QF Rescue Mission

[Greg Hyde]

Tonights QF flight to Hong Kong will be used to rescue Australians who wish to leave Wuhan.

After completing the service to Hong Kong the B744 will be cleaned and then fly onto Wuhan.

It is expected to return to Darwin in the early hours of Monday morning.

PAX will be transferred to smaller aircraft and then flown to Christmas Island.

[Dennis McLean]

Looks like OEF

[MarkR]

Not going until Sunday now, at the earliest.

[MarkR]

QF6031 is on her way, VH-OEE

[Dennis McLean]

Was due to leave WUH as QF 6032 at 02.10am CST and arrive at LEA at 09.59am AWST. Does not appear to have left yet??? according to Flight Aware????

[Dennis McLean]

6032 has now disappeared off Flight Aware????????????????

[Greg Hyde]

https://flightaware.com/live/flight/VHOEE

[Greg Hyde]

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-02-03/coronavirus-escaping-australians-evacuated-from-wuhan-on-flight/11922638

Just under 300 onboard heading.

I expect that a couple of Skytrader A319s will do the transfer to Xmas Is.

[MarkR]

Looks headed to DRW, probably crew requirements given the delay ex Wuhan

[Sean L]

It says headed to learmonth?

[Greg Hyde]

Headed to Learmonth WA

Landing at around 15:30 local time

2 x A319 waiting to complete transfer to Xmas Is.

OEE scheduled to depart Learmonth 17:00 Local time and arrive in SYD 00:04

[MarkR]

It says headed to learmonth?

Mystery solved, no overflight of Indonesian airspace permitted

[Sean L]

Headed to Learmonth WA

Landing at around 15:30 local time

2 x A319 waiting to complete transfer to Xmas Is.

OEE scheduled to depart Learmonth 17:00 Local time and arrive in SYD 00:04

00:04? I thought YSSY had a curfew?

[MarkR]

00:04? I thought YSSY had a curfew?

The ministers delegate can approve exceptions

[Sean L]

The flight has landed

[Greg Hyde]

The ministers delegate can approve exceptions

Especially when the a/c is performing a government charter

[Philip Argy]

Flew over my place about 02:55 - presumably with a curfew exemption to get the crew back and the aircraft de-contaminated after it was delayed leaving China and then Learmonth. Unusual to see a B744 landing on 16R at 03:00 in Sydney!

[Jim M]

There is some talk of a second Qantas flight out of Wuhan. If it goes ahead, will be interesting to see if OEE goes again, but i believe it's still in negotiations.
Air New Zealand is supposed to be operating one out possibly tonight, and may have some Australians onboard.

[Jim M]

The Air New Zealand Rescue flight is underway. Boeing 777-219(ER) ZK-OKE departed Wuhan about 2.5 hours ago (01.46CST) as NZ1942, heading to AKL. There are supposed to be some Australians onboard.

[Brenden S]

50 Australian Pax according to news reports last night in Perth. They will be met by a A319 and flown to XCH from AKL.

[Jim M]

A319 VH-VCJ standing by in AKL now as SND2.

[Jim M]

Flightaware is showing VH-OEE scheduled for departure as QF6031 to HKG at 11.50 AEDT.
Looks like the second rescue flight to Wuhan is about to head off??

[Jim M]

Interesting to note that Skytraders A319's VH-VHP and VH-VCJ are currently enroute back to Melbourne from Learmonth, especially since the second QF flight will probably be arriving sometime tomorrow. Perhaps different arrangements are in place for this group, but I was under the impression that they will be going to Christmas Island also.

[Greg Hyde]

OEE will probably return to Darwin as they are planning to use a NT mining Camp near Howard Springs.

Coronavirus evacuees expected to arrive at NT mining camp near Darwin

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-02-07/inpex-village-darwin-coronavirus-evacuees/11942338

[Greg Hyde]

Pickup/return delayed due to issue with Landing clearance in China

[Jim M]

OEE is airborne as QF6031 from HKG on its way to Wuhan.

[Jim M]

The Government announced a third evacuation flight today to be operated by Qantas on Wednesday, this time out of Japan to Darwin, for Australians who have been stranded on the Diamond Princess cruise ship.
No other details as yet.

[Tim Bowrey]

VH-OEE again will depart SYD tonight for HND then onto DRW arriving tomorrow afternoon.

[Jim M]

Anyone know what time the departure from SYD is?
OEH is scheduled to operate tonight's regular QF25.

[Jim M]

Doesn't look like OEE is heading out tonight?

[Greg Hyde]

OEE is on its way to Tokyo as QF6031