Regional Express Delays/Cancellations

[Melburnian1]

ZL3752, the Tuesday 11 February 2020 scheduled 0630 hours morning MGB across to MEL took off at 0729. SAAB340B VH-RXX should arrive at 0903 hours, 58 minutes late.

The BWT to MEL ZL3554, also an 0630 hours, was airborne at 0707 so arrival is 0822 hours, 32 minutes late for VH-ZXG.

ZL3633 is another 0630 hours, in its case ex MQL. VH-KDV took off at 0715 with arrival suggested for 0839 hours, 69 minutes behind the schedule.

VH-ZRC on the 0645 hours WGA - MEL, ZL3257 was in the sky 59 minutes later so arrival has become 0854, 54 behind.

The BNK down to SYD ZL211 shoud arrive 45 late at 0905. Aircraft is VH-RXS.

 

[Melburnian1]

A number of ZL flights into SYD are delayed on the morning of Thursday 13 February.

ZL824 from WGA to SYD, VH-ZLO is the 0630 hours airborne at 0727. Arrival is suggested as 0829, 49 minutes behind schedule. Last night, flights from SYD (and MEL) were on time so maybe ATC has imposed a 'controlled departure?" While I've not looked at the aviation weather forecast, the general forecast indicated cloud, but did not mention 'fog' for Wagga Wagga this morning.

VH-RXS is on the 0705 hours NRA up to SYD, airborne at 0744. Arrival looks to be 0903, 38 late. Last night's ZL473 arrived only five late at 1910 hours, so again this may be ATC mandating a later takeoff this morning than the timetable implies.

The 0630 hours DBO to SYD, ZL821 (VH-RXN) took off at 0753 so arrival should be 0859, 79 minutes behind the schedule. Last night, ZL836 from SYD arrived DBO at 2133, 78 minutes late, so crew needed minimum mandated rest in their motel,. accounting for the tardy takeoff this morning.

ZL454 is the 0650 hours GFF - SYD also in the sky at 0744, so it isn't far behind. Its arrival is estimated as 57 minutes tardy at 0907 hours. VH-ZKQ arrived last night on ZL477 at 2123 hours, 58 late, so this tells us why the northbound this morning is not punctual.

ZL211 is the 0630 hours BNK down to SYD that pointed skywards at 0734 with arrival for VH-SBA suggested as 56 late at 0916 hours. ZL236 last night arrived BNK 18 late at 2028 so again one wonders if ATC has imposed a controlled departure from Ballina?

These late arrivals at night meaning a delayed start to the morning are a problem, given AFAIK it doesn't base flight or cabin crew at smaller, less frequently served NSW rural cities/towns.

 

[Melburnian1]

On Monday 17 February 2020, ZL3653 (SAAB340B VH-ZXG), the 0630 hours first of the day MQL down to MEL was in the sky at 0712 hours. Arrival is predicted as 0829, 39 minute sbehind the timetable.

ZL463 (VH-ZPA) is on the 0830 hours SYD down to GFF but had yet to take off by 0913 hours. It will be at least half an hour late arriving.

 

[Melburnian1]

Later on 17 February, ZL467 is the 1030 hours SYD - GFF in the sky at 1122 with VH-KRX. Arrival should be at 1232, 32 late.

 

[Melburnian1]

ZL188, the Tuesday 18 February SYD - OAG route (where competitor QFd is shortly to make its inaugural flight) is the 1910 hours airborne at 1954 for a projected 2051 hours, 551 minutes late arrival.

The GFN down to SYD ZL333, the 1650 hours, did not take off until 1937 so arrival for VH-TRX should be 2115 hours mid evening, 175 minutes tardy. Sydney may be down to a single runway.

 

[Melburnian1]

On Tuesday 25 February 2020, ZL3574 (VH-ZLH, the 1620 hours BWT up to MEL airborne early at 1623) is arriving 33 minutes late at 1808 due to single runway ops. Melbourne earlier in afternoon had some thunderstorms.

 

[Melburnian1]

Friday 28 February 2020 sees ZL662 (VH-SBA), the 0815 hours WGA to SYD that took off at 0857 suggested as arriving at 1005 hours, 40 minutes late.

 

[Melburnian1]

On a rainy day throughout much of eastern Australia, Thursday 5 March 2020, ZL762 fromn ABX to SYD, the 0630 hours airborne at 0704 with SAAB 340B VH-RXQ is likely to arrive 32 late at 0827 hours.

