A major technical issue with communication systems at the Melbourne Air Traffic Service Centre caused flight delays at airports in Melbourne, Adelaide, and Perth from 5pm AEDT on Tuesday.
Airservices Australia, the government-owned air traffic operator, reported that automated flight plan capability was restored by late Tuesday evening, and all traffic management restrictions were lifted. Normal operations are expected to resume on Wednesday.
Staff had manually entered flight plans to overcome the communications issue. Safety and communication between air traffic controllers and planes were not affected, but some departures experienced delays.
Melbourne Airport confirmed departures were impacted, with one flight to Sydney sitting on the tarmac for over an hour. Adelaide Airport reported delays of up to an hour, while Perth Airport experienced hold-ups for both arriving and departing flights.
Passengers reported being stuck on the ground for extended periods, including a traveler on a Perth to Port Hedland flight who was told of the issue after boarding.
