Qantas Delays/Cancellations

[Quickstatus]

INFO N. WND: 350 DEG MNM 25 KTS, MAX 40 KTS, MAX CROSSWIND 18 KTS. WIND AT 500 FT 350/50.

ATIS as of 1000 or so.

Not nice at all...there will almost certainly be substantial undershoot shear on the approach. Find out myself in a couple of hours, when I pax in with Rex.

When Crosswind is noted is it reported to be at 90deg (worst case) to the runway or the usual wind direction with the resultant speed vector recalculated? It seems that the XW heading is never reported.

 

[Melburnian1]

The fuel shortage in AKL as a result of the rupture of a major pipeline may not affect QF much, because most of its aircraft can fuel in Oz, but it is causing problems and will allegedly do so for the next 10 - 14 days in northern NZ:

Refining NZ tells social media about leak days before stock exchange

Travel Alerts | Jetstar restrictions at Auckland Airport

Australian travellers hit with flight cancellations, delays as Auckland Airport runs low on fuel

 

[Melburnian1]

On Tuesday 19 September, QF12 from LAX to SYD is suggested as arriving at 0739, 79 minutes tardy. The LAX - MEL QF94 is predicted to pull in to its destination gate at 0735, 40 minutes late.

The DFW - SYD QF8 should arrive 32 late at 0637. Often this flight is punctual.

 

[Wong.a]

Qantas cancelled QF467 for the 22nd of this month– anyone know why? Other flights are now on a 738, rather than A332. Any chance of last minute equipment change back to an A332 for the replacement flight? Hoping this is the right place to post, if not, I apologize.

 

[moa999]

Qantas cancelled QF467 for the 22nd of this month– anyone know why? Other flights are now on a 738, rather than A332.

Would suggest low loads i think so change back unlikely

 

[Melburnian1]

Continuing with Tuesday 19 September, QF839 (B738 VH-XZG, the 1310 hours DRW - MEL that was airborne at 1420) should arrive at 1837, 47 minutes tardy.

Monday 18's QF12 departed JFK at 1925, 75 minutes late, arriving LAX at 2224, 84 minutes behind the timetable.

With the change of aircraft, QF12 then departed at 2344, 74 late. Wednesday 20 arrival is suggested as 0656, 36 minutes behind schedule.

The LAX - MEL QF94 also departed 75 late. Wednesday arrival is suggested as 0742, 47 late.

The more northerly QF16 pushed back in LAX at 0046 on Tuesday, 86 minutes tardy with Wednesday at gate arrival forecast for 0714, 74 late.

QF2 from DXB to SYD only departed 10 minutes late at 0925 but on Wednesday 20 i estimated to arrive at 0543 hours, 33 minutes late.

 

[coriander]

Other flights are now on a 738, rather than A332. Any chance of last minute equipment change back to an A332 for the replacement flight? Hoping this is the right place to post, if not, I apologize.

Aren't A330s being deployed trans Tasman a/c AKL fuel crisis? Better range thus no need to refuel.

 

[Melburnian1]

Wednesday 20 September has QF140 (AKL - SYD, A332 Vh-EBV) arriving at 0909, 39 late.

coriander, QF does not seem to be affected by the AKL fuel crisis as badly as NZ has been and is. This is logical because QF aircraft are largely based in Australia, but there must still be higher costs for QF from having to carry additional fuel.

One cause of delays ex AKL is aircraft being held on the ground (with engines off) until ATC gives clearance to push back:

Air travellers urged to sit tight and be patient to help save fuel

Public servants asked not to fly ahead of decision on tighter rationing at Auckland airport

It's a serious situation with an underlying message that if airlines don't cut their schedules by 70 per cent, they'll effectively be forced to by the fuel companies, although as noted above airlines domiciled outside NZ have more options in most cases.

 

[Melburnian1]

According to another website's blog, VH-OEG (B744 that will arrive in SYD late this afternoon more or less on time at 1740 hours as QF28 ex SCL) will then be fully fuelled and operate empty ('ferry flight') across to AKL for some of its fuel to be siphoned due to the ongoing problems in AKL.

