Qantas major delays at LAX

[RichardMEL]

So anyway poor old cursed Nancy Bird (-OQA) went U/S in LAX which caused most of the cascade issues... I believe it was an engine or flap issue(but could be corrected on that). Even today/s QF35/36 has been downgraded to an A330 as the fallout is still going on.

There were also big delays out of LHR over the weekend too

Really QF must despise these dogs at times because they seem to be so plagued by injuries while those workhorse 77W's just keep going on and on. I have a feeling it's also due to these been relatively early build 380's too.

The fleet reliability of late has been poor, but made so much worse if just one shell is out of service because there's no spares and it throws everything out - and the enormous capacity is that much harder to cover - specially when the 744's are also on the way out

 

[futaris]

Search results for "A380" | The QANTAS Source

Aug 5 QANTAS A380 VH-OQG Operates Delayed Sydney – Dallas-Fort Worth Service. | The QANTAS Source
Aug 4 QANTAS A380 VH-OQD Los Angeles Technical Issue. | The QANTAS Source
Aug 3 QANTAS A380 VH-OQC Los Angeles Flight Switch. | The QANTAS Source
Aug 3 QANTAS A380 VH-OQD Continues from Singapore. | The QANTAS Source
Aug 2 QANTAS A380 VH-OQA Los Angeles Technical Issue. | The QANTAS Source
Aug 1 QANTAS A380 VH-OQD Singapore Technical Issue. | The QANTAS Source

 

[jb747]

So anyway poor old cursed Nancy Bird (-OQA) went U/S in LAX which caused most of the cascade issues... I believe it was an engine or flap issue(but could be corrected on that). Even today/s QF35/36 has been downgraded to an A330 as the fallout is still going on.

It had a flap issue a couple of weeks ago, when it was run into by a catering vehicle. As best I can gather I think the more recent issue may have been a green hydraulic system. Ground vehicles are simply pests, and the hydraulics are normally totally reliable, even though they do run at an astounding 5,000 psi.

Really QF must despise these dogs at times because they seem to be so plagued by injuries while those workhorse 77W's just keep going on and on. I have a feeling it's also due to these been relatively early build 380's too.

Joyce despises anything with wings, be it aircraft or crew. They most certainly aren't dogs, but they do have issues of support. Basically, if Airbus had sold the numbers they hoped to, then ongoing support around the world would be a much easier proposition. The 777 is a good aircraft, and many within QF believe it would have been a better choice, with extra numbers making up for the smaller loads. The management of the time described them as 'old tech', but he was about as technologically knowledgeable as my slippers. Over the many years that I flew 380s, I really had very few issues in flight. Probably less than I had with the Boeings.

The fleet reliability of late has been poor, but made so much worse if just one shell is out of service because there's no spares and it throws everything out - and the enormous capacity is that much harder to cover - specially when the 744's are also on the way out

But that's a management issue. And there is precious little of that.

 

[flyer89]

But that's a management issue. And there is precious little of that.

Aside from aircraft selection, if things were managed properly (try to imagine that) do you think it would be viable for QF to operate a significantly larger fleet?

 

[Katie]

I've seen some reports that some 100+ scouts and leaders were caught up in the QF94 delays (and a heap of scouts also had significant delays on the East coast over the weekend). They were heading home from World Jamboree, I think.

It keeps going through my mind that I hope they've had some access to washing machines, because if they had similar facilities to what our scouts had at the Australian Jamboree this year, I would not want to be on an aeroplane with them for any amount of time! I felt really bad for the 20+ pax with our mob ADL-BNE in January on their way home. You could smell the scouts coming before they were even in the terminal. I almost hosed mine off in the backyard before letting her in the house!!!

 

[RichardMEL]

jb747 - as always thank you for your comments and insight

It's interesting that EK's massive fleet, and even fleets like SQ's much smaller one appear at least to have less tech issues (noting that SQ did recently return one of their "first born" 380's) and replaced with a new build). It would be interesting to note the reliability over the operators also related to age of the airframes(or what I really mean is the first production batch vs later builds).

The above is not me having a go at QF per se, but honestly this past year-18 months it seems to have been one thing after the other. I myself suffered a big delay with an engine ignition system issue n June.. the previous year it was refrigeration units at the back of Y - which not technically an airfrat issue in terms of making it flyable, no Y meals to LAX is not an option and another time return to gate at MEL due to engine issues again. (so maybe it's componnts as much as the airframes).

And sure, the 744's ageing as they are, and on the way out, are having issues too (had one earlier this year) no doubt. so sure, these things happen - but there seems to have been an unusually higher raft of issues (to me anyway) of late.

and more than one of my flights with issues was on Nancy. She is cursed that one (but a few others are too - OQD also comes to mind )

 

[RichardMEL]

oh and by the way - I am 100% happy that ANY mech issue is discovered nd resolved on the ground as always. Safety first! I'd rather a 7 hour delay or a cancel than an issue 4 hours over the pacific

 

[jb747]

It's interesting that EK's massive fleet, and even fleets like SQ's much smaller one appear at least to have less tech issues (noting that SQ did recently return one of their "first born" 380's) and replaced with a new build). It would be interesting to note the reliability over the operators also related to age of the airframes(or what I really mean is the first production batch vs later builds).

I don't know that there is a great deal of transparency on issues that either EK or SQ may have. EK in particular apparently has a rotating pool of excess aircraft to choose from. The have far more than they need. SQ has returned, or is returning, 5 aircraft.

The above is not me having a go at QF per se, but honestly this past year-18 months it seems to have been one thing after the other. I myself suffered a big delay with an engine ignition system issue n June.. the previous year it was refrigeration units at the back of Y - which not technically an airfrat issue in terms of making it flyable, no Y meals to LAX is not an option and another time return to gate at MEL due to engine issues again. (so maybe it's componnts as much as the airframes).

