To compound the problem, hundreds of Qantas ground workers are set to strike over pay and working conditions next week
2-MIN READ2-MINBloombergandReutersPublished: 9:56am, 18 Sep 2026Australia’s major airlines have backed a proposal to close Sydney Airport’s control tower overnight to free up air traffic controllers, the latest step to address a persistent labour shortage that is disrupting flights and raising safety concerns.“It sounds like an opportunity we should absolutely explore,” said Stephen Beckett, chief executive officer of Airlines for Australia & New Zealand, the group that represents Qantas Airways, its low-cost carrier Jetstar, and Virgin Australia Holdings. “There seems to be some merit to this proposal,” he said in an interview.
The proposal to close the tower was raised at the meeting of a task force specially formed last month to address the disruption in Sydney.
