The NSW government has added air transport services to the list of critical occupations, exempting them from COVID-19 isolation rules, in a bid to ease the delays that have plagued Sydney Airport for the past three days.
Waiting times to drop baggage at Sydney Airport have blown out in the lead up to Easter, with lines of travellers spilling to the outside of the terminal.
SBS News understands one in five airport workers have been caught up in the recent rise in COVID-19 cases in NSW and are currently isolating as close contacts of a known case.
But late on Friday, NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard signed an update of the health order to include "air transport services" on the list of critical occupations.
People whose occupations are listed as critical, such as nurses, teachers and bus drivers, are exempt from isolation requirements if a member of their household tests positive to COVID-19.
Lines of domestic airline travellers have spilt outside the airport as they are forced to wait hours to get through check in and security due to staff shortages. Source: AAP / DEAN LEWINS/AAPIMAGE
"These workers will be given an exemption to the isolation rule and can return to work if they are well and symptom-free."
"They must travel directly from their home to and from work, and must wear a mask in the workplace at all times ... they must also undergo frequent Rapid Antigen Testing for 7 days."
A Sydney Airport spokesperson had previously told SBS News “airport workers should be on the critical workers self-isolation exemption list, as this would help ease the staffing issues".
The delays at baggage counters have contributed to chaotic scenes, with hundreds of passengers filling the terminals.
Airlines have been encouraging travellers to arrive at least two hours before their scheduled departure.
Sydney Airport has moved IT and other back-of-house workers into “queue-combing” positions to help identify and prioritise passengers at risk of missing their flights.
“We are working around the clock to resolve these issues and have teams in the terminals bringing passengers forward in order of priority,” a spokesperson said.
Airports prepare for busiest weekend in two years
It was feared the airport delays would only exacerbate if the staffing shortage was not addressed, as huge numbers of people are scheduled to travel this Easter long weekend.
A Qantas Group spokesperson told SBS News passenger numbers this Easter “will be higher than pre-COVID levels”.
“Qantas and Jetstar will operate 110 per cent of domestic capacity compared to 2019 [pre-COVID-19] flying around 500,000 passengers over the Easter period,” she said.
The pressure has also been felt by Virgin Australia, with a spokesperson telling SBS News the airline is "deploying every available operational staff member where possible."
"The sudden increase in travellers and workforce challenges related to the pandemic will likely lead to travellers experiencing longer than usual queues … over the Easter school holiday period," the spokesperson said.
“Additional resourcing being put on across the network which includes further staff at baggage counters."
Qantas apologises to travellers stranded following delays
Qantas has apologised to a Melbourne family left stranded in Sydney, after domestic flight delays caused them to miss an international trip.
Javiera Martinez, her partner Daniel Capurro and their three children aged 14, seven and eight were supposed to be flying to Chile on Friday to visit relatives they had not seen in three years.
Melbourne family, Daniel Capurro, Javiera Martinez and their children are stranded Sydney after they missed their flight to Chile because of delays checking in. Source: Supplied / SUPPLIED/PR IMAGE
Ms Martinez said the airline's procedures at the airport were chaotic.
"We think Qantas didn't behave appropriately, I got berated by the person at the counter, they never apologised, they never assumed any responsibility at all," she told AAP.
"It was a rude conversation, we have been mistreated badly I would say."
The PCR tests they need to travel have now expired and they will have to re-take them as they wait for seats on the next flight to Santiago departing Sunday.
The airline has apologised and paid for a night's accommodation in Sydney.
"We sincerely apologise that the family missed their connecting flight on another airline due to delays moving through Sydney airport on Friday," a Qantas spokesperson told AAP.
Union calls for sacked Qantas employees to be reinstated
In 2020 Qantas sacked 2000 ground crew staff, including baggage handlers, in favour of contractors.
"Now these workers were loyal experienced workers, who worked directly for Qantas ... and were illegally sacked," the Transport Workers Union's Michael Kaine told SBS News.
"What we are seeing now of course are the consequences of bottlenecks with inexperienced workers and Qantas casting around for workers, when 2000 of them are sitting around ready, willing and able to be reinstated."
There has been criticism of contracted Qantas baggage handlers and other ground staff who were hired after the airline sacked 2,000 staff in 2020. Source: AAP / DEAN LEWINS/AAPIMAGE
Hearings in regards to compensation for the sacked employees were scheduled for later this year.
But, the union said the overwhelming majority of the workers wish to be reinstated.
"Our last survey found that 70 per cent of them wanted to go back to work, despite the long period of time now they have been dismissed," the National Secretary said.
"We have heard just in the last couple of days of planes taking off and they have forgotten to put the catering on board. This is the work that was done by some of those 2,000 workers and world never have happened in the days when those workers, directly employed by the company were doing that work."
SBS News put the unions claims to a Qantas Group spokesperson, but did not receive a comment for publication.
