Massive Travel Chaos Hits Australia as Qantas, Jetstar, Virgin Australia, QantasLink and More Airlines Face 24 Cancellations and 578 Delays at Sydney, Melbourne Tullamarine, and Brisbane

Published on December 16, 2025

Australia faced 578 flight delays and 24 cancellations today across Brisbane (BNE), Melbourne Tullamarine (MEL), and Sydney (SYD). Led by Qantas (125 delays, 2 cancellations), Jetstar (132 delays, 2 cancellations), Virgin Australia (104 delays, 2 cancellations), and QantasLink (77 delays, 18 cancellations). Melbourne Tullamarine (215 delays, 6 cancellations) recorded the highest delays, followed by Sydney (190 delays, 7 cancellations) and Brisbane (173 delays, 11 cancellations). Cancellations were highest at Brisbane, while delays were concentrated at Melbourne and Sydney, with disruption primarily affecting domestic Australian routes.

• Update today: Qantas Group airlines (Qantas, QantasLink, Jetstar) emerged as the largest contributors, combining for well over 300 delays and the majority of 24 cancellations recorded nationwide.
• Virgin Australia logged more than 100 combined delays and cancellations across Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane, making it one of the most affected carriers today.
• Jetstar led individual airline delays at Melbourne and remained a major delay driver at Sydney, reinforcing its central role in today’s disruption.
• Melbourne Tullamarine (MEL) was the most delay-affected airport with 215 delays, while Brisbane (BNE) recorded the highest cancellations at 11.
• International airlines, including Air New Zealand, Cathay Pacific, Emirates, Singapore Airlines, and Malaysia Airlines, faced limited but noticeable spillover delays.

Most Affected Australian Airports by Cancellations and Delays

Melbourne Tullamarine Airport (MEL)

Melbourne Tullamarine was the most impacted airport by delays, logging 215 delays and 6 cancellations. Disruption was driven largely by Jetstar, Qantas, QantasLink, and Virgin Australia, with MEL acting as a central pressure point for domestic operations.

Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport (SYD)

Sydney recorded 190 delays and 7 cancellations, making it the second most affected hub. Qantas led delays at SYD, while QantasLink accounted for the majority of cancellations, reflecting strain on regional and domestic feeder routes.

Brisbane Airport (BNE)

Brisbane saw 173 delays and the highest cancellation total at 11. QantasLink was the largest cancellation driver at BNE, while Qantas, Jetstar, and Virgin Australia contributed heavily to delays.

Canberra International Airport (CBR)

Canberra experienced smaller but notable spillover disruption, with cancellations and delays tied mainly to services from Sydney and Melbourne, highlighting downstream effects from major hubs.

Adelaide International Airport (ADL)

Adelaide recorded moderate delays without cancellations, largely linked to disrupted aircraft rotations from Sydney and Melbourne, rather than local operational issues.

Airlines Most Affected by Australia Flight Cancellations and Delays

Qantas

Qantas recorded the highest overall delay volume across Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane, reinforcing its exposure due to dense domestic scheduling.

QantasLink

QantasLink emerged as the primary cancellation driver nationwide, particularly at Brisbane and Sydney, reflecting pressure on regional and short-haul operations.

Jetstar

Jetstar led delays at Melbourne Tullamarine and remained heavily affected at Sydney, making it one of today’s most disrupted low-cost carriers.

Virgin Australia

Virgin Australia logged substantial delays across all three major hubs, with disruption spread evenly rather than concentrated at a single airport.

Air New Zealand

Air New Zealand experienced consistent but lower-volume delays, mainly linked to trans-Tasman routes affected by congestion at Sydney and Melbourne.

How Travellers Were Impacted at Major Airports

• Passengers experienced extended ground waits and rolling departure delays at peak domestic terminals.
• Connecting itineraries were more vulnerable at Sydney and Melbourne, where inbound delays affected onward flights.
• Regional travellers faced higher cancellation risk, particularly on services operated by QantasLink.
• Travellers were advised to monitor flight status frequently and allow additional buffer time between connections.
• Flexible rebooking and same-day changes became critical for managing disrupted schedules.

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Overview of Australia Flight Cancellations

Today’s Australia-wide flight disruption was shaped by concentrated pressure at Melbourne Tullamarine, Sydney, and Brisbane, with Qantas, QantasLink, Jetstar, and Virgin Australia repeatedly emerging as the most affected airlines. Melbourne led in delays, Brisbane topped cancellations, and Sydney reflected a mix of both, underlining how disruption shifted between major hubs. Across Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane, the recurrence of delays tied to the same core carriers illustrates how network-wide operational strain can quickly cascade. As flights at Sydney and Melbourne continued to experience knock-on effects, Australia’s busiest airports remained the focal points of today’s cancellations and delays.

Image Source: AI

Source: Different airports and FlightAware