Perhaps it's you. I've never seen an ignition issue. Chillers on the other hand are simply an unreliable design. The engineers ran amok. The RR engines, are overall quite reliable in this installation. Both major manufacturers of engines have been having major issues with some of their designs. None of these engines are managing the sort of time on the wing that previous engines did though. Perhaps they've reached the point of asking for too much.

RR equipped 787s are a bit of a disaster.

and more than one of my flights with issues was on Nancy. She is cursed that one (but a few others are too - OQD also comes to mind )

Nancy isn't cursed. You just need to talk to her nicely.

 

[RichardMEL]

ah yes the poor RR 787's..don't mention the war to NZ

and yes, it probably is just me

The issue in June (QF36-June 9) was definitely discribed as an engine igntition issue by the tech crew (IIRC #3 engine). Several AFF members were on the flight, and several bailed

 

[moa999]

It's interesting that EK's massive fleet, and even fleets like SQ's much smaller one appear at least to have less tech issues

Suspect it's simply that those things arent reported as widely in the Australia press.

Emirates little incident in Melbourne in 2009 received very limited coverage at the time

Emirates Flight 407 - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

 

[OZDUCK]

I've seen some reports that some 100+ scouts and leaders were caught up in the QF94 delays (and a heap of scouts also had significant delays on the East coast over the weekend). They were heading home from World Jamboree, I think.

It keeps going through my mind that I hope they've had some access to washing machines, because if they had similar facilities to what our scouts had at the Australian Jamboree this year, I would not want to be on an aeroplane with them for any amount of time! I felt really bad for the 20+ pax with our mob ADL-BNE in January on their way home. You could smell the scouts coming before they were even in the terminal. I almost hosed mine off in the backyard before letting her in the house!!!

Going by this Flyertalk thread the Scouts had a very hard time getting home altogether. AA Check-in Breakdown Strands Thousands of Scouts at CLT 2 Aug 2019 - FlyerTalk Forums

 

[serfty]

@madrooster has noted elsewhere OQL has now had issues in LHR and is stuck.

Nancy has been taken off QF35 and is now operating QF7 after 9pm this evening.

 

[Mogul]

I've seen some reports that some 100+ scouts and leaders were caught up in the QF94 delays (and a heap of scouts also had significant delays on the East coast over the weekend). They were heading home from World Jamboree, I think.

It keeps going through my mind that I hope they've had some access to washing machines, because if they had similar facilities to what our scouts had at the Australian Jamboree this year, I would not want to be on an aeroplane with them for any amount of time! I felt really bad for the 20+ pax with our mob ADL-BNE in January on their way home. You could smell the scouts coming before they were even in the terminal. I almost hosed mine off in the backyard before letting her in the house!!!

At least they wouldn't have been covered in dust !!!!!

 

[Max Samuels]

According to the referenced article people were sleeping on the terminal floor.... doesn't sound very accommodating of Qantas, does it? I thought they had to put you up in a hotel anyway... and communicating with people via Facebook... wtf?

 

[RichardMEL]

No issues with using social media to communicate with some passengers as these days many people consider these primary contact methods (ie: Twitter and FB). Have you SEEN the QF Facebook page? (some of the rants and ridiculous postings can be hilarious/horrifying reading). Whatever channels work to communicate with one's customers right? Better than nothing - which many have complained about (which is reasonable if you hear nothing in such situations)

 

[aggie57]

I was on QF94 on Tuesday, many of the cabin crew had been in LA for 8 days after the initial aircraft they were on went U/S at the gate. We had many of the scouts on board, one of the cabin crew said there had been 300 of them on one flight coming up. Pretty much all of the economy cabin, all I could think was that must have taken some pretty advanced booking.

 

[Isochronous]

This is what happens when you sweat the assets as hard as chief beancounter A. Joyce and the rest do.

QF should consider taking delivery of some of the A388s they had options to take (but cancelled) to replace some of the existing fleet.

 

[jb747]

This is what happens when you sweat the assets as hard as chief beancounter A. Joyce and the rest do.

QF should consider taking delivery of some of the A388s they had options to take (but cancelled) to replace some of the existing fleet.

That ship has sailed.

 

[Nank]

This is what happens when you sweat the assets as hard as chief beancounter A. Joyce and the rest do.

QF should consider taking delivery of some of the A388s they had options to take (but cancelled) to replace some of the existing fleet.

I'm sure they would have if there hadn't been the situation that they were stuck in around the time that they were taking delivery of the first few, at which point I was quite worried about QF's future in general, let alone that of their brand spanking A380s. For it to be really successful, the A380 should have been brought in years earlier. By the time it made it into the market everyone was already starting to look more at larger twins. Mass pax transport is about all the A380 is good for these days, with multiple other aircraft being able to perform at or above its level in terms of fuel economy, range, cabin alt, comfort etc. And aside from the odd bad incident which has left an aircraft U/S, the 12 they have is normally ample for what they need. VA on the other hand has struggled considerably in recent times with a couple of its 77Ws going U/S at LAX which does indeed throw things a bit more into turmoil given they have half the fleet size of them compared to QFs A380s and they have less capacity each.
When your talking hundreds of millions of dollars its a little more complex than just saying "oh yeah Alan ya reckon we can get a couple more of them A380s in from old mate in France?" lol

 

[Foreigner]

QF 17 this evening is delayed 24hrs, apparently following delay of incoming flight from LAX
My son and wife and their daughter were to fly F. QF is offering Syd to Sfo then LAX in J. What else could Qantas be asked to do to get family across to LAX to avoid them losing a day for their short stay in the city?