Qantas Delays/Cancellations

[jb747]

Re: General Qantas Delays/Cancellations/etc. Discussion

... In the 1920s 

I guess they were thinking ahead to GBAS and Cat III.

 

[Melburnian1]

Re: General Qantas Delays/Cancellations/etc. Discussion

QF95, the B744 'extra' from MEL to LAX is normally pretty punctual but not this evening, Friday 7 August 2015. It has been delayed from its timetabled 1700 departure to 2000 hours. If that occurs, it should arrive LAX at 1700 today instead of 1410.

 

[Flyerqf]

Re: General Qantas Delays/Cancellations/etc. Discussion

Friday's QF128 is delayed 24 hours, as a result Saturday's QF127 is also delayed 24 hrs.

 

[Flying mermaid]

Re: General Qantas Delays/Cancellations/etc. Discussion

Friday's QF128 is delayed 24 hours, as a result Saturday's QF127 is also delayed 24 hrs.

I have been very much a Qantas person in the past, with a few excursions into BA etc. I don't ever remember being delayed 24 hours on a flight, so either I have been very lucky or this is a new phenomenon. Also out of the premium airlines do others also continually have delays like this, or is it much more a Qantas thing? I am "happy" to be delayed for a few hours and in fact have built 4 overnights into my next trip away in order to alleviate any stress from delays/connections, but I don't think anyone can build a sensible itinerary around delays like this - particularly on the outward leg - coming home less of an issue (from my perspective anyway).

 

[Melburnian1]

Re: General Qantas Delays/Cancellations/etc. Discussion

Flying mermaid, unfortunately airlines like QF can be in a bit of a bind with routes like this.

QFi does not really have a huge 'own metal' route network especially when one considers its mostly poor relative frequencies on Asian routes compared with foreign airlines that fly to and from their hubs such as CX to and from HKG, SQ to and from SIN and so on. It also is not just operating one type of long haul aircraft: on many days or nights, the numbers booked on a B744 to or from HKG might not fit into the seat configuration of an A333.

It also cannot have a spare B744 or a spare A333 sitting in say an Asian airport due to the millions of dollars in a rarely used asset that this would represent, quite apart from how to crew it. On occasion, carriers like MH, CX and SQ have similar delays in Australia simply because our nation is at the end of their route network and they don't have a spare aircraft or three sitting in Oz.

Nonetheless, a 24 hour delay must be exceptionally annoying and the QF fleet has had quite a few lengthy delays during the past year (mind you, in that period the B744s, A380s and A333s would have also operated a few thousand flight sectors.) You'd like to think that QF might rebook passengers on other airlines (or route them via other Asian ports en route to HKG or SYD, or via MEL or BNE) but of course we might be talking about in excess of 300 passengers each way so that is a major exercise in finding seats that may not be available in that volume at short notice even if QF was willing to pay for such seats..

As one example, QF's SYD - MNL - SYD flights are often full or extremely close to it, year round and there are only four a week each way - that's the closest non-Chinese or non-Taiwanese major airport to HKG. And then there are problems such as how much notice QF had of the defective plane - it does not go about its business assuming that aircraft Y will fail on day X, in fact quite the reverse: the timetables are compiled on the assumption that they are workable and represent a realistic use of available resources including aircraft.

 

[Flying mermaid]

Re: General Qantas Delays/Cancellations/etc. Discussion

Thanks I can see the problem, but it just seems to be a continual litany of very long delays - maybe I should unsubscribe from this thread and stop scaring myself.

 

[Melburnian1]

Re: General Qantas Delays/Cancellations/etc. Discussion

Flying mermaid, on the one hand it's great for QF shareholders and potential investors that the airline has tried to obtain greater fleet utilisation in average hours per day aircraft are in use. This needed to happen, and it's fair that shareholders obtain a return on the billions of dollars of invested capital.

On the other hand, passengers like you can on occasion suffer from tight turnarounds but especially from no spare being immediately available if something goes awry.

This is all eerily similar to what the railways in Australia went through between 30 and 40 years ago. Once, they had much spare rollingstock sitting around as spares that was pressed into traffic during school holidays. Today, it's typical to have little if any spare rollingstock and this sometimes leads to train cancellations due to breakdowns: many airlines are now similar.

My perception is that the raw number of lengthy (say over two hours) delays is worst on QF's USA and UK A380 routes, but that's immaterial if you are travelling to or from BKK, CGK, HKG, HNL, MNL or SIN to name a few examples and you are personally affected. Of course, there may be many days when virtually nothing goes wrong. It really is pot luck.

Perhaps the moral of the story is to consider booking on an airline that offers greater frequency because if you have status with it, you may only have a delay of a few hours if one plane is inoperable, because you may be placed on the next flight and if there's three a day or more from say SYD or MEL, you are unlikely to suffer a 24 hour delay in similar circumstances.

