cova

On QF94 (LAX-MEL) departing Feb 24. Due to medical emergency - sick passengers we back tracked 1 hour to HNL. First time an A380 has landed in HNL. Ground crew out taking pictures.

But 1.5 hours to refuel after the fuel dump. HNL is not set up to fuel an A380.

Then QF94 landed in SYD (instead of MEL) due to crew hours.

Interesting route for QF94. Passengers going to MEL were transferred to a smaller aircraft and all baggage went to MEL. Those going to SYD got off - without bags.

I am guessing QF93 for Friday Feb 26 got a substitute aircraft - since the MEL A380 is in SYD.

flyinghighboy

QF094 LOS ANGELES 09:40 17:53
from the melbourne airport website.

pushback

And here it is, in fact. That's one solid right turn.

KLAX-PHNL Diverted

The HNL-SYD shows the next day as well but they didn't map it. You'll see it listed on the same page.

And you are right. The next day the fly a B744, though they also did that on the 23rd, so they may be alternating the aircraft on that route anyway.

Anyone know what the medical problem was? I would think with that many people on a plane for that long, odds are a medical problem will occur in flight fairly often.

cova

QF94 continued from SYD to MEL but with a change of aircraft - smaller international - likely a 767. All bags though went to MEL. Going to take a while to sort out.

I do not expect my bags now until tomorrow.

cova

It was a woman - and there turned out to be a doctor on board. The pilot indicated that the woman may have not survived if we continued all the way to MEL. Upon landing in SYD - the pilot reported the woman recovered in the hospital and is OK.

An expensive stop - to dump all the fuel and then take 1.5 hours to refuel.

We were met in HNL with about 12 firetrucks and about 30 police cars. The firetrucks checked the aircraft and left. I assume with all the fuel dumping - maybe fuel on the wings. We all just stayed on the airplane.

Some HNL ground staff came on board for a tour of the 6 weeks old aircraft. Still had that new car smell.

Himeno

Sounds like my A380 diversion on QF32 last year. Into KUL and towed to MH maintenance area. About 5 minutes later, a bus and 3 vans pulled up next to the plane. Mostly MH ground staff out for photos.

number_6

Medical diversions have quadrupled in the past 2 years, and are becoming a big problem for the industry. After the fact statistics show that fewer than 10% of diversions were medically necessary for patient health. Lots of reasons for that -- everything from fraudulent diversions by asylum seekers (happening often enough to have become a alert bulletin issued by the immigration service of some countries) to sicker passengers traveling (e.g. traveling the day after release from hospital for surgery). The airline industry faces a real challenge if this trend continues as the diversion costs are huge. A medjet flight LAX-MEL would cost about USD 100K so there is lots of reasons for pax to travel by airline when sick if they can pass the airline criteria for travel. Every so often QF winds up shouldering that cost.

The A380 diversion to NAN a few months back, which had so much discussion here on FT, turned out to be medically unnecessary in the final analysis. Of course that is a hard call up in the air. QF does take great care of its pax.

Adam1

Hi Cova, thanks for your first-hand report.
These are the details as I understand:

*QF94 landed in Sydney due to the flight crew reaching their maximum hours.
On arrival in Sydney all passengers deplaned the aircraft at 13:30.

*2 hours later the same aircraft, VH-OQE was ferried to MEL as QF6005 arriving just on 4:30pm to operate that day's return flight to LAX, QF93, as originally scheduled prior to the medical diversion.

*Meanwhile back in Sydney the passengers later reboarded QF94, this time equipment was changed to an Airbus A330 VH-QPD, which departed SYD at 16:40 and landed in MEL at 17:55.


To come from all of this I found it strange that Qantas decided to ferry the same aircraft to Melbourne, however leave the passengers in Sydney for the extra 1.5 hours and in the process require a 2nd aircraft to be used to take these passengers to Melbourne.....not exactly a money-wise option.
(VH-QPD later ferried back to Sydney)

I can only assume Qantas decided to ferry VH-OQE to MEL without passengers so to reduce the turnaround time in Melbourne (re. cabin cleaning) in an attempt to limit the already delayed departure of QF93.



Regarding pushback's message, QF93/94 runs are operated by B744s on Mon, Tue, Thurs and Sat; with Wed, Fri, Sunday's being A380 flights.


I am very open to correction here, however I thought that there has been a diversion on QF11/12 flight where an A380 has landed at HNL previously.
I know there has been 2 or so diversions to Nadi, although I thought HNL has also seen a Qantas A380 before.
Can anyone confirm either way?

Cheers

jb747

An hour and a half to refuel, or an hour and a half to turnaround? If it was the turnaround, then that's amazingly fast for an offline station.

As far as I can recall, there have been no previous A380 diverts to HNL. One to KL due weather, two to Nadi, one to Melbourne (technical) and one return to London, due a noisy cockpit window seal.

ozgal

I have had two incidents of ' Staying' or Flying while not feeling 100%.

One personal ,In June 09 I was rushed to the Hospital in Long Beach after eating at Supermex Belmont Shore with severe Food Poisioning requiring a missed Air New Zealand flight. I could have faked it and headed straight to the bathroom for most of the flight - as I desperatly had to get home after a month in LA, but was aware that I could pass along any food poisiong bug to other travellers and subcomed to the Hospital drip overnight.
The other my husband and I were sitting and relaxing in the QF Lounge in HNL September 09 and a 80+ gentleman and his wife were sitting next to us with the wife stroking her husbands head and softly speaking to him, & him responding. I was watching their lovely interaction and thinking that given his age hopeing they had the luxury of 'Business Class' for this sector. One moment he was speaking to his wife, the next he was ' Asleep'. She was quitely trying to wake him without sucess, I was unsure If I should go and get my Husband who had gone to get a coffee & has 30years medical experience association with the Fire Brigade. The Husband was 'Out Cold' at which point I suggested that we call 911.

He was eventually woken with the Paramedics administering Oxygen and sugesting he be treated at the Hospital. There were two QF Females staff members on duty at this time who had walked passed this gentleman many times (its a small lounge ) without seeing what was taking place, or observing the situation (given both the passengers ages). The gentleman was a Diabetic, and hopefully was able to travel back to Au at some stage,but had he been on the flight to Sydney this evening, my husband fears that he may not have 'made it' .!

cova

The pilot of the flight announced that this was the first time an A380 had landed in HNL. Ground staff took pictures. We departed from the reef runway - and made a sharp turn over Wakiki Beach - it had just turned daylight. So there were not too many people at the airport to see the A380.

The problem that the fuel cart did not have a set up to fuel an A380 - like filling a swimming pool with a garden hose. Hence the 1.5 hours to refuel.

Qantas was not able to give us our luggage in SYD - since all the luggage was mixed together - so QF flew the luggage back the next morning on QF400 - MEL-SYD. We got luggage at the hotel about 10:30am. Able to go over to QF offices at 89 York and get $150 cash per person for some items the day of our arrival.

QF is very customer friendly - I do not see a US airline giving us $150 to buy some items.

number_6

It is getting increasingly rare, but in past years both DL, AA and AS have paid me over USD 100 for incidentals during an overnight delay (mis-connect due to late arrival that was airline's fault, such as lack of crew). So while not paid for weather delays etc. US airlines do pay out for some circumstances.

Spiff

You were very kind to think of your fellow passengers, but I don't believe food poisoning is contagious.

Blackcloud

True but "symapathetic" vomitting is!

Lonely Flyer

Or infectious.