Sydney Airport runway incursions and air traffic control safety incidents
Consensus Summary
Sydney Airport has experienced three runway incursions or near-miss incidents in less than three weeks, with the most recent involving a Virgin Australia flight VA555 and a Qantas flight QF728 on Sunday 9 August. The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) is investigating all incidents, with the Qantas crew reporting clearance to cross the runway during the latest event. Airservices Australia faces staffing shortages due to a 2021 exodus of experienced controllers and an 18-month training period for new hires, compounded by increased demand from Western Sydney Airport and Ballina Airport operations. Federal Transport Minister Catherine King has called for accountability, noting 95 new controllers are expected by year-end, while airlines and unions highlight exhaustion among staff. Earlier incidents include a Jetstar-Qatar Airways near-miss on the tarmac and a July 27 near-miss between two Qantas flights.
✓ Verified by 2+ sources
Key details reported by multiple sources:
- A third near-collision between a Virgin Australia flight VA555 (Sydney to Perth) and a Qantas flight QF728 (Sydney to Ayers Rock Airport) occurred on Sunday 9 August, involving a runway incursion at Sydney Airport.
- The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) is investigating all three recent safety incidents at Sydney Airport in less than three weeks.
- The Qantas crew reported receiving clearance from air traffic controllers to cross the runway during the Sunday 9 August incident.
- Airservices Australia is understaffed due to a 2021 pandemic-era program that incentivised experienced air traffic controllers to leave, with new recruits requiring 18 months of training.
- Federal Transport Minister Catherine King called Airservices Australia’s chief executive to Canberra on Monday the federal transport minister.
- An additional 95 people are expected to be endorsed as air traffic controllers by the end of the year.
Points of Difference
Details reported by only one source:
- The latest incident involved a Virgin Australia flight VA555 aborting take-off after a Qantas plane began crossing the runway in front of it, with both flights being Boeing 737s.
- A Jetstar plane narrowly avoided colliding with a Qatar Airways plane on the tarmac hours before the Sunday 9 August incident.
- Airservices has blamed delays on a shortage of air traffic controllers, exacerbated by the new Western Sydney Airport and takeover of Ballina airport airspace management.
- The federal transport minister described the disruptions as 'unacceptable' but said Airservices was 'doing everything they can to get on top of this'.
- The Virgin Australia flight VA555 was cleared for take-off on runway 34L at around 10am local time on Sunday 9 August, while the Qantas flight QF728 began crossing the runway from taxiway lima.
- The Qantas plane began crossing the runway about 1,200 metres ahead of the Virgin Australia flight’s starting point before its clearance was cancelled four seconds later.
- A Jetstar flight JQ402 was forced to brake to avoid a Qatar Airways 777 being towed on the tarmac on Sunday 9 August.
- A QantasLink flight and a Qantas plane were involved in a near-miss on the tarmac two weeks earlier, on July 27.
Contradictions
Conflicting information between sources:
- The Guardian states the third incident occurred 'less than three weeks' before the article's publication, while the ABC specifies the second incident occurred 'two weeks earlier' on July 27, with the third on Sunday 9 August.
- The Guardian mentions the latest incident happened 'hours after' a Jetstar-Qatar Airways near-miss on Sunday 9 August, while the ABC does not specify the timing between the two Sunday incidents.
Source Articles
Transport watchdog investigates third near miss at Sydney airport
Two planes came close to collision on the runway on Sunday – hours after another near miss – making a total of three in recent weeks Get our breaking news email , free app or daily news podcast The transport safety watchdog is investigating a a third near-collision between two planes at Sydney airport – the latest incident occurring hours after one that made national news and raised concerns about air traffic control. The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) said on Thursday night that it w
Breaking: Third Sydney Airport take-off incident investigated by safety body
Safety authorities are investigating a third runway incident at Sydney Airport, involving a Qantas flight crossing the path of a Virgin Australia aircraft.