Hundreds of would-be travellers got to catch an early glimpse of the first major international airport to be built in Australia in more than 50 years.
Western Sydney Airport (WSI), also known as Nancy-Bird Walton, is just months away from opening its doors to passengers, and staff are ironing out any kinks ahead of that date.
This week, the airport opened its doors to trial passengers, simulating arriving for a flight and landing back down again.
Matt Duffy, Western Sydney International Airport’s chief operating officer, told Yahoo News their feedback will “help enhance” the experience for passengers on opening day.
“It’s a unique and positive opportunity we’re able to leverage as Australia’s first major international greenfield airport in more than 50 years,’ he said.
“We’re grateful for the enthusiasm and support from the hundreds of ‘trial passengers’ who’ll be taking part in this program over the coming weeks.”
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Kylie Hayden can’t wait for the airport to open closer to her home in Penrith. Source: Supplied
Kylie Hayden, who lives in Penrith, told Yahoo she can’t wait to be able to fly out of Western Sydney instead of going all the way to Kingsford Smith in the city’s east.
She signed up as a trial passenger to give it a go ahead of a flight she’s booked to Singapore in November.
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What happened at the Western Sydney Airport passenger trial?
Kylie told Yahoo the day started with an international check-in and issued a scenario card.
The passengers were then sent through security and sent to their arrival gate.
At the gate, passengers were given pre-filled yellow arrival declaration cards and sent through customs.
“We skipped the passport process and went straight to collect luggage, which was waiting for us at the baggage carousels”.
She was then sent to check into a domestic flight, going through security again.
“The day was well run, and we ended with a feedback session,” she said.
Overall, Kylie said she “absolutely loved” the experience.
“It was such a great idea and the best way to test some of the systems,” she said.
“It’s not yet finished, but I’m sure it’ll be ready for the first passenger flights starting, I think, in October.”
Faux passengers ‘checking in’ to flights Source: Supplied
Kylie got to look inside the pet facilities at the airport. Source: Supplied
When does Western Sydney Airport open to passengers?
Freight operations have already begun at the airport, but Duffy told Yahoo that passenger services will begin taking off on October 25.
The airport’s inaugural commercial passenger flight will be operated by Jetstar. Its Airbus A320 will depart from WSI to the Gold Coast at 11am.
From that date, Jetstar will offer up to 14 flights a week between WSI and Melbourne, four weekly flights to the Gold Coast and three weekly flights to Brisbane.
Qantas operations will begin next year on March 28 with four flights per week to both Melbourne and Brisbane.
A general view of the passenger terminal at Western Sydney International Airport
(James D. Morgan via Getty Images)
As for international flights from WSI, Air New Zealand will commence flights to Auckland on October 26 and Singapore Airlines’s daily flights to Changi Airport are set to start on November 23.
Aussies can already purchase tickets for flights departing and arriving at the airport.
The airport was a long time in the making, with 15 years of planning, seven years of construction and a year of testing.
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