WESTERN SYDNEY AIRPORT: Runway complete, and Air New Zealand joins opening queue
It won’t start actual operations until late 2026, over a year away, but Western Sydney International Airport (WSI) is already drawing a crowd. Today, the Prime Minister of Australia, Anthony Albanese, visited to mark the completion of runway construction. That was excuse enough to announce the latest name to join the departures board; Air New Zealand. Flights on Air NZ from WSI to Auckland, New Zealand, are planned to start in mid-2027.
It’ll be the second international airline to commit to the Nancy-Bird Walton terminal, named after the legendary Aussie aviatrix. Singapore Airlines was the first to sign on, with Qantas and Jetstar signing up for domestic operations.
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NSW Government subsidy for WSI
The NSW Government’s $16 million Take-Off Fund will help grease the landing gear. It is designed to lure international airlines to Sydney’s second airport. That subsidy will also help get this trans-Tasman route airborne.
Air New Zealand CEO Greg Foran was quick to highlight the growth credentials:
“This new connection between Auckland and Western Sydney will open up a pathway between two of the fastest growing regions on either side of the Tasman.
For customers, it’s about getting them to where they want to go more conveniently. For us, it’s another step in strengthening the ties between New Zealand and Australia.”
Greg Foran, Air New Zealand CEO
Qantas plans for WSI
Qantas will be starting new but small with a QantasLink Embraer E190. That is likely to be joined by the newly acquired Airbus A220. The plan for Qantas is to base five jets at WSI and Jetstar ten of its Airbus A320s. Qantas is looking at that fleet of 15 aircraft to transport four million passengers on 25,000 flights each year. Capital cities Brisbane and Melbourne, forming the golden triangle are likely to be the first.
The Case for the West
For Western Sydney residents, taking off from WSI means a saving of around two hours on a same-day return work trip.
If you haven’t been paying attention, Western Sydney is no longer Sydney’s sleepy edge — it’s booming. As WSI CEO Simon Hickey puts it:
“You’ve got Sydney, then Melbourne, and then Western Sydney. The third-largest economy in Australia… and one of the fastest-growing populations, a younger population with lots of businesses, a really ambitious population who are great travellers.”
Simon Hickey, WSI CEO
WSI boasts the third-largest airport catchment in Australia with three million people living within an hour’s drive of the airport.
Which airline will be next at WSI ?
I don’t have any insider knowledge, but both large and small carriers could be tempted, especially on leisure routes.
In no particular order, Asia Pacific airlines like Cebu Pacific, Philippine Airlines and Vietnam Airlines seem likely suspects. Moving on to the majors, I can see Emirates and Qatar being attracted to the curfew-free attributes of the Western Sydney Airport. Then, there are new airline entrants who are seeking to make an impact. I’m looking at you, Turkish Airlines, and your 35 weekly flights heading to Istanbul. They might wait until they can do those direct instead of using Kuala Lumpur and Singapore as way points.
There is a small wrinkle on the path to increasing flights. WSI and SYD share the ‘capital city’ designation as far as bilateral airline agreements are concerned. So either they would need to re-route one of their current flights, or seek to increase their rights. Emirates for instance has more rights than it exercises, so it shouldn’t have a problem. Not the same for Qatar for instance.
2PAXfly Takeout
With big-name airlines lining up and a shiny new terminal promising modern convenience and easier access for millions, WSI is fast shaping up as a potential game-changer.
My bet is that most airlines will wait until the airport is open and operating before they make a substantive commitment. With lead times for an airline route being 12 to 24 months, I think it will be 2027 or 2028 before we see a boom at the Western Sydney Airport. That’s probably when public transport links (I mean rail) will be operating, too.
Whats the puissant Albanese doing there? The turd had nothing to do with it. I hope former PM’s Morrison and Abbott were there. Albanese and Chalmers [edited to remove racist content] would not have even started the project. [More racist and anti-immigrant comments removed]
Albanese should hang his bloody head in shame and the 36% who voted for the bastard should hang their heads in shame too. [additional slurs removed]
Can any leftie name one infrastructure project the Socialist Government has started since 2022? No. Not one and yet the bastard will take all the credit for this new airport… It sickens me
Hi Robbo,
Thanks for your comment. However, I need to correct a few of your observations.
Firstly, it is tradition that the officeholder of Prime Minister, whoever that may be, attends official infrastructure ceremonies.
Secondly, the decision to have a second Sydney Airport then earmarked as Badgery’s Creek was a decision of the Hawke/Keating labor government in 1986.
Thirdly, let me step up as the ‘leftie’ and point out that Federal Governments rarely build things anymore. They fund others to build things. To that end, the current labour government, which is way short of being anything approaching socialist has initiated the following projects in its first term: High Speed Rail Authority, Bruce Highway Upgrades, Northern Territory Road Projects, Future Made in Australia (comprising: National Reconstruction Fund, Solar Sunshot Program, Critical Minerals Strategy), Housing Australia Future Fund, NBN Expansion and Better Connectivity Plan for Regional and Rural Australia.
That’s a total of (back of envelope) AU$37.5 billion worth of infrastructure.
My advice is to know your facts before you express a prejudiced opinion.