When I read this I briefly thought as to whether this was an April Fools Day joke or 'fake news' but it isn't 1 April, and I assume that the editor of the blog believes it to be true as it's not been removed four hours after posting.

Given that the B744 presumably has to go back to Oz, if true and not a joke, how much fuel would be able to be 'siphoned' out of the B744?

There must be a backlog of passengers awaiting a plane to take them across the Tasman as Air NZ (in particular) is suffering badly.

 

[Melburnian1]

In further on Wednesday 20 September, QF7, the longhaul SYD to DFW has been altered to depart six hours late at 1830 meaning suggested arrival also at 1830 (same day) instead of the usual 1300 hours. This should not delay the returning Wednesday QF8 ex Dallas Fort Worth unless the QF7 delay blows out by a further two hours or more.

 

[jb747]

According to another website's blog, VH-OEG (B744 that will arrive in SYD late this afternoon more or less on time at 1740 hours as QF28 ex SCL) will then be fully fuelled and operate empty ('ferry flight') across to AKL for some of its fuel to be siphoned due to the ongoing problems in AKL.

Given that the B744 presumably has to go back to Oz, if true and not a joke, how much fuel would be able to be 'siphoned' out of the B744?

There must be a backlog of passengers awaiting a plane to take them across the Tasman as Air NZ (in particular) is suffering badly.

If it flew over empty, you'd be able to land about 95 tonnes of fuel. The overriding limitation is max landing weight. Presumably, to get the aircraft back, you'd go via Christchurch. So, in round figures that would give about 65 tonnes that could be offloaded...though I have never heard of them ever doing anything like that.

 

[Melburnian1]

jb747, is this 'fake news?' It's certainly unusual, and it doesn't seem efficient (although granted the AKL lack of fuel situation is far from an everyday occurrence.)

It still isn't listed on FR24 as the next flight of VH-OEG.

 

[jb747]

I don't see the benefit as being worth the cost, so quite likely. I'd also expect that fuel that is removed from an aircraft would need some form of processing/QA before it could be reused. What was the source?

 

[serfty]

In further on Wednesday 20 September, QF7, the longhaul SYD to DFW has been altered to depart six hours late at 1830 meaning suggested arrival also at 1830 (same day) instead of the usual 1300 hours. This should not delay the returning Wednesday QF8 ex Dallas Fort Worth unless the QF7 delay blows out by a further two hours or more.

Reports are that a service vehicle hit one of the engines upon (what was an ontime) push back.

 

[Melburnian1]

jb747, the source was the Australian Business Traveller website blog.

It may be for real as VH-OEG looks to be operating QF6011 that pushed back at 1933, taking off at 1948 and following AKL-bound NZ108.

 

[jb747]

So it would seem. You see something new every day.

 

[serfty]

Reports are that a service vehicle hit one of the engines upon (what was an ontime) push back.

I saw a further report that the original "QF7 crew" were swapped with those who were to operate QF1; not sure if that referred to Tech crew, Cabin crew, a mix of some or both.

 

[Melburnian1]

Thursday 21 September has QF7, the 0715 hours SYD down to MEL that was not airborne until 0758 (B738 VH-VXD) arriving at an estimated 0922, 32 late. Winds at MEL are gusting to 56kmh at present which is more than in almost all Melbourne suburbs as recorded by the BOM.

 

[milehighclub]

I saw a further report that the original "QF7 crew" were swapped with those who were to operate QF1; not sure if that referred to Tech crew, Cabin crew, a mix of some or both.

Yes this happened yesterday, at least for the cabin crew. It was almost a full swap, but as there were some LHR based crew on the DXB flight, some additional crew were called out to go to DFW since they cannot fly to the states as they don't have crew visas.

 

[Melburnian1]

On Thursday 21 September, QF1508, th 1715 HBA - MEL late afternoon that took off at 1813 with B717 VH-NXR is likely to arrive at 1928, 53 minutes tardy. The 1915 hours back down to HBA, the chronologically numbered QF1509 should be able to depart at approximately 2000 and perhaps on a gate-to-gate basis pick up a small number of minutes.