The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) has opened two new investigations into incidents at Sydney Airport (SYD), involving a taxiway conflict between Virgin Australia and Qantas on August 16 and a pushback incident involving a Jetstar Airbus A320 on August 25.
According to the ATSB, on August 16 Virgin Australia flight VA1589 (Boeing 737, registration VH-IXJ) diverted to Sydney and was taxiing north on taxiway B, while Qantas flight QF420 (Boeing 737, registration VH-VZV) was vacating runway 16R via taxiway B8. Air traffic control instructed the Virgin crew to give way, but the instruction was not correctly read back and the incorrect readback was not identified by the controller. The Qantas crew saw the Virgin 737 approaching, stopped, and both crews clarified the taxi sequence.
On August 25, Jetstar Airbus A320 VH-VFX was preparing for pushback for a flight to Launceston when the controller allegedly failed to provide complete traffic information to the crew, who would need to relay it to the tug team. The pilots were not told about another aircraft taxiing behind the A320. The pushback crew identified the conflict, stopped the manoeuvre, and returned the aircraft to its stand. The ATSB described the event as a "failure to pass traffic".
The two new investigations add to four other ongoing probes at Sydney Airport, including an event where a flight attendant was injured. The ATSB said the investigations are being conducted separately, though teams will coordinate, and depending on evidence they could be expanded or combined.
The regulator expects to publish preliminary reports within six to eight weeks, although investigations are not likely to conclude until next year. The ATSB is also investigating a runway incursion on August 9, when Virgin Australia flight VA555 rejected takeoff on runway 34L after a Qantas 737 crossed the runway from taxiway Lima.
