Qantas Delays/Cancellations

[Melburnian1]

QF577 from SYD to PER on Sunday 22 July has A332 VH-EBE and is the 1255 hours departure that took off only about five late at 1316. Strong winds mean it has lost time with arrival estimated at 1630, half an hour behind schedule.

 

[Comoman]

QF577 from SYD to PER on Sunday 22 July has A332 VH-EBE and is the 1255 hours departure that took off only about five late at 1316. Strong winds mean it has lost time with arrival estimated at 1630, half an hour behind schedule.

I have a colleague on this flight. Looking at Flightaware it has taken a very strange routing - going inland (north) and not across the Bight. The subsequent QF579 has gone across the Bight (but still not a far south as usual). I'm assuming some sort of technical issue made the Bight crossing unpalatable.

Flight time looks horrendous.

 

[Melburnian1]

...Looking at Flightaware it has taken a very strange routing - going inland (north) and not across the Bight. The subsequent QF579 has gone across the Bight (but still not a far south as usual). I'm assuming some sort of technical issue made the Bight crossing unpalatable....

Comoman, thanks.

Perhaps our aviators could advise whether it was an ETOPS issue? The flight that I mentioned was not the only one this afternoon to adopt this 'over land' track, rather than as you say across the Great Australian Bight.

 

[Melburnian1]

Also on Sunday 22 July, QF19 from SYD to MNL departed 32 late at 1242, arriving at 1918, 48 late. In recent days this flight has often been unpunctual.

QF37 departed MEL for SIN at 2005 as amended but expected arrival has advanced from 0220 hours to 0158 on Monday 23.

 

[Silvia]

QF 159 today turned back to MEL after 3/4 trip onto AKL due to weather radar failure. QF156 was downgraded to a B738 and is scheduled to arrive at 12 49am (4.5 hrs late).

 

[Melburnian1]

On a fairly windy Monday 23 July 2018 in MEL, QF420 (0930 hours up to SYD, B738 VH-VZW) did not take off until 1027. resultant arrival prediction is 1140 hours, 45 minutes tardy.

 

[Melburnian1]

QF 159 today turned back to MEL after 3/4 trip onto AKL due to weather radar failure. QF156 was downgraded to a B738 and is scheduled to arrive at 12 49am (4.5 hrs late).

Silvia, many thanks.

On Sunday 22 July 2018, QF151, the redeye 2315 hours MEL - AKL with A332 VH-EBR took off at 0035 on Monday 23, arriving at 0537, 52 late.

EBR then sat in AKL before taking off at 0915 hours on what I presume is an empty working, QF6001 back to MEL, with arrival looking like about the 1115 hours mark.

QF159 on Sunday was A332 VH-EBM that after arriving back in MEL - thanks Silvia as FR24 text does not disclose that - ran ferry flight QF6007 up to SYD, arriving at 1704 hours before today doing a SYD - PER - SYD rotation.

As Silvia states, QF156 from AKL to MEL was B738 VH-ZQF with this 2155 hours flight taking off at 2306 and arriving MEL at 0100 hours, 55 minutes tardy.

 

[Melburnian1]

On Sunday 22 July, QF27 from SYD arrived in SCL at 1150 hours, 40 late with trhe returning QF28 pushing back 57 minutes behind time at 1427. Monday 23 is predicted to see QF28 arrive at 1855 hours, 65 late.

On Monday, the delayed QF38 commenced its trip in SIN at 0335 hours (225 late) with MEL arrival suggested as 1229 hours (194 late).

QF423 (1000 hours SYD down to MEL, B738 VH-VXO) is arriving at 1214 hours, 39 minutes behind schedule.

The MEL - BNE QF614 has QF's newest longhaul plane, B789 VH0-ZNE. It took off at 1155 and should arrive at 1355, half an hour late.

 

[Melburnian1]

Continuing with Monday 23 July, the MEL across to ADL QF691 should arrive at 1706, 36 late with B738 VH-VXE.

 

[Melburnian1]

Sunday 22 July 2018's QF2 from LHR departed 19 late at 2134 with Monday 23 SIN arrival expected at 1755, half an hour behind. However an ontime, 0510 hours (yuk!) arrival in SYD on Tuesday 24 remains possible.

On Monday, QF117 left SYD at 1626 hours, 126 late with HKG arrival suggested as 2340 late tonight local time, 100 late.

 

[Melburnian1]

With winds gusting at MEL at as much as 82kmh (44 knots) in the early evening of Monday 23 July 2018, QF476 (scheduled 1235 hours PER - MEL airborne at 1331) is arriving at 1840, 35 late with A332 VH-EBC.

B738 VH-XZL arrived in MEL at 1730, 15 minutes late on the afternoon QF625 ex BNE but at a rainy and windy MEL had yet to push back by 2002 hours for QF462, the 1900 hours MEL up to SYD.

UPDATE: QF462 was airborne from MEL at 2015 with its QF462 estimated to arrive SYD at 2128 tonight, 63 late.

 

[Melburnian1]

On Tuesday 24 July 2018, QF838, the 0845 hours MEL - DRW departed at 0900 but did not take off until 0928, meaning for B738 VH-VXN a suggested arrival of 1323 this afternoon, 38 minutes late.

