Jetstar's Airbus A320 and Qatar Airways' Boeing 777 came dangerously close during morning runway operations. Australia's transport safety bureau has launched an investigation, and one cabin crew member was injured.
At Sydney Airport on Sunday morning, August 9, 2026, a serious accident was narrowly avoided when two passenger aircraft found themselves in close proximity to each other. The incident occurred just before 7 a.m. local time and involved an Airbus A320 from low-cost carrier Jetstar and a Boeing 777 from Qatar's national airline, Qatar Airways.
Jetstar's aircraft, operating flight JQ402 to the Gold Coast in Queensland, was taxiing toward the runway when the crew spotted the danger. In close proximity to their path was a Qatar Airways Boeing 777 being towed by a tug. According to a statement from the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB), both aircraft were brought to a sudden stop to prevent a collision.
"Our aircraft was following air traffic control instructions when the pilots had to brake suddenly after another aircraft came into close proximity," said a Jetstar spokesperson.
Although a collision was avoided, the incident did not pass without consequences. The ATSB reports that one cabin crew member on the Jetstar aircraft was injured during the sudden braking. Additionally, damage occurred to the connection between the Boeing 777's nose landing gear and the tug towing it.
The Australian Transport Safety Bureau immediately launched an official investigation to determine the exact circumstances and causes of this dangerous event. In parallel, Jetstar, which is the low-cost subsidiary of Australia's national carrier Qantas, has also initiated its own internal investigation. There is currently no information on whether Qatar Airways will also conduct an investigation.
