QF87 Unusual Routing

[_TheTraveller_]

Any ideas why QF87 took such a massive detour today? Added an hour to the usual travel time. Was it to avoid weather?

 

[Mattg]

That kind of routing would usually indicate a technical issue with the plane requiring it to be within a certain distance of a diversion airport at all times.

 

[Scarlett]

That is a strange routing. The volcanoes in the northern Maluku region aren’t erupting to a high level so weren’t a factor.
I’d guess closed airspace in the southern Philippine Sea at the time they were to transit south to north, but could be for any number of reasons: missile firing; Air Force exercises; PHL ATC closures/strikes.

 

[Mattg]

View attachment 352762

That is a strange routing. The volcanoes in the northern Maluku region aren’t erupting to a high level so weren’t a factor.
I’d guess closed airspace in the southern Philippine Sea at the time they were to transit south to north, but could be for any number of reasons: missile firing; Air Force exercises; PHL ATC closures/strikes.

Other SYD-ICN flights today didn't take a detour though, so it's probably an issue with that specific QF aircraft.

 

[jb747]

That kind of routing would usually indicate a technical issue with the plane requiring it to be within a certain distance of a diversion airport at all times.

True, but I can't see it going below 2 hours ETOPs and that wouldn't require that sort of routing. The other thing that is changed by heading in that direction is that the safety heights are lower...there's a section on the normal route that is very high. But even then, such a large change wouldn't normally be necessary. There's nothing I can see on that aircraft's later plans.

 

[docjames]

Noting it flew the “normal” (in fact somewhat easterly) route back as QF88.

Weird interpretation of wind at altitude by QF flight planning perhaps??