Regional Express Delays/Cancellations

[Melburnian1]

Friday 12 August 2022 sees ZL6517 (SAAB 340B VH-RXX, the 0630 hours PKE across to SYD in the air at 0702) arriving at a suggested 0755, half an hour behind the schedule.

 

[Melburnian1]

Continuing with Friday 12, ZL's timekeeping continues to mostly be very good to excellent but exceptions occur, such as ZL6662, the 0815 hours from WGA to SYD not in the sky until 1257 hours with SAAB 340B VH-ZLJ. Arrival will be shortly, at 1357, 272 minutes behind the eight ball.

The BHQ across to SYD ZL6855 has VH-ZLX and is arriving at 1403 hours, 48 late.

 

[Melburnian1]

On Sunday 14 August 2022, ZL621, the 1400 hours CBR down to MEL did not take off until 1753, so arrival for B738 VH-REX will be shortly at 1858 hours, 228 minutes behind schedule.

This aircraft had only been 14 minutes late arriving in CBR at 1334 this afternoon as ZL616 ex MEL, so the delay will be due to police shutting everything down due to the alleged shooter who didn't venture into the security areas, but shot at glass three times.

 

[Melburnian1]

A week later, 21 August 2022, has ZL152, the 1700 hours late afternoon MEL up to SYD not airborne until 2004. B738 VH-PAG should arrive at 2107 hours, 152 minutes late. The aircraft had been just 20 late arriving MELO at 1855 as ZL141 ex SYD, which was the 1700 hours southbound, so it's obviously now substituting for a failed colleague.

 

[Melburnian1]

ZL6174 (1255 hours SYD - OAG on Tuesday 23 August) has SAAB340B VH-EKX but was only taxiing in Sydney as at 1427 hours, so should be more than 75 minutes late arriving at Orange.

 

[Melburnian1]

Thursday 8 September 2022 finds ZL6659 (0640 hours early morning SYD down to WGA) still in the early stages of taxiing at 0732, so it should be at least 45 late arriving. Aircraft is SAAB 340B VH-OLL.

 

[Melburnian1]

ZL6869 (SAAB 340B VH_ZXG, the 1605 hours afternoon BHQ-DBO) took off at 2121 hours so expected arrival is 2318 late tonight, 308 minutes late. The aircraft appears to have operated from SYD down to ABX this afternoon, with FR24 not disclosing a flight number, and then what may have been an empty ('ferry') flight from ABX up to BHQ, ZL9992 that took off at 1944 and arrived at 2057.

Most unusual, but perhaps it picked up aircrew in Albury?

 

[Melburnian1]

Monday 19 September 2022 has B738 VH-PAG operating ZL125, the 1500 hours mid afternoon SYD down to MEL that was up up and away at 1616 hours. Estimated gate arrival has become an hour behind schedule: 1735. The aircraft earlier arrived in Sydney at 1314 hours, 16 early, as ZL102 ex MEL (the 1200 'high noon'), so not sure why the southbound is tardy.

 

[Melburnian1]

Knock-on effects of the brief closure of SYD this morning (though far longer duration storms) are shown in examples such as SAAB 340B as ZL6417, the 1050 hours morning CFS down to SYD that was airborne at 1115, about 15 late. It is arriving SYD at 1320 or just after, 65 minutes late due to having to hold north of Sydney for a very long time. Lucky it didn't have to divert.

These delays will last all day on Monday 12 December 2022.

 

[Melburnian1]

After a stormy day on Monday 12 December, ZL6477 (1855 hours SYD down to GFF, SAAB340B Vh-EKX) was airborne at 2222 hours for projecte arrival at 2344 hours, 199 minutes late.

This normally means an early morning Griffith - Sydney flight is delayed tomorrow due to the crew requirement for (10 hours?) minimum rest.

 

[Melburnian1]

On Tuesday 13 December, ZL6821, the 0630 hours DBO-SYD did not take off until 1007 hours, with arrival onto the apron shortly at 1105, 205 minutes late. Aircraft is SAAB 340B VH-ZRK.

This was due to last night's ZL6836 not arriving DBO until 2318 hours, 183 minutes late, and the crew requiring a minimum (10 hours?) rest.

