Qantas Delays/Cancellations

[Melburnian1]

Thursday 2 April 2020 has seen A388 VH-OQK on transfer ('ferry') flight QF6004 from SYD down to MEL, taking off at 1455 but not arriving until 1612, 40 late. Is this yet another aircraft that will be stabled in MEL during coronavirus, will it end up at AVV? I assume any flights to pick up stranded Australians overseas would commence from SYD.

 

[Flyerqf]

Thursday 2 April 2020 has seen A388 VH-OQK on transfer ('ferry') flight QF6004 from SYD down to MEL, taking off at 1455 but not arriving until 1612, 40 late. Is this yet another aircraft that will be stabled in MEL during coronavirus, will it end up at AVV? I assume any flights to pick up stranded Australians overseas would commence from SYD.

Seems like the repatriation flights are all between MEL and BNE to share the quarantine requirements amongst all states.

 

[Melburnian1]

On Sunday 5 April 2020, the extremely limited QFd flights ex MEL (15 if the remaining ones to 1910 hours tonight operate) have some behind time running with QF779, the 1740 hours across to PER expected to push back 125 minutes tardy at 1945 hours.

QF471, the 1700 hours SYD - MEL has been cancelled, as has QF631, the 1940 hours timetabled arrival in gloomy MEL from BNE. With Queensland making it difficult to cross its border, is this latter flight a casualty of insufficient passenger numbers on its previous northbound trip?

QF2086 at 1910 hours (MEL - MQL) is the final scheduled QFd (or any other domestic operators') scheduled departure for tonight. We'd have been regarded as imbeciles had we suggested six months ago this would be the case in April 2020, or if we'd claimed '15 QFd flights only' would depart MEL on a Sunday close to Holy Week. Truth is at times stranger than fiction.

I don't know the usual number of flights QFd would operate on a typical school holidays Sunday to or ex MEL but since there'd be around 30-35 timetabled Melbourne to Sydney alone, it'd be way more than 15, with BNE often having an hourly frequency and other routes such as ADL, HBA, LST and PER not to mention MQL having multiple flights each way in usual times, plus the odd one or three to/from DRW, CNS, OOL et al.

 

[Melburnian1]

Seems like the repatriation flights are all between MEL and BNE to share the quarantine requirements amongst all states.

While I shouldn't go off topic as this is probably covered elsewhere on AFF, the repatriation flights are suggested as commencing on Holy Thursday, 9 April 2020. VA will operate a small minority, QFi the rest, although SQ is among airlines running a few flights down to Oz. Unlike QFi and VA, SQ's (like QR's) aren't being subsidised by the Commonwealth Government.

 

[Melburnian1]

The sole QFd flight arriving in MEL on Saturday 11 April 2020 - a scenario that none of us are likely to have considered a year ago as anything but wildly fanciful - was QF1467 that departed SYD 20 late at 0905 hours, was in CBR from 1000 (also 20 minutes tardy) to 1047 (27 late), arriving in MEL at 1213 hours, 33 minutes behind schedule. Aircraft was Q400 VH-LQB, which IIRC does not visit Melbourne very often.

One would have said 'unbelievable' a while back but doubting Thomases have disappeared with coronavirus now a household word. That was it today: 74 seats SYD-MEL, and not even a nonstop flight.

On Sunday 12, there's a 1015 hours morning QF433 at the rather odd time of 1015 hours from MEL to SYD, then QF1420 at 1440 to CBR and then on to SYD, and finally QF9 from MEL to PER at 1515 but if I recall no one is allowed to alight in PER due to the border closure so that will have LHR-bound passengers only. CZ344 from MEL to CAN is a QFi codeshare at 1020 hours but that doesn't count as an 'own metal' flight. So two domestic flights from a city of 5.2 million (although JQd is also operating a tiny number).

 

[Melburnian1]

Despite QF suggesting that the 'minimum domestic network' with flights subsidised to the tune of $185 million in an eight week period by the Federal Government - this also includes a limited number of VA, and some QF (and VA?) international flights, only three MEL to SYD flights were scheduled on Monday 20 April 2020. However QF426, the 0900 hours, has been cancelled. The second and third, respectively QF1484 at 1610 hours (via CBR) and nonstop QF482 at 1930 hours remain displaying.

