Strong winds at Sydney airport, which forced all but one of its runways to close, have lead to widespread delays and cancellations of domestic international flights.

Dangerous winds, which reached 70km/h at the airport earlier this morning, have made it difficult for planes to take off and land, and the delays have caused a ripple effect for airports around the country.

Qantas, Virgin Australia, Jetstar and Tigerair Australia flight schedules have been impacted.

“Sydney Airport is still experiencing domestic and international flight delays and cancellations due to strong winds,” the airport tweeted about 1pm.

Passengers are urged to contact their airline for information on their flight status.

Sydney airport is bracing for the dangerous winds to continue until about 8pm tonight, a spokeswoman told 9News.

“We have gone to a single runway due to very strong winds,” the spokeswoman said.

“We cannot operate in a cross wind and as a result of going to a single runway, naturally there are impacts on flights in terms of delays and cancellations.”

Delays and cancellations of flights to and from Sydney and Melbourne airport have stranded passengers at other major Australian airports.

Many have taken to social media to as they await news of their late-running flights.

Sydney airport staff have been handing out bottles of water to waiting passengers, as other travellers sleep in terminals and bunker down for the long wait.

One man told 9News the airport looked like “a war zone” as passengers rushed back and forth.

“I’ve been here for about three and a bit hours,” he said.

Others complained about lack of communication about what was going on.

OTHER AIRPORTS AFFECTED

Services in and out of Melbourne Airport have also been reduced.

Flights to Sydney out of Brisbane have been delayed or cancelled.

Passengers flying from Hobart to Sydney and Melbourne are also facing delays and flight cancellations, and some services out of Canberra airport have been cancelled.

Qantas and Virgin Australia have warned their passengers of delays.

“Sydney and Melbourne Airports have reduced the number of flights allowed to arrive and depart each hour, which is impacting all airlines,” Virgin Australia said in a statement.

“This may also affect flights arriving and departing into other destinations across the network.

“Virgin Australia is working hard to minimise delays for passengers, and get everyone on their way as quickly and safely as possible.”

Qantas said it was monitoring the situation and advised passengers to make sure their contact details were included in their flight booking in case they needed to be contacted about flight changes.

Passengers flying today are advised to check in with their airline before heading to the airport.

The Bureau of Meteorology has issued a gale warning for the Sydney coast and a strong wind warning for Sydney closed waters.

Rose Barr from the Bureau of Meteorology told AAP Sydney Airport had been hit with “fairly significant” winds with gusts reaching up to 70km/h.

Earlier, Qantas flight QF12 from Los Angeles had to abort a landing at Sydney airport due to the strong winds.

It’s the second day Sydney airport has been impacted by strong winds that swept a massive dust storm across the city yesterday.

Overnight, passengers on a cancelled Rex flight were forced to sleep in a terminal at Sydney airport, the ABC reported.

A thick line of dust “the size of Tasmania” stretched almost the entire length of NSW yesterday as strong winds from a low pressure system whipped up masses of dirt across the drought-stricken state.

A line of dust more than 500km long could be seen from the Victorian border, through Canberra and up to Queensland.

The strong winds delayed flights at Sydney Airport for most of yesterday.