Qantas Delays/Cancellations

Also on 4 March 2020, QF516 (B738 VH-XZM, the 1000 hours SYD - BNE airborne at 1116) should be at its gate at 1130, an hour behind. This will delay QF617, the 1110 hours down to MEL until a suggested 1200 'high noon' in pushing back.

UPDATE: QF617 was in the sky at 1217 hours, arriving MEL at gate at 1517, 47 behind.
 
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Continuing with Wednesday 4 March 2020, the delayed QF27 departed SYD at 1508 hours, 143 minutes tardy. B744 VH-OEH was in the sky at 1520 hours, quite quickly. SCL same day arrival has changed to a later 1334 hours (144 late) than previously advised, so this may further delay the returning QF28.

A332 VH-EBS is on QF577, the 1340 hoyrs SYD - PER pointing skywards at 1456, so arrival at gate should be 1622 hours, 47 minutes tardy.
 
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I see QF1 cancelled this evening.
Being reported it is due to extra cleaning because a passenger on a previous flight on 28 Feb was diagnosed with COVID-19.
Qantas only found out when NSW Health released advice today, presumably once the person was diagnosed and their arrivals details analysed.
You wonder which flights the aircraft operated since 28 Feb.
Be interesting to see whether cleaning is stepped up after every flight given the certainty there will be a gap between travel and diagnosis for those infected.
 
I see QF1 cancelled this evening.
Being reported it is due to extra cleaning because a passenger on a previous flight on 28 Feb was diagnosed with COVID-19.
Qantas only found out when NSW Health released advice today, presumably once the person was diagnosed and their arrivals details analysed.
You wonder which flights the aircraft operated since 28 Feb.
Be interesting to see whether cleaning is stepped up after every flight given the certainty there will be a gap between travel and diagnosis for those infected.

Independent of you, I had just looked it up and was surprised it was cancelled as this morning it had been showing as operating normally.

This rather makes the previous assurances of QF's medical doctor that 'air travel is safe' (I'm paraphrasing) rather hollow.

This news, once the community becomes aware of it, will see more leisure and business travellers alike cancel their flights, particular since the virus may not be detectable for 14 days (a fact that's been drummed into us by media 100 times.)

QF2 ex LHR on Thursday 5 March will be cancelled.

From a quick look at where each aircraft is, it may be either A388 VH-OQF or OQK. Both are refurbished IIRC. OQF came in today, 4 March 2020 as QF8 from DFW while OQK arrived yesterday, 3 March on the same flight. As AFfer ayebee alludes, this may mean a mad scramble is underway to contact anyone who travelled on the aircraft since the person arrived in Sydney on 28 February.
 
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..Be interesting to see whether cleaning is stepped up after every flight given the certainty there will be a gap between travel and diagnosis for those infected.

Not wishing to employ a (bad) pun but airlines would resist this as it would not just require additional cleaning contractors but would see international and domestic aircraft alike spending longer on the ground each day and hence operating fewer flights.
 
Thursday 5 March 2020 has QF404, the 0630 hours MEL - SYD cancelled. SO is QF416, the 0830 hours ex MEL and QF424, the 1030 hours.

QF2077, the 0745 hours scheduled MEL arrival ex MQL is also not running. Another cancelled is QF495, the 1045 hours SYD down to MEL.

QF435, the lunchtime 1300 hours SYD - MEL is also not operational today.

In the afternoon, QF826, the 1620 hours MEL - CBR shorter flight has also been booted. QF833, the scheduled 1910 hours MEL arrival ex CBR is another one.

QF29, the 0935 hours MEL - HKG that has been cut back to five days a week (no longer daily) should depart at 1110 hours. Arrival is a predicted 1745 hours, 100 minutes tardy.
 
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Also on Thursday 5 March 2020, as at 0825 hours MEL appeared to be largely on single runway (east-west) operations, which is starting to mean departure delays. (A ZL flight took off to the north as at 0838 though, and a VN flight arrived shortly thereafter.)

QF671 (0725 hours MEL - ADL) departed at 0756 but did not take off until 0841 so arrival is expected at 0919 hours, 114 minutes late.

The 0810 hours MEL - BNE (QF608, VH-VZI) departed on time but did not become airborne until 0857 so arrival is expected 35 minutes late at 0955.

