Thousands of airline passengers have faced long delays across eastern Australia because of major storms and industrial disputes.

Anyone planning to fly over the next few days is advised to check times before going to the airport.

Anna Angel reports.

TRANSCRIPT

Some of the biggest delays were for people trying to fly from Brisbane to Melbourne.

There have been stories of passengers being held up for as long as 12 hours.

All this because of wild storms that swept through southern Victoria.

ABC weather presenter: “Now, since nine A.M. yesterday, Melbourne has recorded 48.4mm, it does make it one of the wettest September days on record.”

Hail and lightning interrupted flights in and out of Melbourne’s Tullamarine Airport.

Thousands of passengers were stranded overnight and into today.

Dozens of flights were cancelled.

Passenger 1: “We landed and the ETA was 7.15, we came down, the rain was thundering down and we didn’t taxi into the terminal until 9.15.”

Passenger 2: “We’re just going to find some, some soft carpet somewhere, and hang out here.”

The backlog began to clear by lunchtime, but passengers have been advised to expect delays of up to an hour throughout the rest of today.

This is just the latest in a string of setbacks for travellers at major airports across the country.

This comes off the back of national custom and quarantine stop works, which continued today at Sydney and Cairns airports with more planned for Saturday.

Baggage handlers and ground staff at major Australian airports are also expected to stop work for one hour tomorrow morning.

And the Australian Licensed Aircraft Engineers Association has told Qantas they will take industrial action tomorrow in Victoria, and Monday in Queensland.

Qantas says it expects several thousand passengers will be affected over the long weekend, including those travelling to the footy grand finals.

Anna Angel, QUT News.