Chaos at Sydney Airport as dozens of flights are cancelled, disrupting Christmas Day plans
- Dozens of flights canceled on Christmas Day
- Disruptions come after wild storms
Dozens of flights have been canceled at a major airport, throwing Christmas travel plans into chaos.
At least 23 flights have already been canceled at Sydney Airport on Christmas Day.
Among the canceled flights arriving and departing from Sydney are seven from Virgin Australia, six from Qantas and three from Jetstar.
Some smaller regional airlines have also been affected.
Flights to and from Sydney Airport were hit by thunderstorms on Sunday. More flights were canceled on Christmas Day
Sydney Airport received 91mm of rain in 24 hours
The cancellations come after the airport was battered by wild storms that caused major flight disruptions on Sunday.
Sydney Airport recorded a total of 91.2mm in the 24 hours to 9am on Monday, making it the wettest December day in 53 years.
About 20 Qantas flights were delayed or diverted to Melbourne or Canberra on Christmas Eve.
A Sydney Airport spokesperson at the time blamed the cancellations on “local flooding”.
“Flights are currently arriving and departing, but some earlier flights have been affected, causing delays to some arriving services,” he said.
Sydney Airport is flooded with water on Christmas Eve
A baggage handler is seen trying to make his way through heavy rain at Sydney Airport on Sunday
‘Passengers are encouraged to allow plenty of time for their journey to the airport and to check with their airline about the status of their flight.’
Qantas confirmed the latest cancellations were a knock-on effect of the bad weather.
On Sunday, the airport was inundated with buses and baggage handlers flooded with water as they tried to do their work.
Meteorologists have warned that the miserable weather will continue until Christmas and Boxing Day, with showers and thunderstorms on the horizon for the east coast.
Sydney has a high chance of showers on Monday, with between 2mm and 20mm of rain forecast.