Sydney airport chaos foreshadows Easter holiday travel woes

Travellers at Sydney airport are experiencing check-in chaos with up to two-hourly delays due to airline shortages as the holiday season kicks off.

Passengers took to social media to show the mayhem, criticizing the airport’s staffing judgements, with queues snaking throughout the inside and outside of the airport.

Some claimed queue jumpers were adding to the bedlam, causing missed flights and grounded planes due to the lack of onboard passengers.

Sydney airport is absolutely insane. Security line starts inside and snakes back and forth, then it goes outside and snakes back and forth, then you can go back inside and snakes back and forth. Flights are delayed because they can’t get humans through fast enough! pic.twitter.com/NpE2AiNJkh

— James Ryall (@jgryall) April 7, 2022

Sydney Airport WTF pic.twitter.com/52nf2dlQoc

— Tom Steinfort (@tomsteinfort) April 7, 2022

@SydneyAirport Only 4 security lanes open out of 17 at the international terminal on one of the busiest days in three years? Come on Sydney Airport !!!
You can do better pic.twitter.com/i3iQL5wLr8

— Nathan Walker (@ANZinAsia) April 7, 2022

The Sydney Morning Herald reported passenger Mitch Dale’s experience in the chaos.

“The departures hall is just bedlam, full of lines that are seemingly random and impossible to distinguish if they’re for check-in or security,” Dale said.

“They just made an announcement that this is the busiest day Sydney Airport has had this year so far.

“I was definitely stressed – honestly didn’t think I had any chance of making my flight when I realised the lines going outside the building were for security.”

Sydney Airport issued an apology to unhappy travellers in a tweet, attributing the delays to ‘inexperienced’ travellers and distancing laws.

We sincerely apologise for this. We’re facing a perfect storm at the moment. Traffic numbers are up, travellers are inexperienced after two years of not traveling, and the close contact rules are making it hard to fill shifts and staff the airport. Thanks for your patience.

— Sydney Airport (@SydneyAirport) April 8, 2022

Travellers were unhappy with Sydney Airport for not taking full responsibility for the delays.

“travellers are inexperienced” is one of the worst corporate excuses I’ve ever heard. These are your customers, you know exactly how many flights and bookings there are, so staff up for the demand.

— Ian Clarke (@ianclarkeAU) April 8, 2022

I was in multiple queues flying virgin domestically yesterday. Passengers were well prepared in fact better than I expected at bag drop and security. Wrong to blame us. An issue of virgin bag drop and airport security staffing.

— Anna Wells (@annawe23) April 8, 2022

Domestic air travel is expected to get more expensive when the temporary cut to the fuel excise ends due to the rising cost of fuel.