Sydney’s new US$4 billion airport opens with barely any flights

After decades of debate, environmental protests, and funding challenges, Australia's biggest aviation infrastructure development in recent history has finally opened. Sydney's Western Sydney International airport, costing A$5.6 billion (US$4 billion), sits 50 km inland from the city centre and is expected to handle around 8.4 million passengers by the end of the decade.

However, the facility has only attracted a handful of airlines and currently offers half a dozen or fewer scheduled flights per day for the next 12 months, according to aviation data company Cirium.

This cautious rollout follows a challenging period for the global travel industry, with airlines grappling with rising fuel costs, fare increases, and the ongoing Iran war. Many carriers, including Australia's dominant Qantas Airways, are cutting back on domestic capacity instead of expanding their flight network.

The lack of rail connectivity further complicates matters, as a planned rail link to the airport isn't expected to open until 2027, while a shuttle bus to Sydney's city centre costs A$55 and takes about an hour. This puts Western Sydney International at a disadvantage compared to Sydney's primary airport, Kingsford Smith, which is just a 20-minute taxi or train ride away.

Professor David Levinson from the University of Sydney notes that the main airport is "much more convenient" for most travelers. He also questions the optimism surrounding passenger forecasts, stating that they appear "a bit optimistic."

Named after pioneering aviator Nancy Bird Walton, Western Sydney International anticipates handling almost 20 million passengers annually by 2045. Both passenger and passenger forecasts are a fraction of those handled by Kingsford Smith, the country's main gateway.

The airport is located on former farmland at Badgerys Creek, with construction beginning in 2018 and cargo flights commencing in July 2021. The surrounding population is expected to grow significantly by 2030, with half of Sydney's 6.1 million residents living in the western suburbs. This demographic shift could generate demand for flights to countries like India, China, and Vietnam, according to the airport's master plan.

However, major Australian carriers Qantas Airways and Virgin Australia Holdings have shown little interest in expanding their presence at Western Sydney International, with Qantas planning to operate only one domestic flight daily by March 2027 and Virgin Australia having no scheduled flights. The airport's main customer is Jetstar, a low-cost carrier owned by Qantas. Virgin Australia and Qantas both cite Jetstar's potential as the reason for their cautious approach.