Qantas Delays/Cancellations

[Melburnian1]

A388 VH-OQK opened the New Year of 2026 with a 1 January 1405 hours scheduled QF7 SYD to DFW that was in the sky at 1551. Arrival (same day) should be approximately 1331 hours, 61 minute slate.

-OQH is rostered for the 1745 hours '11' from SYD to LAX with pushback forecast half an hour late at 1815.

Earlier, B789 VH-ZNE as the 1200 'high noon' MEL-LAX QF93 was airborne at 1327. A gate arrival same day at 0807, 42 minute stardy is on the cards.

A332 VH-EBK as the 1205 hours lunchtime 'first division' MEL-SIN QF35 pointed skywards at 1309 with a 40 minute late arrival at gate at 1745 the expectation.

Colleague -EBS is to run QF105, the 1640 hours MEL up to pricey HNL suggested as pushing back half an hour behind schedule.

 

[Flyerqf]

QF11 is still on the ground at SYD. Approaching the 4 hour mark.

 

[Melburnian1]

QF11 is still on the ground at SYD. Approaching the 4 hour mark.

This in the shape of A388 VH-OQH took off from SYD on New Year's Day at 2234 hours with gate arrival in LAX suggested as 1613 hours, 223 minutes late.

VH-OQI arrived in SYD on 2 January as QF12 at 0758, 33 late, ex LAX.

A333 QH-QPL was on QF82, a once a week service from SIN down to SYD that arrived at 0756 hours, 31 minutes tardy.

QF38, the 2340 hours New Year's Day late evening overnighter from SIN to MEL did not take off until 0158 on Friday 2 so gate arrival looks to be 1154 hours, 99 minutes late for A332 VH_EBC.

B789 VH-ZNG operated QF16 from LAX down to BNE that arrived this morning at 0538 hours, 38 minutes behind schedule.

The scheduled 1405 hours afternoon SYD up to DFW A380 (QF7) is forecast to depart on Friday 2 at 1700 hours, 175 minutes tardy. It may have VH-OQD that's operating QF64 and is likely to be at its gate this afternoon by 1351 hours, 39 minutes early.

 

[Flyfrequently]

Thanks for all the hard work throughout this past year… happy new year!! And hopefully less work for all of us with MORE on time departures!!

To @tomlee1986 @Melburnian1 and others who contribute to this page, thanks for the comprehensive reporting and all the best for 2026.
I will be watching QFi with interest mid year

 

[Melburnian1]

Continuing with Tuesday 2 January 2026, QF79, the 0925 hours MEL_NRT in Japan (A333 VH-QPE) was in the sky at 1153 hours, so gate arrival tonight should be 1945 hours, 125 minutes late. It looks like this aircraft is forming QF62 (marked down for an A333 not QF80's 'A332') which is the 2000 hours NRT down to BNE. If so, latter will be delayed.

 

[tomlee1986]

The scheduled 1405 hours afternoon SYD up to DFW A380 (QF7) is forecast to depart on Friday 2 at 1700 hours, 175 minutes tardy. It may have VH_OQD that's operating QF64 and is likely to be at its gate this afternoon by 1351 hours, 39 minutes early.

Swap the QF7 to OQB and make it to at least 1830 departure!!

 

[Melburnian1]

A388 VH-OQA on the New Year's night 2125 hours LAX-SYD QF12 took off at 2239 so on Saturday 3, gate arrival should be 0757 hours, 32 late.

Friday 2 January's QF73 from SYD up to SFO is forecast to depart 55 minutes late at 2220 hours. Aircraft is a B789.

 

[moa999]

Don't think it's been noted elsewhere but VH-OQC did a test flight LAX-LAX on 30/12.

With QF7 upgrading to an A380 today this becomes a more important spare.

 

[tomlee1986]

Don't think it's been noted elsewhere but VH-OQC did a test flight LAX-LAX on 30/12.

With QF7 upgrading to an A380 today this becomes a more important spare.

Finally took off at 1952- and ETA is now 1730, 5 hrs late @Melburnian1

 

[Melburnian1]

On Friday 2 January 2026, QF79 from MEL to NRT arrived at 1934 hours, 114 minutes late with A333 VH-QPE. It formed the 2000 hours QF62 to BNE but takoff was not until 2343 hours, meaning Saturday 3 forecast arrival is 0922 hours, 197 minutes late. At a guess this aircraft is next on QF61, the 0920 hours BNE-NRT altered to depart at a hoped for 1040 hours, perhaps a tad optimistic.

QF19 from SYD to MNL yesterday arrived 28 late at 1758 hours with A332 VH-EBM but the return QF20 didn't pull into its gate in SYD on 3 January until 0812 hours, 92 late. This is at least slightly delaying the 0930 hours SYD-BLR in India.

A333 VH-QPL is operating QF104 from HNL to SYD that should arrive on Saturday evening at 1854 hours, 34 minutes late.

 

[Flyerqf]

Bit of an unusual aircraft swap today which has resulted in 2 delayed long haul flights.

VH-OQK, an A380, arrived at SYD as QF8 at 6.33am and positioned to MEL, arriving there at 9.42am. This aircraft is operating QF93, which is now delayed from a 12pm departure to 3pm.

In the opposite direction A380 OQH, arrived in MEL as QF94 at 10am. It is currently positioning up to SYD and due to arrive at 2pm. It will then go on to operate QF7, delayed from 2.05pm to 3.55pm.

