Airservices Australia Controller Issued Incorrect Clearance in Sydney Near-Miss

Airservices Australia CEO Rob Sharp confirmed that an experienced controller issued a takeoff clearance during a runway near-miss at Sydney Airport involving two Boeing 737 aircraft, marking the third such safety incident in two weeks as aviation regulators examine airport staffing and capacity.

A routine endorsement check in the Sydney Airport air traffic control tower turned into a serious safety investigation after a Virgin Australia Boeing 737 was cleared for takeoff while another passenger jet crossed its path. The incident, which occurred at approximately 10 a.m. on a Sunday, prompted fresh scrutiny from federal safety officials regarding operational oversight and staffing levels at Australia’s busiest aviation hub.

The Runway Incursion Involving Virgin Australia and Qantas

Flight VA555, a Virgin Australia service bound for Perth, had received clearance to roll down the runway while Qantas flight QF728 had already been given permission to cross the runway from taxiway Lima. According to the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB), the Virgin crew had already applied engine thrust for departure when the pilots spotted the Qantas 737 moving across the tarmac ahead of them.

The Virgin aircrew immediately reduced thrust and brought the aircraft to a stop on the active strip. Simultaneously, air traffic controllers broadcast a cancellation order. Airservices Australia stated that the staff member who issued the initial departure instruction was an experienced controller undergoing a regular endorsement check under the supervision of another qualified colleague.

“The controllers immediately rescinded the clearance — they recognised that there was a Qantas aircraft 1.3km away approaching the runway.”

Rob Sharp, CEO, Airservices Australia

Airservices officials noted that the Virgin aircraft remained stationary throughout the sequence, maintaining a distance of about 1.3 kilometers from the crossing Qantas jet, which was scheduled to fly to Ayers Rock Airport. Once the Qantas aircraft cleared the path, air traffic control re-cleared the Virgin flight, and the aircraft successfully departed from the end of the runway.

Disputed Reporting Thresholds and Escalating Safety Inquiries

The near-miss marks the third runway safety event at Sydney Airport within a two-week window. Earlier incidents included a July 27 close call involving a QantasLink flight from Canberra and a Qantas 737 from Queenstown, alongside an episode where a Jetstar pilot had to brake abruptly to avoid a towing collision with a Qatar Airways Boeing 777.

Airservices Australia has revealed an experienced controller had cleared a plane for take-off before the most recent Sydney — Photo: 7NEWS

ATSB Chief Commissioner and Chief Executive Angus Mitchell raised concerns over the cluster of events and questioned why Airservices delayed reporting the latest occurrence for four days. Mitchell told media outlets that investigators would examine airport congestion, tower staffing levels, and potential systemic or organizational factors.

An aircraft approaching Sydney Airport during a sunset earlier this month. The airport had dozens of commercial flights — Photo: Nzherald

“What we do know is three incidents occurred that shouldn’t have occurred. We need to understand why.”

Angus Mitchell, Chief Commissioner and Chief Executive, ATSB

Sharp defended the initial decision not to file an immediate mandatory report, explaining that management believed the threshold was not met because the clearance was cancelled instantly, the aircraft stayed stationary, and the 1.3-kilometer separation was substantial. Nevertheless, Sharp acknowledged that Airservices takes full accountability for aviation safety and remains fully open to reviewing all surrounding data alongside ATSB investigators.

Staffing Pressures and Proposed Navigation Fee Increases

Industry stakeholders point to ongoing systemic challenges within the air navigation agency. Stephen Beckett, chief executive of Airlines for Australia and New Zealand (A4ANZ), stated that Airservices has suffered from persistent operational issues driven by an inability to adequately staff critical air traffic control functions and resolve long-standing rostering difficulties.

Third near miss at Sydney Airport | 9 News Australia

Sharp admitted that the organization does not yet maintain a sufficiently robust staffing system and must recruit and train additional controllers, a process carrying lengthy lead times. The staffing strain coincides with heavy traffic volume management; earlier in the month, Airservices enacted air traffic flow management measures for nearly three hours, holding departures on the ground to manage operational restrictions.

Concurrently, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) is reviewing a pricing proposal from Airservices. The agency has proposed increasing the prices it charges airlines for enroute navigation, terminal navigation, and aviation rescue and firefighting services by an average of about 15 per cent each year over five years starting in 2026–2027, which would leave weighted-average prices 103.2 per cent higher by 2030–2031 to fund future investments and cost recovery.

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