QF93 MEL-LAX consistently late

[hugowood]

Hi all,

I'm on QF93 MEL-LAX this Sunday 29th connecting onto QF11 from LAX-JFK.

I've been following the departure times for the past days, it seems to be constantly delayed by on average one hour every day, although it does make up around 10-20 minutes on the way there.



Does anyone know why this is the case and if this could put the connection onto JFK in doubt?

The transit time is 1hr45 mins but we need to clear immigration and recheck bags also.

Thank you!

 

[defurax]

This question has been asked many times here. Usually, for an average delay of 30 to 75 minutes connecting passengers to JFK on QF11 are given "express pass" on arrival at LAX to clear immigration quickly. If QF93 is very late by 90+ minutes, you will be rebooked on an AA flight to JFK and collect your new boarding pass on arrival at LAX or at the transfer desk when you drop your bag.

 

[ozbeachbabe]

Are those arrival times in GMT? It would make more sense if the times published were local time at LAX ie Pacific time.

 

[hugowood]

Yes they are in GMT, which is what Flightradar24 displays them as.

Took off late agin today by 1 hour and 20 minutes! I wonder what the delays are for...

 

[ozbeachbabe]

Flightaware publishes he history in local time. Looking back last Thursday when QF93 arrived into LAX at 0730 PST, the QF11 LAX/JFK departed LAX at 0939 PST instead of the scheduled 0820 PST when VH-OEI, the 744 inbound operating QF15 (that continued on to JFK as QF11) arrived in at 0549 PST indicating that it waited for the late inbound QF93 from MEL.

Date	Aircraft	Origin	Destination	Departure	Arrival	Duration
25/11/2015	Unknown	Melbourne Tullamarine (YMML / MEL)	Los Angeles Intl (KLAX)	11:30 AEDT	05:59 PST	Scheduled
24/11/2015	A388/L	Melbourne Tullamarine (YMML / MEL)	Los Angeles Intl (KLAX)	12:41 AEDT	06:15 PST	On The Way!
23/11/2015	A388/L	Melbourne Tullamarine (YMML / MEL)	Los Angeles Intl (KLAX)	12:24 AEDT	07:14 PST	13:50
22/11/2015	A388/L	Melbourne Tullamarine (YMML / MEL)	Los Angeles Intl (KLAX)	12:38 AEDT	07:31 PST	13:53
21/11/2015	A388	Melbourne Tullamarine (YMML / MEL)	Los Angeles Intl (KLAX)	11:54 AEDT	06:43 PST	13:49
20/11/2015	A388	Melbourne Tullamarine (YMML / MEL)	Los Angeles Intl (KLAX)	11:53 AEDT	06:41 PST	13:48
19/11/2015	A388/L	Melbourne Tullamarine (YMML / MEL)	Los Angeles Intl (KLAX)	12:10 AEDT	06:49 PST	13:39
18/11/2015	A388/L	Melbourne Tullamarine (YMML / MEL)	Los Angeles Intl (KLAX)	11:42 AEDT	06:44 PST	14:02
17/11/2015	A388	Melbourne Tullamarine (YMML / MEL)	Los Angeles Intl (KLAX)	12:38 AEDT	07:00 PST	13:22
16/11/2015	A388	Melbourne Tullamarine (YMML / MEL)	Los Angeles Intl (KLAX)	12:29 AEDT	07:11 PST	13:42
15/11/2015	A388/L	Melbourne Tullamarine (YMML / MEL)	Los Angeles Intl (KLAX)	12:03 AEDT	06:38 PST	13:35
14/11/2015	A388/L	Melbourne Tullamarine (YMML / MEL)	Los Angeles Intl (KLAX)	11:46 AEDT	06:20 PST	13:34
13/11/2015	A388/L	Melbourne Tullamarine (YMML / MEL)	Los Angeles Intl (KLAX)	11:52 AEDT	06:49 PST	13:57
12/11/2015	A388/L	Melbourne Tullamarine (YMML / MEL)	Los Angeles Intl (KLAX)	11:50 AEDT	06:49 PST	13:59

Date	Aircraft	Origin	Destination	Departure	Arrival	Duration
25/11/2015	Unknown	Sydney (YSSY / SYD)	Los Angeles Intl (KLAX)	11:40 AEDT	06:15 PST	Scheduled
24/11/2015	B744	Los Angeles Intl (KLAX)	John F Kennedy Intl (KJFK)	08:30 PST	16:20 EST	Scheduled
24/11/2015	A388/L	Sydney (YSSY / SYD)	Los Angeles Intl (KLAX)	12:20 AEDT	06:09 PST	On The Way!
23/11/2015	B744/L	Los Angeles Intl (KLAX)	John F Kennedy Intl (KJFK)	09:29 PST	16:53 EST	4:24
23/11/2015	A388/L	Sydney (YSSY / SYD)	Los Angeles Intl (KLAX)	12:15 AEDT	06:26 PST	13:11
22/11/2015	B744/L	Los Angeles Intl (KLAX)	John F Kennedy Intl (KJFK)	09:39 PST	17:14 EST	4:35
22/11/2015	A388	Sydney (YSSY / SYD)	Los Angeles Intl (KLAX)	12:04 AEDT	06:22 PST	13:18
21/11/2015	B744/L	Los Angeles Intl (KLAX)	John F Kennedy Intl (KJFK)	09:05 PST	16:11 EST	4:05
21/11/2015	A388	Sydney (YSSY / SYD)	Los Angeles Intl (KLAX)	12:15 AEDT	06:19 PST	13:04
20/11/2015	B744/L	Los Angeles Intl (KLAX)	John F Kennedy Intl (KJFK)	09:08 PST	16:23 EST	4:15
20/11/2015	A388/L	Sydney (YSSY / SYD)	Los Angeles Intl (KLAX)	12:12 AEDT	06:18 PST	13:06
19/11/2015	B744/L	Los Angeles Intl (KLAX)	John F Kennedy Intl (KJFK)	09:16 PST	16:51 EST	4:35
19/11/2015	B744	Sydney (YSSY / SYD)	Los Angeles Intl (KLAX)	12:23 AEDT	06:20 PST	12:57
18/11/2015	A388	Sydney (YSSY / SYD)	Los Angeles Intl (KLAX)	12:04 AEDT	06:21 PST	13:17

