Jetstar and Qatar Airways face near collision at Sydney airport
What's the story
The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) has launched an investigation into a near-collision between two passenger planes at Sydney Airport. The incident occurred this morning when a Jetstar pilot had to brake suddenly to avoid hitting a Qatar Airways jet being towed by an aircraft tug. The sudden stop injured one cabin crew member aboard the Jetstar Airbus A320 and caused damage to the connection between the nose gear of the Qatar Boeing 777 and its aircraft tug.
Ongoing probe
ATSB launches investigation
The ATSB is collecting data from both aircraft and air traffic control, as well as interviewing crew members and tug operators.
They are also looking for any witnesses who may have video footage of the near-collision.
A Jetstar spokesperson said their aircraft was following ATC instructions when the pilots had to brake suddenly after another aircraft came too close.
Flight disruption
Flight cancellations and delays
The near-miss incident led to the cancellation of Jetstar flight JQ402, which was taxiing on the tarmac at the time. Passengers were re-booked on later services.
No passengers were injured in this incident. However, it has caused operational delays at Sydney Airport, with Airservices Australia working to safely manage demand and reduce delays as much as possible.
Staff issues
Staffing shortages at Sydney Airport
The near-miss incident comes amid ongoing staffing shortages at Sydney Airport, which have already led to delays for over 150 flights yesterday.
Airservices Australia has been unable to roster enough staff for three consecutive days.
New South Wales Premier Chris Minns expressed concern over the incident, emphasizing the need for the airport to operate at full capacity and not disrupt passengers due to a lack of air traffic controllers.