 

[Melburnian1]

Re: General Qantas Delays/Cancellations/etc. Discussion

Friday 7 August's QF128 from HKG to SYD has been delayed from departing at 2015 to a forecast departure of 1900 hours tonight (Sat 8 Aug.) Today's QF127 (SYD - HKG) has been delayed from 1005 today until 0800 on Sunday 9 August for a 1515 hours arrival in HKG.

The addition is that Saturday's (tonight's) QF128 has also been delayed from 2015 tonight until 1900 hours on Sunday 9 August for an arrival in SYD of 0610 on Monday in lieu of the normal 0720 on Sunday.

The QF website does not suggest that Sunday morning's QF127 is delayed.

 

[JessicaTam]

Re: General Qantas Delays/Cancellations/etc. Discussion

I was sitting in the MEL F lounge today (Sat) and saw that QF35 to SIN was delayed. It ended up boarding about 1320 for a 1441 departure. Mechanical issues and once it was repaired it was towed to the gate.

I was the only pax in the F lounge for a fair while before catching JQ29.

 

[Melburnian1]

Re: General Qantas Delays/Cancellations/etc. Discussion

QF35's delay yesterday (Saturday 8 August 2015) in turn delayed its return working from SIN to BNE, QF52 that departed 92 minutes late at 2222 and arrived BNE this morning at 0729, 74 minutes behind time.

Today (Sunday 9 August) QF93 from MEL to LAX took off about an hour and a half late at 1156.

Relatively unusually - for it is mostly on time or very close to it ex LHR - QF10 on Saturday 8 August departed the arguably world financial capital at 1438, 68 minutes late. It then lost time, arriving DXB 102 minutes late but only departed 70 minutes late, creditably cutting down the stop, so 'the 10' as AFF member jb747 affectionately and delightfully refers to such flights is due in MEL at 2155 tonight, an even hour behind schedule.

Inevitably, QF9 tonight will be late away: my estimate is 45 minutes to an hour tardy in departure (QF suggests 2350, 55 minutes late) given that (assuming everything goes well) QF is capable of turning around an A380 in an observed hour and 43 minutes. Not the greatest start to a Monday for travellers in a hurry to alight in DXB.

However, it is not impossible to then arrive LHR at or close to on time at 1350 (on Monday 10 August) provided there are minimal delays approaching and taking off from DXB and the stop there can be reduced from the allowed 125 minutes. On some recent days QF9 has arrived early in LHR such as Friday 7 August's MEL departure that was at the gate at LHR 16 minutes early after departing MEL 51 minutes late: on that occasion, it spent just 97 minutes in DXB, quite fast considering the number of tasks to be performed and that the crew changes there.

Saturday 8 August's QF1 from SYD spent more than three hours on the ground in DXB so is en route to LHR with expected arrival an hour and 50 minutes late at 0845.

The earlier reported problems with a B744 (see above) have led to tonight (Sunday 9 August's) QF128 now being rescheduled from 2015 Sunday to 0800 on Monday ex HKG for a forecast 1905 hiours arrival in SYD on Monday evening instead of 0720 in the morning.

At this stage, at least publicly it does not appear that Monday 10 August's SYD QF B744 departures to LAX, JNB, SCL or HKG will be affected by this again severely delayed QF128 but yesterday at this time that was not publicly evident either for what has now turned into a delayed QF128 on Sunday night ex HKG, so perhaps some passengers might expect a message from QF on their device in due course.

The delays focus a little attention on whether it was correct for QF to dispose of B744s in recent times but one can see both sides of the story.

 

[Himeno]

Re: General Qantas Delays/Cancellations/etc. Discussion

How reliable has QF10 been (LHR-DXB) over the last few months?

 

[Melburnian1]

Re: General Qantas Delays/Cancellations/etc. Discussion

According to FlightStats - Global Flight Tracker, Status Tracking and Airport Information, QF10's first leg average delay is 27 minutes and it has been ón time' (within 15 minutes) 35 per cent of the 61 days between 1 June and 31 July.

That is not an excellent performance, but it is fairly reasonable. DXB is now extremely busy and plays host to many A380 flights. It does not however rank as a passenger favourite, with SIN, ICN and HKG typically vastly preferred in most review type sites' rankings.

Comparisons can be odious but QF9 on its final leg (DXB - LHR) is rated by the same website above as having a 'very poor' punctuality performance with an áverage delay' of 64 minutes and 21 of the last 62 flights (to 31 July 2015) having been 'very' or éxcessively' late.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Re: General Qantas Delays/Cancellations/etc. Discussion

That is not an excellent performance, but it is fairly reasonable. DXB is now extremely busy and plays host to many A380 flights. It does not however rank as a passenger favourite, with SIN, ICN and HKG typically vastly preferred in most review type sites' rankings.

Some would disagree with that assessment of 'reasonable' due to 'Dubai being busy'.

