Sydney Airport Races to Recruit Staff to Ease Delays

DALLAS - Australia's busiest airport, Sydney Kingsford Smith (SYD), has launched a new recruitment campaign to fill 5,000 job vacancies at the New South Wales facility. 

Approximately 15,000 staff were let go from the airport during the pandemic. But as global air travel has returned, SYD, along with airports and airlines worldwide, has struggled to cope with the demand. 

Chaotic Scenes

Chaotic scenes emerged earlier in the year, with queues stretching up to one kilometer, and there are no signs of the issues easing any time soon. 

This weekend the country enjoys the Queen's Birthday holiday. Eighty thousand passengers were expected to pass through the airport's domestic terminal on Friday, with numbers set to rise over the weekend. 

Virgin Australia (VA) announced that it expected to see passenger numbers around 20% higher than in the same period in 2019. Despite being a shadow of its pre-pandemic self, VA plans on operating 1,800 flights this weekend.  

Speaking to news.com.au, Geoff Culbert, the airport Chief Executive said, "Our security contractor and ground handlers have been advertising jobs since December and have brought 500 staff on board since the start of the year, but they have another 1200 roles to go which is incredibly challenging in this market."

'Urgently Recruiting'

The airport says it is 'urgently recruiting' new team members and has taken to Twitter to advertise its 'Sydney Airport Jobs Fair' on June 16. Over 40 businesses will attend the event to promote roles across the airport, from hospitality to baggage handling, airport security, and terminal services. 

This, it is hoped, will help deal with the massive influx of passengers wishing to travel after two years of border closures. 

Managing the Masses

Passengers have been warned to only arrive at SYD at their specified time unless advised otherwise by their airline. This will help manage queuing and congestion in the terminal. 

"In the lead up to the holidays, it will be busy, but we are doing everything we can to make sure people get away on time, including bringing people forward through the queues according to flight priority," Mr. Culbert said.

"Labour shortages are hitting every sector in the economy, and we want to thank everyone who is travelling during this period for their patience as we rebuild the sector."

Featured Image: Vacancies available at the SYD job fair include roles in-ground and terminal services, retail, and security. Photo: Sydney Airport