Sydney Airport braces for delays due to air traffic controller shortage

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Passengers flying through Sydney Airport have been warned of possible flight disruptions on Friday afternoon due to a shortage of air traffic controllers.

The controller shortages have led Airservices Australia – the government body which is charged with management of airspace – to implement a departure limit to space them four minutes between each other between 10am and 11pm on Friday.

Additionally, a blanket ban on departures will be in place between 3:30pm and 4pm, this masthead understands.

A shortage of air traffic controllers has disrupted departures from Sydney airport.

Arrivals will not be affected, it is understood. It was not clear how significant the impact of the departure limits would be. Virgin Australia did not have a flight scheduled to depart during the 3:30pm-4pm window.

The limit on aircraft movements at the airport, which ordinarily has a cap of 80 take-off and landing movements per hour, could cause delays and disruptions to flights on Friday, in what is expected to be period of busier than normal travel as NRL and AFL fans fly across the country for finals fixtures.

“We’re aware that reduced staffing at Airservices Australia may cause some flight delays today. Passengers are encouraged to check with their airline regarding the status of their flight,” a Sydney Airport spokesperson said. “All other airport operations are running as normal,” they added.

A source from Civil Air, the union representing air traffic controllers, who asked not to be named to protect his employment, said the air traffic controller shortage was caused by staff illness in the Sydney Airport tower.

The half-hour departure halt has been scheduled to provide a mandated break to other staff members working, for fatigue management reasons, the source said.

Air traffic controller shortages are routinely linked to absences, with workers entitled to unlimited sick leave.

Airservices Australia has struggled with staff shortages in recent years following a voluntary retirement program that saw the number of employed air traffic controllers plummet.

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