Rare cyclone closes Brisbane & Gold Coast airports, flights & cruises disrupted

Airports on Australia's southeastern coast have closed, with airlines cancelling hundreds of flights, as an “extremely rare” Category 2 cyclone barrels towards the country.

Tropical Cyclone Alfred is causing travel disruptions in Australia as it draws near to the southeast Queensland and northern New South Wales coasts, reports say.

The area covered by the Cyclone Alfred warning zone stretches around 450-500 km along the east coast of Australia, from Double Island Point in Queensland to Ballina in New South Wales.

Alfred is set to make landfall Friday evening (March 7) between Maroochydore and Coolangatta, forecasters say.

Airports close

Brisbane Airport has announced that it is suspending operations, with terminals open only for defence operations. “Operations will recommence when it is safe to do so after the weather system has passed,” the airport wrote on the social media platform X.

“Do not come to the airport until your airline advises you to,” the airport added in an online notice posted to its website. 

Passengers who are currently at the airport for flights that have been cancelled are being advised to make their way home, to a hotel, or to Level 2 of the International Terminal.

Qantas Airways confirmed that it will cease flights from the airport until at least noon Saturday, with no domestic flights departing until Sunday.

All commercial flights from Byron Bay’s Ballina airport have also been cancelled, through to and including Sunday (March 9) due to strong winds.

Gold Coast Airport, 55 miles up the coast from Ballina, also closed its terminal at 4 p.m. Wednesday. Click here to see updates from the airport.

Virgin Australia and Jetstar also say they suspending flights to and from Ballina Byron Bay until at least Sunday morning.

“Safety is always our top priority, and our meteorologists continue to closely monitor the weather system. We are working with all stakeholders including airports, local councils, and authorities as the situation evolves,” Virgin Australia wrote in a message to customers.

Air New Zealand says if its passengers are travelling between now and March 9 to or from an impacted airport in Australia, they can defer their flight without a fee, hold the value of their ticket or change to another one of its destinations by paying the fare difference.

Carnival Luminosa cancels

The cruise industry is also adjusting itineraries.

A voyage aboard Carnival Luminosa, for one, has been cancelled due to the cyclone, Carnival Cruise Line said.

According to an update shared on the company’s social media profiles, the sailing that was scheduled to depart from Brisbane on March 6, 2025, will no longer go ahead.

“We are continuing to monitor Tropical Cyclone Alfred. Given its current track, the storm is expected to directly impact the Brisbane area in the coming days and the port is now closed,” Carnival Australia said in a statement.

“Regrettably, we have no option but to cancel Carnival Luminosa’s three-day cruise departing tomorrow,” the company continued in the statement, which was shared on Wednesday.

Carnival Luminosa is expected to resume its regular programming on Mar. 9, 2025 with a four-night cruise to Airlie Beach.

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