Qantas A380 reliability issues creeping up again?

[Melburnian1]

Nothing to do with sweating assets, the cancelled service was the result of VH-OQL diverting on the inbound QF12 service to HNL due to a medical emergency. Aircraft left next day without PAX, some of whom are still “stuck” in HNL, could be worse……

But the more general question is why does QFi suffer so many delays and cancellations with its A380s when the limited number of other airlines worldwide that operate this model experience fewer, in many cases far fewer?

 

[I love to travel]

But the more general question is why does QFi suffer so many delays and cancellations with its A380s when the limited number of other airlines worldwide that operate this model experience fewer, in many cases far fewer?

I think you will find BA have many issues with them

 

[Melburnian1]

Multiple A380 cancellations in total over the last two to three days, plus QF11/12 SYD-LAX and return given the boot tomorrow, Tuesday 6 October.

See fuller details at the AFF Qantas delays and cancellations thread.

 

[Melburnian1]

I think you will find BA have many issues with them

From the random sample of SQ flights I see that are scheduled to be A380s, that operator seems to have fewer problems than QFi.

My sampling of EY is less frequent, but from an admittedly small number of observations, it too seems to be able to operate a small fleet of A380s pretty reliably. My AUH-LHR A380 trip of two years ago departed bang on time.

As the airline with the largest number of this aircraft model by far, EK isn't perfect but while its Oz flights can run late, typically these are delays of one or two hours rather than QFi's too frequent cancellations. But an EK-QFi comparison is not comparing apples with apples because of the different fleet sizes. EK may find it easier to find a working 'spare' at short notice: for QFi, especially away from Sydney or Los Angeles, this is difficult or impossible.

 

[elanshin]

From the random sample of SQ flights I see that are scheduled to be A380s, that operator seems to have fewer problems than QFi.

My sampling of EY is less frequent, but from an admittedly small number of observations, it too seems to be able to operate a small fleet of A380s pretty reliably. My AUH-LHR A380 trip of two years ago departed bang on time.

As the airline with the largest number of this aircraft model by far, EK isn't perfect but while its Oz flights can run late, typically these are delays of one or two hours rather than QFi's too frequent cancellations. But an EK-QFi comparison is not comparing apples with apples because of the different fleet sizes. EK may find it easier to find a working 'spare' at short notice: for QFi, especially away from Sydney or Los Angeles, this is difficult or impossible.

I believe it all comes down to servicing and parts availability and MRO availability for the 380. Qantas does not have it's own a380 overhaul facility and relies heavily on DRS and AUH for their a380 heavy works.

Which is to say that their maintenance schedule is probably stretched as much as it can go (or until something that is required for flying breaks). It's possibly why you see 1 A380 go straight into maintenance as soon as another one comes out.

I dont think this is a problem that EY has (they can bump QF - in fact they did when EY reactivated their a380s) with their AUH facilities. I believe SQ also handles their own a380s and EK has an bunch of a380s sitting around parked.

QF would probably need to take multiple 380s offline for a period to catch up - but they don't have the aircraft to replace them with without significantly disrupting the network. So it limps on for now. I think the return to service for OQC and OQA(?) took so much longer than initially anticipated that it's likely caused a ripple effect from that far out and certainly having the Middle East fighting doesn't help QF who uses AUH as a MRO facility for the 380.

 

[markis10]

it's likely caused a ripple effect from that far out and certainly having the Middle East fighting doesn't help QF who uses AUH as a MRO facility for the 380.

QF only used AUH for reactivating stored aircraft, maintenance is mostly done by LH at Dresden with some line work at LAX. They had used LH in MNL but quality of work was below optimal as if often the case there. Issues can be multiple and varied and it’s easy to blame an aircraft when often its crew, which is the case last week and this week when hours became in issue for the HNL diversion and again over the weekend in LAX.

Qantas went done a one way street with the closure of AVV and SYD MRO facilities, and now the nail in the coffin has been struck by having segment cabin crew companies leaving remote ports without spare capacity. Accountants 1 Customers/staff 0