I guess the only conclusion I can come to is there must be some maintenance required on OQK, that can be done at LAX in the 12 hour window it will be on the ground there.

The fleet is being worked especially hard with OQC still missing a month after its single return to service flight.

 

[Melburnian1]

The fleet is being worked especially hard with OQC still missing a month after its single return to service flight.

Yes, the next few days - all I have visibility for - are busy for the QFi A380s, with QF63 operating every day and QF7, formerly a B789, becoming a daily A380.

As @jb747 and others pointed out, having a spare can still mean when required it's in the wrong place. No explanation though from QFi as to why VH-OQC has been in LAX for about 25 days without returning to passenger service., despite at the time (prior to its SYD-LAX initial comeback flight) Qantas receiving free media publicity about works on this 'tenth A380' having been completed after 100,000 man hours.

B789 VH-ZNM on QF27, the 1220 hours SYD-SCL is suggested as departing 90 minutes late at 1335.

UPDATE: QF27 was airborne at 1355 hours from SYD. Same day gate arrival should be about 1156 hours, 61 minutes late.

 

[Flyerqf]

As @jb747 and others pointed out, having a spare can still mean when required it's in the wrong place.

The spare needs to be in Sydney where there are up to 4 departures a day (min 3). LAX 9 per week, DFW 1 per day, Singapore 2 per day, London, 1 per day, Melbourne 2 per week, JNB up to 6 per week.

 

[Melburnian1]

A388 VH-OQH on Saturday 3 January 2026 as QF7 from SYD for DFW took off at 1627 with gate arrival likely at 1349 hours same day, 79 minutes late.

Sister -OQK is on QF93, the 1200 'high noon' MEL-LAX airborne at 1540 hours. Gate arrival looks to be about 1025 hours, an even three hours behind schedule.

A332 VH-EBO on QF35 (1205 hours lunchtime MEL-SIN) was in the sky at 1308 so a 1749 hours gate arrival, 44 late is probable.

 

[Flyerqf]

Sister -OQK is on QF93, the 1200 'high noon' MEL-LAX airborne at 1540 hours. Gate arrival looks to be about 1025 hours, an even three hours behind schedule.

So OQC has just appeared on the radar. Maybe OQC is going back into service and OQK is going into maintenance, which would then make yesterday’s swap make sense. Time will tell.

 

[Melburnian1]

B738 VH-VZP on Saturday 3 January was a shocker with QF139, the 1855 hours evening SYD-CHC not airborne until 2112 hours, meaning Christchurch NZ gate arrival on Sunday 4 January at 0200 hours, 125 minutes late. Many tired passengers!

In more on Sunday 4, QF63, the 0930 hours SYD-JNB (A388 VH-OQD) did not take off until 1142 hours, so arrival at game (same day) should be about 1624 hours, 84 minutes late.

Class leader A333 VH-QPA is operating QF19 (lunchtime 1205 hours SYD up to bustling MNL) that was airborne at 1313 with arrival likely at 1810, 40 minutes tardy.

Because QF27 was delayed on Saturday, QF28 from SCL to SYD with B789 VH-ZNM is expected to arrive tonight at 1811 hours, 31 minutes late.

Southbound 'Finnair' A333 VH-QPL is on QF104 from HNL down to SYD with 4 January gate arrival suggested as 77 minutes late at 1937 in the early evening. This aircraft is to return to HNL with proposed pushback for QF103 delayed from the timetabled 2010 hours until a claimed 2055 tonight. This route features a lot of 'yo-yoing' with repeated return trips by the same aircraft that appears to have difficulty catching up once it becomes tardy.

B789 VH-ZNB as QF34 from CDG in France to PER arrived on Sunday 4 at 1016 hours, only 16 minutes late but the second sector to SYD timetabled as an 1135 hours departure has been put back to 1220 (1520 AEDT).

QF145 from SYD to AKL (the 1305 hours) has B738 VH_XZI with takeoff at 1427 hours meaning forecast gate arrival becomes 1909 hours, 54 minutes late.

 

[TheMoose]

OQK has been attached to tonight’s QF94 LAX-MEL, and OQL attached to the 12, however OQC is showing movement at the maintenance hanger so who knows?

 

[Melburnian1]

OQK has been attached to tonight’s QF94 LAX-MEL, and OQL attached to the 12, however OQC is showing movement at the maintenance hanger so who knows?

This still appears to be the case, although upon checking a few minutes ago, neither had taken off from LAX.

UPDATE: A388 VH-OQL on QF12 from LAX to SYD is expected to arrive on Monday 5 January at about 0825 hours, an hour late.

-OQK on 'the 94' still had not taken off as at 2310 hours LAX time on Saturday 3.

 

[Flyerqf]

OQK has now departed about 1 hour behind schedule.

Unfortunately, QF1 is approaching a 3 hour delay at SYD.

 

[Melburnian1]

Unfortunately, QF1 is approaching a 3 hour delay at SYD.

On Sunday 4 January 2026, QFi's 'flight status' suggests QF1 from SYD to SIN (and LHR) will depart at 2100 hours mid evening, 285 minutes late.

A332 VH-EBG on QF43, the 1630 hours SYD-DPS took off at 1745 with gate arrival likely at about 2044 hours, 59 late.