SYD ATC Delays this evening?

[Kelvin R]

Hello from LST where tonight's JQ748 has been delayed for 50 min due to ATC requirements at SYD. I have noticed an increase in ATC related delays in 2009 even with a reduction in flying by the airlines. Is this an excuse by the airlines for running late or can ATC no longer cope with the airline schedules in and out of SYD? If ATC can't cope, what has changed to cause this?

[Grahame Hutchison]

I noticed Air Vanuatu NF35 on PP holding down around TARAL, not sure what the delay is. It's on final for 34L now but running 55 minutes late.

[Adam P.]

That would be CTMS holding (Central Traffic Management System), which is a big computer program run by Airservices that allocates landing times and works back from that to work out ground holds for aircraft that have not yet taken off that are inbound to a slot-constrained port (ie SYD). The theory is that delays caused by a reduced landing acceptance rate can be managed on the ground rather than by using airborne holding.

The reduced landing rate might be for weather (single-runway ops for example), or for some other restriction (staffing?).

[Gerard M]

QF 32 is also holding over Taral at FL280. Delayed from an arrival of 705pm to 823pm.
VH-QB A380

CPA139 holding west of williamtown too now. Along with QF549 from Brisbane. The list of domestic delays keeps on going according to the SACL website.

[Chris W]

All over the news websites now. Delays of an hour or more due staff shortages. Should be a fun evening this evening, with flow on delays for tomorrow.

[Gerard M]

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/09/13/2684443.htm

And a couple more for the list holding over Culin/Makka.

- JST624 - VH-VQY
- VOZ877 - VH-VUA - MEL-SYD
- TGW534 - VH-VNB

1 Rex saab holding over BIK and

VBH150 joining the party over Culin.

[Marty H]

HUGE mess tonight massive delays and reports they will flow on tomorrow morning also, all airlines affected and Air Services can expect a few bills in the mail from the airlines effected.

[James Smith]

There has been a lot of 34L only operations both yesterday afternoon and this afternoon which have been due to noise sharing from what ATC advised on VHF. You don't often hear aircraft actually request runway 34R! This has included a lot of holding, additional vectoring and speed reductions.

Looks as though staff shortages have added to this to deliver even slower operatons this evening. I wonder whether there will be aircraft not able to complete their flights into Sydney before curfew.

[Gerard M]

It appears the only domestic arrivals that didn't arrive were JST7982 from Melbourne and a canceled Tiger 532 from Melbourne also. Whether or not this is a result of tonights events in Sydney is another question. There were quite a few arrivals at 10:53pm
Im presuming from the earlier delays Cathay 138 to Hong Kong departed at 1125pm as apposed to a scheduled 955pm dept.
Will the delays tonight lead to any delays tomorrow or will that depend on the number of controllers again?

[Andrew P]

CX never made it out of SYD, and now scheduled to depart Monday at 1300

interesting CX100 which left at 14.11 had to divert to Singapore and arrived in HKG 4 hours late, as Manila airspace was closed because of power failure at Manila airport tower

Banjo

[Marty H]

Looks as though staff shortages have added to this to deliver even slower operatons this evening. I wonder whether there will be aircraft not able to complete their flights into Sydney before curfew.


VB's last flight DJ899 MEL-SYD made it in we turned the aircraft in 19mins;)

[Matt_L]

reported in media (and notoriously untrustworthy:) as 3 controllers who took sick day on the afternoon shift

[Adam G]

Some comments from VB here...

http://blogs.crikey.com.au/planetalking/2009/09/14/virgin-blue-to-pursue-airservices-australia-for-compensation-for-its-air-traffic-failures/

[Gerard M]

A couple of aircraft just finished/ still holding south again tonight.

MAS141
SQ219
QFA764
QFA32

AVN35, QFA456 - Now on their way in.

Also think UPS 38 was holding off the east coast earlier.

Is this due to the earlier weather or staff shortages or just the usual sunday night traffic?

[lloyd fox]

HAL 451 diverted to Brissie.

[Gerard M]

Now due into Sydney at 930pm, hopefully.

Rego N591HA