whats going on with QF43 SYD-DPS?

[ozmouse]

Just checked flight details for my upcoming trip to bali on friday. Interesting reading re last weeks departures.....

Scheduled departure is 1650. they have missed the mark big time for last 5 days including today's is already delayed, 5 hours before flight time? (and i shudder at the cancellation!)

I am assuming delays up to an hour might be expected SYD airport congestion.

So further investigation shows 2 of the DPS planes have runs to china.....

was confidently spruiking at work that nothing to worry about.... but appears we maybe caught up in the virus situation after all. (and not from a health perspective , but from airline logistics issues).

And to think im only doing the SYD leg because of a status run.... might have been better off in MEL 737??? ;-)

 

[sudoer]

I am assuming delays up to an hour might be expected SYD airport congestion.

2 Feb was definitely weather at Sydney - a huge storm rolled through just before QF43 was due to depart. I can't help with info on the other delays/cancellation other than VH-QPB being out of action 28 Jan-2 Feb which may have contributed in some way

And to think im only doing the SYD leg because of a status run.... might have been better off in MEL 737??? ;-)

Once you factor in the time flying to Melbourne, you'd probably be better off on the delayed A330! The flat beds are worth the wait anyway.

@Melburnian1 has just posted some helpful information in the QF delays thread also: Qantas Delays/Cancellations

 

[ozmouse]

we shall see how we go....

And from weather forecast looks like we will be dodging monsoonal rains to get in and out of SYD on Friday!

 

[ozmouse]

Tonight flight departed 20:48 4 hours late

 

[Pushka]

Geez. What is happening here? The return flight must be leaving at insane hours then!

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Yes. And a few weeks ago JQ was suffering exactly the same delays exMEL... 3-4 hours. Departure times were pushed back to 2-3am from Bali. Poor crew who have to work up and back. They must be exhausted

 

[Tropic]

QF44 cancelled on 30 Jan resulting very average trip home to PER via MEL.... apparently QF are having ongoing issues with a few A330s with recurrent hydraulic failures...a delayed A330 always trumps an on time 737...

 

[Mrmaxwell]

None of this matters....AJ is running a tight ship with no spare aircraft lying around even at home hubs such as SYD. Shareholders come first and PAX come last.

Remember each time you go to book a ticket you are reminded 'We will do our best to get you where you want to be on time, but we don’t guarantee flight times or schedules and they aren’t part of our contract with you" talk about customer comes first

 

[Pushka]

None of this matters....AJ is running a tight ship with no spare aircraft lying around even at home hubs such as SYD. Shareholders come first and PAX come last.

Remember each time you go to book a ticket you are reminded 'We will do our best to get you where you want to be on time, but we don’t guarantee flight times or schedules and they aren’t part of our contract with you" talk about customer comes first

Yon left out “and there is no guarantee you will get the Business class seat you paid for“.

 

[RooFlyer]

None of this matters....AJ is running a tight ship with no spare aircraft lying around even at home hubs such as SYD. Shareholders come first and PAX come last.

Remember each time you go to book a ticket you are reminded 'We will do our best to get you where you want to be on time, but we don’t guarantee flight times or schedules and they aren’t part of our contract with you" talk about customer comes first

Yon left out “and there is no guarantee you will get the Business class seat you paid for“.

You both left out "We don't guarantee anything: time, flight, plane, seat, route, day or week. Just give us yer money and stop complaining."

 

[Deleted member]

This is why (or at least one of the reasons why) I don’t fly out of Sydney unless there is absolutely no other choice.
Brisbane is a breeze to fly in and out of IMHO (lack of an F Lounge notwithstanding)

 

[Quickstatus]

Yes. And a few weeks ago JQ was suffering exactly the same delays exMEL... 3-4 hours. Departure times were pushed back to 2-3am from Bali. Poor crew who have to work up and back. They must be exhausted

And also JQi uses foreign crew on lower wages and conditions on long rosters that take them all over JQi international destinations which may include Asia, HNL, Japan. These crew's home base is NOT in Australia and while they stop in Australia they are not at home. Reports are they only get $60 spending money per 36 hours while on the ground on a slip away from home. Sydney, Tokyo and Honolulu are not exactly the cheapest cities for food and drink. $60 for F&B does not go far in these places.

