Qantas Delays/Cancellations

[ABC1]

QF2 ex LHR 9/9 did half a lap around the airport. Then cancelled. Showing departure of 1600 on 10/9 which would mean a long layover in SIN. VH-OQL.

Oh and know it’s BA but that one that returned to SYD is bound for DXB on 10/9 as BA9170.

 

[Melburnian1]

On Wednesday 10 September 2025, QF33, the 1410 hours SYD-PER first sector is altered to depart 140 minutes late at 1810 hours. The PER to CDG pushback is optimistically expected at 2235 hours local time late tonight, 180 late. This will mean QF34 is delayed tomorrow.

A333 VH-QPH on QF59, the 1105 hours SYD to Japan's HND is forecast to arrive at 2040 hours, half an hour late.

A332 VH-EBN is operating QF51, the 1105 hours BNE-SIN airborne at 1211 with gate arrival said to be about 1804 hours, 39 minutes tardy.

 

[Melburnian1]

Probably due to the 24 hours delayed QF2 with A388 VH-OQL, on Thursday 11 September, QF1 (1450 hours SYD-SIN-LHR) is cancelled. This will mean QF2 ex LHR on Friday 12 is also getting the boot.

Will up to c.450 passengers in each direction be booked on QF9/QF10 if spare seats, or on competitors' flights?

 

[Melburnian1]

I'm guessing that the very heavy rain in SYD is responsible for domestic delays on Thursday 11 September.

B738 VH-VXC on QF433, the 1000 hours SYD down to MEL took off at 1202.

VH-VYC on QF518, the 1105 hours SYD-BNE was taxiing at 1204 hours.

 

[Melburnian1]

After arriving ex MNL on QF20 on Thursday 11 September at 0625 hours in SYD, 15 minutes early, A332 VH-EBA operated empty up to BNE as QF6017, arriving at 1152 hours. It formed QF51, the 1105 hours BNE-SIN airborne at 1325 hours with gate arrival likely at 1919 hours, 114 late.

Meanwhile down in Sydney QF19 the 1225 hours lunchtime SYD up to MNL (A332 VH-EBG) took off at 1335 so arrival is forecast for 1931 hours, 41 minutes behind schedule. The delay was due to the plane operating domestic flight QF428 from MEL to SYD (arriving at 1051, 11 late) and having to transfer terminals in Sydney.

The SYD-SIN QF291 has A333 OH-LTM from Finnair with this 1020 hours flight in the sky at 1125 hours, so gate arrival looks like 1736, 46 late. This is the fourth consecutive day this flight has been more than half an hour late.

B789 VH-ZNF is operating QF93, the 0945 hours MEL-LAX that wasn't pointing skywards until 1230 hours. Arrival should be at about 2102 hours, 122 late.

 

[ABC1]

Probably due to the 24 hours delayed QF2 with A388 VH-OQL, on Thursday 11 September, QF1 (1450 hours SYD-SIN-LHR) is cancelled. This will mean QF2 ex LHR on Friday 12 is also getting the boot.

Will up to c.450 passengers in each direction be booked on QF9/QF10 if spare seats, or on competitors' flights?

I’d say they were rebooked. Also the 2 is operating at this stage on the 12th and they’ll be using OQL. I’d say a big part of cancelling the QF1 on 11/9 was crewing up the line.

 

[justinbrett]

Probably due to the 24 hours delayed QF2 with A388 VH-OQL, on Thursday 11 September, QF1 (1450 hours SYD-SIN-LHR) is cancelled. This will mean QF2 ex LHR on Friday 12 is also getting the boot.

Will up to c.450 passengers in each direction be booked on QF9/QF10 if spare seats, or on competitors' flights?

No, because of OQJ with maintenance issues out of LAX.

I am ex-SIN and was rebooked on LH, but I declined. I elected to be rebooked on the next QF1, which now also has maintenance issues.

 

[Melburnian1]

Friday 12 September's QF1, the scheduled 1450 hours SYD-SIN-LHR is expected to depart at 2000 hours, 310 minutes late with A388 VH-OQA, the class leader. As @justinbrett stated, there are 'maintenance issues'. The second sector to London that is normally a 2325 hours is predicted to depart at 0355 hours on Saturday 13 from SIN.

QF7, the Friday 1210 hours lunchtime SYD up and across to DFW has -OQI. This took off at 1323 so gate arrival becomes 1321 hours, 51 behind.

QF113, the fairly recently introduced DRW-SIN B738 is today expected to depart at 1745 hours, 170 minutes late. This is due to VH_VZL on QF836 from MEL not expected to arrive DRW until about 1641 hours, 211 minutes later than the timetabled 1310 hours.

 

[Melburnian1]

Apparently due to staff shortages at Sydney Airport, Airservices Australia has been limiting flights to four minutes apart since 1000 hours and has cancelled any takeoffs between 1530 and 1600 hours today, Friday 12 September.

 

[LionKing]

Apparently due to staff shortages at Sydney Airport, Airservices Australia has been limiting flights to four minutes apart since 1000 hours and has cancelled any takeoffs between 1530 and 1600 hours today, Friday 12 September.

