VA flight misses SYD curfew, returns to HBA

[Beano]

My QF flight BNE-SYD years ago (on a QF B767-200 - that’s how long ago) departed after what I thought would be the no-go time. The engine pitch suggested we maybe travelled faster than normal during the flight trying to get in before curfew. However, on the shortest of short finals, the big engines spooled up again, delivered a bunch of unnecessary noise to the residents around the airport, and away we flew back to BNE…

I guess it happens regularly enough.

Good point, it's probably noisier spooling up close to an airport and over urban areas that completing the landing. But then again where do you stop the concessions? Is 5 minutes OK, then if so then 10 minutes is that much more, so 20 minutes OK, etc etc. There has to be a fixed limit!

 

[AshM]

It is possible for the airlines to get dispensation to land or take off after 11pm from time to time if they meet specific requirements.

There is also a register online of all requests for dispensation and whether they were approved or denied.

I was on QF494 on 26 Feb. Was supposed to leave MEL at 8.30pm and land in SYD at 9.55pm. Delayed purportedly due to storms in SYD. By the time we took off, I knew we’d be pushing it to beat the curfew.

Then we flew in circles near Wagga. No chance we were going to make it by curfew.

More circles near Canberra, as the captain came on the PA to say the company was seeking dispensation to break curfew. I started wondering how much fuel we had on board. Figured I was an even money chance of spending the night in Canberra.

Captain eventually comes on saying we got dispensation to land in SYD due to the storm. (I was surprised but pleased.)

Come in to land somewhere after 11.30pm — missed approach. (Apparently dispensation required landing from the south and the tailwind was too strong.) Cue the thrust. Off we go again into the night sky.

Now I’m really wondering about fuel. We’ve been up there nearly two hours.

Landed on the second attempt and got to the terminal just on midnight.

Separately, the outside of the terminal was a zoo on arrival. Reminded me of landing in developing countries in the middle of the night. Huge Uber queue. Taxis beeping each other madly and squabbling.

Got in a cab to the CBD - and he tried to charge $96 on the basis that “the fare cap doesn’t apply at night”. But that’s a whole other topic…

 

[Beano]

I was on QF494 on 26 Feb. Was supposed to leave MEL at 8.30pm and land in SYD at 9.55pm. Delayed purportedly due to storms in SYD. By the time we took off, I knew we’d be pushing it to beat the curfew.

Then we flew in circles near Wagga. No chance we were going to make it by curfew.

More circles near Canberra, as the captain came on the PA to say the company was seeking dispensation to break curfew. I started wondering how much fuel we had on board. Figured I was an even money chance of spending the night in Canberra.

Captain eventually comes on saying we got dispensation to land in SYD due to the storm. (I was surprised but pleased.)

Come in to land somewhere after 11.30pm — missed approach. (Apparently dispensation required landing from the south and the tailwind was too strong.) Cue the thrust. Off we go again into the night sky.

Now I’m really wondering about fuel. We’ve been up there nearly two hours.

Landed on the second attempt and got to the terminal just on midnight.

Separately, the outside of the terminal was a zoo on arrival. Reminded me of landing in developing countries in the middle of the night. Huge Uber queue. Taxis beeping each other madly and squabbling.

Got in a cab to the CBD - and he tried to charge $96 on the basis that “the fare cap doesn’t apply at night”. But that’s a whole other topic…

There's a fare cap?

 

[AshM]

There's a fare cap?

Depends if you ask the government or a taxi driver.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Got in a cab to the CBD - and he tried to charge $96 on the basis that “the fare cap doesn’t apply at night”. But that’s a whole other topic…

Ha!

Another one of my proposed ‘excuses’ by taxis to avoid the fixed fare has been proved!

J

Thread 'Sydney Airport to CBD $60 Flat Rate Taxi Fares'

Sep 13, 2025

MSN

A $60 flat rate will now apply to any taxi trip from Sydney Airport to the CBD in a bid to crack down on fare price gouging.

From November 3, Sydney will join the likes of major cities including Paris and New York as it begins a 12-month trial of a flat fare structure.

Looks like some action for SYD

• jastel
• Replies: 54
• Forum: Taxis & Ridesharing Apps

• 
• 

 

[markis10]

There's a fare cap?

Capped cab fare from Sydney Airport to give visitors a fair go

Millions of people who arrive at Sydney Airport each year will have the confidence they are getting a fair ride to the CBD, with the introduction of a $60 flat rate taxi fare.

www.nsw.gov.au

 

[Oceanic]

How often do SYD-bound aircraft take off and then have to return due to curfew?

The 8.25pm HBA-SYD flight was late boarding tonight. We were told to rush because they didn’t want to miss SYD curfew. Then we sat on the tarmac for what seemed like ages, probably waiting for the okay to chance it. I thought we were going to be unloaded again, but all of a sudden, the ground crew whisked the ramp away and at 9.30, the pilot took off with such pace you’d think he’d been taking tips from the youth of Bridgewater. Half an hour into the flight, we were told we were turning around because we were going to miss curfew. Then we all had to line up for a photocopied piece of paper saying our flight had been cancelled. A bit of a time and jet fuel waster.

Is it common for pilots to take such a risk with curfew? I mean, HBA-SYD is usually a 1 hour 50 min flight, so taking off 1.5 hours before curfew seems pretty tight.

 

[AshM]

Ha!

Another one of my proposed ‘excuses’ by taxis to avoid the fixed fare has been proved!

J

Thread 'Sydney Airport to CBD $60 Flat Rate Taxi Fares'

Sep 13, 2025

MSN

A $60 flat rate will now apply to any taxi trip from Sydney Airport to the CBD in a bid to crack down on fare price gouging.

From November 3, Sydney will join the likes of major cities including Paris and New York as it begins a 12-month trial of a flat fare structure.

Looks like some action for SYD

• jastel
• Replies: 54
• Forum: Taxis & Ridesharing Apps

• 
• 

I was so pissed off by the time I got to the hotel around 12.45am, I decided not to argue the point. I just made him repeat very clearly why he was saying the fare cap didn’t apply, took his details and reported him. I was told by the company a few days later that he was no longer driving for that company. I asked the “Commissioner” what would stop him just driving for another company and never heard back.

 

[Oceanic]

I had a UTA flight SYD to NOU in late 1975. UTA were given dispensation for the DC8 to depart SYD way beyond 2300 hours curfew that night.

 

[Captain Halliday]

There has to be a fixed limit!

No limit (curfew) is also a valid option.

 

[markis10]

I had a UTA flight SYD to NOU in late 1975. UTA were given dispensation for the DC8 to depart SYD way beyond 2300 hours curfew that night.

No curfew existed then, no one lived in the slums at Mascot

 

[AshM]

Captain eventually comes on saying we got dispensation to land in SYD due to the storm. (I was surprised but pleased.)

Come in to land somewhere after 11.30pm — missed approach. (Apparently dispensation required landing from the south and the tailwind was too strong.) Cue the thrust. Off we go again into the night sky.

Two genuine questions for the experts:

1. Does it make sense to get dispensation to land well after curfew due to storms when you knew about the storms before you left MEL and decided to take them on? (I mean, it suited me just fine but it struck me as generous from a policy perspective.)

2. What’s the point of requiring approaches from the south if there’s a tailwind that means incoming planes are a decent chance of missing their approach, revving the engines and zooming noisily over the inner west? (The flight before us did the same thing.)