Jetstar Crew Member Injured in Sydney Airport Near Miss With Qatar Plane

4 hours ago 3

August 10, 2026 | 08:47 am

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - A Jetstar cabin crew member was injured after a Jetstar Airbus A320 and a Qatar Airways Boeing 777 came dangerously close to each other on the tarmac at Sydney Airport on Sunday morning, prompting investigations by Australian aviation authorities.

The Jetstar flight, JQ402, was taxiing for its scheduled service from Sydney to the Gold Coast when its pilots were forced to brake suddenly after spotting the Qatar Airways aircraft being towed in close proximity on a taxiway. Both aircraft stopped abruptly.

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) said the incident resulted in an injury to a cabin crew member aboard the Jetstar A320 and damage to the connection between the Qatar Airways Boeing 777's nose gear and the aircraft tug.

As reported by ABC, the injured crew member was assessed by paramedics after the incident. No passengers were injured.

The severity of the injury emerged in a radio exchange between the Jetstar crew and Sydney Airport ground control after the aircraft came to a stop. The crew requested paramedics and assistance in safely maneuvering the plane away from the area.

"We've actually now got an injured cabin manager," a Jetstar crew member said in the radio transmission.

the crew told ground control that the injury was believed to be a possible fractured or broken wrist and requested priority assistance. Ground control responded by arranging for paramedics and a safety officer to attend the aircraft while directing the Jetstar crew on how to safely exit the area.

A passenger-recorded video from the Jetstar flight also captured the pilot explaining to passengers that a cabin crew member had been injured in the sudden stop.

The pilot said the aircraft had been told to hold short while the crew was focused on a runway, adding that the pilots had only a brief opportunity to stop before the two aircraft came too close.

The pilot also said the towing aircraft had damaged its equipment in the incident, preventing it from being pushed backward.

Jetstar said the aircraft had been following air traffic control instructions when its pilots were forced to brake firmly after another aircraft came into close proximity.

"Our captain acted quickly and decisively, exactly as our crew are trained to do," Jetstar said, adding that the safety of its customers and crew remained its top priority.

The return flight was canceled, with affected passengers to be rebooked onto later services to the Gold Coast, News.com.au reported.

The ATSB has launched an investigation into the near miss and said it would collect data from both aircraft and air traffic control. Investigators will also interview the flight crew, tug operators, air traffic controllers and other witnesses, as well as review recorded information including CCTV footage.

ATSB Chief Commissioner Angus Mitchell said it was too early to determine where a breakdown in communication or coordination may have occurred.

"We don't know what were all the instructions," Mitchell said, explaining that investigators would examine recorded communications and conduct interviews to establish what went wrong and prevent a recurrence.

Following the incident, an air traffic ground controller and a tug operator were stood down for mandatory drug and alcohol testing. Federal Transport Minister Catherine King said the action was standard procedure and in line with policy.

"As the ATSB will be investigating, it would not be appropriate to provide further commentary at this time," King said in a statement.

The airport's air traffic management was already operating under restrictions between 6 a.m. and 8 a.m. on Sunday, reducing the number of aircraft able to arrive and depart.

Airservices Australia subsequently introduced Air Traffic Flow Management measures, including additional departure spacing, to manage airborne and departure demand safely while limiting delays to passengers.

The latest incident comes amid wider concerns over staffing and rostering at Sydney Airport. ABC reported that Airservices Australia had recently been working to address rostering issues that had contributed to delays affecting more than 150 flights.

NSW Premier Chris Minns described Sunday's incident as concerning, saying aviation safety remained a priority while stressing the importance of ensuring Sydney Airport operates at full capacity.

The incident also follows another near miss at Sydney Airport late last month involving a QantasLink flight from Canberra and a Qantas Boeing 737. The ATSB said that incident resulted from a "breakdown of coordination" after air traffic control cleared the Boeing 737 to cross a runway while the QantasLink aircraft was still landing.

That incident remains under investigation.

The latest Sydney Airport near miss is also being investigated by the ATSB, Jetstar and Airservices Australia as authorities seek to establish how the two aircraft came into such close proximity and whether changes are needed to prevent similar incidents.

Read: Australia: 2 Planes Almost Collide on Sydney Airport Tarmac

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