FlightAware has confirmed what we already know. Sydney Airport has been ranked among the worst in the world for delays and cancellations. According to the flight tracking and data platform, Sydney Airport is the sixth-worst in the world for flight cancellations with 5.9 percent of flights cancelled. It’s also ninth-worst in terms of delay with a staggering 34.2 per cent flights affected.
Pictures of long airport lines, lost baggage and general airport chaos have inundated social media in the last few months.
And it goes on and on before you get in terminal pic.twitter.com/4FZc7DQC0f
— Andrew Clennell (@aclennell) July 24, 2022
As recently as this week, hundreds of passengers were forced to queue up outside the airport due to ‘thick fog and technical issues’, inevitably leading to flight delays.
My friend in the security queue at Sydney Airport this morning. Can’t even get into the building 😬. pic.twitter.com/HYaJZJPvVv
— Tanya (@GongGasGirl) July 24, 2022
These issues have been attributed to a post-covid world where the need for travel has exploded exponentially leading to a shortage of manpower and resources. Extreme weather and school holidays have also contributed to the existing mayhem at the airport.
Toronto Pearson Airport was ranked first for flight delays with a whopping 52.50% of flights delayed followed by Frankfurt Airport with 45.40% and Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport with 43.20%. Amsterdam Schiphol, London’s Heathrow and Gatwick airports, Munich airport, Athens airport and Orlando airport rounded up the top 10.
Sydney also ranked number 6 for flight cancellations with China’s Shenzhen Bao’an Airport at number 1 and the Newark Liberty International Airport and LaGuardia Airport at number 2 and 3 respectively.
According to the Sydney Morning Herald, the airport has been struggling to replace the 15,000 staff members it lost during the pandemic. A shortage of about 5000 people remains especially in baggage handling and security screening.
You can find the full list here.
As a PSA, if you are planning a trip somewhere, we’d recommend listening to your dad and getting to the airport a few hours early.