Sydney Airport braces for delays due to air traffic controller shortage

The controller shortages have led Airservices Australia have implement a departure limit, spacing them four minutes between one another from 10am to 11pm on Friday.

www.smh.com.au

Expect Major Delays.

 

[Melburnian1]

As one example of air traffic controller-related delays, B738 VH-VZF arrived ex MEL in SYD at 1458 hours, three minutes late (QF446) but its next flight, QF651 (the 1545 hours across to PER) only took off at 1640.

Perhaps Airservices staff shortages are due to genuine illnesses, stress or an inability of management to retain sufficient fully trained staff, but there's also the possibility some might have just 'taken a sickie', conveniently on a Friday.

Never underestimate the corrosive influence of unions in Oz. Only 13 per cent of the total workforce are members, but unions have sway in essential sectors like transport. No wonder productivity in Australia is receding.

Separately, QF34's second sector from PER to SYD (B789 VH_ZNJ) is likely to arrive at its gate at around 1735 hours, 70 minutes late.

 

[JessicaTam]

As one example of air traffic controller-related delays, B738 VH-VZF arrived ex MEL in SYD at 1458 hours, three minutes late (QF446) but its next flight, QF651 (the 1545 hours across to PER) only took off at 1640.

Perhaps Airservices staff shortages are due to genuine illnesses, stress or an inability of management to retain sufficient fully trained staff, but there's also the possibility some might have just 'taken a sickie', conveniently on a Friday.

Never underestimate the corrosive influence of unions in Oz. Only 13 per cent of the total workforce are members, but unions have sway in essential sectors like transport. No wonder productivity in Australia is receding.

Can you provide any evidence that absent ATCs are actually not unwell? Or that this is a coordinated effort by a union?

 

[elanshin]

QF29 hasnt taken off from MEL to HKG yet. I believe this is a 10:20am departure and its past 6pm. As a result my QF128 (127 enroute) is now jammed as i imagine they shifted some pax over.

 

[tomlee1986]

QF29 hasnt taken off from MEL to HKG yet. I believe this is a 10:20am departure and its past 6pm. As a result my QF128 (127 enroute) is now jammed as i imagine they shifted some pax over.

Aircraft is VH-QPF - A333 and the return flight is QF30 and ETD from HKG is 0210 IF that flight arrives to HKG at midnight HKT. The Melbourne departure of QF 29 left gate at 1816 in Melbourne time.

 

[Melburnian1]

Can you provide any evidence that absent ATCs are actually not unwell? Or that this is a coordinated effort by a union?

I merely raised this as one possibility, noting there could be other reasons.

 

[Melburnian1]

Aircraft is VH-QPF - A333 and the return flight is QF30 and ETA is 0210 IF that flight arrives to HKG at midnight HKT. The Melbourne departure of QF 29 left gate at 1816 in Melbourne time.

Months ago, my recollection is the SYD and MEL to/from HKG QFi flights were punctual the vast majority of the time.

That is no longer the case. Naturally, there aren't delays every day, but it seems that at least 20 to 33 per cent of the time, there's problems unrelated to weather.

 

[tomlee1986]

Months ago, my recollection is the SYD and MEL to/from HKG QFi flights were punctual the vast majority of the time.

That is no longer the case. Naturally, there aren't delays every day, but it seems that at least 20 to 33 per cent of the time, there's problems unrelated to weather.

I hope the refurbrishment of the A330 fleet would help in some way but in the long term - maybe A321 Neo may help?

 

[Melburnian1]

I hope the refurbrishment of the A330 fleet would help in some way but in the long term - maybe A321 Neo may help?

IIRC, the A321s have been earmarked for 'southeast Asia' routes where time in the air is typically six to seven or eight hours.

HKG is a bit more.

While only savvy travellers like you check to see whether an aircraft used on a route is single or twin aisle, there may be market resistance to the former if competitors like CX continue only having aircraft with two aisles. (Granted, how much fares cost can also be a major determinant as to which airline passengers choose, but QFi is rarely the cheapest).

 

[tomlee1986]

IIRC, the A321s have been earmarked for 'southeast Asia' routes where time in the air is typically six to seven or eight hours.

HKG is a bit more.

While only savvy travellers like you check to see whether an aircraft used on a route is single or twin aisle, there may be market resistance to the former if competitors like CX continue only having aircraft with two aisles. (Granted, how much fares cost can also be a major determinant as to which airline passengers choose, but QFi is rarely the cheapest).

And there are more competition like HK airlines, and even flights from SZ - the issue is QFi fleet is getting on with age... and the A321 Neo is just starting to arrive - and will take a few years to have enough to run both domestic and international services

 

[Melburnian1]

... QFi fleet is getting on with age... and the A321 Neo is just starting to arrive - and will take a few years to have enough to run both domestic and international services

A good point as while much of the focus on slow deliveries is on Boeing, Airbus is not immune, as both have big backlogs.

QFi's A333s seem worst for delays although the A380s (complex machinery!) are far from immune.