By Alicia Bolton

A Jetstar flight from Sydney to Melbourne could have been at risk after unauthorised freight was loaded onto it, the Australian Transport Safety Bureau says.

The report released today by the Australian Transport Safety Bureau found that miscommunication between ground crew staff led to the plane at Sydney airport being loaded with freight the pilot had previously refused to allow onboard.

The plane was operating a passenger/freight flight from Sydney to Denpasar, Indonesia, via Melbourne on July 4, 2009, and could have led to weight and balance problems on the aircraft, the report read.

A Jetstar spokeswoman said the incident did not compromise the safety of the airline or its passengers.

“We have gone above and beyond the recommended safety actions outlined by the ATSB,” she said.

In response to the incident, Jetstar has introduced more safety precautions, including retraining the staff involved and amending loading and emergency contact procedures, the ATSB said.