China Airlines Delays/Cancellations

[Melburnian1]

China Airlines is a long established airline that has a relatively low profile in Oz despite the economic success of Taiwan, which has a similar population to Australia's albeit in a far smaller geographical area.

The CI SYD - AKL -SYD (CI51/51) and December to March seasonal SYD - CHC (CI55/56) schedules are fairly tight because the aircraft does not reach SYD ex TPE even if on time until 1120.

At night, it is a planned 2030 arrival back in SYD for a 2210 departure.

I have observed the incoming flight from TPE and resultant departure to Kiwiland up to an hour late. Today it is about half an hour late into SYD.

While the timetables are examples of productive utilisation of aircraft, not much needs to go wrong for curfew not to be met in SYD.

For the AKL flights ex and to SYD, the allowed time at airports is 80 minutes in SYD coming in ex TPE, 70 minutes in AKL and a more generous 100 minutes in SYD at night.

 

[Melburnian1]

CI51 (operated by Airbus A330-200 B-18312) is about an hour and a half late today meaning an AKL arrival ex SYD at 1904 EnZed time.

If it can turn around in say 70 minutes, that means an AKL departure at 2015 for a roughly 2155 arrival back in SYD on CI52.

This sure is cutting it fine to get out of SYD prior to the 2300 hours curfew given that the inbound from TPE this morning spent 77 minutes in SYD.

Perhaps not the wisest of airline schedules, although of course if it runs close to time there are no problems. Nail biting tonight!

 

[Isochronous]

Didn't know that they flew SYD-AKL/CHC. Will keep that in mind!

 

[Melburnian1]

CI57, which may be the first flight of China Airlines into MEL ex TPE took off from MEL at 1356 after being due to push back at 1310 for its NZ 'tag flight' to CHC.

Possibly because it is a new, two sector flight, Flightradar24.com - Live flight tracker! is confused, showing it approaching Warragul as the TPE - MEL leg when it is actually the MEL - CHC leg.

This carrier will inject some new TransTasman competition just as it has from other airports on Australia's east coast for trips to our Kiwi cousins.

 

[Melburnian1]

A333 B-18361 on CI52, the 2210 hours Thursday 26 November 2015 SYD to TPE followed at a four minute or so interval Q25 with the China Airlines flight taking off from SYD right on 2300 hours.

Two close calls tonight for perhaps a total of 600 passengers and 40 crew members. This thankfully does not occur every night. What a difference a few minutes can make for an airline as to whether it has to spend thousands of unanticipated dollars on rearranging flight schedules to the morning because of a curfew.

 

[Melburnian1]

The CI55 arrival from TPE is running about 72 minutes late on Friday 27 November and will be in SYD at 1232. Inevitably the 'tag flight' on to CHC (due to depart at 1240 for a 1745 arrival) will be delayed, presumably by about an hour. In turn, with an hour and a half turnaround in CHC, the returning CI56 'tag flight' could well be half an hour late or so departing from CHC at what I suggest might be the 1945 mark for a SYD arrival at around 2100, and then on to TPE.

These CI flights (now also across the Tasman from MEL on some days of the week as well as ex SYD) are not well known among prospective travellers but might well be viewed by many of us as a bit 'exotic' and a new airline to tick off one's list. CI's presence arguably helps at least to a minor degree to put a lid on fares even though its number of available weekly seats (given that some passengers from TPE will be travelling to New Zealand) is relatively small compared to QF, VA. JQ or EK.

 

[Melburnian1]

CI58 from CHC into MEL will be arriving at 0902 instead of 0650, delaying the onward leg to TPE to a suggested 1000 departure that is a rather optimistic estimate.

 

[Melburnian1]

Delayed by tonight's storms in SYD (Wednesday 9 December), CI52 from AKL to SYD is about to arrive in SYD at about 2140 hours as a gate time (70 minutes late), the aircraft being A333 B-18356. CI52 to TPE is timetabled ex SYD at 2210 but that will not be the case tonight. It should just (touch wood) make the 'curfew cutoff.'

 

[Melburnian1]

Due to the ferocious SYD storms on Wednesday 16 December 2015, the inbound C!51 from TPE was diverted and hence will not depart on its 'tag' leg until a predicted 2200 hours this evening across the Tasman to AKL, nine hours and 20 minutes late. The return CI52 will also be badly late.

