Sydney airport clearing traveller backlog after wild winds ease

Sydney Airport resumed normal operations yesterday as strong winds that caused airline chaos a day earlier eased, a spokeswoman said.Winds gusting up to 70km per hour (44 mph) caused Sydney Airport to close one runway on Friday, leaving international and domestic travellers stranded in Australia’s most populous state.Sydney Airport cancelled 76 flights after all but one runway was closed.Weather bureau meteorologist Rosemary Barr said the winds gradually eased yesterday to up to 30kph after a low-pressure system in the Tasman sea weakened and moved east.The winds had been part of a massive weather system over southeast Australia, that whipped up a 500km (310 miles) dust storm on Thursday, which swept across the drought-parched interior to blanket Sydney.Sydney Airport spokeswoman Cait Tynan said the airport was operating normally with both runways operational.Virgin and Qantas airlines put on additional flights to clear the backlog of travellers stranded by the weather.Jetstar Airways said it had seven cancellations early yesterday morning but was back on schedule by noon.The easing winds also brought relief after 21 fires were fanned by the strong gusts across New South Wales state on Friday.A modified Boeing 737 capable of carrying 15,000 litres (3,960 gallons) of water or fire retardant helped to fight fires around the city of Newcastle, north of Sydney, on Friday. More than 100 firefighters prepared containment lines in the area overnight, the Rural Fire Service said.