Queues and delays at Australian airports to peak over Easter long weekend

Queues and delays at Australian airports are expected to be at their worst ahead of the Easter long weekend, but security providers have warned the chaos stemming from staff shortages will continue into the second half of the year.

Senior executives at Sydney airport have been ordered to leave their offices, along with retail and IT workers, to help manage departure queues as Covid infections, isolation orders and a structurally depleted workforce contribute to the issues plaguing airports across the country.

Melbourne airport had more domestic passengers pass through its terminals on Wednesday than it did in March 2020 while Brisbane and Adelaide airports were expecting 50,000 and 25,000 domestic travellers respectively on Thursday.

Delays are occurring not just at the security checkpoints in departure terminals. A shortage of baggage handlers has seen wait times for luggage to arrive on carousels balloon up to an hour after landing.

However, Culbert warned staffing issues would persist for Sydney airport because the company it contracts to provide security services, Certis, had been struggling to restore its workforce to pre-Covid levels.

Certis has been trying to recruit 100 new employees at the airport since December but has only hired 50, and they are still undergoing a two-month training accreditation course. Staff who joined in mid-February are only this week beginning to work at airport check-in gates.

On Wednesday, Sydney passengers who arrived more than two hours before their flight were told check-in would not open until two hours before their departure. Rather than standing in a queue, these frustrated travellers were left to sit on the floor, further contributing to congestion in the terminal.

One positive is that business is booming for some airport retailers. Azucar cafe has become a refuge for travellers waiting until they can check in.