The airline has chosen to fly via Dubai when numerous other options exist. From a passenger perspective I'm sure some would be asking 'so what, how's that my problem?' [if Dubai is busy].

 

[Melburnian1]

Re: General Qantas Delays/Cancellations/etc. Discussion

Fair point, MEL_Traveller. As noted above, I am not a fan of DXB: it is a 'zoo' and like many of us I believe that QF has made a big mistake in choosing DXB as its 'en route to Europe conjunctional with EK hub.'

Continuing to operate via SIN in particular would have been far preferable. DXB may get a lot of press but the Asian airports above are way ahead of it, and culturally far more similar to Oz - but this is a forum about QF cancellations and delays so my apologies for briefly veering off the thread's designated subject matter. I was essentially referring to QF's punctuality (or, northbound, lack of it) above.

 

[Melburnian1]

Re: General Qantas Delays/Cancellations/etc. Discussion

Continuing the frequent delays on QF's B744 SYD - HKG - SYD route, this morning's QF127 ex SYD has been delayed from 1005 to a predicted 1135 departure.

QF5 this afternoon is delayed by an expected 80 minutes - from 1605 to 1725 - in departing SYD for SIN. Earlier, QF41 from SYD to CGK is forecast to be half an hour late in leaving at 1420 hours.

In the worst delay, QF35 from MEL to SIN, the 1145 departure, has been put back to 0730 on Tuesday 11 August 2015, because Sunday night's QF36 (9 August) is stuck in SIN and departing from there at 1420 today for a late evening 2345 hours arrival in MEL. Monday's QF36 is expected to depart SIN at 1500 on Tuesday for an 0025 arrival on Wednesday 12 August.

So there are problems with both the B744s and A330s - not a good Monday for QFi.

 

[whughes3]

Re: General Qantas Delays/Cancellations/etc. Discussion

I see on "Qantassource" that QF51 (BNE-SIN) was diverted to Batam, Indonesia because of weather and the crew subsequently ran out of hours, necessitating a "rescue mission"! Not a good Monday for QFi indeed...

 

[Melburnian1]

Re: General Qantas Delays/Cancellations/etc. Discussion

And whughes3, after your excellent information, it became worse, because while I suggested in post number 1535 that today's QF127 (SYD - HKG) was only delayed for an hour and a half, this subsequently became an 0940 departure on Tuesday 11 August 2015, almost 24 hours late.

Monday 10 August's QF128 returning from HKG has became a forecast departure at 1900 hours tomorrow evening with arrival in SYD at 0610 on Wednesday 12 August, the earliest that could be arranged if it is an overnight flight given the curfew. It is not clear to me why these flights cannot be altered to operate about 12 hours late instead of 24 (given that there is a QF128 arrival at 2025 hours tonight, which in theory could be turned around to depart from SYD at say 2230) but no doubt QF would do the former if it could.

I cannot answer whether it was wise for QFi to retire two elderly B744s recently but no doubt a few may be asking that question, even if only muttering it to themselves.

There must be a few annoyed businessmen and women booked on these flights as well as inevitably many leisure travellers starting FIT (DIY) or group tours whose plans have been thrown up in the air.

It would be terrific to hear if any AFFers have been placed on alternative routes (e.g. HKG - BKK - SYD or HKG - MNL - SYD) by QF or on other carriers such as CX, CZ, MU, PR or even 5J or CI to name a few.

Perhaps some travellers with urgent business or holiday arrangements have booked themselves on other carriers with travel insurance to perhaps cover that.

 

[Himeno]

Re: General Qantas Delays/Cancellations/etc. Discussion

Wouldn't retiming SYD-HND for a day or two provide a 747 to correct the HKG issue?

 

[Melburnian1]

Re: General Qantas Delays/Cancellations/etc. Discussion

Yes, Himeno that's correct but as pilot jb747 keeps reminding us, there can be a myriad of reasons why one aircraft may not be 'the same' as another as everything in aviation is based on number of cycles, hours flown and so on. I agree that in theory the B744 sits at HND for many hours but for all we know it could have some (minor?) scheduled maintenance there, or perhaps in SYD after its return leg.

Crew hours (and rest periods) might be another consideration making it difficult to very quickly alter the timetable, and of course passengers on that route would also be affected by any changed timings - say if it came back from HND two or three hours after landing there.

Nonetheless to have continual late flights on an important route such between SYD and HKG for a number of days is far from ideal. The number of affected passengers must easily be at 1200 now.

 

[Himeno]

Re: General Qantas Delays/Cancellations/etc. Discussion

Crew hours (and rest periods) might be another consideration making it difficult to very quickly alter the timetable, and of course passengers on that route would also be affected by any changed timings - say if it came back from HND two or three hours after landing there.

If they were to retime HND on a temp basis, due to the slot times there, it would likely be a northbound departure around 1300 to land HND around 2200, then southbound departure back to SYD around midnight for ~1100 SYD arrival.