Sydney Airport faced flight cancellations and delays on Friday morning, 11 September 2026, caused by a shortage of air traffic controllers. Airservices Australia implemented Air Traffic Flow Management (ATFM) measures in response to constraints in controller rosters, restricting the flow of arrivals and departures.
Qantas experienced delays of up to 80 minutes and cancelled six flights before the Sydney ground delay program was lifted at 8:15 AM. Virgin Australia faced six cancellations and delays on Sydney-bound flights reaching up to 50 minutes. Additionally, two Melbourne flights were cancelled due to an independent ground delay program, with measures continuing to disrupt
operations in Melbourne, impacting the national network.
Near-Misses Investigation and Senate Committee Inquiry
The flight disruptions coincided with intensified scrutiny after six near-misses at Sydney Airport within approximately a month. One incident in July involved two Qantas aircraft narrowly avoiding collision. The Australian Transport Safety Bureau is investigating these events. Meanwhile, Airservices Australia CEO Rob Sharp and other senior executives are scheduled to appear before a Senate committee probing the reliability of Australia’s aviation sector.
Official Statements on Flight Delays and Mitigation Efforts
An Airservices Australia spokesperson said, “Minimal airborne delays are expected through the morning, and departure delays for domestic and international flights out of Sydney are mostly under 10 minutes, due to
demand.” The spokesperson also acknowledged that “the ATFM measures may have caused some disruptions to airline scheduling and is working with airlines to reduce delays and the impact on passenger travel as much as possible.” A shift manager described the staffing situation as a “bit insane.”
