Qantas adds a sneaky five minutes to some domestic flights' timetables

[Melburnian1]

I don't know when this started, but northbound MEL to SYD flights see some QFd ones being given 90 minutes for the point-to-point (i.e. gate to gate) journey.

One example is QF466, the 1630 hours MEL-SYD tmed to reach its gate at 1800 hours.

QF468, the 1645 hours ex MEL also displays a 90 minute timing.

This is a great way to magically "improve" punctuality statistics, as flights are considered "late" if they arrive at the destination gate 15 minutes 00 seconds or more after the timetabled arrival.

Some flights northbound however retain 85 minute timings gate-to-gate.

 

[dajop]

What about the morning peak flights? The 7, 7:10, 7:25 and 7:45 all have scheduled times of 1:40. Or have these been like that for a while?

It seems that 06:00-06:45, 08:00-10:45, 16:00-18:50 are all 1:30, 07:00-07:45 are 1:40 and the other periods are 1:25. Presumably it's just too difficult to meet 1:25 gate to gate during peak periods, when you have four flights an hour on the route.

I notice VA still has all their flights with 1:25 and Jetstar with 1:30 before midday and 1:25 after. Morning peaks must be difficult.

 

[Mwenenzi]

I don't know when this started, but northbound MEL to SYD flights see some QFd ones being given 90 minutes for the point-to-point (i.e. gate to gate) journey.

One example is QF466, the 1630 hours MEL-SYD timed to reach its gate at 1800 hours.

QF468, the 1645 hours ex MEL also displays a 90 minute timing.

This is a great way to magically "improve" punctuality statistics, as flights are considered "late" if they arrive at the destination gate 15 minutes 00 seconds or more after the timetabled arrival.

Some flights northbound however retain 85 minute timings gate-to-gate.

Nothing that unusual. Has been happening around the world for decades. Aircraft speed has not changed much in ~40 years. So wheels up ~wheels down has not changed. Slowing down the cruise speed does some fuel ($$$). What has changed is congestion on the ground.
For the AU golden triangle aircraft now do not take off until a landing time is confirmed. No more circling above Goulburn before landing in SYD as was common in the late 1980's - early 1990's.

If AU NZ ever gets EC261 type legislation the published block time will be more, but operations will not change . It costs airlines big $$$ to keep an aircraft flying.