Merged: QF Delays/Serviceabilities - Add entries here

[gavsterau]

Why do Qantas change a flight number from XYZ to 8XYZ

Last Thursday I was heading up to Sydney from Melbourne on the supposed 8:30am flight. We got told around 8:30 that there would be a 30 minute delay, at 9am got told of another 15 minute delay... I'm sure you see where I'm going...

At 10:30 we get told the flight is canceled and another flight will replace it. The original flight number was 416 and the new flight number was 8416.

The captain was very specific when telling us that the flight we were on was a supplemental flight. Thanks Qantas!

Do they do this so they can say the replacement flight departed and arrived on time? I assume if they kept then original flight number it would count as a 3 hour delayed flight.

To top it off they didn't load the luggage on the flight, nor cater it properly! Apparently they didn't want to delay us any further. Hhmmm thanks.

They then flew the whole flight at what seemed like 15,000 feet. Again, so we could get to Sydney faster.

Long story short, finally get to Sydney at 1310...

It was a long day after taking the 2 hour delay for the return flight into account as well.

g

[Pass-A-Frozo]

Originally Posted by Konehead

I don't think the company can last another 2 months at this rate, let alone 4!

Originally Posted by Qantas Half-Year Results 2007/2008

Net cash held at 31 December 2007 was $2,910 million

$2.9 Billion. I'm guessing the company can last a hell of a lot longer than 2 or 4 months! Especially as I doubt they are actually making a loss at moment. The hand that is feeding you comes from a very deep pocket.

Word from IOC is that they will be cancelling flights from next week-not because of Maintenance but because there are no pilots to fly the kites.......particularly the 767 and 744 fleets.

Ouch

Ouch - especially for those guys that have come to expect the extra cash that comes with regular flying.

[Keg]

To top it off they didn't load the luggage on the flight, nor cater it properly! Apparently they didn't want to delay us any further. Hhmmm thanks.

Customer feedback on surveys says that they want to get there on time domestically and bugger the food and bugger the bags- particularly if QF is going to ship them to your home or workplace anyway. Of course I don't reckon they've ever surveyed someone who has just gotten off a 1-3 hour flight without being fed or watered!

[ron burgandy]

Which is probably true Keg, if you actually got them there on time rather than delay to load catering.
What the survey doesn't take into account is once you've f#&ked everyone around for 3 hours another 10 minutes to cater the airplane is probably going to help rather than hinder the situation at that point........ But hey, what do we know, right?

[employes perspective]

anyone wanting to start an airline out of Perth now is the time,you would make a killing,all you would have to do is run to schedule and charge what you like,Qantas would be finished on this route

[2FarCanard]

I don't know if this is a record for a delay without a cancellation but it would have to be close.

Friend and his wife AND 3 kids (7,4,22 months) turn up at Sydney at 10am for a 12pm flight to Melbourne.

A couple of PAs telling of delays. After about two hours no PAs and a departure time that magically rolls further and further with no announcements or any feedback.

The flight left 2 mins before curfew and and arrived in MEL at 1245am.

All he said to me was, if they just said it was going to be that long he would have gone home. I guess the eternal optimist always thinks it could only be another hour.

From all reports it was near riot toward the end.

Brilliant

[indamiddle]

2FC, if you are looking at record delays take a gander at QF11 scheduled to leave friday (last week). look on the departures for sydney today on the official qantas website. says it is estimated to be leaving tonight. your mate has nothing to complain about!!

[ron burgandy]

More good press, well done Geoff

I've abbreviated the article;



A lesson in how to fly by the seat of your pants

• Michael West

• July 15, 2008
• Page 1 of 2

And despite the news on Virgin Blue, Qantas is the big story. Notwithstanding oil price pressure and incipient signs of easing demand, the airline is operationally in turmoil.
Looking at yesterday's flight data alone: QF1 to London, scheduled to leave on Saturday at 5pm, left yesterday at 8.20am. QF 127 to Hong Kong, due out on Sunday at 10.45am, left at 2pm yesterday. QF73 to San Francisco, due out at 1.55pm on Sunday, left at 6pm yesterday.
QF62 to Johannesburg, scheduled to leave at 10am, left at 4pm. QF11 to Los Angeles, due out at 1.20pm, was rescheduled to leave at 10.15 last night (fingers crossed). QF73 to San Francisco, due out at 1.55pm, has been delayed until 10.15 this morning and QF5 to Frankfurt via Singapore was scheduled for 3.55pm was delayed till 8.30 last night. That's just one day's worth.

The impact on bookings is anyone's guess but the cost of the delays is huge, in staff costs, extra transport, meals and hotel rooms. On Friday night in Los Angeles, the airline had to put up 700 people in hotels after two 747 flights were canned. There is even gossip on the airline chat forums about pilots being flown first class to Bangkok on Emirates to ensure they got there on time.
Even before Qantas engineers jacked up and refused to work overtime a few weeks ago, the on-time performance was sketchy. Thankfully, domestic routes are holding up well, although there are signs the slowdown is biting. About 35 domestic flights were cancelled yesterday.
On overseas routes, however, some flights that were bulging at full capacity six months ago are now closer to break even. Thursday's QF1 was showing 66 economy seats, 32 business seats and one first-class spot vacant as of time of publication yesterday. QF31 had 48, 17 and five seats vacant in those respective classes.
While the trans-Pacific slots are holding up well, Europe is coming off. Should economic conditions deteriorate further - and that's a good bet - so will Qantas yields and load factors. This means there are not a lot of reasons to buy the airline right now. Further, when its long-serving chief executive Geoff Dixon departs, his successor is likely to swing the axe, as they do.
Given that the fleet, ex-Jetstar, is a tad old by the standard of its top-flight peers (9-11 years), and given some of the accounting treatments, the pain could be palpable. Thanks to capitalised development costs on software and the like, the airline's bottom line has been inflated by more than 10 per cent for years. Also, rather than the traditional three- to five-year accounting treatment for aircraft carrying values, Qantas employs a unique asset impairment approach that spans up to 20 years.
[email protected]
Go to smh.com.au/businessday for Michael West's comments throughout the day.

