Qantas A380 reliability issues creeping up again?

[mrflyby]

Note that OQC has finally been reactivated on Flightradar. So it's safe to say that work has started on it.

 

[CaptJCool]

The chariot to Jo burg was an hour behind with some minor technical issue

 

[RSD]

Most of them have seats that are no longer certified, following the scandalous falsifications Japanese company Koito Industries made for their product.

QF have a couple of sets of seats in Victorville

 

[AIRwin]

Note that OQC has finally been reactivated on Flightradar. So it's safe to say that work has started on it.

https://www.qantasnewsroom.com.au/media-releases/qantas-completes-a380-fleet-renewal-final-returns-to-international-flying

 

[mbe1510]

QF63 has been delayed departing from SYD for 3 hours and counting.

Will no doubt delay the Sunday QF64, and could impact Monday's QF11 given that the aircraft from Johannesburg typically goes on to LAX afterwards....

Bet QF would love to have its operational spare at the ready and not damaged so soon in LA.

 

[Melburnian1]

QF63 has been delayed departing from SYD for 3 hours and counting.

Will no doubt delay the Sunday QF64, and could impact Monday's QF11 given that the aircraft from Johannesburg typically goes on to LAX afterwards....

Bet QF would love to have its operational spare at the ready and not damaged so soon in LA.

AFF has a thread 'Qantas Delays/Cancellations' contributed to by quite a few members.

So far, as at 1229 AEDT, no sign of QF63 appearing 'live' on FR24. Mostly, this is not a good sign (although occasionally buildings apparently get in the way of transmitted signals).

The damaged but being repaired A388 VH-OQC still hasn't departed LAX.

 

[JU581]

I guess scrapping VH-OQE and VH-OQF is coming back to bite them? I understood those 2 were of the later production models and were lighter aircraft. I just flew EK A380s to and from Europe and the experience was chalk and cheese compared to QF’s A380s.

 

[moa999]

guess scrapping VH-OQE and VH-OQF is coming back to bite them? I understood those 2 were of the later production models and were lighter aircraft

If OQE and OQF hadn't been scrapped, QF would still have two A380s sitting on the ground somewhere waiting for maintenance slots to reactivate them...
And paid a lot more for spare parts over the past few years.

Emirates still has 17 A380s yet to return (and has scrapped 7 too). Qatar has just finished returning 8, and also scrapped 2.

OQE and OQF are the 5th and 6th oldest Qantas A380s by age with serial numbers under 30 (so definitely not later production units). The only reason the slightly older OQA-OQD (by max of twelve months) were not scrapped instead was they had already has the expensive mid-life landing gear replacement conducted, whereas OQE and everything younger hadnt.

I find the difference between EK and QF more down to other things than aircraft age or type - the foreign crew and catering for starters

 

[fletty]

InI just flew EK A380s to and from Europe and the experience was chalk and cheese compared to QF’s A380s.

In what sense? Assuming you're talking specifically about the aircraft itself.

 

[JU581]

EK's A380s seem to be extremely well maintained and felt almost brand new despite the particular aircraft being 15 years old. For one, every single A380 leg took off on time and arrived on time. No issues with chillers, APUs or inflight entertainment or anything else which QF customers have complained about in recent years since the return of the A380 fleet into service. And extremely clean too unlike QF's A380s. I had a spilt beverage on my tray from a previous flight and the FA just gave me a napkin to clean it myself - and that was leaving SYD. The carpets of the plane were filthy.

 

[RSD]

EK's A380s seem to be extremely well maintained and felt almost brand new despite the particular aircraft being 15 years old. For one, every single A380 leg took off on time and arrived on time. No issues with chillers, APUs or inflight entertainment or anything else which QF customers have complained about in recent years since the return of the A380 fleet into service. And extremely clean too unlike QF's A380s. I had a spilt beverage on my tray from a previous flight and the FA just gave me a napkin to clean it myself - and that was leaving SYD. The carpets of the plane were filthy.

If it was an EK A380 with premium economy then they have had a complete interior refurb in the last 18 months or so.

 

[Melburnian1]

@Flyerqf (always reliable) and I have written up in a bit more detail in the 'Qantas Delays/Cancellations' AFF thread, but on Saturday 3 January, there's been an aircraft swap affecting the noon scheduled departure of QF93 MEL-LAX with at least a three hour delay, while QF7 SYD to distant DFW is delayed by at least 110 minutes in its estimated pushback due to the swap.

In the next few days, the QFi A380 fleet (nine, since VH-OQC remains inoperable in LAX) will be heavily worked as heaps of us go on holidays after New Year celebrations. If ever there was a time to see delays, this sort of period can be it.

 

[Melburnian1]

VH-OQB on the 4 January 1615 hours YD-SIN-LHR flagship QF1 is delayed until at least 2100 hours ex SYD.

'Reliability' is a word I associate with 'cancellations', but there's no question it'll be unpunctual all the way through to wintry Londres.

UPDATE: Thanks to @serfty , we now know QF1 had an aborted takeoff. Have a look at FR24 that shows how the aircraft proceeded but returned to its (or a) gate.

 

[tm84]

VH-OQB on the 4 January 1615 hours YD-SIN-LHR flagship QF1 is delayed until at least 2100 hours ex SYD.

'Reliability' is a word I associate with 'cancellations', but there's no question it'll be unpunctual all the way through to wintry Londres.

UPDATE: Thanks to @serfty , we now know QF1 had an aborted takeoff. Have a look at FR24 that shows how the aircraft proceeded but returned to its (or a) gate.

I’m on it - was an issue with some seats, then the weather…after an hour we went to the runway. Aborted takeoff then back to gate. Got off the plane about 30 mins ago…they say 9pm but doubt it.

 

[RSD]

I’m on it - was an issue with some seats, then the weather…after an hour we went to the runway. Aborted takeoff then back to gate. Got off the plane about 30 mins ago…they say 9pm but doubt it.

Did the captian mention why the takeoff was aborted? Hopefully you will get going before the curfew!

 

[tm84]

Did the captian mention why the takeoff was aborted? Hopefully you will get going before the curfew!

No didn’t give much detail at all but heard one of the cabin crew say a flight control screen went blank.

 

[RSD]

No didn’t give much detail at all but heard one of the cabin crew say a flight control screen went blank.

that would certainly do it!

 

[Melburnian1]

No didn’t give much detail at all but heard one of the cabin crew say a flight control screen went blank.

@tm84 , thank you for your most informative posts.

I asked in the 'Qantas Delays/Cancellations' thread so apologies for doubling up, but have you been provided with meal/snack vouchers and if so to what value? (I am making the possibly incorrect assumption you are not in a lounge).

As noted in the other thread, departure is supposedly at 2130 not 2100 hours.

 

[DC3]

All in the Lounge, being wined and dined?

 

[tm84]

@tm84 , thank you for your most informative posts.

I asked in the 'Qantas Delays/Cancellations' thread so apologies for doubling up, but have you been provided with meal/snack vouchers and if so to what value? (I am making the possibly incorrect assumption you are not in a lounge).

As noted in the other thread, departure is supposedly at 2130 not 2100 hours.

I am WP so had access to the F lounge. We ended up leaving around 10pm and just landed now at 2:45am local time. Reflecting on it, comms from Qf were really poor.