Has tonight's EK414 arrival a dispensation to break SYD curfew?

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Melburnian1

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Some of us may remember this:

http://www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au/community/travel-news/ek-front-court-over-syd-55260.html

Tonight's EK414 SYD arrival (operated by Airbus A380 A6-EEM) departed DXB 77 minutes late at 0307 and despite what may be a strong tail wind is due at the gate in SYD at 2324 tonight. It is presently managing an impressive 1054 kilometres an hour as it presumably gets 'assisted' a little across the Nullabor and Great Australian Bight. With 122 minutes before curfew sets in at SYD, it has 2400 kilometres left to cover so it is most unlikely to touchdown before 2300.

The curfew is related to touchdown time not gate time if I recall. For this flight, it might touch down at say 2315 if it has a long taxi.

Although this flight is only halfway between Kalgoorlie and the WA/ SA border, is EK's management or staff in Australia (or DXB) likely to have already contacted the Federal Department of Infrastructure and Regional Development (which has the Minister's delegate) to obtain advance approval? Is this granted when aircraft are some hours from reaching SYD?

EK's A380s hold up to 499 passengers if no seats are blocked off, but if I recall the size of the aircraft or the number of passengers and crew on board is not one of the criteria for approving a breaking of the curfew.

Some might suggest that 'a quarter of an hour is not very much' or 'it depends from which direction flights land' but others resident in the so called 'Sydney basin' might have a very different view, particularly since there are longstanding dispensations allowing a limited number of international passenger flights to land between 0500 and 0600 despite the curfew for these supposedly lasting until 0600.

If a dispensation has been approved, is this evidence of a more airline-friendly and less arguably resident-friendly approach by the newish Federal Government through it's delegate's 'riding instructions'?

What do AFFers think?
 
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lovestotravel, is this because EK does the maths (and the practicality of finding 300 hotel rooms for 500 passengers and crew - some are couples or friends who can share a double or twin room) and concludes that it is cheaper and far easier to pay the fine and not divert to say MEL in lieu?
 
If Ultimate Airport Dubai is anything to go by EK know the risks and won't let it go if it can't make it in time for curfew. Or they're prepared to deal with the consequences of breaching the curfew without receiving dispensation.
 
Looks like it's a race against the clock that EK414 won't win.

If a dispensation has been approved, is this evidence of a more airline-friendly and less arguably resident-friendly approach by the newish Federal Government through it's delegate's 'riding instructions'?

Surely not - I'd be very surprised if the delegate had different instructions or acted differently until and unless there were legislated changes to the curfew?

They will just land and ignore the curfew if they don't get dispensation

I'd also be surprised if EK was prepared to do this - maybe diverting to MEL is the more likely outcome? Even with the hassles of finding all those hotel rooms, flying them up tomorrow morning and having an aircraft out of position?
 
flyingfan, the limited amount of previous history publicly available with EK and the SYD curfew suggests that lovestotravel is on the money, but the next hour or so will see who is correct.
 
At SYD, both runways are in use with arrivals from the south. If markis10 is present, he might be kind enough to remind us all about whether the curfew time of 2300 means an automatic 'mode shift' to a different arrival and departure pattern (though having these occur between 2300 and 0600 with as few Sydney residents as possible affected is a key goal, which if I am not mistaken means arrivals from the south).
 
Yes but they can't take that speed all the way in. It will be late but it will still land and they'll pay.
 
There is also JQ817 from BNE . ETA 23.18

Edit : TT816 is also pushing it .
 
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