Qantas Delays/Cancellations

[wamut]

Sunday 2 August has QF27 (B789 VH-ZNE) SYD-SCL diverting to MEL

Yep, my partner's on that flight! Now has a night at the Parkroyal in Melbourne but hasn't arrived back in Melbourne yet.

Anyone know why it was sent to MEL and not SYD? Just curious

 

[Silvia]

Likely the risk of missing on the SYD curfew but could also be crew/aircraft related

 

[tomlee1986]

Yep, my partner's on that flight! Now has a night at the Parkroyal in Melbourne but hasn't arrived back in Melbourne yet.

Anyone know why it was sent to MEL and not SYD? Just curious

Definitely curfew would be the reason for it… and now the flight will resume at midday on Monday 03/08 according to FR24

 

[Melburnian1]

Sunday 2 August has QF27 (B789 VH-ZNE) SYD-SCL diverting to MEL

Thank you @Silvia. It had departed SYD at 1313 hours on Sunday 2, 53 minutes late and taken off at 1329. It then flew way southeast of New Zealand before turning back and landing in MEL at 2306 hours. It is rescheduled to depart MEL at 1200 'high noon' on Monday 3 August as @tomlee1986 stated with suggested arrival in Santiago de Chile at about 1040 hours on Monday.

That it returned to MEL suggests it was a problem with the aircraft rather than a medical issue, as if the latter, a diversion to CHC might have been on the cards. @wamut , could you ask your traveller if the crew gave an explanation over the PA system?

The Sunday 2 1310 hours SCL back to SYD (QF28) is optimistically predicted to depart at 1205 hours on Monday 3, arriving SYD at around 1640 hours on Tuesday 4.

The QF 'flight status' page has been altered to take up more space and seems to lack the ability to cope with 'next day' diversions as it's claiming QF28 will depart on Sunday rather than Monday.

 

[wamut]

It was mechanical yes but not sure what specifically. The pilot did say something about it not being particularly serious but part of the reason for the turnaround was that the route is so isolated and, yes, I can see that if you needed assistance on route there is absolutely none.

My partner enjoyed his stay at Parkroyal and breakfast ($60 voucher). They gave options of Parkroyal, ibis and mantra and thank goodness he had wifi on the plane after they turned around and could ask me which is best

Now ready to go to the airport again. He left Darwin 1:30am Sunday and is still in Australia

 

[Melburnian1]

It was mechanical yes but not sure what specifically. The pilot did say something about it not being particularly serious but part of the reason for the turnaround was that the route is so isolated and, yes, I can see that if you needed assistance on route there is absolutely none.

My partner enjoyed his stay at Parkroyal and breakfast ($60 voucher). They gave options of Parkroyal, ibis and mantra and thank goodness he had wifi on the plane after they turned around and could ask me which is best

Now ready to go to the airport again. He left Darwin 1:30am Sunday and is still in Australia

Granted Australian 4 star hotel prices can be exorbitant, but A$60 for breakfast is quite generous. Surprising that Parkroyal doesn't instead have a buffet rather than the implied a la carte.

Thank you for the excellent information. Hope there are no further problems.

This out of left field incident exemplifies why I always have a couple of days up my sleeve. I never suggest booking an international flight that arrives on the day a cruise or other time-specific mode departs. I am no fan of group tours, but if on one, I'd be tempted to add an extra day's accommodation prior to commencement.

 

[wamut]

No worries. And just to clarify, the $60 voucher was for the whole hotel stay so I'm sure people used it for room service/night meal as well which would have soaked up a lot of it pretty quickly.

And yes, it seems like they had inflight wi-fi after the plane turned around so thankfully passengers were able to organise things while still in the air.

But yeah, the passengers were looked after it seems. My partner didn't mind the detour and extras.

 

[Melburnian1]

No worries. And just to clarify, the $60 voucher was for the whole hotel stay so I'm sure people used it for room service/night meal as well which would have soaked up a lot of it pretty quickly.

And yes, it seems like they had inflight wi-fi after the plane turned around so thankfully passengers were able to organise things while still in the air.

But yeah, the passengers were looked after it seems. My partner didn't mind the detour and extras.

