It seems the West Sydney International Airport project is gaining some traction at last, with Qantas and Jetstar planning to operate flights from the airport.
Jetstar and Qantas prepare to take on Western Sydney Intertional – Image, Qantas.
With Western Sydney International (Nancy-Bird Walton) Airport (WSI) set to open in late 2026, it seems it is finally attracting airlines operating out of it.
Qantas Group will base a total of 15 aircraft at this airport – with 10 to be operated by Jetstar and five by Qantas in its first year of operation.
They will operate Australian domestic flights in the first instance, targeting rounds such as Melbourne, Brisbane and the Gold Coast.
Qantas Group is expecting these aircraft will carry around four million passengers through WSI per annum on more than 25,000 flights. Around 700 operational jobs are expected to be needed, with local recruitment to take place in the lead-up to the first flights.
WSI itself is under construction, with the airport more than 50% complete, as it races to complete construction and meet regulatory requirements for it to be operational.
In Quotes
Qantas Group CEO Alan Joyce said the national carrier was proud to sign an agreement with Western Sydney International Airport, which is on track to become the sixth biggest airport for the Group within its first year of operation.
“In just over three years Qantas and Jetstar will take off from Western Sydney connecting one of Australia’s fastest growing areas through direct flights across the country,”
“As we take delivery of more aircraft and expand our fleet, we see Western Sydney Airport as a significant growth opportunity for the Group, which will complement our existing operations in the Sydney basin and nationally.
“Western Sydney International Airport has some big strategic advantages with no curfew, technology that allows aircraft to be turned around quickly and a next-generation baggage system.
“Our data shows that more than two million trips per year are taken by people who live in the Western Sydney catchment so we know there will be demand for these flights from day one. Jetstar has a long history of stimulating demand when it starts flying to new destinations through low fares, so expect to see some great value travel options,” Mr Joyce added.
WSI CEO Simon Hickey said the agreement sends an incredibly powerful signal globally about the strength of WSI’s offering for airlines and passengers.
“This is a substantial Qantas and Jetstar presence at Sydney’s new major airport,
“We’re enabling WSI with the latest technology, which will deliver an easier and more seamless travel experience.
“Qantas and Jetstar passengers are going to love flying from WSI and we can’t wait to welcome them.
“WSI is being designed for growth and will eventually become Sydney’s biggest airport. We have a roadmap to grow to 82 million annual passengers, around the size of the world’s major airports, such as Dubai and London Heathrow.”
The missing international jigsaw piece
All international traffic for Sydney goes through its Kingsford Hub in Sydney – and at the moment, there have been no announcements if Qantas – or any other airline is pondering deploying international services.
If you’ve travelled to Sydney Airport – you’ll know some of the issues it has – being hemmed in by the city, with no room to expand with limited hour operations which have been in place since 1995.
International coverage will be key to building out a hub – as no airline likes to move from a well-established base which will involve some customer inconvenience (unless subsidies or legislation comes to “encourage” airlines to move).
And that’s the missing piece at the moment – no declaration of international interest. Whilst WSI could make an excellent domestic option, I suspect the pressure to reduce everything at Sydney Kingsford could force the matter.
For passengers – it is going to be a bit of a hike, as WSI is 41km/25 miles away from Central Sydney – whilst only being 13 km/8 miles away from Penrith. It is also within 7km/4 mile of the Blue Mountains National Park, with roads and a rail link to be constructed to support this airport.
This compares with Sydney being around 8km/5 miles from Central Sydney.
There’s not long to go – in airline terms. Three years in airline terms is around the corner, with network planners always keeping one step ahead and will need to plan for the connectivity it needs to support the new routes.
We can hope that WSI can attract further customers as it builds itself out to be the second airport Syndey needs.
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