Strong winds have caused significant disruptions at three major Australian airports, leading to hundreds of flight cancellations and delays. Sydney Airport has been particularly affected, with multiple departures cancelled on the morning of Tuesday, August 11, and further delays expected throughout the day.
Ground delay program in effect
According to a Sydney Airport spokesman, "Strong winds are affecting operations at Sydney Airport and flight delays are expected throughout the day." The ground delay program will remain in place until 2pm due to the weather conditions.
Airservices Australia's daily plan shows that 786 flights were scheduled to depart from Sydney Airport, with 138 expected to face delays of around 45 minutes. Passengers have been urged to check the latest flight status with their airline before heading to the airport.
Qantas and Melbourne Airport affected
A Qantas spokesman confirmed that two flights from Melbourne and one from Brisbane were cancelled due to poor weather. All affected passengers have been rebooked onto other services.
Melbourne Airport has also experienced delays and cancellations, though operations remain "relatively normal," according to a spokesman. The Airservices Australia plan indicates 618 flights were scheduled to depart Melbourne Airport on Tuesday, with around 198 facing delays.
Recent incidents at Sydney Airport
The travel disruptions come after two passenger jets narrowly avoided a ground collision at Sydney Airport. This close call followed days of chaos for thousands of travellers, as control tower staffing issues delayed more than 100 international and domestic flights.
