Qantas route to USA

[ashnmar]

Can anyone confirm if Qantas has changed their route from Sydney NSW to SFO & LAX?
On Monday January 18, I was looking at flights that were taking off via the flight radar 24 app and noticed that
instead of veering out to the East soon after take off, they continued up the coast heading North as if flying onwards to BNE
For example QF 11 did not turn East until approx. Nambucca Heads then headed N.E onwards to LAX
QF 73 headed North until past Brisbane then started heading NE onwards to SFO.
Just curious if this is an ongoing event as I fly Qantas to the US frequently.

On another note, what has caused so many delays with QF73 & 74 since it recommenced last December?
Operational?? Equipment?? Staffing??
Thanks is advance

 

[medhead]

I'd guess that route is highly dependent on air [-]travel[/-] TRAFFIC control and weather, which changes daily. The route would be optimised to be most efficient on any given day. IMO the differences you've mentioned are insignificant for a trans-pacific flight.

 

[emeline]

Today's QF11 veered to the east after takeoff, almost flew over the harbour bridge and continued N.E.

 

[kelvedon]

Today's QF11 veered to the east after takeoff, almost flew over the harbour bridge and continued N.E.

Maybe they're practicing for the Qantas Australia Day Flyover? . Seriously, does anyone know if that's a diverted flight on the 26th, or is the A380 empty (of passengers)?

 

[Orca]

Can anyone confirm if Qantas has changed their route from Sydney NSW to SFO & LAX?
On Monday January 18, I was looking at flights that were taking off via the flight radar 24 app and noticed that
instead of veering out to the East soon after take off, they continued up the coast heading North as if flying onwards to BNE
For example QF 11 did not turn East until approx. Nambucca Heads then headed N.E onwards to LAX
QF 73 headed North until past Brisbane then started heading NE onwards to SFO.
Just curious if this is an ongoing event as I fly Qantas to the US frequently.

On another note, what has caused so many delays with QF73 & 74 since it recommenced last December?
Operational?? Equipment?? Staffing??
Thanks is advance

Nothing unusual at all. There is a very large military restricted area off the coast that stretches from (roughly) South East of Williamtown to about Nambucca Heads. Most US bound flights usually track South of that area (i.e East-bound from SY) but occasionally will track North to the Coffs Harbour area and then head north east once clear of the restricted airspace. This is usually due to more favourable winds/jet stream resulting in increased efficiency.
Anecdotally, United and Air Canada seem to take the northerly route more often than Qantas do but regardless, it's nothing unusual.

 

[N860CR]

I'd guess that route is highly dependent on air travel control and weather, which changes daily. The route would be optimised to be most efficient on any given day. IMO the differences you've mentioned are insignificant for a trans-pacific flight.

Absolutely nothing to do with "air travel control"

Routes across the pacific are "user preferred". There are no designated airways that airlines use.

The airlines flight planning software selects the best route based on wind patterns, weather etc and then the software generates a plan via specific latitudes and longitudes. That is then passed onto air traffic control who coordinate it.

These routes vary dramatically. One week they could go as far south as Tahiti, the next as far north as Majuro.

The pacific is largely open to the airlines specific route desires and it will change on a near daily basis

 

[ashnmar]

Can anyone confirm if Qantas has changed their route from Sydney NSW to SFO & LAX?
On Monday January 18, I was looking at flights that were taking off via the flight radar 24 app and noticed that
instead of veering out to the East soon after take off, they continued up the coast heading North as if flying onwards to BNE
For example QF 11 did not turn East until approx. Nambucca Heads then headed N.E onwards to LAX
QF 73 headed North until past Brisbane then started heading NE onwards to SFO.
Just curious if this is an ongoing event as I fly Qantas to the US frequently.

On another note, what has caused so many delays with QF73 & 74 since it recommenced last December?
Operational?? Equipment?? Staffing??
Thanks is advance

Here is is a snapshot of what I was saying above. The change of route is of no issue to
me at all. I was just curious . As you can see the blue line is the flight path past few days. The red line is the usual flight path.

