Sydney Airport Is In Utter Chaos & Qantas’s CEO Reckons Us Passengers Are Partly To Blame

Godspeed to anyone at Sydney Airport on Friday because it appears to be absolute bloody chaos. As if trying to work out those automatic bag drop thingos wasn’t stressful enough. And Qantas CEO Alan Joyce reckons it’s partly passengers’ fault. Sure, Jan.

Thousands of folks at Sydney Airport have experienced fucked queues for the second day in a row.

Journos, TikTokers and hopeful travellers shared absolutely wild footage from the airport.

https://twitter.com/mxhsin10/status/1512301127416487942?s=20&t=as77PzQjCv5z2WFSnbZsOg

@sonali.arora_xx The security line was legit looping outside the airport … wtf 😩😩😩 #fyp ♬ original sound – maralovepets

@therealelwoods #sydneyairport #auspol #auspolitics ♬ original sound – 🍪

https://twitter.com/leighsales/status/1512208166682996767?s=20&t=as77PzQjCv5z2WFSnbZsOg

Those videos just triggered my flight anxiety in a huge way. Getting a plane can be nerve-inducing anyway, let alone having to queue on the street just to enter the airport.

According to Alan Joyce, part of the reason for the queues is because customers aren’t “match fit” for travel.

“I went through the airport on Wednesday and people forget they need to take out their laptops and they need to take out their aerosols,” Joyce said in a press conference.

“So that is taking longer to get through the queue.”

But as reported by the Sydney Morning Herald, three of the eight security lanes in Terminal Two were shut on Friday. Perhaps that triggered some of the delays then Alan?

Joyce said that airports were missing workers because of COVID.

“Some days we come in and we have nearly 50 per cent absenteeism,” he said.

Both Sydney Airport workers and passengers have taken to the internet to voice their frustrations at the situation. It’s important to remember that shit like this isn’t the workers’ fault. They’re trying their bloody best in these situations.

Like Alan Joyce, Sydney Airport CEO Geoff Culbert pointed to COVID as a reason for the delays. Surprise.

Culbert gave passengers an apology as per the ABC.

“We’re facing a perfect storm at the moment,” he said.

“Traffic numbers are picking up, travellers are inexperienced after two years of not travelling, and the close contact rules are making it hard to fill shifts and staff the airport.

“We encourage everyone to get to the airport early and thank everyone for being patient as the industry gets back on its feet.”

Kind of a shitty apology if you partially blame the people you’re apologising to during it if you ask me.

If you’re planning on flying out of Sydney Airport maybe rock up early with a drink, a snack and a 700 page book. And remember to take your aerosols out of your bag in case Alan Joyce sees and publicly shames you.

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