Australia Faces New Travel Chaos at Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and the Gold Coast as Jetstar, Qantas, Virgin Australia, and More Airlines Face 588 Delays and 21 Cancellations

Published on December 7, 2025

Australia saw 588 delays and 21 cancellations across Sydney, Melbourne Tullamarine, Brisbane, and the Gold Coast today. Sydney (SYD) reported 223 delays and 6 cancellations; Melbourne (MEL) recorded 222 delays and 9 cancellations; Brisbane (BNE) logged 107 delays and 4 cancellations; and the Gold Coast (OOL) added 36 delays and 2 cancellations.

Jetstar, Qantas, QantasLink, Virgin Australia, Malaysia Airlines, Fiji Airways, LATAM Peru, SriLankan Airlines, and VietJet Air were amongst the most affected airlines.
Jetstar recorded 6 cancellations across Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, and the Gold Coast, along with more than 90 delays nationwide. Qantas logged over 150 delays across the four cities, while QantasLink added more than 25 delays and 2 cancellations at Melbourne and Brisbane. Virgin Australia recorded more than 85 delays across all four major airports, consistently ranking among the top disrupted carriers.

Airlines Affected by Cancellations

Jetstar

The carrier with the highest cancellations overall, Jetstar recorded cancellations at Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, and Gold Coast, along with dozens of delays at each airport. It faced the strongest operational strain of any airline in the country today.

QantasLink

QantasLink registered cancellations at Melbourne and Brisbane, adding to a substantial number of delays. Its regional network saw notable pressure as delays at larger hubs trickled down to onward services.

Qantas

Though Qantas recorded fewer cancellations than Jetstar or QantasLink, it logged some of the highest delay counts—66 delays at Sydney, 48 at Melbourne, 30 at Brisbane, and 6 at the Gold Coast.

Malaysia Airlines

Malaysia Airlines appeared across multiple airports with high delay percentages, including 62% at Sydney, 66% at Melbourne, and 100% at Brisbane, signalling widespread international network impacts.

Air India / SriLankan Airlines / VietJet Air

These carriers did not record cancellations but showed 100% delay rates from Melbourne and Brisbane. Their smaller schedules magnified the impact, placing them among the day’s most disrupted airlines.

Most Affected Airports by Cancellations

Sydney (SYD)

Sydney faced 6 cancellations and recorded the highest total delays nationwide at 127 originating delays and 223 overall. Jetstar was the most disrupted airline here, followed by Qantas and several international carriers showing isolated but high-percentage delays.

Melbourne Tullamarine (MEL)

Melbourne reported 9 cancellations, the highest among the four airports. With 127 originating delays and heavy disruption across Jetstar, Qantas, Virgin Australia, Malaysia Airlines, and Air India, MEL became one of the most unpredictable hubs of the day.

Brisbane (BNE)

Brisbane recorded 4 cancellations, largely split between Jetstar and QantasLink. Despite fewer cancellations, Brisbane still saw 107 delays, with Qantas and Virgin Australia topping the list of disrupted carriers.

Gold Coast (OOL)

Gold Coast logged 2 cancellations, both from Jetstar, and registered 36 delays. The route between Melbourne Tullamarine and the Gold Coast was one of the most delay-impacted today, reflecting MEL’s broader operational strain.

What Affected Passengers Can Do Now

• Check your flight status frequently, as gate and time changes are common during widespread delays.
• Arrive early at the airport to avoid stress and secure alternative options if needed.
• Use airline apps for faster rebooking and push-notification updates.
• Know your rights, including refund and accommodation entitlements for cancellations.
• Consider alternate airports or nearby cities if your origin airport (Sydney, Melbourne Tullamarine, Brisbane, Gold Coast) shows sustained disruption.
• Carry essentials—chargers, snacks, medication—in case of extended waiting times.
• Rebook proactively if travelling with highly affected airlines such as Jetstar, Qantas, QantasLink, Virgin Australia, or Malaysia Airlines.

Overview

Today’s operations across Sydney, Melbourne Tullamarine, Brisbane, and the Gold Coast reveal a network dominated by Jetstar, Qantas, QantasLink, and Virgin Australia delays. These airlines appeared multiple times as the most affected carriers, particularly at Sydney (SYD) and Melbourne Tullamarine (MEL), the two cities most affected by widespread delays. Brisbane and the Gold Coast followed with moderate but persistent disruption that still pushed totals upward.

The overview of cancellations underscores that Melbourne Tullamarine was the hardest-hit airport, followed by Sydney, Brisbane, and the Gold Coast, with Jetstar emerging as the most disrupted airline nationwide. Across key cities such as Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, and the Gold Coast, travellers experienced long queues, rolling delays, and difficulty securing rebookings as Jetstar, Qantas, QantasLink, and Virgin Australia grappled with operational constraints.

Image Source: AI

Source: Different airports and FlightAware