Sydney Airport faces delays and cancellations amid air traffic controller shortage

Airservices Australia announced that it had to implement Air Traffic Flow Management at Sydney Airport because of roster shortages, aiming to keep aviation demand safe. The measures were removed at 8:15 a.m. GMT, yet passengers still faced up to ten-minute delays for the rest of the morning. Some Qantas flights were delayed by more than an hour and six flights were cancelled, with the airport’s website offering no specific explanation.

Airservices said it is accelerating recruitment of air traffic controllers and simplifying the process for calling in extra staff when needed. The timing coincides with Airservices CEO Rob Sharp and other senior leaders appearing before a Senate committee examining the sector’s capacity to provide reliable, affordable regional services. Recent investigations have highlighted a series of near-miss incidents at the airport, prompting scrutiny of staffing levels amid a global controller shortage.