The Monday 25 July QF16 - B744 LAX to BNE - departed at 0252 on Tuesday 26 July, 212 minutes late with Wednesday 27 July arrival forecast at 0845, 155 minutes behind time, showing how much time can be made up on occasion.
This was due to the Monday 25 QF11 (B744 tag flight) departing LAX 67 minutes late at 0927 hours but not arriving JFK until 1942, 182 minutes late. FlighAware indicates three holding pattern along the way: while the diagram is not very distinctive, it looks like the final hold was lengthy, involving a number of racetrack circuits (if 'circuit' is the correct word to use). QF11 got off lightly in terms of delays with transcontinetal flight AA82 diverted to Dulles Airport (Washington DC) - a six hour ultimate delay - and AA2 diverted via Norfolk VA. Were there some weather delays at JFK, or another cause?
Perhaps one of our pilots may be kind enough to comment on how the B744 of QF11 may have had much extra fuel on board to sustain such significant holding patterns. Perhaps the pilots knew of expected delays en route prior to their departure from LAX for JFK and fuelled up accordingly, although that would beg the question as to why they would not (if the departure gate was still available) sit at it, or on the LAX tarmac for longer to try to minimise the fuel consumed on the journey.
That Monday delayed QF12 then departed JFK at 2213 hours (243 minutes late), arriving LAX at 0056, 210 minutes late. Other transcontinental flights in the QF partnership with AA that evening (Monday 25) were an hour and a half to four and a half hours late so the delays were by no means isolated to the QF11/QF12 tag flights.
QF15 (1000 BNE - LAX B744) on Wednesday 27 is claimed by QF to only be suffering a predicted 40 minute departure and 25 minute arrival (0625 hours in LAX) delay as a result of QF16's tardiness.
As is often the case, QF94 (A388) was unaffected and should be 15 minutes early arriving in MEL at 0645 hours on Wednesday, but the infrequent runner QF96 (B744) departed LAX at 0207, 152 minutes tardy with Wednesday 27 July at gate arrival predicted at 1005, 125 minutes late.
The Sydney-bound QF12 (A388) departed LAX at 0220 hours on Tuesday, 170 minutes late with Wednesday arrival suggested as 0925, 175 minutes late. Interesting that it is not gaining on the schedule but the BNE and MEL-bound flights are: this may be related to time spent taxiing, which I have not looked at.