Qantas Delays/Cancellations

[Melburnian1]

With the diversion to PPT, QF3 (B789 VH-ZNH) is forecast to arrive in JFK at its gate at about 1835 on Friday 12 December, 250 minutes late.

The 1715 hours QF4 from JFK to AKL (and later, SYD) should be able to depart at about 2030 hours.

On Saturday 13, A388 VH-OQG arrived as QF12 ex LAX in SYD at 0836 hours, 71 minutes late.

Sister plane -OQB should pull up in MEL at 1009, 39 late as QF94 also from LAX.

A332 VH-EBG on QF20 from MNL arrived SYD at 0713 hours, 33 behind.

 

[tomlee1986]

Qantas domestic is having delays out of CBR… the QF1411 was delayed by 90 mins in departure- originally 1235, now 1400 take off, 48 mins late… my QF1413 is the same aircraft- originally 1625 - now its 1700 after the arrival of 1412 at 1625 instead of 1555

Aircraft number is VH-84B

 

[Melburnian1]

Also on Saturday 13 December, QF19 (1205 hours lunchtime SYD-MNL) took off at 1354 with gate arrival forecast for 1842 hours, 72 minutes late. Plane is class leader A333 VH-QPA.

A332 VH-EBB is on QF71 from PER up to SIN. This 1030 hours scheduled pushback did not point skywards until 1225 hours, so gate arrival should be about 1730 hours, 95 minutes tardy.

B789 ZH-VNH on the QF3 that had diverted via Papeete, Tahuiti due to a sick child arrived JFK at 1837 hours with the 1715 hours return QF4 becoming airborne at 2113 hours mid evening US east coast time. AKL arrival on Sunday 14 looks like approximately 0819, 204 minutes late.

Saturday 13's QF93 (1200 'high noon' MEL-LAX, A388 VH-OQB should arrive at 0807 hours, 42 minutes behind the timetable.

 

[Melburnian1]

Fortunately Saturday is often the least busy day of the week for domestic flying, but a severe storm is about to hit much of Melbourne.

QF455 (B738 VH-VXE, the 1500 hours SYD-MEL airborne if anything a bit ahead of time at 1512) is diverting to ADL. It had been in a lenthy holding pattern slightly southeast of Mansfield, Victoria but at about 1630 started the path to the diversion.

 

[tomlee1986]

QF1413 from CBR to Melbourne- took off at 1758 instead of 1625 and landed at 1911 instead of 1745 - Dash 8-400 VH-84B

 

[Melburnian1]

On Sunday 14 December 2025 as at 0730, A388 VH-OQC still had not moved from Los Angeles, assuming FR24 is correct.

Perhaps the repairs are taking much longer than expected, or there's no available crew to run it empty back to Sydney?

B789 VH-ZNL as QF94 from LAX down to MEL should arrive on Sunday 14 at 1009 hours, 39 minutes late.

QF20 (A333 VH-QPA) from MNL to SYD arrived at 0737 hours, 57 minutes behind schedule.

The delayed QF4 from JFK (due to QF3's diversion to PPT) arrived AKL at 0838 hours, 223 minutes late, with departure for SYD optimistically forecast as shortly, at 0950 hours NZ time. -ZNH is the B789.

The 0930 hours Sunday QF63 (SYD-JNB) A380 is expected to depart at 1045 hours.

 

[Melburnian1]

The expected delay to the 14 December QF63 ex SYD has increased to 90 minutes in departure, at a forecast 1100.

UPDATE: The forecast has become an 1155 departure, but that time has just passed. This means the chances of 'the 64' ex JNB 14 December being delayed have risen.

 

[Melburnian1]

The anticipated departure time for QF63 (0930 hours SYD-JNB, A388 VH-OQJ) has become 1240 hours but that has also already passed.

No sign of QF63 becoming visible on FR24.

QF64 on Sunday 14 will certainly also be delayed, and probably QF11 from SYD to LAX on Monday 15 late afternoon if the usual rostered pattern occurs, as @mbe1510 correctly pointed out in another AFF thread.

It isn't helpful that the 'spare' A380, QFi's VH-OQC remains in LAX. There's not been any media about whether the repairs to its wing slat are taking longer than expected. It was originally supposed to fly out of LAX on Thursday 11 December.

UPDATE: BY 1251 hours, QF63 had appeared on FR24. Finally, a positive sign.

 

[Flyerqf]

The anticipated departure time for QF63 (0930 hours SYD-JNB, A388 VH-OQJ) has become 1240 hours but that has also already passed.

No sign of QF63 becoming visible on FR24.

QF64 on Sunday 14 will certainly also be delayed, and probably QF11 from SYD to LAX on Monday 15 late afternoon if the usual rostered pattern occurs, as @mbe1510 correctly pointed out in another AFF thread.

It isn't helpful that the 'spare' A380, QFi's VH-OQC remains in LAX. There's not been any media about whether the repairs to its wing slat are taking longer than expected. It was originally supposed to fly out of LAX on Thursday 11 December.

UPDATE: BY 1251 hours, QF63 had appeared on FR24. Finally, a positive sign.

Has just pushed back. There are 10 aircraft in front of it to take off. Seems like a lot of delays at SYD this morning. Weather is warm but a bit windy.

