‘Unplanned runway repairs’ latest blow to air travel on Australia’s east coast

Hopes of a return to hassle-free air travel along Australia’s east coast have been dashed by unplanned repairs to a Brisbane Airport runway.

Hopes of a return to hassle-free air travel along Australia’s east coast have been dashed by “unplanned repairs” to one of Brisbane Airport’s two runways.

Defects were discovered during a routine runway inspection, prompting the immediate closure of the legacy runway mid-morning on Monday.

As a result of the runway closure, air traffic control in Brisbane reduced the rate of arriving aircraft from 24 to 17 an hour between 9am and 2.30pm.

Delays of up to an hour for some flights were expected across the network due to the restriction.

Brisbane Airport’s head of public affairs Stephen Beckett said they expected to have the runway restored to service in time for the evening peak.

“Brisbane Airport is currently conducting unplanned repairs to two small sections of the legacy runway,” he said.

“All aircraft are using the new parallel runway, and Brisbane Airport apologises to all passengers for any delays.”

Aerial view of Brisbane Airport’s parallel runways.

The repairs were completed just after 2.30pm with the runway reopening shortly afterwards.

The problems were relatively minor compared to the disruption experienced late last week and over the weekend, due to high winds at Sydney Airport and air traffic control shortages.

The weather and staffing issues struck at one of the busiest times of year for air travel, as thousands took advantage of school holidays to get away.

A Qantas spokeswoman said all passengers whose travel plans were affected by the airport issues had been re-accommodated on alternative flights on the weekend and Monday morning.

Virgin Australia extended its apologies to those caught up in the latest drama.

For safety reasons, air traffic control restricted runway operations in Sydney whenever winds from the east or west exceeded 20 knots.

Those conditions occurred over the weekend, exacerbating flight cancellations and delays from Thursday and Friday as a result of what Airservices Australia called “unplanned leave” by air traffic controllers.

A statement from the air traffic controllers’ union, Civil Air, hit back at Airservices, saying it was their own lack of workplace planning and resource allocation that was the issue.

“Data obtained by Civil Air demonstrates a very clear shortfall in the number of required staff, with recorded overtime hours far exceeding the number of hours lost to unplanned leave,” said Civil Air industrial officer Jane Douglas.

“Covering unfilled shifts requires our members to work overtime, and this reduces the number of available staff to cover any subsequent personal leave taken.”

Ms Douglas added that it was “relevant to note that air traffic controllers have a regulatory requirement not to work unless medically fit for duty”.

Because of that regulatory requirement, air traffic controllers were permitted unlimited sick leave.

Airservices was in the process of recruiting more air traffic controllers, with the aim of adding another 80 by mid-2024.