Qantas passengers stranded after Singapore–Melbourne flight diverts to Adelaide ahead of Christmas

Qantas passengers faced major disruption on Christmas Eve after a Singapore–Melbourne flight was forced to divert to Adelaide due to a technical issue, The Nightly reported. Flight QF36 made an unscheduled landing as a precaution, leaving travellers stranded during one of the busiest travel periods of the year. Qantas said the aircraft landed safely and stressed that passenger safety was its top priority. The airline worked to accommodate affected customers, but the diversion added to holiday travel stress for many hoping to reach Melbourne before Christmas.


According to The Nightly, Flight QF36 departed Singapore shortly before 8pm on Tuesday and was scheduled to arrive in Melbourne at 6.15am on Wednesday. Instead, after the long overnight journey, passengers woke to find themselves in a different city, adding confusion and frustration to their holiday plans.


One passenger told Sunrise, as quoted by The Nightly, that the situation was 'frustrating' and 'irritating', saying travellers were informed of the diversion just 30 minutes before landing in Adelaide.

A Qantas spokesperson confirmed the diversion was due to a technical issue, emphasising that it was not an emergency or a priority landing.

"We’re very sorry for any inconvenience caused, particularly at this time of year. However, safety is our number one priority, and we thank passengers for their patience and understanding," the airline said.

According to The Nightly, all affected passengers have since departed Adelaide after being rebooked onto alternative flights to Melbourne. Engineers are inspecting the aircraft before it is cleared to return to service.