Strikes, flight cancellations & delays hit travellers hard today

UPDATE | Qantas has issued a new timetable starting Monday October 17 which sees 110 flights per week cancelled due to ongoing industrial action. For a complete list of all cancelled flights, click here.

PREVIOUS | Travellers are in for a tough time today as customs officers and Qantas aircraft engineers walk off the job at airports around the country.

While the two strikes are unrelated, they'll hit international and domestic passengers alike – and cause a double whammy for travellers transferring from an inbound international flight onto a domestic connection with Qantas.

At international airports, industrial action by Customs and Border Protection staff will see thousands of Customs officers will walk off the job for up to four hours over a pay dispute.

The stop-work action will "significantly affect international airports", says the  Community and Public Sector Union, which represents customs officers. “We would urge people collecting inbound international passengers on Thursday to factor possible delays into their plans."

Inbound passengers are also likely to be caught up in long queues.

Here's a list of when the stoppages will hit each international airport, so at least you'll know if you're likely to be stuck in a queue or can sail straight through... 

Meanwhile, Qantas has cancelled 14 flights and delayed a further 38 flights by up to an hour in response to a series of nationwide strikes by members of the Transport Workers’ Union (TWU) over a new workplace agreement.

The TWU's industrial action will hit airports and catering facilities around Australia. In most cities the four-hour stop-work period has been divided into two two-hour blocks to maximise disruption, with the first strike starting at 5am and the last concluding at 8pm.

The sole exception is Canberra, where TWU members will down tools from 4pm to 8pm – which happens to be the conclusion of a Parliamentary sitting week and peak time at Canberra airport.

Travellers are advised to check the airline's Flight Status page for information on specific flights, and basically avoid Canberra Airport all afternoon and evening.

Cancelled flights for Thursday October 13

QF403 Sydney to Melbourne
QF410 Melbourne to Sydney
QF415 Sydney to Melbourne
QF440 Melbourne to Sydney
QF449 Sydney to Melbourne
QF456 Melbourne to Sydney
QF457 Sydney to Melbourne
QF462 Melbourne to Sydney
QF468 Melbourne to Sydney
QF469 Sydney to Melbourne
QF502 Sydney to Brisbane
QF513 Brisbane to Sydney
QF536 Sydney to Brisbane
QF549 Brisbane to Sydney

Rescheduled flights for Thursday October 13

QF77 Perth to Singapore
QF123 Brisbane to Auckland
QF413 Sydney to Melbourne
QF434 Melbourne to Sydney
QF439 Sydney to Melbourne
QF447 Sydney to Melbourne
QF485 Melbourne to Perth
QF512 Sydney to Brisbane
QF517 Brisbane to Sydney
QF521 Brisbane to Sydney
QF544 Sydney to Brisbane
QF557 Brisbane to Sydney
QF564 Canberra to Sydney
QF593 Adelaide to Perth
QF604 Melbourne to Brisbane
QF617 Brisbane to Melbourne
QF637 Melbourne to Brisbane
QF667 Brisbane to Adelaide
QF668 Perth to Adelaide
QF706 Adelaide to Canberra
QF763 Canberra to Melbourne
QF802 Perth to Melbourne
QF803 Sydney to Canberra
QF814 Melbourne to Canberra
QF824 Brisbane to Darwin
QF825 Darwin to Brisbane
QF950 Canberra to Brisbane
QF953 Brisbane to Canberra
QF959 Brisbane to Canberra
QF960 Canberra to Brisbane
QF969 Townsville to Brisbane
QF1011 Melbourne to Hobart

David Flynn

David Flynn is the Editor-in-Chief of Executive Traveller and a bit of a travel tragic with a weakness for good coffee, shopping and lychee martinis.