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Brisbane Airport has so far reported no disruptions from a glitch in its baggage system overnight.
The airport advised Qantas domestic passengers on Monday morning that they may be impacted by the technical fault, which has not affected international passengers or those travelling on other domestic airlines.
“During the night a motor on the baggage system failed. Specialised technicians have been working throughout the night to restore the system,” said airport spokesman Peter Doherty.
“Currently they have restored capacity to around 40 per cent, which is enough to keep passengers and flights moving without delay. There has been minimal disruption so far and we hope to have 100 per cent capacity restored soon.”
The airport brought in additional staff to manually process bags and help passengers while technicians worked to repair the system.
“Brisbane Airport sincerely apologises for the inconvenience caused to any Qantas passengers due to this baggage system glitch. We understand the importance of a smooth travel experience, and we deeply regret any disruption to your journey,” said Doherty.
Brisbane is currently in the midst of a three-year, $5 billion transformation of its domestic terminal, including an overhaul to the baggage system with an entirely new baggage haul.
The works will also include new computed tomography (CT) security screening systems in line with federal standards, a mezzanine level for more direct access to security screening, and upgrades to self-check-in systems.
Other changes include bathroom refurbishments, expanded dining options, bussing lounges for passengers on aircraft in remote parking bays, and refreshed gate lounges, while outside the terminal itself, the airport is adding 1,700 new spaces to its P2 parking garage and installing charging stations for electric airside vehicles.
Brisbane Airport CEO Gert-Jan de Graaff said in November that the airport is investing now to get ahead of population growth and improve connectivity and sustainability.
“The Brisbane Airport Domestic Terminal is the most connected domestic terminal in Australia with services to 61 destinations, so it is a very important transport hub. Half of those destinations are in Queensland,” he said.
“In the past year, 20 million passengers travelled through Brisbane Airport, and we expect that to grow by 10 million passengers in the coming decade as Queensland’s population expands and our terminals need to be ready.
“More than 20,000 people come to work at Brisbane Airport every day and we forecast that to grow to 30,000 by the time the flame is lit at the Opening Ceremony for the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.”
