Hello,
One can only speculate as to the reason for the delay, but it could be anything from urgent maintenance requirments, fuel leak, electrical problems, engine issues etc. The aircraft in question is
VH-OJC, of course also know as "City of Melbourne"
(this aircraft operated QF26 LAX-AKL-MEL today and turned around to operate the very delayed QF25 back to AKL/LAX).
Qantas is about to release one of it's 2-class 747-400s back into service after it's recent AVOD upgrade, so it could operate QF 25 on THU 4 JAN reducing any significant delays to just today's MEL-AKL-LAX and the return flight back (LAX-AKL-MEL: arrival on 4 FEB [Scheduled depart from LAX 2 JAN]). While I am guessing the above, I wouldn't be surprised if this happened. Qantas is good with positioning aircraft and switching flights in order to contend with delays.
The aircraft that operates QF26 LAX-AKL-MEL usually always turns around and operates the outbound QF25 flight back to Los Angeles (the aircraft may then go on to operate something like LAX-BNE-LAX-BNE-LAX-AKL-MEL). The following example is pretty much what happens. VH-OJD (eg) operates QF26 LAX-AKL-MEL, arrives into MEL in morning, spends hrs on ground, prepped, before flying QF25 back to Los Angeles. Sometimes this is not always the case, and the following occured on December 23 2006:
Code:
VH-OJK QF10 LHR-SIN-MEL (Arrives MEL on 23 DEC)
VH-OJK QF25 MEL-AKL-LAX (Departs MEL on 23 DEC)
and then..
VH-OJM QF26 LAX-AKL-MEL (Arrives MEL on 23 DEC)
VH-OJM QF09 MEL-SIN-LHR (Departs MEL on 23 DEC)
Aircraft may also be sourced from other ports (to operate MEL-AKL-LAX) such as SYD and AVV (where they may fly repositioning flights/revenue pax (not AVV) flights from), but normally the aircraft that operates QF26 into Melbourne, will be the aircraft that operates QF25 back to Auckland and Los Angeles.
Once again, until something is officially confirmed, we can only speculate as to the reasons for the 8 hour delay. Perhaps though, someone from Qantas or pax from QF25 may be able to give some more information as to why there was a delay.
Unless the IFE system/wiring was likely to cause an accident, I very much doubt Qantas would delay a flight by 8 hrs, just to make it reliable. Mal is correct in saying that the tag mentioned means that the flight has IFE on offer.
Hope that helps (and makes sense
). I've just released the Plane Spotter in me!
Cheers
- there were a few novices in row 11 with me, 2 of whom had been op-up'd and were thrilled but had to talk about it and all the whiz bang seat features and service features throughout the flight 
) so had my hands full dealing with that. So you think perhaps something else was up and they weren't saying? Either way, it made a 13½ hour flight into approx 16 hours on-board. 
Thankfully, Disneyland was at the other end.
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