - BNK, ZL236 took off at 2256, just before curfew. Arrival for VH-OLL is predicted at 2357 hours, 217 minutes behind schedule.

ZL587 (VH-RXQ) from BHS to SYD is landing at about 2303, so it must have a dispensation from 'the delegate.'

The 1`725 hours OAG - SYD (ZL179) has VH-VNA with this scheduled 1725 hours ex the Central Tablelands taking off at 2231 and touchdown in SYD predicted as 2332. This is an example of a flight that could have been replaced by a road coach that would beat it to SYD if the coach departed Cudal Airport at 1725 hours. Whether nearby residents to SYD should be subject to extra aircraft noise for Rex's convenience as an airline is debatable: there are no connections tonight for onwards Rex passengers either.

 

[Melburnian1]

Tuesday 22 August sees ZL783 (1815 hours early evening from SYD down to ABX that took off at 2031, VH-ORX) likely to arrive at 2148, 128 minutes behind schedule.

 

[Melburnian1]

Zl188 (Wednesday 23 August 1910 hours SYD - OAG that was airborne at 1947 this evening) should be at its destination about to let passengers off at 2036, 36 minutes late. The SAAB340B is VH-SBA.

 

[Melburnian1]

Tuesday 5 September's ZL3557 (0845 hours MEL down to BWT) was cancelled while later today, ZL3871 from Melbourne to King Island is expected to depart at 1235, 90 minutes late.

 

[Melburnian1]

On Monday 11 September 2017, ZL3752, the 0630 hours from MGB across to MEL did not become airborne until 0718 hours. Arrival is likely at 0856 hours, 51 minutes tardy.

 

[Melburnian1]

With strong winds in Sydney on Thursday 14 September, ZL118 from MIM up to SYD, the 1115 hours that was airborne at 1418 this afternoon is not just badly delayed but has also had an unusual flying pattern over the Blue Mountains. SAAB340B VH-RXN should arrive at about 1517, 177 minutes late.

ZL317 (0935 hours LSY to SYD) took off at 1309; with VH-PRX it is arriving at roughly 1508 hours, 173 minutes behind schedule.

 

[Melburnian1]

ZL179 is also late on 14 September with arrival 39 late at a predicted 1854 hours of this OAG - SYD flight with SAAB340B VH-EKX.

The MYA - SYD ZL134 (VH-ZLS) is likely to arrive at 1858, 78 late.

ZL527, the 1720 hours from PKE to SYD took off at 1752 with VH-OLM, so arrival is estimated at 1904 hours, 44 minutes late.

 

[Melburnian1]

On 15 September, there were fairly hefty winds early in the morning at SYD although they have since been variable.

ZL722, the 0935 hours midmorning OOM - SYD (SAAB340B VH-RXQ) took off at 1150 and is arriving at 1251 hours, 131 minutes behind time.

The PKE - SYD ZL519 is not as badly affected with VH-ZLS arriving at 1253 hours, 83 minutes late.

 

[Melburnian1]

Monday 18 September's peak period combined with windy conditions at MEL sees ZL3257, the 0645 hours WGA down to MEL that took off about 15 minutes late at 0710 hours (SAAB340B VH-EKD) in a hold near the usual Mt Buller, Vic spot. Arrival is therefore estimated to be delayed until 0847, 47 late.

ZL3653 from MQL down to MEL, the 0630 hours was airborne at 0705 - about 25 minutes late - but arroval of VH-ZXG is not suggested until 0832, 42 late. This aircraft was not in a hold as such but did a dog leg, slowing it down.

The 0630 hours MGB - MEL (ZL3752) was in the sky at 0710; VH-ZRN should arrive at 0851, 46 minutes late.

 

[Melburnian1]

On Thursday 21 September, ZL767 (0755 hours SYD - ABX) did not take off until 0906. Arrival is suggested as 1021 hours, 61 late.

