QF 321 is a code share on LA800. LA is going through a minor crisis because their 787s are not flying. Aircraft are operated in odd and unpredictable ways. One week ago the Friday QF321 SYD-AKL was cancelled and the same happened again this Friday. Indeed it operated AKL-SCL but 4 hrs late. It started the outbound journey 14 hrs late from SCL. As a QF code share, e QF staff can't really help with anything on LA but do their best with shuffling you around on QF metal.

So, the survival kit.

Check flight status from at least 26 hrs prior. This was when I saw the cancellation on the QF web site.
If cancelled, get on the phone ASAP to secure a suitable seat on an alternate flight. Everything zeros out very quickly. Chatting with someone else, they said that QF rang to advise of the cancellation 12 hrs after I got on the phone. In other words, don't wait to be contacted - do it yourself.
The new flight(s) to get you to AKL so you can join the LA flight may be via MEL (sigh). If via MEL, you can negotiate on the timing of the SYD-MEL connector.
Expect to be rejected if you dare to suggest that you could be rebooked on EK or NZ.
If routed via MEL and doing GST refund before MEL-AKL, allow a 2'hr connection (and at least 30 min in the GST refund queue)
If you arrive in AKL without a AKL-SCL Boarding Pass, the Transfer counter will gladly help - so long as the LAN rep can be found to unlock the LA system so a BP can be issued. Expect to wait more than half an hour.
The transfer counter staff will give out $15 meal vouchers and a $10 duty free voucher to keep you happy during the delay to boarding in AKL. But only if you can show a boarding pass. Too bad if "Mr LAN" can't be found to open up their computer...
If you had seat assignments, you would have remembered that on LAN flights these are aspiration all rather than truth. Seat allocations seem to disappear at T-24 hrs. Upon BP issuance, if 2 or more travelling together you will probably by now be separated (given its now only 1 hr prior to departure). The desk clerk will move people so you can sit with your travelling companion if the clerk likes you.
By now it's boarding time and you enter another world when on the plane. Calm, friendly, attractive, welcoming, efficient, comfortably flat beds (in Biz) and everything you could ask for. All this for flying on a QF code share

I'd hope LA schedules recover when their 787 get in the air again.

But after all this, using the QF code gets an extra 5000 or so FF points and a ~.

Awesome. I flew LA to AKL and was extremely impressed with the hard product. I fell asleep on the return sector and woke up with a pillow underneath my head and a blanket on me.

Not unexpected given the AKL-SYD leg often departs at times during the year before the sun has risen in AKL ...

When its on time

More to the survival guide for QF321, although information from QF is almost non existent on any SCL connections, only the very brave and/or foolhardy would rely on tight connections within the LAN network. LAN is Spanish for "sometime today". If schedules matter, take the QF 744 SYD-SCL.

Thanks for the warning.
I was about to book the LA801 from AKL to SYD for a flight in March and noticed that they have been cancelling these fligths as there are 16 hour delays on flights from SCL.
I hope the 787 issue will be resolved by then but the way Boeing has mismanaged the entire "Nightmareliner" programme I have my doubts.
Also LAN is not known for any quality service on the ground.
Undecided what to do now.

At least 2 new "firebirds" can be seen sulking at SCL airport - once you lean side wards because there is a red tailed QF 744 blocking the view . And as for delays, none of the locals really seem too upset - perhaps they are used to it. And yes, LA ground service is minimal - but the colour green on the FF card is treated seriously and gets staff attention and action.

My only advice is to watch those LA801 delays ex SCL. If happening, then a plane load will be reaccommodated on other services Trans Tasman. That means lots of zeroes in all classes. Not good for last minute changes.

I notice that the last post on this thread was over a year ago and am wondering if there's been any improvement in delays/scheduling in the ensuing 16 months or so.
I'm getting my ETA sorted right now since I'm going to be overnighting in SYD on the way back, wondering if I should get another one for the outbound leg JIC

I'm booked on QF321 next week, coming off UA 863 SFO->SYD and proceeding on to AKL w/ 3 hours between the two. Nested PNRs, gotta love 'em(not).

I'm guessing I'm going to have to pick up my bags before proceeding on to transfer at T1. It's been a while since I've had to do this at SYD. Will this require an immigration clearance and re-check-in outside security at T1 ?

Thanks!

IIRC this is the only route LA now has A340 on so the chance of network delays are minimised.
It is up to UA as SFO on whether they will interline your bags to LA at SYD.
If not you need to go through immigration, collect bags, go through biosecurity, recheck your bags at the departure level, go through immigration then security.

Without hard data, it seems to have improved significantly. I regularly see the LA A340 departing SYD for AKL at a similar time each morning. This is good. Also, with the 787s back in the air, LA is not juggling schedules to fill gaps where their 787s should have operated - so, as per Blackcloud, there are fewer reasons for the A340 not to be where it should be.

Cool. Thanks for the update og and [b]BlackCloud/b] !
LA will be a new airline for me, so as long as it leaves on time, I'm looking forward to it(as much as you can look forward to coach in a A340).

As a small data point in the last 15 months the couple of LA800/801's I've taken been generally on time. By generally I guess +/- 15(ish) minutes on STD.

I thought I'd provide an update since my last post here.

I had this flight today and it largely went off w/ out a hitch.

There was a bit of a queue at the T1 transfer desk while a rather harried desk agent tried to work out seat changes for a couple family groups in front of me who trying to travel together for the whole trip through to SCL.
That took about 40 minutes altogether to sort out.

No terminal change for us today. We left from 34 in T1, right next to the GA flight to DPS. Given the transfer desk wait time, the 3 hour window between flights would have fit just perfectly if I'd had to get to T3.

The flight itself was meh. I was in 39C. It wasn't any better or worse than any other A34x coach seat I've been on. It got me to AKL and my bags were interlined w/ out a problem. For the fare, that's about all I can ask for and all I was expecting.

Given I've just booked LA800/801 for May, nice to know.