Major construction or other projects occurring close to Sydney Airport’s runway or routine and maintenance work can sometimes affect flights to and from the airport. To ensure the safety of aircraft and workers, this means the use of particular runways can be temporarily affected.

New taxiways and aircraft parking bays

In 2021, passenger numbers at SYD hit their lowest point of the COVID pandemic, at just 1% of 2019 levels. As at June 2023, passenger numbers were back to nearly 90% of 2019 levels. Growth is expected to continue as more people choose to fly.

With that recovery, a number of major projects that had been suspended due to COVID have now restarted.

One such project will see two new taxiways constructed, an existing taxiway extended and six new aircraft parking bays constructed in SYD’s south-east sector near the Air Traffic Control Tower and Blu Emu Carpark.

The project, which was originally approved by the Australian Government in 2019, is a $169 million investment to meet forecast aviation demand in 2029 and is expected to be completed in the first half of 2025.

Maintenance work on main north-south runway

For up to 12 nights until 30 September 2026, Sydney Airport’s parallel north-south runway will need to be used between 11pm and 6am.

This is because ongoing and essential maintenance work needs to be undertaken on the main north-south runway on these nights.

This work includes:

• airfield ground lighting upgrade projects and maintenance (continuing the transition to LED lighting),
• rubber removal and runway pavement inspections,
• runway line marking, and
• asphalt surface maintenance and repair (including line marking).

For all 12 of these nights, the maintenance work will only be undertaken on Friday, Saturday or Sunday nights.

This is because there are few (if any) overnight freight flights on these nights. This will ensure that any noise impact in Kurnell, La Perouse, Phillip Bay, Little Bay or parts of Botany is minimised. The flights that do occur will predominantly be Air Ambulance, of which there are very few.

Contact information

Contact: Mr Ted Plummer

Phone: 0409 072 436

Email: runwaysafety@syd.com.au

If you wish to lodge a formal aircraft noise complaint with Airservices Australia, the Australian Government agency responsible for air traffic management at all of Australia’s major airports, visit their Noise Complaints and Information Service.