New concerns arise at Sydney Airport following two more runway incidents

In recent weeks, four close calls at Sydney Airport's runways have raised concerns about the frequency of such incidents. To determine if these occurrences are becoming more common, data from the Australian Transport Safety Bureau covering 2003 to 2025 was analyzed. The analysis focused on runway incursions and taxiing collisions or near collisions in Australian commercial air transport.

The investigation revealed that while the number of taxiing collisions or near-collisions on domestic flights has increased significantly, occurring on average of one additional incident every three years, the rate per million flight hours has also risen. This suggests that increased aviation activity is contributing to the trend.

Runway incursions showed a more pronounced upward trend, with an average of three additional incidents per two years. Unlike taxiing incidents, runway incursions have generally been less severe, with 98% classified as incidents and only 0.10% resulting in accidents. However, even the most minor runway incursions can create hazardous conditions if safety barriers fail to prevent a collision.

While the recent four occurrences at Sydney Airport may seem alarming, they occurred at different times and airports, making it difficult to conclude that the airport has suddenly become unsafe. The Australian Transport Safety Bureau will investigate the causes and the role of understaffing in these incidents. Regardless of the findings, the historical data highlights a broader concern: the increasing frequency of aviation safety occurrences, not just in Sydney Airport, but across the entire commercial air transport sector.