View attachment 63099

 

[jb747]

There is no one route to the USA, or Dubai for that matter. The flight planning system looks at the winds over the entire Pacific, and tries to find the route with the lowest time/fuel burn. You could go as far south as Tahiti, or even well north of Hawaii. The route near Oz is affected by strong jet streams, and their position and exact direction can affect the chosen track greatly.

 

[coco50]

Nothing unusual at all. There is a very large military restricted area off the coast that stretches from (roughly) South East of Williamtown to about Nambucca Heads. Most US bound flights usually track South of that area (i.e East-bound from SY) but occasionally will track North to the Coffs Harbour area and then head north east once clear of the restricted airspace. This is usually due to more favourable winds/jet stream resulting in increased efficiency.
Anecdotally, United and Air Canada seem to take the northerly route more often than Qantas do but regardless, it's nothing unusual.

You would want to head NE after Coffs because of the RAAF bombing range south of Evans Head.

 

[medhead]

This thread is referring to the route taken from take off to the point of starting to cross the pacific. My comment about Air traffic control was intended to refer to local airspace around sydney and over NSW not the route across the pacific. I'm pretty sure that even flights across the pacific are subject to air traffic control in and around SYD. But do let me know if I'm wrong.

Thanks for the input, interesting to know. Struggling to understand how it is related to my post. Last I checked wind is part of weather, and I did mention changing weather. But thanks for teaching me how to suck eggs.

Absolutely nothing to do with "air travel control"

Routes across the pacific are "user preferred". There are no designated airways that airlines use.

The airlines flight planning software selects the best route based on wind patterns, weather etc and then the software generates a plan via specific latitudes and longitudes. That is then passed onto air traffic control who coordinate it.

These routes vary dramatically. One week they could go as far south as Tahiti, the next as far north as Majuro.

The pacific is largely open to the airlines specific route desires and it will change on a near daily basis

 

[Orca]

You would want to head NE after Coffs because of the RAAF bombing range south of Evans Head.

True - when it's active, which is rarely.

 

[N860CR]

This thread is referring to the route taken from take off to the point of starting to cross the pacific. My comment about Air traffic control was intended to refer to local airspace around sydney and over NSW not the route across the pacific. I'm pretty sure that even flights across the pacific are subject to air traffic control in and around SYD. But do let me know if I'm wrong.

Thanks for the input, interesting to know. Struggling to understand how it is related to my post. Last I checked wind is part of weather, and I did mention changing weather. But thanks for teaching me how to suck eggs.

Settle down champ. Not sure why that's upset you so much.

Was simply point out that ATC don't stipulate routes across the pacific. I then provided an explanation as to how UPRs work for the interest of the OP from the mouth of somebody who is well versed in such an operation.

Not sure why I copped the attitude in return.

 

[jb747]

The red line looks like the great circle track....that's simply the shortest distance, and has little to do with the routes that are used.

 

[Quickstatus]

FWIW I have seen QF7/8 take routes north of Hawaii Islands and south as far as AKL

Even with a longer distance route - all routes , even those which are not Great Circle seem to take approx the same time.

 

[jb747]

When you apply the winds to the route, the distance converts to 'air miles'. That's the distance that needs to be minimum.

 

[jb747]

Here is the route for today....about as far north as I've ever seen.

YMML NONIX H66 TW Y23 BERNI LAMSI BREAM S2300E16100 S2103E16300
S1800E16600 S1200E17100 S0400E17600 N0224E18000 N0400W17900
N1000W17500 N1700W17000 N2200W16600 N2300W16500 N2700W16000
N3000W15500 N3200W15000 N3300W14600 N3400W13600 GALIP R585 AUDIA RZS KLAX

 

[docjames]

Here is the route for today....about as far north as I've ever seen.

YMML NONIX H66 TW Y23 BERNI LAMSI BREAM S2300E16100 S2103E16300
S1800E16600 S1200E17100 S0400E17600 N0224E18000 N0400W17900
N1000W17500 N1700W17000 N2200W16600 N2300W16500 N2700W16000
N3000W15500 N3200W15000 N3300W14600 N3400W13600 GALIP R585 AUDIA RZS KLAX

Looking "live" it appears to have passed just south of tamworth then crossed the coast at coff's harbour. Seems to be a lot further north than QF11/AA72/VA1 ex-SYD??