QF409 (0700 hours SYD - MEL, A332 VH-EBB) was in the sky at 0749, arriving on the east-west runway from the east, its at gate time being 0906, 31 late.

QF414 (0800 hours MEL - SYD, VH-VYJ) departed only four minutes late at 0804 but had not taken off by 0920. The FR24 map is inexact as it shows this aircraft off the airfield: most unlikely. It doesn't seem to be in the queue for departures to the west. Odd. However it then took off at 0923, about 70 minutes late, so arrival should be roughly 1030, 65 minutes behind schedule.

VH-VYE on the 0815 hours MEL - SYD, QF482, was airborne at 0918 after pushing back at 0816, a most unusual 62 minute taxi. Arrival should be 1025, 45 late.

Q400 VH-LQG on QF2281 (0825 hours MEL - LST) pointed skywards at 0927 so arrival should, be at roughly 1037, 57 late.
 
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A myriad of cancellations today.

I moved to QF436 MEL-SYD as I didn't want to risk my connection to PER. It was 35 minutes late departing, and subsequently arriving.
QF438 MEL-SYD and QF447 SYD-MEL cancelled amongst others.
 
A myriad of cancellations today.

I moved to QF436 MEL-SYD as I didn't want to risk my connection to PER. It was 35 minutes late departing, and subsequently arriving.
QF438 MEL-SYD and QF447 SYD-MEL cancelled amongst others.

It shows how on poor weather days, aviation delays often compound, so operators' response is to cancel flights. Sometimes this can be exacerbated by flight deck (and/or attendants) being out of position due to cancellations or delays.

ATC may also impose limits such as controlled departure (amended, later) times or IIRC a cap on how many aircraft can use an airfield, separate from already existing movement caps.

Given that none of Oz's domestic airlines include as part of their contract with passengers that we'll necessaily be conveyed on the day ticketed, I often wonder how many are stranded overnight when they're unable to be accommodated on the remaining flights. Occasionally visual media features this.

Typically this will be at its zenith when bad weather arrives late in the day. The SYD (and others like ADL) curfews complicate matters and don't help. Busier nights like Friday and Sunday can be especially difficult, as often there are few spare seats on the flights that still operate.

The very helpful Silvia is one AFFer who IIRC said she doesn't like to travel at night domestically due to the above risk of being stranded, particularly when she's not in her home city of Melbourne. Sensible if you ask me.

There's few upsides to COVID-19 but one might be, in a perverse way, that with many corporates disallowing even domestic travel, the flights that remain will have lower numbers booked than usual, so a greater number of 'shadow seats' ideal for filling with a posterior at short notice.
 
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Thursday 5 March 2020..QF29, the 0935 hours MEL - HKG that has been cut back to five days a week (no longer daily) should depart at 1110 hours. Arrival is a predicted 1745 hours, 100 minutes tardy.

It departed at 1146 hours with HKG arrival suggested as 1800 hours, 115 minutes tardy. QF30, the 1905 hours HKG - MEL is not showing as 'delayed' but it probably will be.
 
MEL was still on single runway operations as at 1719 hours with QF2285, the 1520 hours MEL - LST (Q400 VH_LQG), so it is more than 90 minutes late. The weather is good for ducks and farmers, plus dam replenishment.

QF43 (1650 hours SYD - DPS) departed at 1748 so arrival is estimated 35 minutes tardy at 2035 mid evening.

The 1630 hours MEL - SYD, QF450, departed at 1735 but was still as at 1754 queuing for takeoff to the south with B738 VH-VZM. Arrival should be at around 1905, 70 minutes late.
 
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As QF27 was late departing SYD on 4 March, QF28 pushed back in SCL at 1558 hours, 143 minutes tardy, arriving in SYD on Thursday 5 at 2009, 139 minutes past what the timetable says. The B744 is to operate the 2135 hours SYD - HND redeye, QF25 that has been altered to depart at 2210. HND arrival is showing as 0540 (40 late) but provided it is not delayed upon taxiing in SYD, often this northbound flight makes up gate-to-gate time.

The A388 on QF7 was also late, departing SYD this afternoon at 1633 (113 late) with same day DFW arrival estimated at 1446, 111 late.

The B738 on 'the 45' is the 1730 MEL - DPS that departed 46 late, but due to queuing in MEL given the congestion on the ground - much of the day was single runway ops - arrival is delayed until 2201, 91 late, so QF44 tonight will also be tardy.
 
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