 

[Melburnian1]

Anzac Day (Saturday 25 April 2020) sees the only QFd scheduled flight northbound from SYD to BNE, QF548, the evening 1935 hours, cancelled. (There was one JQ and one VA flight on this route earlier that operated.)

QF only operated a further 10 domestic flights ex SYD today but nil (publicly scheduled) international flights.

One I missed was QF7027, the scheduled 1110 hours MEL -EZE on Friday 24 April that took off at 1156 with B789 VH-ZNI, arriving Buenos Aires at 1241 on Friday, 41 late. This is due back tomorrow (Sunday 26) in MEL and is a repatriation flight although from media reports the likely passenger tally is not high at around 130, presumably though with 'social distancing' enforced (and possibly no passengers in J).

On Saturday 25, QF2507, the 0600 hours BNE up to MKY was cancelled, as was QF2565 (0825 to CBR), QF2352 (0845 hours to ROK), QF824 (0930 hours to DRW), QF2404 (0940 hours to EMD), QF2338 (lunchtime 1240 hours to GLT) and QF545 (1710 hours down to SYD).

It seems the only QFd flights ex BNE today were QF503 (0625 hours to SYD), QF708 (0945 hours midmorning to CNS) and soon QF623 (1705 hours down to MEL).

A skeleton schedule despite Federal Government kicking in A$185 million over eight weeks for QF and VA to operate a limited domestic network. Could someone fill us in on why all these flights were cancelled, especially since some may have been government guaranteed?

 

[Quickstatus]

all these flights were cancelled, especially since some may have been government guaranteed?

Maybe the passenger numbers are too low to be worth operating even with guarantee?

 

[milehighclub]

Maybe the passenger numbers are too low to be worth operating even with guarantee?

This was also my thinking. Whilst the government might be subsidising the flights, I'm sure the Government doesn't want the airlines to waste money. If a MEL-BNE was cancelled, because there were say a low number of passengers, but they can make them go via SYD and connect, it could be a valid reason to cancel.

 

[Melburnian1]

This was also my thinking. Whilst the government might be subsidising the flights, I'm sure the Government doesn't want the airlines to waste money. If a MEL-BNE was cancelled, because there were say a low number of passengers, but they can make them go via SYD and connect, it could be a valid reason to cancel.

Thanks milehighclub and Quickstatus.

Also interesting that there was no QFd flight scheduled SYD - ADL today despite it being one of the top 15 routes in normal times. The state border closure (imposed by SA Govt, not NSW) and requirement to self isolate for a fortnight (and to be undertaking essential travel) probably has something to do with that. And we could surmise that Queensland has more linkages with NSW, despite that border also being restricted.

For some cancellations, such as BNE to GLT or ROK, driving or if still running Queensland Rail are fairly easy substitutes, not that either is encouraged when the message is all about staying at home. But even "emergency" staff who weren't in a great hurry could travel by surface modes.

 

[Quickstatus]

Sorry I should have said subsidise rather than guarantee as per milehigh.
I wonder what the subsidy conditions are?

 

[Melburnian1]

Sorry I should have said subsidise rather than guarantee as per milehigh.
I wonder what the subsidy conditions are?

Have not been made public as far as I am aware. Logic suggests there'd be a margin but milehighclub's point about avoiding wasteful expenduture is interesting.

Perhaps to operate a minimum number of passengers (in at least one direction for a return trip) may have been agreed between govt and Qantas (or previously Virgin Australia).

No doubt if sufficiently interested some journalist could obtain redacted details under FOI (not much use) or a leak.

 

[Melburnian1]

Sunday 26 April 2020 has seen QF504, the early morning SYD - BNE (0705 hours) cancelled.

The 0850 hours SYD - ASP (QF790) also got the flick. QF548, the early evening 1905 hours SYD - BNE (and final domestic flight of any carrier for the night) is also to be cancelled.

All up QF looks to have operated three outbound domestic flights from SYD today, and likely to be liquidated competitor VA just two. If we'd predicted this six months ago a psychiatrist may have certified us.

