Melbourne Airport flights delayed, cancelled by thunderstorms

IN BRIEF | Severe thunderstorms have hit the Melbourne area, with flight delays at Melbourne Airport in Tullamarine that are likely to extend across Australia's airways tonight.

The airport has now re-opened after the storms. 

Flight arrivals and departures boards show most flights being delayed into and out of Melbourne, with more (and greater) departure delays.

Only scattered cancellations are shown, on Qantas, Virgin Australia and Rex.

A Melbourne Airport statement says only that "Melbourne Airport is open however severe thunderstorms have resulted in some flights being delayed."

Check with your airline as the definitive source for information about your flight, and the Melbourne Airport flight information pages for further information about the picture on the ground at Tullamarine.

Don't be surprised by delays elsewhere in Australia tonight and even tomorrow morning -- as aircraft are knocked out of their schedule position, their next flights may also be delayed and cancelled.

John Walton

Aviation journalist and travel columnist John took his first long-haul flight when he was eight weeks old and hasn't looked back since. Well, except when facing rearwards in business class.