Qantas Delays/Cancellations

[Melburnian1]

Big storms in BNE with reports of aircraft damaged

moa999, that explains some of the delays I noted above and on the other domestic airlines' similar pages.

The BOM suggests that at about 1731 to 1735 AEST (i.e. 1831 to 1835 AEDT further south) there were gusts of 158 kilometres an hour at Brisbane airport, and that since 1500 this afternoon it has had 20 millimetres of rainfall.

I am no weather expert but 158kmh is very, very strong although simply as a point of comparison the infamous Cyclone Tracy on Christmas Day 1974 had winds of 240kmh. 80 or 90 kilometres south, Coolangatta airport appears not to have had any rain and has only had relatively serene winds. The storm cell that has moved off to the east of BNE had a 'nasty orange' (pardon the pun) look to it, although those of us looking at a monitor 1000 or 1700 kilometres away cannot understand the gravity of being in such a situation.

I daresay luggage handling would have ceased and all tarmac workers may have made a beeline for the nearest building of substance in BNE.

QF1770 from BNE to MKY this evening has been cancelled.

 

[Melburnian1]

QF631 has just returned to the gate after being hit by a runaway set of stairs.

Want2flymore, glad it was you and not me, but thank you for a fantastic 'on the spot' report. For record keeping purposes in case someone reads this once timetables have changed, QF631 is the 1700 hours BNE - MEL on stormy Sunday 13 November 2016. As I write it is 1839 hours in often sunny BNE. I take it you may not be going anywhere fast. As noted above, your captain was pretty accurate as the BOM suggests the winds gusted to 158kmh.

 

[moa999]

Photos from two posters on FFA (not posting real names)

Note it's 717 so not the flight mentioned.

 

[Melburnian1]

moa999, obviously that aircraft will have to undergo a proper inspection, but would you suspect that 'damage' would be limited to paintwork being scratched or would there be highly likely to be at least a little more severe damage to the aircraft's body, perhaps including a cargo door?

 

[Want2flymore]

This was the view from my window.

 

[pagingjoan]

SYD-MEL flights banked up this evening. When we arrived 45 minutes before our scheduled departure time, we found there were five SYD-MEL flights to take off before ours. Still four to go....

 

[Melburnian1]

Continuing with the Sunday 13 November 2016 delays, QF843 (1340 hours DRW down to SYD that was in the sky at 1434, B738 VH-XZN) is arriving at about 2028, 58 minutes late. The two north-south runways are the operational mode so that should reduce delays, or at least not see them 'compounding.'

QF2048, the 1910 hours SYD - DBO (Q300 VH-SBT) took off at 2016.

The 1900 hours SYD - MEL (QF465, B738 VH-XZP) had not taken off by 2017 but should do so in the next small number of minutes. As it is due into MEL at 2035, expect it to be 45 minutes or more late. Ther scheduled 1845 hours departure QF479 is even further behind, with VH-VZY still taxiing at 2020 hours, meaning arrival at 2145 or later compared with the timetabled 2020 arrival.

The 1840 hours SYD - AKL, QF149 (B738 ZK-ZQC) was about to take off slightly after 2020 hours, so it is an hour or more late.

 

[Melburnian1]

Continuing with the partly-BNE storm related late running on the evening of Sunday 13 November, QF549 (1705 hours BNE - SYD, B738 VH-VYJ) did not take off until 2009; arrival should be at 2221 hours, 161 minutes past the normal timetabled arrival of 1940 hours.

QF547 is the 1635 hours BNE - SYD so it should precede QF549, but that is not the case tonight with 547 taking off at 2019 and having a projected arrival in SYD of 2240 hours, three and a half hours late (210 minutes).

QF1794 is the 1720 hours BNE - TSV, timed to depart just before the worst of the storm hit. B717 VH-NXJ took off at 1956 for a suggested 2142 hours arrival in lieu of the timetabled 1920 hours.

