Sydney Airport is facing a fresh safety review after a near-miss on the ground involving a Jetstar Airbus A320 and a Qatar Airways Boeing 777. The Australian Transport Safety Bureau has opened an investigation into the Sunday incident, in which the Jetstar aircraft stopped abruptly while taxiing for departure to the Gold Coast and a cabin crew member was injured. No passengers were hurt, while airport operators introduced spacing and traffic-management measures to limit disruption.
The Qatar aircraft was being towed across a crossing taxiway when the two planes came close to colliding at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport. The incident has intensified scrutiny of ground movements at the airport after another runway or taxiway safety event less than two weeks earlier, also under ATSB investigation.
On Monday, transport minister Catherine King met Airservices Australia chief executive Rob Sharp as attention turned to staffing and rostering issues linked to weekend delays. Two workers, an air traffic controller and the tug driver involved in towing the Qatar aircraft, were temporarily stood down for drug and alcohol testing after the incident. The exact cause has not been established.