Let's hope no one had an international connection that they've missed.

 

[Melburnian1]

SYD looks to be down to one runway on Wednesday 14 December early afternoon, perhaps due to significant (but far from record) winds?

This is resulting even during the offpeak at 1330 hours in inbound aircraft holding.

It won't help punctuality this afternoon.

ZL540 (1230 hours SYD-OOL, B738 VH-MFM) looked to be as at 1401 hours sixth in the queue for takeoff to the west, so it's at least 90 minutes late.

 

[Melburnian1]

In Sydney, the north-south runways appear to be reopening at about 1430 hours on Wednesday 14 December, but not before many delays were caused.

 

[Melburnian1]

On Thursday 22 December 2022, there have been multiple severe storms at MEL just after 1400 AEDT and around 1730, with a further one likely shortly.

Some aircraft have diverted while many are extremely late.

There are multiple areas in various terminals where floors have been flooded.

ZL152 (1730 hours MEL-SYD, B738 VH-RQP) was airborne at 1856 so is at least an hour late.

ZL3685 took off from MQL at 1723, only about 10 minutes behind, but MEL arrival for SAAB340B VH-ZLX is predicted as 48 minutes tardy at 1908 hours.

 

[Melburnian1]

Fog in MEL on Friday 23 December 2022's morning and teh adverse effects of yesterday's three storms at the same airport haven't assisted Friday 23 timekeeping.

ZL31 (B738 VH-MFM, the 0945 hours SYD down to MEL) took off at 1056 hours so arrival should be 1213 hours, 53 late.

The DPO-MEL ZL3513 (SAAB340B VH-ZPC) should arrive at 1122, 82 late with VH-ZPC.

 

[Melburnian1]

With ZL's smaller mainline fleet it can be difficult to reciver from delays such as Friday 23 December's MEL fog and the previous day's three storms, also there.

ZL133, the 1600 hours afternoon SYd-=MEL (B738 VH-RQC) did not become airborne until 1927 so expected gate arrival becomes 2038, 183 late.

Rural flight ZL3286 from MEL to WGA, the 1835 hours (SAAB340B VH-ZLC) took off at 1948 so expected arrival is 2043, 58 behind. No quicker than NSW TrainLink's XPT assuming one is at the airport 75 minutes before scheduled flight departure. XPT a lot more comfortable, especially in first class!

 

[Melburnian1]

On Boxing Day, 26 December, there was early morning fog that did not see arrivals until 0647 with QF44 from DPS.

ZL6762 from ABX up to SYD (SAAB 340B VH-EKH) is the 0630 hours ABX-SYD airborne at 0706, perhaps held by ATC on the ground in Albury for a while.

Arrival is estimated as 0831 hours, 36 late.

 

[Melburnian1]

Possibly having been held on the ground in MEL due to the earlier SYD fog (and perhaps the cap on hourley or on 15 minute movements at the latter, respectively 80 and 20), ZL18. the 0710 hours MEL-SYD on 26 December did not take off until 0814 hours. Arrival should be 0926 hours, 46 minutes late for B738 VH-RQP.

 

[Melburnian1]

On Sunday 22 January, B738 VH-RQC had three late flights, starting with ZL132 from MEL to SYD, the 1500 hours not airborne until 1636, arriving at 1808 hours, 98 minutes tardy. Then ZL368 from SYD up to BNE arrived at 1916 hours, 91 minutes late while the last flight of the night, ZL379 from BNE to SYD, the 1830 hours, was at its arrival gate at 2224 hours, 79 late.

This morning, ZL9 from SYD to MEL, the 0700 hours was expected to depart at 0745 with this plane, and took off at 0753 hours, so a late start to its day.

 

[Melburnian1]

I am not there but MEL looks to have had fog this morning (FRiday 10 February) as two NZ flights diverted to SYD.

ZL9, the 0700 hours SYD-MEL (B738 VH-RQP) may have been held in Sydney by air traffic control as it did not take off until 0805 hours, suggesting at gate arrival of about 0938 hours, 63 minutes late meaning it will have lost further time in running. Many other domestic flights are late, which comes on top of yesterday's severe SYD storms that saw diversions and cancellations. Happy days.