Australia and New Zealand Face Travel Chaos as Air New Zealand, Qantas, Virgin Australia, and Jetstar Report Over 70 Flight Cancellations and 336 Delays Across Wellington, Auckland, Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, and Beyond

Published on November 30, 2025

Australia and New Zealand are facing major travel chaos as Air New Zealand, Qantas, Virgin Australia, and Jetstar report over 70 flight cancellations and 336 delays across Wellington, Auckland, Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, and beyond due to operational and weather challenges. These disruptions have left passengers stranded and caused widespread inconvenience at major airports, with Sydney and Melbourne experiencing the highest number of cancellations and delays. The operational difficulties and severe weather conditions have compounded the already high travel demand, leaving many travelers scrambling for alternatives and highlighting the need for better contingency planning in the region’s aviation industry.

Cancellation by Airline

Air New Zealand, Jetstar, and Qantas experienced significant cancellations. Jetstar had 25 cancellations (3%) and 9% delays, while Air New Zealand reported 22 cancellations (3%) but faced a much higher delay rate of 27%. Qantas had 12 cancellations (6%) and a lower delay rate (17%). Regional carrier QantasLink had the fewest cancellations (4), with 8% delays. Virgin Australia had 8 cancellations (2%) but a higher delay rate at 18%.

Cancellations on Origin Airport

Sydney and Melbourne airports faced the highest cancellations, with Sydney at 16 cancellations (3%) and Melbourne at 10 (2%). Sydney also had the highest delay rate at 36%, followed by Melbourne at 34%. Brisbane saw 9 cancellations (2%) and a delay rate of 24%, while Auckland had the lowest cancellation rate (2%) with 9 cancellations and delays at 17%. Sydney’s operational challenges led to the highest percentage of delays.

Cancellations on Destination Airport

Sydney (SYD) and Melbourne (MEL) again led in cancellations, with Sydney at 18 cancellations (3%) and a 24% delay rate. Melbourne had 16 cancellations (4%) and a higher delay rate of 31%. Brisbane and Auckland saw fewer disruptions, each reporting only 6 cancellations (1%), with delays at 12% for Brisbane and 9% for Auckland. These airports had fewer cancellations and lower delay rates compared to the major hubs in Sydney and Melbourne.

Australia and New Zealand are facing major travel chaos as Air New Zealand, Qantas, Virgin Australia, and Jetstar report over 70 flight cancellations and 336 delays across Wellington, Auckland, Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, and beyond due to operational and weather challenges.

Conclusion

Australia and New Zealand continue to face major travel chaos as Air New Zealand, Qantas, Virgin Australia, and Jetstar struggle with over 70 flight cancellations and 336 delays across Wellington, Auckland, Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, and beyond. The disruptions, driven by a combination of operational difficulties and weather challenges, have left many passengers frustrated and delayed. With key airports like Sydney and Melbourne seeing the highest impacts, the situation underscores the need for airlines and authorities to enhance contingency planning and improve coordination to better manage such widespread disruptions in the future.