Sydney Airport safety scare notification delayed four days
- 5 hours ago
- 2 min read
The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) was not notified about the latest Sydney Airport safety incident until four days after it happened.
The incident occurred on Sunday and became the third aircraft-related safety scare at the airport in less than two weeks.
A Virgin Australia flight was preparing to take off when its pilots saw a Qantas aircraft crossing the runway. Both movements had initially been cleared by air traffic control.
A cancellation instruction was issued about four seconds after the take-off clearance. The aircraft were around 1.2 kilometres apart at the time.
The ATSB said it would investigate the incident. Chief Commissioner Angus Mitchell said the bureau was only informed on Thursday, raising questions about why the notification was delayed.
He said there may have been confusion over whether the incident was immediately reportable or linked to a training matter.
The latest event came just hours after another incident in which a Jetstar aircraft reportedly came within about 50 metres of a Qatar Airways aircraft being towed by a tug.
Mr Mitchell said the three incidents were different but all involved aircraft movements on the ground. He also confirmed that pilots involved had recognised the risks and taken appropriate action.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said aviation safety authorities must receive immediate reports of incidents so potential risks can be properly investigated.
He said the Transport Minister was working with Sydney Airport and other authorities to ensure runway safety remained a priority.
Australia continues to have a strong aviation safety record, but the recent incidents have increased scrutiny of safety procedures at Sydney Airport.
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Source : News24
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