WEEKLY REVIEW: Sunday 18 January, 2026

Hello travellers,

Greetings from a very wet Sydney. We’ve been hosting a number of overseas friends. But even more enjoyable is making some reciprocal plans to visit them later this year using our hard-earned Amex Rewards points. 

My next trip is a month or so away. It will be to a much diminished Adelaide Festival, without its traditional Writers Week, which has been cancelled due to political interference. 

What happened last week?

Passengers behaving badly is all too common. I document some of the most annoying traits of these ‘lice’.

A recent report documents the causes for a stink in the Air Traffic Control tower at Sydney Airport back in 2025. In 2026, flights are slowed by a surfeit of Air Traffic Controllers on leave or calling in sick.

And talking of cancelled and delayed flights, I have some advice on what to do, and how to behave if you are subjected to such an inconvenience. 

Next week

First, a heatwave and bushfires, now storms and floods in Victoria.  Australia’s holiday weather has been full of extremes this summer.

Don’t forget that wearing masks helps prevent the transmission of airborne diseases. I encourage travellers to wear them over the holidays, especially in crowded places such as airports, lounges and on flights. 

Until next week . . .

Stephen

2PAXfly

SYDNEY AIRPORT: Air traffic control shortages bring chaos

By 2paxfly on Jan 15, 2026 03:34 pm

Dozens of flights have been cancelled, and many more were delayed on Thursday, 15 January 2026, according to the AFR. A shortage of air traffic control staff has triggered the worst disruption at Australia’s busiest airport since the pandemic began. As always, when Sydney sneezes, the entire national air network catches a cold. What went […] Read in browser »

AIRLINES: passengers behaving badly; are ‘aisle lice’ a thing?

By 2paxfly on Jan 15, 2026 02:41 pm

These ‘aisle lice’ are new to me, but I love the term. According to an article in The Guardian, the term refers to passengers behaving badly on an aircraft, specifically those passengers show leap up, grab their bags, and try and streak to the front of the aircraft to be first off the plane. But […] Read in browser »
 

CONSUMER LAW: What to do when your flight is cancelled

By 2paxfly on Jan 12, 2026 12:18 pm

Flight cancellations are a fact of life in peak travel periods, when airports and airlines are handling record numbers of passengers. When your travel plans suddenly unravel, whether it’s because of weather, airline issues or some other reason, you need to know what your rights are, what you can claim and where to start. Australian […] Read in browser »
 

SYDNEY AIRPORT: Air Traffic Control stinks! Sewage smell overwhelms control tower

By 2paxfly on Jan 11, 2026 04:56 pm

Air traffic controllers at Sydney Airport were forced to work through overpowering sewage odours during the peak 2024–25 holiday travel period. Some staff were reportedly dry heaving at their desks while managing aircraft movements according to a story in the Sydney Morning Herald. Incident logs from Airservices Australia show the first complaint was recorded on […] Read in browser »

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