Air traffic controller shortage causes Sydney Airport flight disruption

SYDNEY, Sept 11 (Reuters) - Sydney Airport experienced flight cancellations and delays on Friday morning because of an air traffic controller shortage, according to the federal body in charge of Australia’s air traffic management, while investigations into multiple recent near-misses at the airport continue.

Airservices Australia said it had to implement Air Traffic Flow Management (ATFM) procedures at Sydney Airport because of "roster constraints" and in order to "safely manage aviation demand."

The ATFM measures ended at 8:15 a.m. (2215 GMT on Thursday) as conditions improved, although delays of up to 10 minutes were still anticipated through the rest of the morning.

A spokesperson said by email that Airservices recognizes the ATFM measures might have disrupted airline scheduling and that it is working with carriers to minimize delays and the impact on passenger travel as much as possible.

The agency stated it is taking action to hire additional air traffic controllers and to make it simpler to bring in extra staff when necessary.

Several Qantas flights were delayed by more than an hour, and six flights were cancelled. The Sydney Airport website did not give a reason for the delays, and a spokesperson directed questions to Airservices Australia.

The disruptions occurred as Airservices Australia CEO Rob Sharp and other senior executives were due to appear later Friday before a Senate committee reviewing the condition of Australia’s aviation sector and its capacity to provide reliable, affordable services to regional areas.

Last week, a Reuters report, drawing on internal records and a call recording, said that several air traffic controllers on duty when two Qantas aircraft nearly collided at Sydney Airport in July had been identified as facing a high risk of fatigue.

According to the report, one shift manager described the staffing situation as "a bit insane."

That incident was the first of six near-misses at Sydney Airport within roughly a month, leading to greater scrutiny of air traffic control staffing amid shortages worldwide. The Australian Transport Safety Bureau is examining the close calls to determine whether they involved shared safety problems or contributing factors.