Sydney Airport Security Staff Are Striking Twice on Thursday, Here’s What It Means for Your Flight

Two separate strikes hit Sydney Airport this Thursday, 24 September 2026. Certis security screeners walk out for two two-hour windows, 7.30–9.30am and 6–8pm, and Qantas Ground Services staff run a 24-hour strike across Australia the same day. Neither shuts the airport down, but if your flight departs inside those windows, or you’re booked on Qantas Freight or a QantasLink service through Sydney, expect real delays.

What time are the strikes at Sydney Airport on Thursday

Certis Security staff, the contractor that runs passenger screening at Sydney Airport, are taking two two-hour stoppages on Thursday 24 September: 7.30–9.30am and 6–8pm. Up to 400 screeners took part after 99% voted for protected industrial action. Qantas Ground Services adds a full 24-hour strike the same day nationwide (Victoria’s workers struck a day earlier, on 23 September). Neither is a full shutdown — screening keeps running with reduced staff, and Qantas mainline flights keep operating — but both windows land inside Sydney’s busiest departure banks.

Which flights does the Qantas strike actually affect

It does not touch Qantas or QantasLink flights outside Sydney, and it does not touch Qantas mainline domestic or international services at all. The Qantas Ground Services strike is limited to Qantas Freight, including Australia Post shipments carried on Qantas aircraft, and the smaller QantasLink ground-handling team based at Sydney Airport. If you’re booked on a Qantas or QantasLink flight anywhere else in the country, or on a Qantas mainline domestic or international service from Sydney itself, this particular strike changes nothing for you.

Why are Certis and Qantas Ground Services workers striking

Both disputes are about pay and job security at companies the union says can afford better. The Transport Workers’ Union says Sydney Airport posted a record aeronautical profit of A$584.3 million in the 2024–25 financial year while its security contractor Certis has driven down wages and conditions; Certis screeners are asking for stronger pay, more full-time positions, and job security when the security contract changes hands. Qantas Ground Services staff, who handle freight and some baggage and ramp work, have been in Fair Work Commission talks for eleven months and say the sticking point is pay rises and the outsourcing of permanent roles to related companies.

What this means if you’re flying through Sydney this week

What this means for you

If your flight leaves Sydney between 7.30–9.30am or 6–8pm on Thursday, build in extra time at security — a two-hour stoppage with reduced staff is a queue problem, not a closure, but it’s still a real one at Australia’s busiest airport. If you’re flying Qantas Freight or a QantasLink service out of Sydney, check your booking status with Qantas directly rather than waiting until the day. Everyone else — Qantas mainline, Jetstar, Virgin, and international carriers outside the screening windows — should see a normal Thursday. If you’re connecting onward from Sydney to a longer trip, including a Nepal trek, this only affects your Sydney departure day, not what happens once you’re in the air.

What happens next

This isn’t the last action planned. Certis Work Health and Safety officers are due to strike overnight from 10pm Monday 28 September to 1am Tuesday 29 September, and neither the Certis nor the Qantas Ground Services dispute has been resolved, so more protected action is possible if talks stall again. Airlines and the airport haven’t announced any compensation scheme for strike-related delays, and a contractor strike is treated differently to an airline-caused cancellation under Australian consumer law — so your clearest path if you’re delayed is your airline’s own rebooking desk, not a refund claim.

Will my flight be cancelled because of the Sydney Airport strike

Almost certainly not. Both actions are limited, protected stoppages rather than full walkouts — Certis is running two-hour windows with reduced screening staff, and the Qantas Ground Services strike is confined to freight and Sydney QantasLink handling. Qantas mainline domestic and international flights are expected to run to schedule.

Should I arrive earlier than usual for a Thursday flight from Sydney

Yes, if your flight departs inside the 7.30–9.30am or 6–8pm screening stoppage windows. Sydney Airport and the union have both flagged longer queues in those specific hours; outside them, normal arrival times should be fine.

Is this only affecting Sydney Airport

The Certis stoppages are specific to Sydney. The Qantas Ground Services strike is nationwide over 23–24 September but only disrupts Qantas Freight and QantasLink ground handling — it does not affect Qantas mainline flights at any airport.

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