QF5 Per to Rome cxl 21 Oct

[Ricicles]

Informed around 4; mins ago that tomorrow nights QF5 is cancelled because the plane is “stuck” somewhere. I guess I was lucky as I was shifted into Qatar via Doha to London.

 

[madrooster]

Informed around 4; mins ago that tomorrow nights QF5 is cancelled because the plane is “stuck” somewhere. I guess I was lucky as I was shifted into Qatar via Doha to London.

VH-ZNE returned to stand as QF76 and is now departing tomorrow night so there's no aircraft to operate QF5.

 

[Ricicles]

VH-ZNE returned to stand as QF76 and is now departing tomorrow night so there's no aircraft to operate QF5.

So it’s not “stuck” somewhere - there just aren’t enough aircraft? mutter mutter … wonder if I can get them to shift me onto the Melbourne flight instead of trekking over to Perth …

 

[madrooster]

So it’s not “stuck” somewhere - there just aren’t enough aircraft? mutter mutter … wonder if I can get them to shift me onto the Melbourne flight instead of trekking over to Perth …

There are no spares. That's the problem with QF long haul - the moment an aircraft is out of action, you have cascading delays.

If you are departing from MEL, yes, there should be no issue with putting you on MEL-DOH-LHR if your original routing was indeed MEL-PER-FCO-LHR.

 

[offshore171]

There are no spares. That's the problem with QF long haul - the moment an aircraft is out of action, you have cascading delays.

Flow on effects from the bedbugs plane?

 

[AIRwin]

Flow on effects from the bedbugs plane?

And ZNA in HKG

 

[Ricicles]

Thanks everyone - Hobart transferred me on to the direct Mel - Doh tonight at 23.45. At least I get to try out the Q Suite on the first leg. I had been avoiding flying via ME this year but I’m sure it will all be just fine.

 

[madrooster]

Flow on effects from the bedbugs plane?

That is long done and dusted. This is unrelated.

 

[Quickstatus]

So it’s not “stuck” somewhere - there just aren’t enough aircraft?

Sho0uld we as travellers expect an airline to have spare aircraft available for every flight all the time? And if there were spare aircraft where should they be deployed? With spare aircraft comes spare crew as well.....
Occasionally there are spare aircraft but airlines throughout the world try to operate with full utiltisation.
Unfortunately no, spare aircraft is not standard airline policy.

Basically the domino effect of QF76 VH-ZNE being stuck in YVR
There were hints of issues when it was 3.5 hours late operating the QF6 PER-SYD and then 2hours late operating the QF75 SYD-YVR even though it had 3 hours on the ground at SYD.

Flow on effects from the bedbugs plane?

No, the bedbug aircraft was VH-ZNI - the affected area's carpet and seat cushions were destroyed and the rest of aircraft re-fumigated according to VH-CEO

That is long done and dusted. This is unrelated.

Assuming they got rid of all the eggs.....

 

[AIRwin]

That is long done and dusted. This is unrelated.

More than dusted and hopefully no longer a "bugging" issue

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Sho0uld we as travellers expect an airline to have spare aircraft available for every flight all the time? And if there were spare aircraft where should they be deployed? With spare aircraft comes spare crew as well.....
Occasionally there are spare aircraft but airlines throughout the world try to operate with full utiltisation.
Unfortunately no, spare aircraft is not standard airline policy.

This is a pure commercial decision.

Airlines routinely have spare aircraft and crew in European hubs where EU/UK261 apply. It’s commercially viable to do so. But they also have the volume.

QF supposedly had a ‘spare’ a380… although that didn’t seem to have helped much with that sub-fleet!

If QF had 50 or 100 787s, a spare might make sense. But for such a small fleet it probably doesn’t. Although they’d have considerable expense reaccommodating pax on alternative carriers given the departure from Rome is covered by EU261.

 

[Quickstatus]

This is a pure commercial decision.

Yes. Airlines like to operate with full utilisation as much as possible

QF supposedly had a ‘spare’ a380

I think it was at a time when some A380 were coming back from deep freeze and there was a period where the aircraft was not synced back into normal schedules. It didn't last long but it was spruiked by the airline .

If QF had 50 or 100 787s, a spare might make sense.

Perhaps if there was a busy hub
I don't know what is the sweet spot

 

[offshore171]

No, the bedbug aircraft was VH-ZNI - the affected area's carpet and seat cushions were destroyed and the rest of aircraft re-fumigated according to VH-CEO

It doesn’t necessarily have to be the same aircraft to throw out the schedule though.

As others have mentioned, they don’t have any spare 787’s, so substitutions can cause flow on issues across the network.

 

[Quickstatus]

It doesn’t necessarily have to be the same aircraft to throw out the schedule though.

However, Bedbug was returned to service promptly. It operated QF27 last Friday 16/10 and has been flying since then.

It does raise the question : how long after a disruption would aircraft scheduling and positioning be back on track?