The overnight delayed QF27 that diverted to MEL has had an aircraft swap top B789 VH-ZNA rather than -ZNE.

It is displaying as a 1230 hours takeoff from MEL, but at 1150 hours on Monday 3 August -ZNA wasn't showing on FR24.

@wamut , given your traveller had a choice of three Melbourne Airport hotels, what class were they booked in? J?

 

[wamut]

@wamut , given your traveller had a choice of three Melbourne Airport hotels, what class were they booked in? J?

Cattle class. Regular economy and he's a Bronze FF.

 

[Melburnian1]

Cattle class. Regular economy and he's a Bronze FF.

The 24 hour delayed QF27(D) with B789 VH-ZNA is further delayed to an expected departure at 1310 from MEL on Monday 3 August, 70 minutes later than what was proposed when the flight came back to Melbourne late last night.

The Sunday QF28(D) from SCL to SYD that should depart on Monday may be further tardy.

 

[tomlee1986]

@wamut @Melburnian1

Story is now on News.com.au

https://www.news.com.au/travel/travel-updates/incidents/qantas-flight-to-santiago-turns-back-after-mechanical-issue-nearly-200-passengers-stranded-overnight/news-story/248f72746cf9a85e9c5c2dbd8c129abf

 

[Melburnian1]

@wamut @Melburnian1

Story is now on News.com.au

https://www.news.com.au/travel/travel-updates/incidents/qantas-flight-to-santiago-turns-back-after-mechanical-issue-nearly-200-passengers-stranded-overnight/news-story/248f72746cf9a85e9c5c2dbd8c129abf

B789 VH-ZNA was airborne from MEL at 1322 hours on Monday 3 August with SCL gate arrival suggested at this stage as about 1121 hours today according to FlightAware, 1486 minutes late. FR24 is displaying a silly, most unlikely landing time of 1241 while Qantas' flight status hasn't been updated.

The failed plane from last night, VH-ZNE, remains in Melbourne.

 

[Melburnian1]

In more on Monday 3 August, reflecting the failed B789 VH-ZNE, QF21, the 1335 hours MEL-DFW B789 was cancelled.

The same day's 2020 hours DFW-MEL QF22 is naturally also getting the boot. Perhaps some (or may) passengers booked on either may have to travel via SYD or LAX/SFO, depending on seats available.

 

[transpactraveller]

It was mechanical yes but not sure what specifically. The pilot did say something about it not being particularly serious but part of the reason for the turnaround was that the route is so isolated and, yes, I can see that if you needed assistance on route there is absolutely none.

My partner enjoyed his stay at Parkroyal and breakfast ($60 voucher). They gave options of Parkroyal, ibis and mantra and thank goodness he had wifi on the plane after they turned around and could ask me which is best

Now ready to go to the airport again. He left Darwin 1:30am Sunday and is still in Australia

Just saw it on the TV news (under the headline "10 hour flight to nowhere") with a (totally unnecessary) live cross to a reporter standing at Melbourne airport!

They mentioned some passengers questioning why it didn't divert to NZ as that was much closer than going all the way to Melbourne.

 

[Melburnian1]

Just saw it on the TV news (under the headline "10 hour flight to nowhere") with a (totally unnecessary) live cross to a reporter standing at Melbourne airport!

They mentioned some passengers questioning why it didn't divert to NZ as that was much closer than going all the way to Melbourne.

As it turned out - something "perhaps" known to QF at the time, but not to passengers, a different B789 (VH-ZNA) is operating today's 24 hour late flight from MEL to SCL.

Ceasing the original flight in NZ would have seen the defective B789 not just away from Australia, but having to fly a replacement aircraft from Oz to NZ in the event one was required (which it was).

The aircraft that diverted to MEL last night, B789 VH-ZNE has departed this afternoon as empty ('ferry') flight QF6150 that took off at 1646 hours on a nominally scheduled 1630 hours departure, with Sydney arrival likely on the dot of 1800 hours. Assuming it's available for passenger travel, perhaps it may form QF75, the mid evening 2030 hours SYD up to YVR in western Canada.