 

[jb747]

Yes they are in GMT, which is what Flightradar24 displays them as.

Took off late agin today by 1 hour and 20 minutes! I wonder what the delays are for...

That's a pretty small sample. Normally the 93 timing is pretty reasonable. I'm not all that sure of exactly what flightradar24 is using for its departure times, as they don't marry up very well with my records.

Causes of delays...well, just about anything you can think of really. If the weather in Melbourne is poor (or windy) you can end up with inbound delays due ATC. The flights are extremely long, and even relatively slight errors in the planned winds aloft can result in substantial flight time variations. Ten minutes that the pilots work all night to find (and perhaps expend quite a bit of fuel to achieve), can be thrown away in seconds by an ATC instruction. Going around weather, looking for a smooth ride, can add a hundred miles to a journey.

The particular flight you mention had a delay waiting for engineering approval to fly with a small dent in a cargo door. Sadly the same people who open their doors into your car in car parks, also seem to operate around airports. A dent can't just be looked at and approved. You have to ensure that damage won't grow, or that nothing behind a panel is being affected. Sometimes temporary repairs might need to be applied before you can fly.

 

[coriander]

The transit time is 1hr45 mins but we need to clear immigration and recheck bags also.

I flew into LAX on QF93 on 28 Oct. From stepping out of plane - J class - to baggage carousel was 14 minutes - 90% of that time was spent walking from plane to carousel. The e-passport kiosks have speeded things up enormously.
Stepped off plane at 0736, at kiosk 0745, through immigration 0750. My bag was on of the first off and I walked it up the ramp to AA baggage drop, handing it over and stepping out of TBIT by 0800. Into T4, through security and into Admirals Club by 0825. In a hot shower by 0830 !

 

[blackcat20]

I flew into LAX on QF93 on 28 Oct. From stepping out of plane - J class - to baggage carousel was 14 minutes - 90% of that time was spent walking from plane to carousel. The e-passport kiosks have speeded things up enormously.
Stepped off plane at 0736, at kiosk 0745, through immigration 0750. My bag was on of the first off and I walked it up the ramp to AA baggage drop, handing it over and stepping out of TBIT by 0800. Into T4, through security and into Admirals Club by 0825. In a hot shower by 0830 !

Whereas in June it took us an hour, as almost everyone who used a kiosk was sent for secondary immigration (ie the counter) and it took forever.

 

[hugowood]

Thank you for the insight all!

Funny as QF93 is only rolling down the runway now, just 2 and a half hours late! Odd as QF94 was early coming in today.

 

[coriander]

Whereas in June it took us an hour, as almost everyone who used a kiosk was sent for secondary immigration (ie the counter) and it took forever.

Yes, once finished at kiosk, I had to talk to an immigration person, but that took 30 seconds instead of the ages it used to take with him/her taking your photo and doing fingerprints.
"Good morning. "
"Why are you travelling here today?"
"Conference."
"Where?"
"Monterey."
"Nice town, enjoy your stay."
Stamp here, stamp there, handed back passport and off I went.
Couldn't believe how fast it was compared to th 40 minutes+ it took in January this year.

 

[blackcat20]

Yes, once finished at kiosk, I had to talk to an immigration person, but that took 30 seconds instead of the ages it used to take with him/her taking your photo and doing fingerprints.
"Good morning. "
"Why are you travelling here today?"
"Conference."
"Where?"
"Monterey."
"Nice town, enjoy your stay."
Stamp here, stamp there, handed back passport and off I went.
Couldn't believe how fast it was compared to th 40 minutes+ it took in January this year.

Nope, we got the full deal including fingerprints (or I did as Im not a citizen of the US)

 

[coriander]

Nope, we got the full deal including fingerprints (or I did as Im not a citizen of the US)

I'm also not a LOTFAP citizen. Was it your first visit to the US since 2008 and/or with new passport (I was there in Jan)? The kiosk thing did my photo and fingerprints, the immigration person stamped my passport.

 

[blackcat20]

I'm also not a LOTFAP citizen. Was it your first visit to the US since 2008 and/or with new passport (I was there in Jan)? The kiosk thing did my photo and fingerprints, the immigration person stamped my passport.

Third trip in 12 months; was much faster last year through the kiosk.