What’s behind Sydney airport’s heavy delays and near-miss incident?

<p>Air traffic controllers are short-staffed and exhausted – and new recruits face a difficult aptitude test and must train in Melbourne</p><ul><li><p>Get our <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/email-newsletters?CMP=cvau_sfl">breaking news email</a>, <a href="https://app.adjust.com/w4u7jx3">free app</a> or <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/series/full-story?CMP=cvau_sfl">daily news podcast</a></p></li></ul><p>Travellers flying in and out of Sydney airport had already been dealing with heavy delays even before a Jetstar plane <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2026/aug/10/jetstar-plane-qatar-near-miss-aircraft-proximity-event-sydney-airport">narrowly avoided colliding with a Qatar Airways plane</a> on the tarmac early on Sunday.</p><p>The day before, more than 150 flights passing through <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/sydney">Sydney</a> were delayed as the airport grappled with a lack of air traffic controllers, highlighting how just how delicate the rostering situation is.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2026/aug/13/whats-behind-sydney-airports-heavy-delays-and-near-miss-incident">Continue reading...</a>