Sydney Airport near-collision: How close did Jetstar and Qatar planes come?

Two passenger aircraft came close to a collision on the ground at Sydney Airport on Sunday morning, prompting a Jetstar Airbus A320 to brake suddenly as a Qatar Airways Boeing 777 was being towed across its path.

The incident took place at around 7 am as Jetstar flight JQ402 was taxiing towards its departure from Sydney to the Gold Coast. At the same time, the Qatar Airways aircraft was being moved by a tug on a crossing taxiway.

How close did the planes come?

The exact distance between the two aircraft has not been released by investigators. However, Australia’s Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB), which is investigating the incident, said the planes were in “close proximity” and both had to be brought to an abrupt stop.

Jetstar said its pilots were following air traffic control instructions when they had to brake “firmly” after the Qatar aircraft came into their path.

A cabin crew member on the Jetstar flight was injured and required medical attention. No passengers were hurt. The Qatar Boeing 777, meanwhile, sustained damage to the connection between its nose landing gear and the tug that was towing it.

What caused the near-miss?

Investigators have not yet determined exactly how the two aircraft ended up on intersecting paths.

Initial inquiries suggested that the tug towing the Qatar aircraft may not have followed instructions. The ATSB will examine the circumstances surrounding the incident before determining what went wrong.

Investigators are expected to interview the pilots, tug operators, air traffic controllers and other witnesses. CCTV footage from the airport will also be reviewed as part of the probe.

The Jetstar flight was eventually cancelled, with passengers moved to later services.

Sydney Airport already facing delays

The near-miss comes as Sydney Airport deals with disruption linked to reduced air traffic movements. More than 150 flights were delayed at the airport on Saturday, while Airservices Australia said it had been managing reduced movements.

The incident has also raised fresh concerns over air traffic controller staffing.

NSW Premier Chris Minns said he was “obviously concerned” about what had happened and noted that staffing shortages could affect more than flight delays, including public safety.

The ATSB investigation will now seek to establish how the two aircraft came into such close proximity and whether instructions or procedures were missed before the emergency stop.