 

[Melburnian1]

QF571, the 1810 hours Monday 27 April 2020 SYD - PER is estimated to depart shortly, 50 minutes late.

QFd is only operating six domestic flights ex SYD today/tonight, being one each to BNE, CFS, PER and TMW, and two to MEL with one of these a Q400 turboprop via CBR. The latter seems standard at present, but is a throwback to many years ago. (I recall travelling on the occasional QFd or ANd via CBR to SYD).

 

[flydoc]

Sunday 26 April ...The 0850 hours SYD - ASP (QF790) also got the flick.

QF790 currently operating Tue & Thu only (was daily pre-COVID)

 

[Melburnian1]

On Monday 4 May 2020 during coronavirus, A333 VH-QPE on QF773, the 0935 hours MEL - PER arrived at 1153 hours, eight minutes late. However, returning as QF778, the lunchtime 1300 hours, it did not become airborne until 1425, arriving MEL at 1932, 62 late. This in turn led to QF482, the 1930 hours early evening MEL - SYD taking off at 2039 and arriving at gate at 2147 up in SYD, 52 late.

It appears that a number of QF's A333s are being regularly used - though not necessarily every day - but the A332s are either all or mostly stabled at airports like AVV and BNE. For instance, A332 VH-EBA to EBD inclusive are all in BNE, arriving there between 14 and 26 March while EBE is in AVV and has been since 23 March 2020. The aircraft have to be moved at least once a week to ensure they don't develop tyre flats, so the media informs me.

 

[Melburnian1]

One of a tiny number of domestic flights ex MEL on Thursday 7 May 2020 was QF614, the 1010 hours midmorning MEL - BNE that took off at 1107, arriving at 1252 hours, 32 minutes behind the timetable. A333 VH-QPI, unusually in 'normal' times, was the coronavirus period operating aircraft. This flight has recently exclusively been operated by A333s, a mrked change from a couple of months ago when it rarely would have been anything but a B738.

 

[Melburnian1]

Under coronavirus, according to Google, QFd operates QF482 from Sundays to Thursdays inclusive from MEL at 1930 hours in the early evening to SYD as the sole nonstop flight, normally an A333 as unlike the A332s, some or most A333s remain operating.

QF1420 seems to operate five days a week (not Tuesdays and Thursdays) and is a 1400 hours from MEL via CBR, and normally a Q400 turboprop.

However on Monday 11 May 2020, QF482 suddenly looks to be cancelled if the MEL website is correct. It was included earlier today but by 1900 hours on Sunday 10 had disappeared.

It wouldn't be often in the past (exclusive of strikes and the 2011 lockout) when QFd was not operating any nonstops from MEL to SYD. MEL also shows QF1420 as top CBR only: usually it shows 'CANBERRA' above 'SYDNEY.'

(JQ506, an 0900 hours ex MEL will operate tomorrow but that's not a QFd own metal flight.)

 

[Melburnian1]

On Friday 15 May 2020, the last domestic flight of just 24 scheduled ex SYD (of which eight were for QFd), QF546, the 1855 hours SYD up to BNE is estimated to push back 50 minutes late.

 

[Melburnian1]

QF614, the Thursday 21 May 2020 scheduled 1010 midmorning ex MEL took off at 1112 hours with A333 VH-QPA, arriving at 1306 hours, 46 minutes late.

QFd schedules continue to be drastically reduced during coronavirus with the only other flights ex MEL today QF773 (0935 hours to PER, QF2080 (1030 hours to MQL) and the yet to depart QF482, the 1930 hours to SYD.

On top of that JQd had JQ506 to SYD (0900 hours), JQ780 across to ADL at a scheduled 1000 hours, JQ560 to BNE at 1100 - stranegly not spread out from the QFd sole instance - JQ709 to HBA at 1200 'high noon' and lastly JQ520, the 1645 hours.

This takes minimalism to a new 'low' although most of us are not batting an eyelid given it's been the case for a few weeks. The state border closures (Qld, WA, SA, Tas and NT) are continuing to have a huge dampening effect while there's still no clarity in Victoria as to when we can travel throughout even it, but NSW has said intrastate travel will be possible for all purposes from 1 June 2020.