ZL3257 (VH-EKH, the 0645 hours WGA - MEL in the sky at 0735 hours) is arriving at 0842, 42 late. MEL seemed to briefly be on single runway operations (east-west.)

ZL3752 from MGB across to MEL (VH-ZRE) arrived at 0849 hours, 44 late.

 

[Melburnian1]

Still on 5 March 2020, ZL3492 (VH-OLL, the 1500 hours MEL - MIM) was as at 1751 about to take off, but to the west so that will cause it to lose further time. It will be about 150 minutes late arriving in the NSW seaside large town.

 

[Melburnian1]

ZL470 has SAAB 340B VH-ZXQ and is the mid afternoon Friday 6 March GFF up to SYD that took off at 1658, so arrival should be 1809 hours, 134 minutes tardy.

 

[Melburnian1]

MId to late evening but still on 6 March 2020, ZL3684 (1825 hours MEL - MQL) did not take off until 2101, so arrival is suggested as 2208 hours, 143 minutes behind.

 

[Melburnian1]

Tuesday 10 March 2020 has ZL3257 (VH-ZPB, the 0645 hours WGA down to MEL airborne at 0729 hours) arriving at 0832, 32 late.

 

[Melburnian1]

Thursday 12 March 2020's ZL3187, the 1720 hours ABX - MEL took off at 1754 but had to hold above Eildon. Arrival for SAAB 340B VH-ZLH should be at 1856 hours, 36 minutes tardy.

 

[Melburnian1]

ZL3682, the scheduled 1625 hours MEL up to MQL afternoon flight on Monday 16 March 2020 is expected to depart at 1700 hours.

 

[Melburnian1]

On Friday 1 May 2020, ZL852, the 0645 hours SYD - DBO - BHQ did not depart until 0814 hours, 89 minutes tardy, taking off at 0825. The intermediate stop for aircraft SAAB 340B VH-OLM saw takeoff at 0937 with BHQ arrival 1050 hours, 79 minutes behind the schedule.

The 1025 hours return working, ZL857, took off from distant Broken Hill at 1116 hours, arriving DBO 38 late at 1308 hours.

 

[Melburnian1]

Thursday 28 May 2020's ZL3319, the 0650 hours from WGA to ABX and then with a 20 minute stop, the 0740 hours down to MEL (SAAB 340B) arrived the latter at 0913 hours, 33 minutes late.

 

[Melburnian1]

Friday 5 June 2020 saw ZL3322 (conveying passengers from MEL to ABX and WGA, something that never occurred on the same flight in recent years prior to COVID-19), the 1330 hours lunchtime departure doing so at 1415 but not taking off until 1442, a long period between pushback and becoming airborne for MEL, especially given low levels of air traffic at present.

SAAB 340B VH-ZRB arrived ABX at 1525 hours (55 minutes late) and then on what should be the 1450 hours ABX - WGA became airborne at 1548 with arrival in the latter at 1614 hours, 54 late.

These sectors were late because this morning ZL3321 did not take off from WGA until 1224 for Albury despite being a scheduled 1050 hours departure. Not sure if there was fog at WGA midmorning: there was a small amount of wind at the BOM weather station but that isn't at the airport.

 

[Melburnian1]

Still during cxoronavirus, ZL316 (the 0715 hours SYD - GFN) on Tuesday 9 June 2020 did not take off until 0833 hours. SAAB 340B VH-SBA arrived at 0945 hours, 65 minutes tardy.

The plane then formed ZL317 for the initial short hop from GFN to LSY and then back down to SYD. Takeoff from GFN was at 1009, the intermediate stop was from 1030 to takeoff at 1057 with SYD arrival 1227 hours, 57 minutes behind schedule.

 

[Melburnian1]

Thursday 11 June 2020 saw the timetabled 0910 hours MEL to ABX and WGA, ZL3320 not depart until 1156 hours. Arrival at Albury was at 1246 hours, 156 minutes tardy. During coronavirus, Regional Express has been operating this as a triangular flight quite often, which indicates lower demand than usual. I don't know if it's not booking strangers together: if it is not, the capacity of its small SAAB 340Bs could be as low as 17 seats.

 

[Melburnian1]

SAAB 340B VH-RXE on the 0750 hours morning SYD - OAG during coronavirus (ZL164) did not depart until 0900, taking off at 0923 hours, so arrival was at 1003, 83 minutes behind the timetable. The return flight, ZL165, the 0910 hours, was airborne at 1018 with projected SYD arrival 1058, 58 minutes tardy.