Some eight years since work first began, Australia’s latest 24-hour international gateway is finally officially open for passenger travel.
Jetstar had the honour of making aviation history, operating the first-ever commercial passenger flight from Western Sydney International Airport (WSI).
Jetstar flight JQ362 departed WSI for the Gold Coast at 11am (AEDT) yesterday (Oct 25). The sold-out service was the first from a major new Australian airport in more than 50 years.
The celebrations continued all day with Jetstar flight JQ363 from the Gold Coast set to land at 3pm as the airport’s first-ever commercial passenger arrival, followed by the first departure to Melbourne, flight JQ375, at 6pm.
“This is an historic day for aviation in Australia and we’re proud to bring more choice and low fares to Western Sydney,” said Stephanie Tully, Jetstar CEO.
“For many customers, the uber or taxi across the city has been the most expensive part of their trip.
“From today, for three million people who live in and around Western Sydney, low fares start a lot closer to home.
“We’ve got a strong track record of opening up new markets and Western Sydney, one of the fastest growing regions in the country, is going to be one of the great ones.”
From March 28 next year, Qantas will add passenger services with QantasLink Embraer E190 aircraft to Melbourne and Brisbane, four times a week on each route with business and economy cabins.
Qatar Airways, Singapore Airlines and Air New Zealand are among other major carriers who have committed to using the new facility, with the latter celebrating its first international flight to WSI from Auckland this morning (Oct 26).
“Today we mark an incredible milestone for WSI, Western Sydney and New South Wales,” said Simon Hickey, WSI CEO, at the official opening.
“Our city now has a 24-hour airport that will grow with Sydney for the coming century and expand choice and flexibility for travellers and airlines and connect more people with more places and greater opportunities.
“As Australia’s first major international greenfield airport in more than 50 years, in the cultural heartland of one of Australia’s most rapidly growing regions, WSI brings the world closer to Western Sydney and opportunity closer to home.”
The new facility was opened by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese (above), who described it as a milestone day.
“For the first time in more than 50 years, Australia is opening a major new airport. It’s a milestone that has been decades in the making and one that belongs to the people of Western Sydney,” Mr Albanese said.
“I’ve been a strong supporter of this project for a long time and I’m very proud to officially open it.
“I want to thank the thousands of workers who made it happen. This airport will make a real difference for Western Sydney, creating jobs, supporting local businesses, and making it easier for people to travel for generations to come.”
WSI opens with capacity to cater for up to 10 million passengers a year and has been designed to grow with Sydney.
Over time, it is expected to become Australia’s primary gateway, with capacity for more than 80 million passengers annually.
The airport’s 24-hour operations will add much-needed capacity to the Sydney aviation market and give airlines greater flexibility to introduce new services and routes.
The opening of passenger services follows the commencement of operations at the WSI Cargo Precinct on July 27.
