Chaos as dust chokes Sydney Airport

[Moody]

I was on the delayed Wellington flight and landed at around 7:45 after a bumpy approach on the E/W runway. I assume we were above the dust on the way across the Tasman but we copped quite a bit of turbulence and had the seat-belt sign on for about an hour more than normal.

The airport was quiet and there were no queues at the Duty-Free pickup or immigration .... but then I was directed by Customs Bod#1 to join the long queue for X-ray, only for Customs Bod#2 at the end of the queue to say "bugger off". It seems to me that a better system would be to put Customs Bod#2 at the start of the queue to avoid the pointless shuffling along the ropes, but what do I know?

But back on topic - there was no visible sign of the dust when I grabbed a taxi, but I did notice the car was absolutely filthy when I got home. Need some rain quick smart!

 

[samh004]

But back on topic - there was no visible sign of the dust when I grabbed a taxi, but I did notice the car was absolutely filthy when I got home. Need some rain quick smart!

That's the only way my car's going to be washed. Haha.

 

[Flashback]

That's the only way my car's going to be washed. Haha.

You seem to be as enthused as I am when it comes to washing the car

 

[drron]

A big thumbs up for QF.Mrsdrron and MIL now on as yet no flight number QF extra out of BNE at 9am.Cost of $400 though.now to get JQ money back.

 

[straitman]

A friend just told me of their experience on ADL-OLP on Monday. during the descent into the dust cloud, they looked out the window and saw the runway a little way off to the side of the aircraft. Luckily the pilot also noticed the lack of runway to the front. Needless to say friend is in ADL telling me the story.

I'm just glad that I'm in the office and not on a site visit. Was at a site a few years back when a dust storm past over, I ended that day in a 4wd floating down a creek.

I was going to bite but have resisted the temptation thus far:!:

 

[FlyboyAl]

Visuals were just shown on CNN here in New York. Don't know if its still going on, or if its old (but somewhat sensational) news.
Showed a very red sydney.
Glad I'm flying back into Tulla later on!

 

[Nigelinoz]

I spent an hour washing and detailing my newish (2008) Falcon on Monday arvo in preparation for a trip to Melbourne on Tuesday.we had a major thunderstorm Monday night so expected to wake up to a wet but still clean car only to find it covered in red dust and streaked with mud.
Irony was I had originally booked a flight from ABX to MEL for yesterday but changed it last week.

 

[medhead]

I was going to bite but have resisted the temptation thus far:!:

Not sure what your biting at. Just noting that the red dust storm that is over east actaully started in in SA on Monday.

Also commenting that they are rather common in this part of Oz since I've experienced 4 to 6 in the last 10 years. but they rarely make it all the way to the big smoke. Other than that I do have a great story about the day I was in a dust storm that was quickly followed by heavy rain and thunder and decided, being 2-3 hours off the bitumin, to make a rush for that nice black top. Didn't make it.... (Missed it by that much) ;-)

 

[straitman]

Not sure what your biting at.

Just the comment about the pilot 'noticing' the lack of runway in front of the aircraft.