澳大利亚空中交通管制机构首席执行官罗布·夏普被运输部长凯瑟琳·金召见，背景是连日来机场延误频发以及两周内发生的多起近距离相撞险情[1]。周日，一架捷星航班飞行员被迫紧急制动，以避免与卡塔尔航空飞机相撞[1]。澳大利亚运输安全局已启动调查，调查主任安格斯·米切尔表示，虽然这两架飞机是在低速状态下接近，但事件仍可能具有"重大"意义[1]。
米切尔指出，"这两架飞机不应该接近到这个程度"[1]。两周内的类似事件中，飞机曾在悉尼机场收到相互矛盾的指令[1]。空中交通管制系统目前承受巨大压力，近日报告显示多个空中交通管制员岗位出现人员短缺[1]。培训新管制员需要约18个月[1]。此外，悉尼新机场正在建设启动阶段，新空域设计仅在过去几周生效[1]。
Australia's air traffic control chief executive Rob Sharp has been called in by Transport Minister Catherine King following a series of airport disruptions and two near-collision incidents within a two-week period.[1] The latest incident occurred on Sunday, when a Jetstar pilot was forced to execute an emergency braking maneuver to avoid colliding with a Qatar Airways aircraft.[1]
The Australian Transport Safety Bureau has launched an investigation into the Sunday incident.[1] Bureau director Angus Mitchell stated that while the incident occurred at low speed, it carried potentially "significant" implications, emphasizing that "the two aircraft should not have been in such close proximity."[1] The collision risks have drawn attention to mounting pressure on the air traffic control system, which has also been grappling with widespread flight delays.[1]
Staffing shortages across multiple air traffic control positions have been documented in recent reports.[1] Training a new controller requires approximately 18 months.[1] The situation has been further complicated by the commissioning of Sydney's new airport, with its newly designed airspace only becoming operational in recent weeks.[1]