Sydney Airport suffered flight delays and cancellations on Friday morning after Airservices Australia imposed traffic flow controls because of an air traffic controller shortage and roster constraints. The restrictions were lifted at 8:15 a.m. local time, but disruption remained likely through the morning as airlines worked through the backlog at Australia’s busiest airport.
The operational slowdown affected several Qantas services, with some delayed by more than an hour and six flights cancelled. Airservices Australia moved to manage demand safely and limit disruption to passengers while it dealt with staffing pressure in the control tower. The agency is also trying to recruit more controllers and make it easier to bring in extra staff when needed.
The interruption comes as Sydney Airport remains under scrutiny following a series of recent near-miss incidents. The Australian Transport Safety Bureau is investigating multiple close calls, but the latest disruption is being treated as an operational staffing issue rather than a conclusion from those probes.