QF1 problems
Thread Starter
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 4
Likes: 0
From: London
QF1 problems
Anyone know why Qantas has been having problems with QF1 the past week.
More or less every departure from Sydney since 1/3 has been 3-4 hours late. Indeed even now, some 11 hours before it is due to depart today's (6/3) QF1 is, like most this week listed as departing at around 21:30. No inbound flights appear to be delayed, so doesn't seem like a flow on issue. So what is the go with the delays?
Also QF1 on 29/2 left Sydney and arrived in BKK more or less ontime at around 23:30, but for some reason it's departure from BKK to LHR was delayed until 3am. Anyone know why?
More or less every departure from Sydney since 1/3 has been 3-4 hours late. Indeed even now, some 11 hours before it is due to depart today's (6/3) QF1 is, like most this week listed as departing at around 21:30. No inbound flights appear to be delayed, so doesn't seem like a flow on issue. So what is the go with the delays?
Also QF1 on 29/2 left Sydney and arrived in BKK more or less ontime at around 23:30, but for some reason it's departure from BKK to LHR was delayed until 3am. Anyone know why?
Joined: Jun 2001
Aviation Qualifications: ATPL
Posts: 1,898
Likes: 17
From: South Pole
It's probably a flow on effect from the QF9 inflight shutdown and diversion to New Delhi. A replacement aircraft (+ 5th pod engine) was flown to Delhi and then loaded with pax continued the QF9 service to London. The aircraft in Delhi would have had its engine changed and flown out to SYD (probably with failed engine in 5th pod position).
Qantas currently does not have any spare capacity on most fleets and the B744 is in an extreme position. When one aircraft is out of action for 24+ hours like the QF9 aircraft the flow-on effects can last for a week with flights delayed waiting for an aircraft to become available. Often, a service will be operated by an aircraft with the wrong configuration (ie a Pacific configured aircraft will be sent on the Kangaroo route which means significantly less seats being available). Everyone is hoping that when the A380 arrives that there will be a small capacity excess in the lohg haul fleets to allow these disruptions to be handled more effectively.
I don't know anything about the extended transit in BKK.
Qantas currently does not have any spare capacity on most fleets and the B744 is in an extreme position. When one aircraft is out of action for 24+ hours like the QF9 aircraft the flow-on effects can last for a week with flights delayed waiting for an aircraft to become available. Often, a service will be operated by an aircraft with the wrong configuration (ie a Pacific configured aircraft will be sent on the Kangaroo route which means significantly less seats being available). Everyone is hoping that when the A380 arrives that there will be a small capacity excess in the lohg haul fleets to allow these disruptions to be handled more effectively.
I don't know anything about the extended transit in BKK.
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 1
Likes: 0
From: australia
the dreaded bathtub......
Heard from the engineers that most Kangaroo class 400s are flying 19 hours a day. Most airlines apparently have their aircraft flying 14 hours per day. The bean counters have got "em" working to the max. No downtime for maintanence and whaaalah its starting to show (and has been for a quite a while) bravo! 
Got to love the old maintenance "bathtub effect" curve!
Also could someone please tell me it wasn't true that a 747-400 flight was cancelled out of sydney due lack of tech crew...or as the boffons call it in virgin "pilot hours"
Has it finally dawned on "this mob".....actually it will never dawn on "this mob".
Got to love the old maintenance "bathtub effect" curve! Also could someone please tell me it wasn't true that a 747-400 flight was cancelled out of sydney due lack of tech crew...or as the boffons call it in virgin "pilot hours"
Has it finally dawned on "this mob".....actually it will never dawn on "this mob".
Thread Starter
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 4
Likes: 0
From: London
The delays started last week which was a few days before the QF9 incident, so doubt it is a flow on effect from that.
What I was thinking myself was some issue related to the fitting of the premium Y seating, but cannot work out why Qantas is just allowing it to effect QF1. You would think if they had a capacity issue (which clearly they do with the 744's) they would let it effect some of the other flights, which like QF1 have large catch up time at their destination and not just let it bugger up QF1.
What I was thinking myself was some issue related to the fitting of the premium Y seating, but cannot work out why Qantas is just allowing it to effect QF1. You would think if they had a capacity issue (which clearly they do with the 744's) they would let it effect some of the other flights, which like QF1 have large catch up time at their destination and not just let it bugger up QF1.
Joined: Jun 2001
Aviation Qualifications: ATPL
Posts: 1,898
Likes: 17
From: South Pole
The delays prior to the QF9, may be attributed to high temperatures in Jo'burg. At 5,500ft elevation, the thrust is significantly reduced and the normal BRW for the service to Sydney is approx 370t. In the summer period, flights often have to wait an extra couple of hours for the temp to reduce to 24 degrees so that they can depart. As this aircraft turns around on arrival in Sydney to operate the QF1 (except Fridays I believe), then this may be the cause of some delays.
I haven't seen any aircraft fitted with premium economy seating yet - they may be doing the Pacific configured aircraft first.
I haven't seen any aircraft fitted with premium economy seating yet - they may be doing the Pacific configured aircraft first.
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 381
Likes: 0
From: Oz
The reliability of the 744 fleet is a direct reflection of QE management initiatives to streamline (save a dollar) the operation.
Yet they willingly spin it to incriminate their maintenance staff of poor performance.
And do the other departments fall for it? You bet ya!
Yet they willingly spin it to incriminate their maintenance staff of poor performance.
And do the other departments fall for it? You bet ya!
Thread Starter
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 4
Likes: 0
From: London
I too thought about the J'berg flights too, but for example on the 1/3/2008, when the first delay started (out of Sydney), the J'berg flight was late, but still arrived around 15:00. That is more than sufficent to turn a 744 around to depart at 18:05 on QF1.
The aircraft which operated my flight which left on 29/2/2008 came from the jetbase, as I passed it in the bus from the domestic terminal.
FYI the premium Y is going to be fitted to the aircraft operating QF1 first, not Pacific. QF1 is meant to be all premium Y by the start of April. I belive that -OJK was meant to be the first fitted and she should be in service. That being said -OJK was originaly meant to be the aircraft that operated QF1 out of SYD on 1/3/2008 but it ended up in the hands of -OJH.
The aircraft which operated my flight which left on 29/2/2008 came from the jetbase, as I passed it in the bus from the domestic terminal.
FYI the premium Y is going to be fitted to the aircraft operating QF1 first, not Pacific. QF1 is meant to be all premium Y by the start of April. I belive that -OJK was meant to be the first fitted and she should be in service. That being said -OJK was originaly meant to be the aircraft that operated QF1 out of SYD on 1/3/2008 but it ended up in the hands of -OJH.
