Qantas Delays/Cancellations

Perhaps I misjudge the level of community apprehension about the virus?
I think perhaps you do. Did you not just live through the last lockdown with the rest of us in Melbs? Because I am just as scared of another miserable, fear-filled lockdown as I am of catching the virus itself now. I feel very scarred by the whole experience.

That said, I will be getting on a plane soon to visit my mother in QLD. Yes, even though that means quarantine.
 
On Melbourne Cup Day, Tuesday 3 November 2020, QF2066, the 1000 hours morning flight from SYD up to BNK (fort Byron Bay) has been cancelled.

QFd has another (afternoon) flight to BNK, JQd has two and VAd one. Given border closures adversely affecting the three normally most popular routes (SYD-MEL-BNE triangle), SYD-BNK has rocketed to easily be in the top 10 most patronised domestic routes.
 
Thursday 12 November 2020 has seen QF2030, the 1610 hours afternoon SYD - ARM (Q300 VH-SBB) depart at 1702 hours, arriving at 1820 (50 minutes tardy).
 
The only scheduled flights using a QFd 'own metal' aircraft on (appropriately) Friday 13 November are one each Q400 turboprop to MQL and CBR.

No B738s. Not the first time during the virus that this has occurred, but a saluatary reminder as to how much money QF/JQ (and VA plus the airport) must be losing. Staggering figures.

The last domestic flight of any airline is timetabled to depart Melbourne Airport at 1600 hours tomorrow afternoon.

This may be the second last Friday that we see such restricted flight numbers given that by Monday week, the NSW - Victorian border should again be 'open to all'.
 
There have not been many SYD or MEL to PER flights lately due to the virus and the refusal of the WA Premier to allow NSW/Victorian residents in to WA unless exempted, and even then they require 14 days/quarantine.

Consequently, the 'pool' of those who can travel is limited.

On Saturday 14 November 2020, QF575 (B738 VH-XZJ, the scheduled 0835 hours SYD - PER) departed at 0918 hours and promptly took off at 0926 - very fast - but arrival was not until 1116 hours, 56 minutes tardy. So far the aircraft doesn't appear to have operated another flight today.
 
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Sunday 15 November 2020 has seen QF2260 (morning 0800 hours from SYD to LDH) take off at 0852, arriving 70 late at 1110 hours. Aircraft was Q300 VH-TQG, which had not turned a tyre in passenger operations since QF2263 ex LDH on 12 November 2020.

Today's retuirn, QF2261 (the 1030 hours) was airborne at 1139 and should be 65 late in arriving adjacent to a gate at 1355.

QF2264, the second flight of the day to LDH at a timetabled 1330 hours ex SYD is delayed to a projected 1410 hours: optimistic if it is, as I suspect, the same aircraft.
 
QF778 (1155 hours Monday 16 November PER across to MEL) has A333 VH-QPI that took off late at 1253 hours (1553 AEDT). Arrival should be at 1905 hours, 45 minutes down. It was delayed this morning as QF773 from MEL arrived in PER 36 late at 1106 hours after earlier coming down from Sydney, where it had stabled yesterday, sitting forlorn. On Friday night it operated a freight flight from PVG down to SYD, a common occurrence during coronavirus.

This MEL - PER flight last previously ran on 12 November 2020 (Thursday). It appears to be operating four days per week.
 
Tuesday 17 November 2020 sees QF790 (B738 VH-XZF, the 0935 hours SYD - ASP) not up up and away until 1043. Arrival at 1155 hours was 50 minutes late.
 
Q300 VH-SBJ on Wednesday 18 November 2020 operated QF2006, the mid afternoon 1550 hours SYD up to TMW, but it did not depart until 1715, taking off at 1726 hours for expected arrival at 1820 early this evening, 90 minutes late. At the moment during the virus, this flight can be either a 70 seat Q400 or the smaller Q300 (50 seats) in use today. I am unsure if another aircraft - perhaps a Q400 - failed and SBJ was a last minute substitution.

This flight looks to be operating six days a week, with Saturday the day it does not.

QF548, the 1905 hours evening SYD up to BNE has got the flick. QFd had two other flights today on this northbound route, JQd had one and VAd had one, in all cases a fraction of what would have been the case in November 2019. With the border closed to Sydneysiders it's surprising that the airlines would schedule five flights but presumably they're largely (apart from those with exemptions, or 'essential services' staff) for Queenslanders returning home.
 
With the sudden imposition of a six day coronavirus-related lockdown in South Australia, Thursday 19 November 2020 saw QF731, the morning 0735 hours SYD - ADL and a same route afternoon flight, the 1325 hours QF741, cancelled. However QFd still operated three westbounds on the route, while stablemate JQd ran two and competitor VAd also two.

QF731 is also cancelled on Friday 20. From what I can see on this Friday, QFd has four remaining SYD - ADL offerings.

From ADL to BNE, QF667 at 1915 hours is the sole remaining flight from any domestic passenger operator with QF663 and QF661 at 0900 and 1230 hours respectively cancelled. So is QF665 at 1435 hours mid afternoon.

These changes must mean many staff who thought they'd have a shift on Friday will be without work for the day. The lack of notice isn't great for planning one's life although many transport industry employees would be 'used to that', if one ever can be.
 
