Fourth Sydney Airport safety incident under investigation in as many weeks

Investigators are examining how two Qantas flights at Sydney Airport were given clearance to take routes that could have caused a collision on Tuesday.

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) said a Qantas 737 coming in from the Gold Coast was heading west on the ground and had clearance to turn right.

At the same time, a Qantas Airbus A321 preparing to depart for Melbourne also had clearance to turn, which would have put it in the other plane’s path.

“As the Airbus approached … the crew observed the Boeing approaching from the left and stopped the aircraft,” the bureau said.

Scrutiny over the operations of air traffic controllers has increased in the past month, following a series of incidents primarily at Sydney Airport.

The safety bureau is also investigating a runway incursion and rejected take-off of Virgin Australia flight VA555 from Sydney to Perth and Qantas flight QF728 from Sydney to Ayers Rock Airport that occurred on August 9. On the same day, a Jetstar A320 almost collided with a Qatar Airways Boeing 777. That incident was initially described as a near collision. But the bureau later called it a “proximity event”.

On the August 18 investigation, the bureau said: “The evidence collection phase of the investigation will involve interviewing involved air traffic controllers and flight crew, retrieving and reviewing available recorded data, and the collection of other relevant information.”

Qantas said: “Our aircraft was cleared to proceed following instructions from Air Traffic Control and we will support the ATSB in the investigation.”

Airservices Australia, the government-owned body in charge of air traffic control, said it reported the August 18 incident to the ATSB, “involving a potential traffic conflict between two Qantas aircraft taxiing on the ground using the taxiway system”.

Airservices described the report as part of its safety management system process.

“As with all reported occurrences, we will provide the ATSB with all relevant information and act on any findings arising from its investigation,” the Airservices spokesperson said.

“The recent ground traffic incidents currently under investigation by the ATSB involve a range of circumstances, and each incident is being investigated on its individual facts.

“Airservices will continue to review operational events and take any action required to maintain safe operations.”

The smooth operation of Sydney Airport’s tower has been the source of concern from the airline industry which has complained about regular delays at the major airport.

Some air traffic controllers have expressed concern over increased workload related to the opening of Western Sydney International.

On July 27, a QantasLink flight and a Qantas flight were involved in a near miss on the tarmac in Sydney.

The incidents have raised concern about the staffing of the air traffic control tower in Sydney, which has come under increasing pressure.

Airservices said that in fiscal year 2024/25 the ATSB received more than 14,600 aviation notifications from across the industry, and Airservices submits multiple reports to the ATSB daily “as part of regular operational procedure”.

More to come

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