Qantas Bringing Olympic Team Home

[C Patters]

Does anyone know why OEJ didn't position from San Francisco to Santiago to collect the Olympic team as reported given its had the special decals attached?

Looks like OEG positioned to Santiago instead as QF6007 as OEJ is currently operating QF74. Did OEJ go tech at the last minute therefore couldn't operate the special flight home for the Olympic team?

[Max C]

http://www.theqantassource.com/qantas-b747-400er-vh-oej-returns-from-san-francisco/
http://www.theqantassource.com/qantas-b747-400er-vh-oeg-positioning-flight-19/

[C Patters]

Thanks for the info Max.
I reckon that this is a major embarrassment for Qantas given they spent time & money on specific decals for OEJ which were really only relevant to bring the Olympic team home. Looks like the 747-400's need some maintenance as OEJ went tech a week ago.

[Rowan McKeever]

According to a post in a facebook group OEJ went tech in SFO. It should've arrived back in SYD this morning (Monday) then back out to SCL this arvo before positioning to GIG to pick up the team.

[MarkR]

Thanks for the info Max.
I reckon that this is a major embarrassment for Qantas given they spent time & money on specific decals for OEJ which were really only relevant to bring the Olympic team home. Looks like the 747-400's need some maintenance as OEJ went tech a week ago.

It's a common misconception that maintenance prevents things from breaking, I don't think it is an embarrassment at all, just an example of the issues that face airlines everyday.

[Brian Noldt]

According to Flightradar24:
VH-OEG has just departed GIG (Rio de Janeiro) on route to SCL (Santiago) as QF 6032

[C Patters]

OEJ is operating QF27 today to Santiago so it might swap with OEG & bring the Olympic team home as planned.

[Rowan McKeever]

It won't get to SCL in time... in fact it'll arrive in SCL about 8hrs after the team's flight departs. OEG will be the team charter and OEJ will ops the extended QF27/28 which runs through to GIG on timings 24hrs behind the team charter.

[Arthur T]

I wonder is it a mandatory requirement for the Australian team athletes to be on the Team charter?

I would wonder since Brazil is so far away from Australia, wouldn't it be better if our athletes will spend some time touring around Brazil after the games before heading home?

[Andrew P]

whet and spend their own money. i think not

[MarkR]

I wonder is it a mandatory requirement for the Australian team athletes to be on the Team charter?

I would wonder since Brazil is so far away from Australia, wouldn't it be better if our athletes will spend some time touring around Brazil after the games before heading home?

Given there was 422 athletes and then a similar number of cling ons I would say no, it's not mandatory.

[Jim M]

It won't get to SCL in time... in fact it'll arrive in SCL about 8hrs after the team's flight departs. OEG will be the team charter and OEJ will ops the extended QF27/28 which runs through to GIG on timings 24hrs behind the team charter.

What is the reason for the second aircraft heading to GIG, 24 hrs later? I'm assuming to bring the rest of the remaining personnel home, such as officials, media?? Only a guess, I'm probably completely wrong.

Cheers Jim

[Rowan McKeever]

I read on facebook this morning, from a poster who generally knows what he's talking about, that the second GIG departure is bringing home the remaining members of the team (those who are coming straight home). But I've also heard it's an 'open' service, i.e. the public can buy tickets on it. Hence why OEG bringing the main contingent home used QF6032 (a charter flight number) and OEJ will use QF28 (the normal SCL-SYD flight).

[MarkR]

Policy on travel for athletes:

http://canoe.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Rio-2016-Team-Travel-Policy_FINAL.pdf

[Radi K]

I read on facebook this morning, from a poster who generally knows what he's talking about, that the second GIG departure is bringing home the remaining members of the team (those who are coming straight home). But I've also heard it's an 'open' service, i.e. the public can buy tickets on it. Hence why OEG bringing the main contingent home used QF6032 (a charter flight number) and OEJ will use QF28 (the normal SCL-SYD flight).

OEJ enroute to SCL - to then operate as QF28 correct
http://flightaware.com/live/flight/QFA28

[Grahame Hutchison]

Qantas Olympic Team Welcome Home 24/8/2016 - Full Coverage


Duration 9min 22sec


If you missed the Qantas "Welcome Home" for the #Rio2016 (https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/rio2016?source=feed_text&story_id=10206668969874538) Olympic Athletes on TV, or want to see a different view of the event, here is my coverage from Qantas Hangar 96 yesterday. Includes edits of the main welcome speeches and images of the Athletes.


If you love the "Queen of The Skies" watch the first 2min in Large Screen HD 1080p.


Watch Video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yyf_goYK47A)

[Greg Hyde]

There was a mention in the press that two athletes who were in hospital would be flying home a day later.

Also some of the athletes left early for example:

Javelin thrower got back to Perth with a busted shoulder early in the week.
Jess Fox visiting her old school with medals the day before the charter.

[Kim F]

whet and spend their own money. i think not

Where's the "LIKE" button ? :)

[Grahame Hutchison]

It looks like our Paralympic Team are on their way from Rio, with Qantas B744 VH-OEJ having departed Santiago as QF6032. The estimated arrival time is 0605L tomorrow morning.

This time the right aircraft will bring them home - VH-OEJ

Seen Here - VH-OEJ departing SYD for SFO, where it then went Tech and could not bring the Olympic Team home. VH-OEG was substituted at the last minute for the Olympic charter.

http://www.16right.com/Aircraft-Images/displayimage.php?image=VH-OEJ D500-20160820-029.jpg

http://www.16right.com/Aircraft-Images/displayimage.php?image=VH-OEJ D500-20160820-031.jpg