Sydney Airport flights disrupted due to air traffic controller shortage

Sydney Airport experienced flight disruptions on Friday morning due to a shortage of air traffic controllers, according to Airservices Australia, the federal agency responsible for managing Australia's air traffic. The shortage led to the implementation of Air Traffic Flow Management (ATFM) measures, which caused cancellations, delays, and some flight cancellations, with Qantas flights facing delays of over an hour.

The ATFM measures were lifted after 8:15 a.m., though minor delays were still expected throughout the morning. Airservices Australia is working to recruit more controllers and improve staffing to minimize the impact on passenger travel. This incident comes amid a recent series of near-misses at Sydney Airport, prompting scrutiny of air traffic control staffing amid global shortages.

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