Passengers aboard a late evening flight from Moree to Sydney found themselves arriving at Bankstown on January 18.
The diversion occurred after the aircraft departed late from Moree and was unable to perform an over-water landing in Sydney after the curfew because tail-winds were too strong.
One of the passengers onboard contacted Australian Aviation to say: “In 25 years of flying every week with Qantas it’s the first time I’ve ever landed at Bankstown!
“I felt sorry for the captain who stood at the front of the cabin apologising to everyone. In the end a Qantas staff bus came to collect us all,” he said, not wanting to be named. “It was absolute chaos, but very funny; although not everyone thought so.”
The captain said the over-riding need to get the aircraft back in Sydney meant it could not overnight in Moree.