Rain and Mist Causes Delays and Diversions at Mackay Airport This Week

Passengers have been left stranded at Mackay Airport this week as wet weather has affected both inbound and outbound flights.

Most disruptions occurred as the wet weather set in during the afternoon of Thursday 12 July.  Two Virgin Australia flights - one from Sydney and one from Brisbane - as well as a Jetstar flight from Brisbane were unable to land, and all diverted to Brisbane.

On Friday 13 July, there were more disruptions with Virgin Australia, Jetstar, and QantasLink flights all affected.  Although, as the day went on, additional flights were operated to and from Mackay Airport by Virgin Australia, with an additional flight from and back to Brisbane, and one from and back to Sydney, both noted.

QantasLink utilised an Alliance Airlines Fokker F-100, VH-FKA, which flew Townsville-Mackay-Brisbane.

There were also disruptions this week at Proserpine / Whitsunday Coast Airport and Hamilton Island Airport, with a number scheduled flights to Hamilton Island diverting due to the wet weather.

Finally, on Saturday 14 July, a very foggy start to the day saw disruptions at Emerald Airport, with two early morning QantasLink services returning to Brisbane.  I believe the first commercial aircraft to successfully land at Emerald on Saturday touched down around lunchtime - it was QantasLink (Alliance Airlines-operated) F-100 VH-FKK (file photo below).

What a week!