QF418 delay 18/08/11 due to insufficient fuel?

[Warks]

This is a weird one. I'm meeting someone flying up from MEL to SYD today and they got on the plane as normal at 840 (was talking to them) then I got a text an hour later where they said they went back to the terminal due to "insufficient fuel". :shock:
Never heard of this happening - surely this is some sort of industrial action? They have only just taken off now apparently (1020am). On LFight Status it just shows up as 'delayed'.

It's stuffed a few things up for me I can tell you.

Can't wait to hear more about this one.

 

[serfty]

Results from ExpertFlyer.com

Flight Status Search:
Departing on 18/08/11
Flying QF flight 418

Flight   Status           Depart Location  Depart Date                   Reliability  Arrive Location  Arrive Date
                          MEL              Scheduled: 18/08/11 9:00 AM                SYD              Scheduled: 18/08/11 10:25 AM
QF 418   En Route         Term: 1          Estimated: 18/08/11 10:20 AM  64% / 18m    Term: 3          Estimated: 18/08/11 11:30 AM
                          Gate: 3          Actual: 18/08/11 10:12 AM                  Gate:            Actual: 


Comments:
" DOQF418/18AUG                                                  
 
* OPERATIONAL FLIGHT INFO *            QF 418    0 TH 18AUG     
CITY INFO                                       HOUR (LOCAL)  
  
MEL  ESTIMATED TIME OF DEPARTURE                1020            
     LEFT THE GATE                              1012            
     TOOK OFF                                   1025            
     ESTIMATED TIME OF ARRIVAL                  1130  SYD       
                                                                
* 1A PLANNED FLIGHT INFO *              QF 418    0 TH 18AUG ASM
APT ARR   DY DEP   DY CLASS/MEAL          EQP  GRND  EFT   TTL  
MEL          0900  TH JDIUYBHKMLV/R       763         1:25      
                      SNQOGXE/R                                 
SYD 1025  TH                                                1:25
                                                                
COMMENTS-                                                       
)>"

Not much help there ... :-|

 

[markis10]

.

Can't wait to hear more about this one.

Whats so unusual, a new weather forecast may have come out requiring holding fuel to be increased based on either ATC or company requirements.

 

[richie9x]

Did they push back from the gate and then return to get more fuel? If so that does seem a bit unusual especially for such a short trip. Possible some sort industrial action or work to rule.

If the plane stayed at the gate while refueling just departed late then that is more understandable. I have had that before on MEL-SYD on 767. But a one hour+ delay seems a bit on the high side, although it could be compounded with other delays.

 

[DC3]

Something similar happened to me on 3rd February this year. Departed on QF416 for an 8.30am flight MEL to SYD. We were about 7th in line for take off. When we eventually got to the runway, after possibly 30-plus minutes, the aircraft just taxied along for a couple of hundred metres and then returned to the terminal for more fuel. Only one runway was in use due to works being undetaken.

In the end, the whole delay was probably close to 90 minutes, as there was a long wait for a refueling truck to arrive. No time to go to the SYD FLounge as part of the NAN run

 

[harvyk]

Happened to me last year, was sitting on the plane in MEL (for a flight to CBR) ready to go when the pilot came on and stated that there was insufficient fuel and we required to take more on...
From memory he stated that they didn't load on all the fuel required in the original order (he also sounded slightly annoyed by it)

I doubt it's any under handed industrial action.

 

[straitman]

Something similar happened to me on 3rd February this year. Departed on QF416 for an 8.30am flight MEL to SYD. We were about 7th in line for take off. When we eventually got to the runway, after possibly 30-plus minutes, the aircraft just taxied along for a couple of hundred metres and then returned to the terminal for more fuel. Only one runway was in use due to works being undetaken.

In the end, the whole delay was probably close to 90 minutes, as there was a long wait for a refueling truck to arrive. No time to go to the SYD FLounge as part of the NAN run

DC3,

It seems we were on the same flight (Sitting 1A/C) and the same FJ flight.

The delay in the end was actually two hours as we pushed back the second time at just on 1030. I believe it was mentioned that Sydney had put an extra holding fuel requirement which we could not conform with. They asked for an exemption but were denied so more fuel was required.

 

[Simo]

I would rather them go back and get more fuel than get an exemption IMO...

 

[DC3]

DC3,

It seems we were on the same flight (Sitting 1A/C) and the same FJ flight.

The delay in the end was actually two hours as we pushed back the second time at just on 1030. I believe it was mentioned that Sydney had put an extra holding fuel requirement which we could not conform with. They asked for an exemption but were denied so more fuel was required.

Yes, Straitman, that all sounds pretty familiar. Also, a two hour delay was probably why the SYD FLounge didn't happen that day. I recall that they let a number of passengers leave that flight prior to the second push-back in MEL. Sitting in 2J/K from memory. It was a 767 wasn't it?