Footage has captured a Jetstar flight taxiing on the runway of Sydney Airport with its cargo door wide open yesterday morning.

Jetstar flight 456 was set for Ballina before the pilots were alerted by a cockpit warning light and returned to the gate safely.

“It’s horrific,” Transport Workers’ Union national secretary Michael Kaine said.

“This is what happens when the workforce is stretched beyond limits.”

Jetstar stated: “We are actively investigating how this situation occurred and are collaborating with our ground handler to prevent a recurrence.”

After Qantas sacked its baggage handlers, Swissport was one of the companies brought in by the major airline.

This year, the union surveyed 300 Swissport workers in Australia and said 73 per cent claimed they were pressured to work unsafely.

“They face significant time pressure, receive inadequate pay, and work under highly casualized conditions. Altogether, this creates a dangerous situation,” said a spokesperson for the Transport Workers Union.

Swissport has been approached for comment but has not responded.