Mr Joyce described traffic around Sydney Airport as “unacceptable” and “embarrassing”.

Qantas chief executive Alan Joyce has told the NSW government to “urgently” resolve the traffic gridlock around Mascot by buying back the airport rail link and reducing train prices.

Speaking to NSW premier Barry O’Farrell and the Committee for Sydney, Mr Joyce described traffic around Sydney Airport as “embarrassing”, with international arrivals often unsure as to how to reach the city and Qantas pilots and crew turning up late for take-off as a result of traffic congestion.  

According to News Limited, the Qantas boss told the committee it should spend up to AU$300 million buying back the privatised train link, and then decrease fares.

Mr Joyce said the current gridlock was “unacceptable in the world’s best aviation hubs”.

"Sydney Airport is a wonderful piece of infrastructure and it's simply perverse to limit its potential by restricting public transport access," Committee for Sydney chief executive Tim Williams said.

“At the moment, it's often cheaper to split a cab than catch the train.

"Every major city in the world promotes first class public transport to and from its airport and Sydney's airport should be no different.”

Sydney Airport made headlines earlier this month after a study recommended Badgerys Creek as a preferred site for a secondary airport.

According to the Infrastructure NSW report, the second airport would be required by the late 2020s and help meet demand for 100 flights per day by 2027.