 

[Melburnian1]

Much later on 21 September 2017, ZL3683, the 1830 hours early evening MQL - MEL (VH-ZLK) took off at 1833, so arrival is at 2030, 40 minutes late after being placed in a holding pattern southwest of Kerang for quite some time.

 

[Melburnian1]

On Friday 22 September, ZL3257 (0645 hours from WGA down to MEL, SAAB340B VH-RXX) was in the sky at 0738, so arrival looks like 0835 hours, 35 minutes behind time.

 

[Melburnian1]

With the failure of the SYD radar at about 0520 hours on Monday 25 September there are many delays and cancellations.

ZL161, the 0630 hours OAG - SYD (DSAAB340B VH-NRX) did not take off until 0739 so arrival should be at roughly 0827 hours, 67 late.

The 0630 hours WGA - SYD (ZL658, VH-OLM) was in the sky at 0736. Arrival looks to be at about 0829, 49 late.

 

[Quickstatus]

Continuing the story Melburnian1......

My daughter was supposed to be on ZL659 (0640-0755 SYD-WGA).
Unfortunately for her this flight was cancelled last night resulting in a shift to the next flight ZL661 (0845-1000 SYD-WGA)

As a result of the cancellation of ZL659, the returning flight ZL662 (the 0815-0925 from WGA-SYD) was also cancelled resulting in those passengers being shunted to the earlier 0630 ZL658.

Last night the prices for a spot seat on ZL658 and ZL661 was in excess of $500. Daughter mentioned the flight was nearly full. This fits in with the flight being still available for sale at 2200hrs last night at >$500

I dont know why the flight was cancelled. Dynamic management of seating resulting in cancellation of a particular flight due to less than critical passenger numbers? Though Rex has been known (daughters intel) to fly an aircraft with about 50% occupancy.

Having booked her an extra leg room seat on the original flight, I wonder If I will get a refund of the $4 or so as she did not get extra leg room seat on the replacement. Lets see....

Interestingly ZL661, operated by VH-OLM, departed and arrived on schedule despite the radar failure at SYD and despite only arriving as ZL658 from WGA only some minutes earlier as M1 alluded to above, though the cancellation resulted in her missing the first lecture.

Not knowing anything about radar operations at SYD, and another one of my speculations, did/could the lower cruising altitude (12000ft today, usually 19000ft) of the Saabs mitigate the effects of the particular radar failure at SYD?.

 

[Melburnian1]

Quickstatus, your question is very interesting but technical.

Perhaps you could duplicate the technical portion in the 'Ask a pilot' section as our aviators may have the knowledge to answer it.

This isn't the first time that Rex has posted unrealistically high fares a day or less before departure. Very poor value for money!

As we have discussed previously, if flights are cancelled due to low passenger numbers it can be an indicator that bookings were low in both directions, because if they were (say) at 75 per cent of seating capacity in one direction, it might be difficult for an airline to accommodate passengers on alternative flights, particularly if the route had a low frequency of departures.

 

[Quickstatus]

As we have discussed previously, if flights are cancelled due to low passenger numbers it can be an indicator that bookings were low in both directions, because if they were (say) at 75 per cent of seating capacity in one direction, it might be difficult for an airline to accommodate passengers on alternative flights, particularly if the route had a low frequency of departures.

Yes, it is easier to cancel a flight if the return leg also has low numbers and adjacent flights can accomodate....

 

[Melburnian1]

SAAB340B on ZL344, the Friday 29 September SYD - GFN - LSY (the 1745 hours) did not take off from SUD until 1941 so GFN arrival is suggested as 2040 instead of the timetabled 1910 hours.

 

[Melburnian1]

Thursday 5 October has ZL3151 (0655 hours ABX - MEL, SAAB340B VH-ZXG) arriving half an hour late at 0825 as it did not take off until 0735.

 

[Melburnian1]

On Sunday evening, 8 October 2017, there was a storm at MEL at around 1940 hours. ZL3783 (early evening 1845 hours MEL across to MGB) took off at 1951, so arrival will be at least 50 minutes tardy.