Air traffic controllers at Sydney airport have expressed grave concerns about changes to airspace rules introduced last month, warning federal safety regulators that the situation is reminiscent of the months leading up to a deadly crash in Washington DC in 2025.
The concerns were raised in a confidential complaint to the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB), which was notified by the federal government on Thursday. The complaint, made by an experienced air traffic controller in June, stated that changes related to the new Western Sydney International airport had been rushed, with inadequate training for controllers of all experience levels.
The complainant warned that a large group of controllers in Sydney hold grave concerns about the project, citing excessive pressure on the current system due to staff shortages, training, and experience levels. Controllers are being expected to learn about 1,000 pages of new training material without an adequate timetable, the whistleblower said.
The concerns come after three safety incidents at Australia’s busiest airport, including a runway incursion that saw a Virgin plane forced to abort takeoff when a Qantas flight began to cross the runway in front of it earlier this month. A Jetstar flight also narrowly avoided colliding with a Qatar Airways plane on the tarmac, prompting nationwide attention on the severe shortage of air traffic controllers.
The ATSB report said the complainant was concerned that with current pressure associated with staffing and experience levels, fast-tracked training along with the multiple complex procedural changes, the Sydney Terminal Control Unit is not ready to safely manage the new airspace changes as the training program currently stands.
In response, the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (Casa) told the ATSB it was satisfied that Airservices Australia has implemented appropriate training, procedures, and operational support arrangements and promised sufficient oversight to maintain safety. The federal transport minister, Catherine King, has also announced plans to improve rostering practices and boost training capacity in Sydney.
Travellers have faced lengthy delays due to incidents and longer-term problems stemming from a lack of air traffic controllers in Sydney. King said six controllers are currently training, with another 15 expected to commence before the end of 2027.
