Sydney Airport Security Staff to Stop Work Twice on Friday, October 30; Qantas, Jetstar and Virgin Offer Free Flight Changes

SYDNEY — Security screening staff at Sydney Airport plan two work stoppages on Friday, October 30: from 5 a.m. to 8 a.m. and again from 4:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. AEDT. The screeners are employed by Certis, the contractor that runs passenger screening at the airport, and this is the third round of action in the dispute since late September, following a stoppage on October 16. According to airline travel alerts, screening will stay open during both windows but may run at reduced capacity, so the main risk is longer queues and missed gates rather than widespread cancellations.

Three airlines, three waivers: check which one covers your booking

Under the Qantas waiver, passengers on Qantas flights departing Sydney domestic Terminal 3 on October 30, and Jetstar domestic flights carrying a Qantas flight number from Terminal 2, booked before October 30, may move to a flight on the same route in the same cabin on October 29, 30 or 31; the change fee is waived, though a fare difference may apply. Jetstar separately allows Sydney departures on October 30 to move free of charge to an available flight between October 29 and 31 through Manage Booking. Virgin Australia says Sydney departures on October 30 may move to October 29 or 31 with no change fee and no fare difference, provided passengers stay in the same fare type.

Keeping your Friday flight: arrive early

Airlines advise passengers keeping their Friday flights to arrive earlier than usual and allow extra time at security; Terminals 2 and 3 open at 3 a.m. on Friday. One caution: as reported, the Qantas waiver covers the domestic terminal arrangements described above, so international travellers should check their own airline notice and confirm eligibility before changing a booking.