UPDATE: A333 B-18360 took off from SYD at 2207 on 15 December, with AKL arrival estimated at a shocking time - 0311 (although a quick trip to any hotel can occur given the lack of traffic).We

We may even have an AFFer on board now that this flight is available as a QF codeshare.

 

[Melburnian1]

The redeye CI55 (A333 B-18361) ex TPE due to arrive SYD at 1120 on New Year's Day 2016 is about 45 minutes late with a 1205 arrival likely. This operates a 'tag flight' to CHC that is meant to depart at 1240 but will be late.

 

[Melburnian1]

On Thursday 14 January, CI52 from CHC to SYD (which is a 'tag flight') was timetabled in at 2030 hours but is unlikely to be at the arrival gate much before 2150 hours. Whether it meets the 2300 hours curfew in SYD for its main leg back to TPE is debatable but perhaps it has a dispensation, although adverse weather is not a valid way to ask for this if I read the Federal Government's page on the granting of these correctly. Aircraft is A333 B-18357. Weather in SYD tonight has been challenging to say the least.

 

[Melburnian1]

CI continues to receive some good reviews on various airline review sites and is now operating much more across the Tasman so it can be an alternative - but you may have to 'pick your day' as not all flights are daily - to EK, JQ, QF or VA.

However today's (Sunday 14 February's) CI55 from TPE will arrive about 35 minutes late in SYD at roughly 1155, aircraft being A333 B-18315 and hence the SYD to CHC tag flight due to depart at 1240 will be late off blocks.

This is an 'occupational hazard' for passengers using EK (in particular) or CI (which appears to be less affected by late running) as there is never a spare aircraft in MEL, SYD or BNE to form the Tasman legs if the inbound from DXB or TPE respectively is late.

 

[Melburnian1]

The arrival of CI51 (TPE - SYD) on Thursday 17 March will be about 40 minutes late at 1200. Aircraft is A333 B-18361. As the 'tag flight' on to AKL is timetabled to depart at 1240, it will be delayed by about half an hour.

 

[Melburnian1]

CI57, the 1310 hours MEL to CHC 'tag flight' of the earlier leg that comes from TPE was airborne from MEL on Easter Saturday (26 March) at 1449 with arrival expected at about 2000 tonight, 90 minutes late. Aircraft is A333 B-18361.

 

[Melburnian1]

The Easter Sunday (27 March) arrival in SYD of CI55 ex TPE (A333 B-18356) has been delayed from 1120 to about 1155. As the CHC-bound 'tag flight' is timetabled to depart at 1245, it will be a minimum of 15 minutes late if the turnaround is fast.

 

[Melburnian1]

CI57 into MEL on Saturday 7 May (A333 B-18359) from TPE should pull up on blocks at about 1120 in lieu of 1045. This aircraft sits at MEL all day; previously it did a 'tag' flight to CHC and back to fill in time and carry passengers across the Tasman.

 

[Melburnian1]

The Saturday 21 May 2016 arrival of CI57 in MEL (ex TPE at a scheduled 2325 hours on Friday 20, but took off at 0019 on Sat) should occur about half an hour late at 1115. Aircraft is A333 B-18358.

 

[Melburnian1]

This increasingly well regarded Taiwanese airline is often punctual to and from Oz, including on its tag flights to New Zealand, but that is not the case on Monday 27 June with CI57, the redeye from TPE set to arrive in MEL at about 1128, 43 minutes late. Aircraft is A333 B-18356.

 

[Melburnian1]

On Friday 22 July the late Thursday evening CI59 (2345 hours TPE - SYD) is arriving at about 1202, 62 minutes late. Aircraft is A333 B-18315.

 

[Melburnian1]

The CI flights that come in from TPE and head across the Tasman as 'tag flights' have a pretty good timekeeping record, generally better than the EK flights that do the same (albeit ex DXB or Asia, not TPE).

However the Thursday 11 August 2016 arrival of CI51 in SYD is likely to be at about 1121, 66 minutes behind time, delaying the scheduled 1150 hours next leg across to AKL. Aircraft is A333 B-18357.