QF93 another shambles?

5 replies

tommygun

Delta Air Lines - SkyMiles

Member since 16 Oct 2017

Total posts 291

Was anybody aboard the cancelled QF93 MEL-LAX on Monday night? It's reported this aircraft waited 6 hours after pushback for a take-off opportunity before being scrubbed. Apparently due to shortened runway (maintenance work), strong winds and GTW. Also being reported no food served, water only and pax kept in seats (if true then for 6 hours that's a disgrace). But there are some aspects that seem odd. Engines idling 6 hours? No consideration of return to gate and disembark until condtions improved? Allowed to pushback when adverse factors for takeoff plain to see? Would love to hear from anyone with personal knowledge.

Grannular

Member since 31 Mar 2014

Total posts 283

With the main runway closed for maintenance and the plane overweight to make the leg to LAX with that nights winds, the only thing that surprises me is why they didn't hop over to Sydney or Brisbane to load up on fuel. Potentially crew hours maybe?

The rest just sounds like a media beat up as usual. As for food. if you are given short notice of a take off slot, there wouldn't be time to prep and clear the cabin. It would also mean there wouldn't be meals for the journey and again, there would be a media beat up for that. Catering can't be arranged at the drop of a hat.

tommygun

Delta Air Lines - SkyMiles

Member since 16 Oct 2017

Total posts 291

Grannular raises the matter of crew hours. That is one of the weakest links in the chain of ultra-longhaul. Almost no wiggle room when things go pear-shaped. Of course MEL-LAX is just longhaul.

Last editedby tommygun at Sep 13, 2023, 03:01 PM.

tommygun

Delta Air Lines - SkyMiles

Member since 16 Oct 2017

Total posts 291

Originally Posted by Grannular

With the main runway closed for maintenance and the plane overweight to make the leg to LAX with that nights winds, the only thing that surprises me is why they didn't hop over to Sydney or Brisbane to load up on fuel. Potentially crew hours maybe?

The rest just sounds like a media beat up as usual. As for food. if you are given short notice of a take off slot, there wouldn't be time to prep and clear the cabin. It would also mean there wouldn't be meals for the journey and again, there would be a media beat up for that. Catering can't be arranged at the drop of a hat.

It isn't clear whether it was high winds at MEL making the shorter take-off run insufficient/unsafe or whether it was high winds forecast along the track. The latter would suggest making an immediate departure with a refuel at BNE or AKL, or NAN.

RedWood

Member since 04 Sep 2019

Total posts 39

who cares about all the noise, how come they spent 6 hours! in a plane, going no where

at what point do you call it, at what point do you start treating people like customers - not cattle in a cattle truck moving from point A to B

quantumreality

Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer

Member since 16 Jan 2018

Total posts 71

mmmhhh.... I have heard shocking stories about Qantas, but waiting 6 hours after pushback is a bit far fetched to me. If anything, surely no passengers would take this kind of crap. I am nowhere near die hard Qantas fan, but this kind of story does not make sense to me.

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