 

[JohnPhelan]

I am no weather expert but 158kmh is very, very strong although simply as a point of comparison the infamous Cyclone Tracy on Christmas Day 1974 had winds of 240kmh.

Wind gusts of 158 km/h recorded at BNE - which is equivalent to a category 3 cyclone!!!

 

[Quickstatus]

Its calmed down now. BNE = UTC + 10hrs

 

[Melburnian1]

More Sunday evening, 13 November 2016 delayed flights include QF467, the 1930 hours SYD - MEL (B738 VH-VZL) that took off at 2142 for a suggested 2253 arrival instead of 2105 - 108 minutes behind schedule.

QF489, the 2015 hours departure on the same route was airborne at 2144; arrival is supposed to occur at 2257, 67 late with aircraft B738 VH-VXF.

The 1850 hours BNE - SYD, QF555 (B738 VH-VYK) took off at 2040 and is predicted to arrive at 2303 instead of 2125 hours, but the critical time for curfew avoidance purposes in SYD is touchdown (not 'at gate' arrival) so the former should be at about 2258 - 'in the clear.'

QF821 is on the shorter CBR - MEL sector and with B738 VH-VYB undertaking the task, it should arrive in MEL at 2310 hours, 40 minutes behind time.

 

[Melburnian1]

In further on the many delays afflicting Sunday 13 November 2016, QF557, the 1905 hours BNE - SYD that took off at 2102 hours (B738 VH-XZO) appears to have a dispensation from the Federal Minister's delegate to 'break curfew' as FR24 submits that it will land at 2311, the 'same time' as VA889 from MEL should land in SYD.

 

[Quickstatus]

In further on the many delays afflicting Sunday 13 November 2016, QF557, the 1905 hours BNE - SYD that took off at 2102 hours (B738 VH-XZO) appears to have a dispensation from the Federal Minister's delegate to 'break curfew' as FR24 submits that it will land at 2311, the 'same time' as VA889 from MEL should land in SYD.

Do you think the current Federal Government's delegate is more relaxed about SYD curfews than if it were the delegate for the Member for Grayndler?

 

[Melburnian1]

Do you think the current Federal Government's delegate is more relaxed about SYD curfews than if it were the delegate for the Member for Grayndler?

The thought has more than crossed my mind. Incumbent represents the seat around Sale and Bairnsdale. Must be influence from those RAAF types!

One further delay I omitted to mention is that QF491, the 2030 hours Sunday 13 November SYD - MEL has only just pushed back at approximately 2300 hours so there is no way it could comply with curfew requiring takeoff by then.

By my count there are at least four domestic flights landing after 2300 hours tonight in SYD and at least one taking off.

We cannot claim a record - no doubt there have been other occasions exceeding this - but in recent memory it is the most I can recall (but beware of my sieve like memory!)

 

[Pleb Status]

The flight I was originally booked on, QF767 BNE-PER, finally departed BNE tonight two hours late for an ugly 1:20am AWST arrival into PER.

 

[moa999]

And an after shot on the 717 (again from FFA).
Moving at a fair pace I suspect.

 

[moa999]

And a video from a few rows behind want2flymore has been posted on Twitter.

Stairs were also moving pretty quickly.

https://mobile.twitter.com/Drano2go/status/797708016980066304/video/1

 

[moa999]

And more from JR on FFA.

Bit of engine damage on the 737.

 

[JessicaTam]

QF568 PER-SYD will be late off the blocks this evening, with an ETD of 2340 instead of 2305 due to late arrival of QF583.

ETA into SYD is now 0640 as opposed to 0615.

 

[Melburnian1]

Monday 14 November sees QF426, the 1100 (amended it appears by ATC to '1101') MEL - SYD having taken off at 1201 for an expected 1258 hours, 33 minute tardy arrival for B738 VH-VXU.

QF2190 from SYD to MRZ has been delayed in its departure from 'high noon' (1200) to an expected, unusual and probably ATC-allocated 'exact' time of 1314. In theory these exact times are a good idea, but in practice they appear to rarely be adhered to.