 

[tomlee1986]

Has just pushed back. There are 10 aircraft in front of it to take off. Seems like a lot of delays at SYD this morning. Weather is warm but a bit windy.

Using 34L to take off from SYD

 

[markis10]

Using 34L to take off from SYD

Hardly a surprise given it’s the only one available

 

[tomlee1986]

The anticipated departure time for QF63 (0930 hours SYD-JNB, A388 VH-OQJ) has become 1240 hours but that has also already passed.

No sign of QF63 becoming visible on FR24.

QF64 on Sunday 14 will certainly also be delayed, and probably QF11 from SYD to LAX on Monday 15 late afternoon if the usual rostered pattern occurs, as @mbe1510 correctly pointed out in another AFF thread.

It isn't helpful that the 'spare' A380, QFi's VH-OQC remains in LAX. There's not been any media about whether the repairs to its wing slat are taking longer than expected. It was originally supposed to fly out of LAX on Thursday 11 December.

UPDATE: BY 1251 hours, QF63 had appeared on FR24. Finally, a positive sign.

Took off at 1328 and now scheduled to arrive at 1802 instead of 1500 - 3 hr delay at a minimum!

 

[Flyerqf]

Took off at 1328 and now scheduled to arrive at 1802 instead of 1500 - 3 hr delay at a minimum!

Taking an unusual flight path too - currently over Adelaide.

 

[Flyerqf]

Hardly a surprise given it’s the only one available

Was 34R unavailable to all aircraft? Obviously it wouldn’t be available to the A380 but it looked like all flights were using 34L which created the 10 aircraft queued up for a take off

 

[tomlee1986]

Taking an unusual flight path too - currently over Adelaide.

It was the same path on OQA yesterday…

 

[Melburnian1]

Was 34R unavailable to all aircraft? Obviously it wouldn’t be available to the A380 but it looked like all flights were using 34L which created the 10 aircraft queued up for a take off

When I looked around that time, the occasional flight was on 34R but even some domestic aircraft such as JQ764 (A320 VH-VQL), the 1230 hours SYD-ADL airborne at 1316 used 34L. I am far from an expert on runway use but I too thought similarly.

B738 VH-VXR on Sunday 14 December on QF703, the 1135 hours CNS-MEL that took off on time at 1148 diverted to BNE. As at 1703 AEST/1803 AEDT, it's yet to take off from BNE. Medical diversion?

 

[markis10]

Was 34R unavailable to all aircraft? Obviously it wouldn’t be available to the A380 but it looked like all flights were using 34L which created the 10 aircraft queued up for a take off

Both runways were available:

ATIS YSSY H 140142
APCH: EXP INDEPENDENT VISUAL APCH.
DO NOT PASS THRU ASSIGNED RWY CL
RWY: 34L AND R FOR ARRS AND DEPS
+ OPR INFO: INDEPENDENT PARL APPROACHES AND DEPARTURES IN
PROGRESS. CAUTION POSS WAKE TURB
+ WIND: 300/12
VIS: GT 10KM
+ CLD: FEW020
TMP: 30
+ QNH: 1003

Sometimes it makes sense to put all departures on 34L as often they can taxi without an active runway crossing, leaving domestic arrivals to also taxi without requiring a runway crossing .

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Both runways were available:

ATIS YSSY H 140142
APCH: EXP INDEPENDENT VISUAL APCH.
DO NOT PASS THRU ASSIGNED RWY CL
RWY: 34L AND R FOR ARRS AND DEPS
+ OPR INFO: INDEPENDENT PARL APPROACHES AND DEPARTURES IN
PROGRESS. CAUTION POSS WAKE TURB
+ WIND: 300/12
VIS: GT 10KM
+ CLD: FEW020
TMP: 30
+ QNH: 1003

Sometimes it makes sense to put all departures on 34L as often they can taxi without an active runway crossing, leaving domestic arrivals to also taxi without requiring a runway crossing .

Sometimes I’ve watched FR24 and you’ll have multiple wide bodies waiting for takeoff on the main 34L runway… and waiting… while a tiny saab comes in for landing. 34R is completely unused and nothing arriving or departing.

 

[Melburnian1]

In more on Sunday 14 December, QF34 from PER (and earlier from Paris' CDG) has B789 VH_ZNC with gate arrival soon at 1958 hours, 78 minutes late. This is because it didn't depart CDG on Saturday 13 until 1256 hours compared with its advertised 1020 hours normal pushback, arriving PER on Sunday at 1138 hours, 98 late.

Sister aircraft -ZNH is on QF27, today's lunchtime 1220 hours SYD-SCL not airborne until 1415 this afternoon. Gate arrival should be about 1224 hours, 89 late. It's quite unusual for QF27 to run this late, as it has a pretty good punctuality record. QF28 returning (aided by a generous turnaround in Santiago de Chile) is even better: rarely late.

 

[Melburnian1]

Continuing with Sunday 14 December, QF650 from PER to SYD, the 1325 hours airborne at 1413 hours (A332 VH-EBP) seems to have had a missed approach at SYD a few minutes ago - about 2103.

VA887 has now had two missed approaches.

There are very strong gusty southerly winds at the airfield (to 76kmh) if a quick look at the BOM site is any guide.

UPDATE: QF650 landed at 2119 on its second try. It will be 50 minutes late by the time it arrives at its SYD gate.

(VA887 had three missed approaches but was successful on its fourth attempt).