A Jetstar Airbus A320 and a Qatar Airways Boeing 777 came dangerously close to each other on the ground at Sydney Airport on Sunday, prompting the Australian Transport Safety Bureau to open an investigation into the tarmac near-miss.
According to the safety regulator, the Jetstar aircraft was taxiing ahead of a scheduled departure to the Gold Coast in Queensland when its pilots noticed the Qatar Airways jet, which was being moved by an aircraft tug, approaching nearby on an intersecting taxiway.
The bureau said the situation escalated quickly, with “both aircraft” brought to a sudden stop.
One Jetstar cabin crew member sustained an injury during the abrupt braking, while the towing connection between the Qatar Airways aircraft’s nose gear and the tug was also damaged, the ATSB said.
Jetstar, the low-cost airline owned by Qantas, confirmed it had launched its own review into the Sydney Airport incident.
“Our aircraft was following instructions by Air Traffic Control when the pilots were forced to brake firmly after another aircraft came in close proximity,” a Jetstar spokesperson said in a statement.
Qatar Airways had not immediately provided a response to a request for comment.
Airservices Australia, the federal body that oversees air traffic management, said it introduced “departure spacing” at Sydney Airport after the incident in order “to safely manage projected airborne and departure demands.”
It declined to comment on the cause of the incident, as it was under review.
The near-miss comes a day after the airport was hit by widespread delays, after Airservices Australia enacted the same strategy due to what it said were “roster constraints” with air traffic controllers.
