Passengers aboard Qantas flight QF63 from Sydney to Johannesburg faced nearly a day-long delay after an unusual airport incident halted their journey before it even began. Just before scheduled boarding on Saturday morning, an aerobridge at Sydney Airport made contact with one of the A380’s engines, forcing the airline to postpone the international flight.
The incident occurred around 9:30 a.m., and though no injuries were reported, the contact caused enough damage to require a full engineering inspection and repairs. Passengers were disembarked through the aircraft’s lower deck, and the flight was rescheduled for 6:45 a.m. the following day.
In a statement, Qantas confirmed that the aircraft would remain grounded until engineers in Sydney complete necessary repairs. “We’re investigating how an aerobridge made contact with the engine of one of our aircraft at Sydney Airport this morning,” a spokesperson said.
Passengers impacted by the delay were offered overnight accommodation and ground transport, with Qantas acknowledging the disruption. “We know flight disruptions are frustrating and we apologise to our customers for the impact to their travel,” the airline said.
This marks the second such incident in recent weeks involving a Qantas aircraft. On June 18, a Boeing 737-800 arriving in Brisbane from Queenstown, New Zealand collided with a passenger bridge while taxiing. That incident shattered the plane’s front windscreen but also resulted in no injuries.
As Qantas launches an internal investigation, the repeated nature of such incidents raises concerns about ground operations and safety protocols at Australia’s major airports.