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Qantas phoned ½hour ago for today's flight,

Bne-syd @17:20 now a Dash 8.

Yep they've put a turboprop on the bne-syd sector!
(I elected to change to the 19:20 flight, retain my business seat and probably get into syd only an hour later than the Dash 8)
 
Qantas phoned ½hour ago for today's flight,

Bne-syd @17:20 now a Dash 8.

Yep they've put a turboprop on the bne-syd sector!
(I elected to change to the 19:20 flight, retain my business seat and probably get into syd only an hour later than the Dash 8)

Since coronavirus commenced, there have been some days when IIRC there were no nonstop MEL-SYD-MEL flights with the only option being travel via CBR once per day in each direction. On some Saturdays, no QFd flights at all (or QFi for that matter).

As you will have deduced, the problem is that with border closures there are few eligible passengers.

Look on the bright side: it's not everyone who gets to travel with QF in a turboprop on that route.
 
No I passed on that offer, taking their B737, 2 hours later. As you say, number of px will be interesting
The Dash8 flight never eventuated, qfa rescheduled/combined an early flight the so 17:20 B737 bne-syd has just left... without me obviously despite being assured I'd be notified if that happened. Maybe they're understaffed :mad:
 
The South Australian lockdown presumably led on Saturday 21 November 2020 to cancellation of QF731, the 0735 hours from SYD across to ADL. QFd had one other flight westbound on this route today while JQd operated two. VAd did not have any.

On Sunday 22, it's no better with QFd westbound cancelling QF731 (the 0735 hours), QF747 at 1455 and QF745 at 1925. However QF741 at 1325 and QF743 look to be running. Stablemate JQd has canceled two of its three as has competitor VAd.

This shouldn't happen any more from Monday as the lockdown (that was based on false information by a 'case') is to end earlier, at midnight on Saturday, than its planned six days.

UPDATE: Showing the fluidity, since I wrote the above, from what I can see on the Sydney Airport site, QF has reinstated the cancelled flights as has JQ. However VAd has cancelled its only remaining one, making three cancellations.

Sometimes the SYD airport site doesn't seem overly reliable so I wonder which version is correct?

FURTHER UPDATE: By 1400 hours on Sunday 22, the SYD airport site was suggesting that QF731, QF747 and QF745 on the SYD to ADL westbound route had been cancelled. So its original advice (above) stands in the end. Confusing!
 
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Monday 23 November 2020 is to see QF1580, the 0940 hours SYD up to MCY cancelled (understandable as Sydneysiders still cannot enter Queensland, a political not a health-based decision) and also QF735 (0935 hours) and QF741 (lunchtime 1325 hours) from SYD to ADL also given the boot.

The NSW/SA border has reopened so not sure why these latter two are not running, other than QFd's desire if it can avoid it not to run poorly patronised flights around Oz.
 
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On Friday 27 November 2020, the 1030 hours morning and 1600 hours peak hour afternoon MEL - SYD flights were cancelled (respectively QF424 and QF450).

Were these cancelled due to low passenger numbers and hence patrons 'consolidated' (more like 'delayed') onto other flights?

QF2118 (early evning 1900 hours SYD up to CFS) is another cancellation.
 
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On the major day of reopening of State borders to Victorians, Tuesday 1 December 2020, QF996, an 0940 hours from MEL to HTI has been cancelled.

Given the short notice at which some of these borders have become available for us to travel over, prospective passengers have not had long to book.
 
QF610, the Wednesday 2 December 2020 scheduled morning 0850 hours MEL - BNE took off at 0940 hours, so arrival for A333 VH-QPC was at 1035 hours, 34 minutes late. This A333 operated the same flight on Tuesday 1 - the day the Queensland border reopened for Victorians and Sydneysiders - with an A333 also showing tomorrow, but from then this flight becomes the 'standard B738' for this particular route (normally the third busiest domestically in Australia).

I can't recall there ever being an A333 on this two hour long route (which isn't to say it hasn't previously occurred).

This A333 also operated QF7310/QF7311 today, respectively an 0150 hours from MEL to BNE and an 0400 hours back. I assume these were for Australia Post parcels and mail given it's pre-Christmas and so many want to send gifts, while online shopping has also soared during 'the virus' but may be moderating a little given physical shops have reopened. QF7311 did not arrive until 0802, 42 late so at a guess the aircraft had to travel from the freight area to its passenger gate, explaining much of the delay.

QF773 (0935 hours MEL to PER - the sole flight that operated on this route during much of then lockdown) had another A333, VH-QPG. It was airborne at 1009 hours, arriving at 1111 hours, 41 late. On the previous three days, the flight was 47,. 72 and 37 minutes late arriving at its PER gate. The delay this morning was due to the aircraft being on QF409, the 0700 hours SYD - MEL that arrived at 0906, 41 late. This is the usual pattern at present, but before that (overnight) the plane ran QF7323 from SYD to MEL, QF7382 from MEL up to BNE and then down to SYD as QF7383, again all freight flights by the look of it for Qantas freight along with its Australia Post business arrangement. This is far more intensive usage than many of the two major airlines' B738 have typically had while some state borders were closed.

The 1130 hours MEL - SYD (QF428) was cancelled.
 
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