QF21: is it a standout performer

[Melburnian1]

Elsewhere I started a thread about how QF's domestic punctuality boasting may be a little hollow given that VA has beaten it for the last five months.

However, giving credit where credit is due, the B744 flight QF21 from SYD to NRT must be one of QF's best timekeepers.

On 59 of the last 60 occasions measured by FlightStats, it has been 'on time' (less than 15 minutes late arriving at NRT.)

Every time I look at it, it's on time.

Can you think of any other international flight that QF operates that is as reliable as this one? Is it that even though it's departing from Oz, some of that well respected, trademark Japanese efficiency manages to see it away on time almost every night, and on time at its destination?

Whatever, it's a laudatory performance. Well done.

 

[Himeno]

The SYD-NRT QF21/QF22 rotation is one of those flights which almost always has to be on time. QF21 is one of the last flights to depart SYD before curfew. It is one of the first flights to land in NRT after curfew. Same again in the other direction.
If the flight gains any large amount of time in flight, it ends up orbiting waiting for the airport to open. If it is delayed in leaving, there is a chance it could be cancelled.

 

[lc_461]

Yes, I was going to say the same. There is little margin for error due to the SYD curfew.

 

[A330]

It also has such a long time on the ground at NRT that inbound aircraft delays don't affect the outbound flight.

 

[QFflyermelbourne]

It's also operated by a 747 that has sat on the ground at Sydney all day so any tech issues should be a rarity....

 

[MrJetset]

The SYD-NRT QF21/QF22 rotation is one of those flights which almost always has to be on time. QF21 is one of the last flights to depart SYD before curfew. It is one of the first flights to land in NRT after curfew. Same again in the other direction.
If the flight gains any large amount of time in flight, it ends up orbiting waiting for the airport to open. If it is delayed in leaving, there is a chance it could be cancelled.

We were delayed 3 hours on QF22 due to fog at NRT.

 

[Himeno]

We were delayed 3 hours on QF22 due to fog at NRT.

QF22 isn't as bad as QF21 as far as the curfew issues at both ends, due in part to the extra hour with the time difference to SYD. NRT curfew is 2300-0600 with flights allowed to depart until 2400 when there is bad weather. QF22 has a 2.5 hour departure delay allowance with 3.5 hours when there is poor weather.
Your flight would have been within 30 minutes of being cancelled or delayed overnight.

QF21 has a 1.5 hour delay limit before it hits the SYD curfew. It is the 5th last international flight to depart SYD at night (QF21, MH140, CX138, CI52 and CZ302). QF21, TG640 and CX524 are the first 3 flights to land at NRT after it opens at 6am.

 

[Himeno]

It's also operated by a 747 that has sat on the ground at Sydney all day so any tech issues should be a rarity....

It normally uses the aircraft arriving as QF64 doesn't it? About 7 hours between QF64 and QF21. If it uses the aircraft from QF18, then around 13 hours between flights.