Source : the age
The first commercial flight from Sydney’s – and Australia’s – newest international airport took off this morning from Western Sydney International bound for the Gold Coast.
Flight JQ362, with 188 passengers, aviation enthusiasts and journalists on board, departed at 11.22am. Thirty places were reserved for Jetstar officials and journalists and the rest for the paying public.
As it taxied on the lone runway in the late morning light, crowds of plane spotters jammed nearby hillsides to get a glimpse of history. A helicopter hovered nearby.
The flight was filled with passengers wearing Jetstar and WSI hats, aviation super-fans, proud western Sydneysiders and the generally curious. After a flight of one hour and nine minutes, JQ362 landed at its destination.
On the flight, western Sydney-based businessman George Rasho said he specifically booked to be on the inaugural journey.
It was important to Rasho because WSI represented demographics of western Sydney.
“It feels like the government has heard our voices, giving us the privilege of having a nearby airport,” said Rasho.
“I’m proud to know that we are now put on the map for the world – and for the world to see one of the most multicultural places on Earth [in western Sydney].”
The federal government, which has backed the airport, and the City of Sydney hope WSI will give travellers a new option with round-the-clock, curfew-free flights domestically and internationally. Qantas-owned Jetstar is also vying to fly from WSI to Bali.
The low-cost carrier is flying Airbus A320s, which seats up to 188 passengers, forming part of Jetstar’s newer, more-efficient and easier-to-operate fleet.
Before the first flight, passengers expressed excitement, relief and a little curiosity about being on the historic journey.
Madi Merc, who lives near the airport, booked places for herself and her three children.
“Being on the flight is everything,” she said. “I was nine years old when I moved to Australia.”
“I grew up on the farms around us,” said Merc, who said she’s trained for half Ironman contests and participated in the runway run before the airport was open.
“To fly out of here now feels like the final piece of the puzzle,” she said.
“It’s absolutely wild to say that where cows and sheep once grazed, there’s now people flying around. It’s really cool.”
Moreover, Merc said she faced a 20-minute drive to the airport instead of an hour.
Jetstar expects to fly up to 24 return services a week from WSI. That means up to 14 a week to Melbourne, daily services to the Gold Coast and three weekly to Brisbane.
The addition of WSI as a new point of demand within Australia’s network of airports was overshadowed by a sense of relief by passengers who milled around the lobby before tagging luggage and going through security to the gate.
The airport’s clean, well-lighted space played host to a low-key celebratory atmosphere with T-shirts, press conferences and mascot. The day began with a First Nation’s smoking ceremony, and the sense of place was evident in the design and layout of the facility.
As passengers boarded, Australia’s political class – past and present – gathered and spoke in a nearby gate. Speakers including Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and NSW Premier Chris Minns, but the crowded was also filled with figures who’d help realise the project of the airport.
Aviation influencer Julian Tseng flew from Melbourne and was able to claim the first seat on the first domestic flight.
Tseng, who describes himself as a “bit of a geek”, said: “It’s a historical occasion, not just for Sydney but for all of Australia. It’s not every day you get to witness the opening of a new airport.”
Jetstar CEO Steph Tully championed the airline’s role in bringing “more choice and low fares to western Sydney”.
“This is an historic day for aviation in Australia,” she said.
“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.”
The initial route map is fairly modest to start, but it should expand over time as WSI settles in alongside Kingsford Smith.
Eventually, WSI looks set to cater mostly to budget and leisure travel, while Kingsford Smith remains the main hub for premium and business trips.
To mark the start of flights from WSI and induce passengers to try the airport, Jetstar announced fare sales featuring WSI-Gold Coast one-way fares starting from $54, WSI-Melbourne from $61 and WSI-Brisbane from $65.
But with a new airport come new baggage rules for passengers.
The one-way fares will feature Jetstar’s new policy in which every passenger receives an under-seat personal item and access to overhead bins incurs an additional fee. Those who purchase bin access will board the plane first.
The first international service takes place on Monday when Air New Zealand operates its inaugural flights connecting WSI and Auckland.
In keeping with the leisure focus of WSI, Fiji Airways will fly three times a week starting in March.
Additionally, passengers from WSI will be able to fly to Singapore with Singapore Airlines in November, and to Ho Chi Minh City with VietJet early next year.
At the end of next year, Virgin partner Qatar Airways will fly three return services a week to Doha. VietJet also plans to add direct Bangkok services by November next year, pending regulatory approval.
Qantas will operate eight flights a week to Brisbane and Melbourne beginning next year.
Chris Zappone travelled as a guest of Jetstar.
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Chris Zappone is a senior reporter covering aviation and business. He is former digital foreign editor.Connect via X, Facebook or email.
