QF63 re-routed via Perth and delayed today due to ash cloud.

[Will]

I'm currently on QF63, sitting on the tarmac at Perth. Took off an hour late out of Sydney, crossed the Nullarbor, landed in Perth for a planned refueling.

The captain has just come around the cabin with the charts showing us all the new routing to avoid the ash cloud. It's become a 12.5 hour flight!

From Perth we fly due north to Learmont, then North-West to just south of Cocos (Keeling) Island, then (relatively) straight into JNB. A very convoluted (and expensive!) way to get to South Africa!

Hopefully we'll take off soon, but we are still waiting on refueling, and a replacement crew. Here's hoping we all get to Joburg at a reasonable hour! Looking like a 6.5 hour delay ATM.

 

[Jasecoop]

Similar thing happened to me on the way home Saturday, except didn't need to refuel but 1 hour longer flight

 

[mole]

We had a delay on QF64 on the 12th due to the incoming plane experiencing the same rerouting, ended up arriving in Sydney 4 hours late.......fortunately we did get a free upgrade to premium economy from Joburg!

 

[Will]

Finally made it to my hotel room. We were 6 hours late into JNB - 20 hours in total on the plane. That's a long time to stay in one seat!

 

[Sprucegoose]

Finally made it to my hotel room. We were 6 hours late into JNB - 20 hours in total on the plane. That's a long time to stay in one seat!

Quite late then, what seat did you have?

 

[Jasecoop]

Did everyone have the 747ER? Not normal for this route but maybe due to the longer flying time?

 

[mannej]

Did everyone have the 747ER? Not normal for this route but maybe due to the longer flying time?

No, QF seem to be flying the RR birds, with the 10,11 &12th of June the exceptions

 

[Will]

Quite late then, what seat did you have?

Fortunately one upstairs

Flying back tomorrow though, in Y - hopefully the cloud has cleared by then!

 

[wtolmie]

i flew SYD - JNB on Wednesday and they said at checkin looks like we are stopping in Perth. As we got closer to the departure time, sitting up in the QF FLounge, the rolled the 747-400 out and brought in the ER.. Out flight tracked to Port Headland, then directly west, then down to JNB.. Total time.. 16.5hrs.. Lucky i was upstairs in 12A.. i would hate to have been in Y or Y+ that long..

I overnighted at the Intercontinental (planned). We arrived 3.5hrs later than scheduled.

Interesting was mrswtolmie +2 kids flew QF107 (Y+) and it was delayed an hour and left at gate 8, me from gate 10 or VV cant recall..

 

[Sprucegoose]

Fortunately one upstairs Flying back tomorrow though, in Y - hopefully the cloud has cleared by then!

I will pray to the God of Upgrades for you then!No fun in Y.

 

[Will]

I will pray to the God of Upgrades for you then!No fun in Y.

Thanks for the kind thoughts! I never expect one, but here's hoping

 

[Will]

The QF website says that the same thing has happened to QF63 yesterday and today! QF63 scheduled arrival into JNB 20:05 tonight (4 hours late).

Does this mean I can turn up to the airport late? Obviously this plane's not returning to Sydney at 18:15, two hours before it arrives - but the website says QF check-in closes at 17:15 - do we have to be there for then? I don't want to be stuck in the lounge for 4 hours rather than out somewhere nice having dinner.

 

[Stealth]

The whole thing is a very sorry joke. Nobody is going to be at risk, period. The only outside chance is QF may be up for some additional engine wear. Its a farce, Barnaby Joyce!

 

[NM]

The whole thing is a very sorry joke. Nobody is going to be at risk, period. The only outside chance is QF may be up for some additional engine wear. Its a farce, Barnaby Joyce!

An interesting statement. Are you able to clarify this position with some indication of your qualifications or experience in aircraft engine maintenance or volcanic/meteorological impact on aviation operations? Many people who would claim to be experts or have some degree of technical experience/expertise seem to have a different perspective .

 

[markis10]

The whole thing is a very sorry joke. Nobody is going to be at risk, period. The only outside chance is QF may be up for some additional engine wear. Its a farce, Barnaby Joyce!

Maybe you should READ READ READ the ICAO guidance on the matter based on a working party of experts:

the exposure time of the engines to the ash and the thrust settings at the time of the encounter
both have a direct bearing on the threshold value of ash concentration that constitutes a hazard. In view of
this, the recommended procedure in the case of volcanic ash is exactly the same as with low-level wind
shear, regardless of ash concentration — AVOID AVOID AVOID.

http://www2.icao.int/en/anb/met-aim/met/iavwopsg/Documents/Manual on Volcanic Ash, Radioactive Material and Toxic Chemical Clouds - Doc 9691.pdf