A bomb cyclone sweeping Australia’s east coast has forced the cancellation of dozens of domestic flights to and from Sydney.
Severe weather conditions, including heavy rain and strong winds, have forced major airlines to cut scheduled flights out of Sydney Airport.
As of Tuesday morning (1 July), Qantas has cancelled at least 30 domestic services, while Virgin Australia has grounded 20 flights, according to the airport’s latest updates.
Flights connecting major Australian cities, Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne are among the affected routes.
Read more: Australia bomb cyclone live
A spokesperson for Virgin Australia said: “Some services on Virgin Australia’s network have been impacted by adverse weather in Sydney and Newcastle today.”
Sydney Airport reduced its operations to one runway amid the adverse weather conditions in line with International Civil Aviation Organisation safety regulations, said Airservices Australia.
Jetstar has at least eight cancelled domestic arrivals to the New South Wales aviation hub on Tuesday.
The airline said in a statement: “Severe weather conditions across New South Wales are currently impacting flight operations. As a result, a number of flights in and out of Sydney have been cancelled, and further delays are expected throughout the day.
“Impacted customers have been contacted directly and moved to the next available services. Our teams are continuing to closely monitor the situation and are working hard to minimise disruption where possible.
“We encourage all customers to check the status of their flight at jetstar.com or via the Jetstar app before heading to the airport.”
A “bomb cyclone” is a rapidly intensifying storm associated with a sudden and significant drop in atmospheric pressure.
On Tuesday, Australian authorities warned that parts of New South Wales could expect the weather to worsen in the next 24 hours, with up to 250mm (9.8 inches) of rain and winds up to 125kmph (78mph) predicted.
Residents living in areas vulnerable to coastal erosion have been told to leave their homes, with minor flood warnings also in place.
So far, no international flights have been affected by the weather disruption.
Passengers are urged to check directly with airlines for the latest updates, as conditions are expected to remain hazardous through Wednesday.
Sydney Airport said: “With the possibility of severe weather approaching this week, be sure to monitor updates from your airline regarding the status of your flight.”
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