Oh, that sounds frustrating! It's always better to have maintenance issues detected on the ground, though. I hope they get it sorted soon so you can take off. As for rumors of QF cancelling and combining flights, I haven't heard anything. It's good to know that there's enough room on the next flight for everyone, though. Domestic flying can be unpredictable sometimes, but hopefully the airlines will sort out these issues soon. Hang in there and enjoy your reading material!