Virgin Australia has already cancelled 12 flights as a 'bomb cyclone' threatens to smash New South Wales. Photo / Getty Images
Virgin Australia has already cancelled 12 flights as a 'bomb cyclone' threatens to smash New South Wales. Photo / Getty Images
Australian airlines have cancelled numerous flights and travellers are being warned of potential further chaos as a “bomb cyclone” looms over New South Wales.
Virgin Australia had cancelled 12 flights as of about 8am local time on Tuesday, with another several delayed.
“Some services on Virgin Australia’s network have beenimpacted by adverse weather in Sydney and Newcastle today,” a Virgin spokesperson said.
“The safety of our guests and crew is our top priority, and our meteorologists continue to closely monitor the weather system.
“We regret the impact of this on guests’ travel plans and are working hard to ensure they reach their destination safely and as soon as possible.
“We are communicating directly with impacted customers and encourage all travellers to check the status of their flight [via our website] or the Jetstar app before heading to the airport.
“We thank our customers for their patience and understanding.”
The “bomb cyclone” or “bombogenesis” system is expected to hit Sydney and significant stretches of the NSW coast from today, bringing significant rainfall and blistering winds.
Flight routes between major cities Brisbane, Sydney, Canberra, and Melbourne are among the worst-affected as the freak weather system bears down.
Residents across Sydney and parts of NSW are battening down the hatches as a bomb cyclone hits the region, bringing lashings of rain, blistering winds and dangerous conditions. Photo / Windy
Sydney Airport has enacted its ground delay programme, meaning fewer flights will be able to land at the major airport.
A Sydney Airport spokesperson said the severe weather forecast was being closely monitored.
“There may be impacts to flight schedules, and we recommend passengers check with their airline regarding the status of their flight,” they said.
Qantas says it is also monitoring the weather event “very closely” and anticipates “some cancellations” in and out of Sydney.
The airline says customers will be contacted directly if there are changes to their flights, and that safety was always their top priority.
An Airservices Australia spokesperson said staff had been working overnight to help manage the impact of the severe weather conditions on operations in Sydney.
“Aircraft movement rates have been reduced this morning,” they said.
“We are continuing to monitor the situation and will adjust operations throughout the day as appropriate.”
Travellers are being warned to check updates for flight status information. Photo / Getty Images
Sydney commuters have also warned of possible delays on the city’s rail network because of the severe weather.
“Severe weather is predicted to impact the east coast of NSW tomorrow. If you’re travelling on Sydney Trains or NSW TrainLink services, please ensure you take additional care on your journey and plan your trip before travelling,” a spokesperson said in a post to X.
The flights chaos comes only a day after Sydney Airport released a report predicting the upcoming school holidays would be the busiest on record for international travel, with millions of passengers expected to travel through the airport this week alone.
“Sydney Airport is gearing up for a bumper school holiday period, with almost 2.6 million passengers expected to travel through the terminals between Monday, June 30 to Sunday, July 20, 2025,” the report read.
