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A new major airport on the outskirts of Sydney will open next week, boosting opportunities for UK passengers to fly to Australia’s east coast.
Western Sydney International Nancy-Bird Walton Airport (WSI), named after the female Australian aviator, is set to open on 25 October following eight years of construction.
The airport and its 3.7km runway have been built to meet the increasing demand for flights to the city, which is currently served by Sydney Kingsford Smith airport.
WSI can cater for up to 10 million passengers a year, with plans to eventually grow into Australia’s primary gateway, with a capacity of 82 million annual passengers.
Destinations west of Sydney, such as the Blue Mountains, Liverpool, Campbelltown, and Featherdale Sydney Wildlife Park, will be easily accessible from the terminal.
Airlines Qantas, Jetstar, Vietjet Air, Fiji Airways and Air New Zealand have all announced they will operate from the airport. The latest airline to join is Singapore Airlines, which will introduce flights from 23 November.
The airport hopes it can be an alternative to Sydney Kingsford Smith, the city’s main airport, which already operates UK–Singapore–Australia routes.
Alongside Singapore, the airport will serve other international destinations next year, such as Ho Chi Minh City from January and Nadi in Fiji from March.
The new travel hub also has approved domestic flights from October, including routes to Melbourne, Brisbane and the Gold Coast. It will also have flights to Auckland, New Zealand, and further routes are set to be added.
A new Metro station at the airport is being built, connecting the city and surrounding communities to WSI. In the meantime, a free public bus shuttle is running between the nearest train station, St Mary’s, and the terminal.
The airport can also be reached by road on the new toll-free M12 motorway, with a 6,000-space car park available upon arrival.
It will take just under an hour to drive to WSI from the centre of Sydney. The city’s main airport near Botany Bay is only a 20-minute drive away.
The Australian transport department said the new infrastructure will create jobs and spur economic growth in Western Sydney, as well as giving businesses better access to overseas markets.
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