People want all these super cheap fares but they don't think/care of how that is possible.

 

[Pushka]

This is why (or at least one of the reasons why) I don’t fly out of Sydney unless there is absolutely no other choice.
Brisbane is a breeze to fly in and out of IMHO (lack of an F Lounge notwithstanding)

We’d prefer Mel into DPS except for the execrable business class seats and meals on that flight. Next month we are flying out of Melbourne from ADL as it’s just less faff and a daytime flight. Coming back it’s via Sydney for the proper J seat.

 

[Quickstatus]

Lets take VH-EBS for example to get an idea of the domino effect of a delay:

2 Feb20 QF107 SYD-PEK departure at 1700 hrs (3hr 25min delayed)
2-3Feb20 QF108 PEK-SYD arrival at 1700 hrs (2 hr 50min delayed - and arrival was after scheduled departure as QF43 to DPS)
3Feb20 QF43 SYD-DPS departure at 1924hrs (2hr 26min delayed -and arrival was after scheduled departure as QF44 to SYD)
3Feb20 QF44 DPS-SYD departure at 2349 (2hr 29 min delayed)

So the delay for QF43 was caused by the delay of QF107 the day before and it was impossible to make up that time due to tight turnarounds at the ports.

The usual question then becomes Should QF run schedules which are less tight? or Should QF have spare aircraft?

If yes then be prepared to pay for much higher fares which makes QF uncompetitive. Spare aircraft - how many and stationed at which airports and with the necessary crews?. Unfortunately this is a feature of present day, airline operations with razor thin margins and tightly controlled costs.

Even the USA flights where an aircraft can be on the ground for >12 hours can experience flow on effects due to delays as well.

Usually these domino effects are relatively shortlived. On the 4th Feb 20, VH-EBS was relatively on time for the next flight SYD-PVG departing at 1124hrs (29 minutes late)

 

[GoldCanyon340]

We’d prefer Mel into DPS except for the execrable business class seats and meals on that flight. Next month we are flying out of Melbourne from ADL as it’s just less faff and a daytime flight. Coming back it’s via Sydney for the proper J seat.

I did the 45 a few days ago and it was a great flight. Main meal was really good (barramundi), crew was the best QF team I’ve had for a few years.

 

[Melburnian1]

Quickstatus made some sensible comments above, and while it was referred to briefly above, here's what I posted in the Qantas delays/cancellations thread yesterday (which doesn't really answer the OP's question but presents the information differently):

Some QFi fans welcomed the introduction of QF43/QF44 SYD - DPS - SYD flights as it gave an additional widebodied aircraft option and competition for GA, OD, VA and QFi's JQ among others.

Punctuality on these flights seemed generally unexceptional - mostly punctual - but this has changed.

While the weather has not always been kind, in the last seven days, QF43 has been cancelled once, arrived more than three hours late once, greater than two hours tardy once, more than an hour late once and 53 minutes late once, so a very poor timekeeping record.

This afternoon (Tuesday 4 February's) QF43, the 1650 hours is delayed in its pushback to an expected 1905 hours with arrival in Bali (at gate) likely at 2205 hours, 125 late. The redeye QF44 back down to SYD should then depart at 2310 (110 late) with Wednesday 5 arrival at about 0745 hours, 85 minutes tardy.

 

[sudoer]

The usual question then becomes Should QF run schedules which are less tight? or Should QF have spare aircraft?

There should be a couple of spare frames once PEK/PVG flights stop on 9 Feb..

 

[Mrmaxwell]

There should be a couple of spare frames once PEK/PVG flights stop on 9 Feb..

Certainly not planned to improve customer experience.

 

[ozmouse]

happy to report yesterday flight left on time. incoming flight was from perth.

now it seems we have to worry about rain event on friday....

we are with the aviation gods.... and ON HOLIDAYS! ;-)