'Loud bang': Qantas plane in emergency landing after engine failure

Qantas said the "contained engine failure" on flight QF520 from Sydney to Brisbane occurred shortly after takeoff. A grass fire that sparked near the runway at the same time as the emergency landing has been extinguished by the Aviation Rescue Fire Fighting Service.

"While customers would have heard a loud bang, there was not an explosion," a Qantas spokesperson said on November 8.

Sydney Airport confirmed the main runway remained operational but said passengers should expect some delays.

Qantas chief pilot captain Richard Tobiano said the plane circled the city briefly before landing safely at Sydney Airport at 1pm on November 8.

"Our pilots are highly trained to handle situations like this and the aircraft landed safely after the appropriate procedures were conducted," he said.

"We understand this would have been a distressing experience for customers and we will be contacting all customers this afternoon to provide support.

"We will also be conducting an investigation into what caused the engine issue."

The plane's emergency landing coincided with reports of grass fires along the airport's eastern runway and nearby in Sir Joseph Banks Park, Botany.

"It's not clear at this stage if the two incidents are linked and investigations are continuing," a Sydney Airport spokesperson said.

"With the safe arrival of the aircraft, Sydney Airport's priority is to conduct a full inspection of its parallel runway and to return it to service as quickly as possible.

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"Passengers who are travelling today are also encouraged to check with their airline regarding the status of their flight, or via the online flight information boards on Sydney Airport's website."

Aviation Rescue and Firefighting officers were on the scene, Fire and Rescue NSW said.