Chaos at Sydney Airport as fog forces flight diversions

There was chaos at Sydney Airport this morning after more than a dozen flights were delayed or diverted with thick fog blanketing the city.

At its worst, visibility shrank to 400m, forcing Qantas to divert five of its international flights to Adelaide, Brisbane and Melbourne, where the planes refuelled before finally heading to Sydney.

One was Qantas flight 108, which was already delayed by more than 24 hours in Los Angeles when a mechanical fault forced the airline to replace the plane.

Hundreds of passengers were forced to sleep on the ground in the LA terminal, after being given pillows and blankets by staff.

One passenger said there was "nearly a riot" on the plane when the news came through that the flight would then be diverted before reaching Sydney.

Sydney ferry services were also delayed before the fog lifted.