Qantas Freight makes progress but backlog unlikely to be cleared this week
09 / 10 / 2023
Qantas Freight said it had over the weekend made progress in clearing a backlog of freight caused by IT issues but stations are unlikely to be fully cleared until next week.
The Australian combination carrier said its operations teams had cleared substantial amounts of bypass freight, primarily for larger customers.
The airline said it was on track to clear the backlog in Brisbane by October 11 but in Melbourne and Sydney volumes are substantially higher and therefore clearance is expected to continue into next week.
“Collections over the weekend have made space for additional consolidation with specific location mapping, and over 200 bypass units were ready for collection today [October 9], Qantas Frieght said in its latest update.
“Sydney’s Terminal Three has now cleared more than 70% of the backlog. Terminal One continues to process bulk shipments and is expected to meet the target of 100% clearance by October 19. As Melbourne had a backlog prior to cutover, their recovery is on track to be cleared by October 21.”
The backlogs occurred when the company suffered an IT blackout on September 24.
It’s not just Qantas shipments that are being delayed by the backlog, the carrier said that its stations also handle cargo for other airlines, and these shipments were also subject to delays.
Qantas said that its terminal teams are continuing to work around the clock to process the freight backlog.
“At the same time, we’re trying to keep more recent freight arrivals moving through our terminals without delay,” the carrier said.
“A large number of bypass units are ready for collection and customers are being contacted directly if this applies to their freight.
“Any cargo requiring a breakdown is taking a little extra time as we focus on reducing bypass units.”
The carrier said that any claims for delayed or damaged freight must be requested online and time limits apply.
Any storage fees which may apply due to delayed processing will be waived.
Qantas Freight faces two weeks of backlogs after IT system blackout
