What’s behind Sydney airport’s heavy delays and near-miss incident?

Air traffic controllers are short-staffed and exhausted – and new recruits face a difficult aptitude test and must train in Melbourne Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast Travellers flying in and out of Sydney airport had already been dealing with heavy delays even before a Jetstar plane narrowly avoided colliding with a Qatar Airways plane on the tarmac early on Sunday. The day before, more than 150 flights passing through Sydney were delayed as the airport grappled with a lack of air traffic controllers, highlighting how just how delicate the rostering situation is. While Sunday’s incident is under investigation – an air traffic controller and a tug driver were temporarily stood down for mandatory drug and alcohol testing – the issue has shone a spotlight on the severe staffing shortages of those in charge of managing air traffic, and takeoffs and landings. While air traffic controllers are entitled to unlimited sick leave under their terms of employment, Scott Nugent, the president of the air traffic controllers’ union Civil Air, says the issue “is that we do not have enough controllers jus