[blueloo]

Having just copped the QF5 delay - 8 hours plus out of Sydney, I managed to experience QFs customer service first hand. To say there was none is not far from the truth. 1 person advised us at check in of a 5 hour delay. No updates, details or anything else, until a whiteboard was put up I think at around 6.30pm with no announcements - just the same information advised at check-in - a 5 hour delay.

At about 8pm a rather rude bloke with red tie came out and started being rather sarcastic and rude to passengers whilst handing out $15 vouchers to be used in a nearly fully closed airport (due to renovations) 1 coffee shop, wine bar and news agent open.

We were allowed to use the transit lounge with lovely economy self service snack on Q (crap on Q) then at about 9.30 - with no announcement passengers left to board the flight.

At the gate said bloke with red tie was performing a bingo night to geriatrics. Incredibly rude as he swapped boarding passes.

Eventually boarding started and the way they (qantas staff) treated passengers was even worse - dragging people out of line and yelling at them if they werent frequent flyers.

Honestly, some of the most disgusting treatment from QF staff (employed in a customer service role) that I have ever seen.

[packrat]

Rude QF Staff

This not an excuse for bad behaviour but QF Frontline staff are under resourced and under enormous strain.
This type of behaviour is indicative of people who are about to walk

[speedbirdhouse]

I was told by a ground staff person at SIT recently that staff turnover is at record levels.

Treat your staff like sh!te geoff and you get what you deserve...........

[ZK-NSJ]

we eventually left perth at 0215 saturday morning, only and i say only 2hrs late on qf568, we made good time (3hrs) and got into sydney only around 50 minutes late,i changed my booking to qf45 so i had plenty of time to transfer, the auckland passengers wernt so lucky though, a rather large line at the transfer bag, i was surprised when my nag showed up in chch as well,
not taking any risks flying back,going air nz direct

[ling_woo]

It's not looking great again.

-------

14 July

Ex MEL

QF29 Hong Kong 22:50 (Sun) 00:53 (Mon) Departed
QF26 Sydney 10:30 13:14 Departed
QF25 Auckland 10:55 18:28 Departed
QF9 Singapore 15:30 17:51 Departed

Ex SYD

QF1 Bangkok 17:00 (Sat) 08:18 (Mon) Departed
QF127 Hong Kong 10:45 (Sun) 14:15 (Mon) Departed
QF73 San Francisco 13:55 (Sun) 18:14 (Mon) Departed
QF63 Johannesburg 10:00 15:57 Departed
QF11 Los Angeles 13:20 23:01 Departed
QF73 San Francisco 13:55 11:48 (Tue) Departed
QF5 Singapore 15:55 23:08 Departed

15 July

Ex MEL

QF9Singapore 15:30 20:42 Departed

Ex SYD

QF11Los Angeles 13:20 (Fri) 22:56 (Tue) Departed
QF73San Francisco 13:55 (Mon) 11:48 (Tue) Departed

QF127Hong Kong 10:45 17:08 Departed
QF31Singapore 16:55 22:49 Departed
QF1Bangkok 17:00 21:58 Departed

QF5 is stuck in SYD, estimated today.

[mrpaxing]

there are

around 800 rooms on many days being booked in syd by qf because of delays. rumor has it the bill in LAX alone was U$ 200 000.- for accomandation in june. every delayed QF 5 to FRA needs plenty of rooms in SYD as well as rooms on arrival at midnight in FRA. and so on and on. anyone taking responsibility?????????????

[Jed Clampett]

QF to rise again - is there a chance?

What you are watching are the early death throes of a once great Australian Icon. It can be saved, but only if the Board and the Shareholders get rid of the fool at the top,who is running this great Airline into an early grave and let the loyal Staff resuscitate it. In this week of hope and all things good can a miracle happen? I live in hope!

[mrpaxing]

what about

the board start taking responsibilities for their lack of action,speak incompetence.

[Ka.Boom]

Photos

Word has it that dixon has photos of the QF chairman doing something untoward with a farm animal.
So dont expect any action from LC.
If he had any idea of what was going on he would have already initiated some change.All he has done is appoint three new board members...two of whom are mates

[Angle of Attack]

There is even gossip on the airline chat forums about pilots being flown first class to Bangkok on Emirates to ensure they got there on time.

Definitely not gossip and definitely not only Bangkok, Tech crew are being paxed all over the place at the moment on Emirates (first Class) and numerous other carriers to replace crews all over the world for the horribly delayed flights.
It is a complete disaster and chaos atm. And that is an understatement too. An extra 2% even for every single staff member at the moment is looking like a bargain compared to this disaster. The books are painted in red ink over June and July a reliable source has informed me FOG !

[flyingspikes]

Just curious in case anyone can help, have family travelling back to Auckland(at least in theory) on QF49 ex SYD departing at 1830. Can anyone shed some light on it? Aparently has returned to gate, with no ETD according to the QF website

[Metro Boy]

What's caused this? Is it the engineer's or has everything just come to a head?