 

[Melburnian1]

The perenially late QF23 from SYD to BKK, QF23, is having a shocker of a Tuesday 24 July 2018 with departure delayed until 1820 hours tonight, meaning arrival at an anticipated 0055 on Wednesday 24 instead of 1640 this afternoon. In turn this will mean an annoying delay to QF24 that isn't really long enough to justify going to an hotel at QF's expense, but that means an 0200 hours departure from the Thai capital during the small hours.

QF24 this morning was 33 late into SYD at 0658.

 

[Melburnian1]

B738 VH-XZH, an uncomfortable conveyance for the run up from SYD to DPS, the Tuesday 24 July 2018 at 1640 did not take off until 1743 hours. Arrival in Bali should be at 2214 tonight, 54 late.

 

[Quickstatus]

I have a colleague on this flight. Looking at Flightaware it has taken a very strange routing - going inland (north) and not across the Bight. The subsequent QF579 has gone across the Bight (but still not a far south as usual). I'm assuming some sort of technical issue made the Bight crossing unpalatable.

Flight time looks horrendous.

Would not be surprised if westerly headwinds was an issue.

ETOPS:
Even though PER is on the mainland, I consider PER to be an island because there are limited alternate airports between ADL and PER. So in an way it doesn’t matter if it’s for flying across the Bight or more northerly overland. @AviatorInsight would have expert opinion

 

[Josh2]

The perenially late QF23 from SYD to BKK, QF23, is having a shocker of a Tuesday 24 July 2018 with departure delayed until 1820 hours tonight, meaning arrival at an anticipated 0055 on Wednesday 24 instead of 1640 this afternoon. In turn this will mean an annoying delay to QF24 that isn't really long enough to justify going to an hotel at QF's expense, but that means an 0200 hours departure from the Thai capital during the small hours.

QF24 this morning was 33 late into SYD at 0658.

I am flying on QF23 next month connecting from Melbourne (QF408) and I'm wondering if these domestic connections aren't part of the issue?

 

[Quickstatus]

If a significant number of DOM passengers are late connecting to the INT, the airline may find it more practical / cost effective to wait. Many factors come into play though and the interplay between these factors are difficult to discern.

 

[Melburnian1]

I am flying on QF23 next month connecting from Melbourne (QF408) and I'm wondering if these domestic connections aren't part of the issue?

Josh2, a very good point, because when I looked it up, QF408, the 0700 hours MEL - SYD (due into SYD at 0825 hours and probably the latest connection on a traveller's PNR that is 'guaranteed') was cancelled one day in the past week and badly late on two other days (including one day when it was an A333 that went on to form a delayed 1015 hours SYD - SIN, QF81).

Given QF does not operate own metal nonstops MEL to BKK or vice versa, one would expect quite a lot of connecting passengers from MEL. That's certainly been my experience on most international flights ex SYD on numerous airlines, even if these days there are more nonstops out of MEL, though still not to all popular destinations. Quickstatus sums it up well.

You may not want to get up earlier, your travel may not be changeable without a fee or there may be no seats in your fare class, but perhaps if you want a less stressful trip I'd be inclined to go up on the 0630 hours if that suits. But we all know how crawling out of bed at 0400 during a Melbourne winter is challenging.

That this flight (the 408) had problems three days out of seven does not mean it will when you travel, but it shows a trend.

The Flightstats site suggests that on its last 61 trips, QF408 has been 'late', 'very late' or 'excessively late' on 14 occasions and cancelled on another five.

Also states that QF23 has been punctual only 27 per cent of the time in its most recent 59 flights, with an 'average delay' of 57 minutes.

It never defines 'late' but I suggest it means 'more than 15 minutes late arriving', so not a great record is it?

 

[Melburnian1]

Speaking of QF23, on Tuesday 24 July 2018 it has just departed, at 1829, meaning an 0110 hours arrival in BKK on Wednesday 25. This should allow QF24 to be off blocks at somewhere round the 0225 hours mark for a SYD arrival at about 1440 hours. QF estimates the redeye will depart at 0210 but if 'the 23' arrives at 0110 hours, that may be a little on the optimistic side.

The aircraft, A333 VH-QPJ had arrived on Tuesday from HNL at 1657, 13 minutes early on QF4 ex HNL so the staff and contractors did a fast job in turning it around in 92 minutes during one of SYD's peak (domestic) periods.

Presumably one other A333 had failed. All of the nine others are in use except VH-QPI that arrived in SYD a few minutes early on 24 July on QF130, the redeye from PVG but has not undertaken any 'missions' since. It's possible it was rostered for QF23/24 today.

 

[AviatorInsight]

Would not be surprised if westerly headwinds was an issue.

ETOPS:
Even though PER is on the mainland, I consider PER to be an island because there are limited alternate airports between ADL and PER. So in an way it doesn’t matter if it’s for flying across the Bight or more northerly overland. @AviatorInsight would have expert opinion

Thanks for the mention Quickstatus. It definitely does look like an EDTO (New terminology) issue. On the B737, we use YFRT (Forrest) as an enroute alternate to get around the EDTO requirements and still means that we can track through the Bight. The A330 I doubt can use that port hence why they’ve gone slightly north to remain with the 60mins of their alternate. The thumbnail I have attached shows that dark patch in the Bight that precludes non EDTO aircraft flying (A330 specific) and is reflected in the actual routing of QF577.

Unfortunately there’s a strong eastbound jetstream across mainland Australia at the moment so that would explain the additional flight time westbound.