Major construction of the runways, taxiways and aprons, and terminal at WSI is now complete. Photo: Western Sydney International Airport.
Major construction works on the terminal building for the first stage of Western Sydney International (WSI) Airport have been completed, just days after the airside package of works including the first runway, taxiways and aprons were finished, and WSI’s preliminary airspace and flight paths were released.
The new terminal building was unveiled to media and VIPs including Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on 11 June, more than a year before the airport is expected to open for passenger services.
The completion of the terminal and the 3.7 km runway also parallels that of the landside works including carparks, roads, bridges and utilities.
The next stage of the project will see WSI’s systems fully tested, including runways lighting, air traffic control systems, terminal operations including the advanced luggage handling systems, and departure and arrival service points such as check-in and border control.
Also underway is the fitout of the terminal’s retail precinct and airline lounges, while tenders for retail and catering tenants are also underway.
To coincide with the completion of works, it was announced that the fourth airline to use the airport will be Air New Zealand. With Qantas, Jetstar and Singapore Airlines already locked in as airport operators, Air New Zealand will commence services from Auckland in 2027 when it has sufficient capacity to allow operations beyond its five current daily services to Sydney’s Kingsford Smith Airport.
Air New Zealand CEO Greg Foran said the new airport represented an exciting step forward for aviation in Australia.
“We’re delighted to be the first trans-Tasman carrier to signal our intent to operate there as we continue to grow,” he said.
“It’s a great opportunity to grow our network and better serve the rapidly expanding Western Sydney region. This new route reflects our commitment to making travel more convenient for our customers and supporting stronger connections between New Zealand and Australia.”
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, WSI CEO Simon Hickey, and Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government Catherine King tour the new WSI terminal. Photo: Anthony Albanese Facebook.
The Prime Minister said when he talked about the government’s Building Australia’s Future plan, he thought about Western Sydney International Airport.
“I think about the vision, persistence, and cooperation that has led us here to this milestone,” he said.
“I think about the jobs and opportunity that this project has delivered, and will deliver for Sydney and for Australia.
“This airport will drive economic growth and turbocharge productivity.”
Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government Catherine King said the completion of major works marked a significant step in the history of the new airport.
“This project is on time and on budget and gearing up to open in 2026,” she said.
“Western Sydney International will shape this region and greater Sydney for decades to come – providing jobs, boosting the productivity of our supply chains, and connecting a greater portion of our population with the rest of the world,” she added.
“Australia and New Zealand are neighbours, family, and friends, and our people-to-people links are at the heart of our enduring relationship – which will only grow with this new connection.”
The release of the flight paths comes with the final environmental impact statement (EIS), and after 8400 submissions were submitted to the draft EIS.
As a result, Minister King said she imposed a number of additional measures to ensure the impact of aircraft noise on residents and the environment was minimised.
“These measures represent the most comprehensive of their kind for any airspace development in Australia,” she said.
“Firstly, I will be issuing a ministerial directive to Airservices Australia to prioritise reciprocal runway operations as the default operating mode at night, including the use of a specific noise abatement procedure, when both safe to do so.
“This will achieve the overall lowest possible impact on surrounding communities, and will direct aircraft away from the Blue Mountains, Wallacia, and the most heavily populated areas of Western Sydney at night,” she added.
“Today’s authorisation also incorporates recommendations by the Minister for Environment that the airport lessee company, WSA Co, establish an environmental monitoring program to monitor the impacts of aircraft noise within and adjacent to the Greater Blue Mountains Area.”
She said a community engagement forum would also be established to monitor and resolve aircraft noise and flight path issues during the early years of operation.
Despite WSI being scheduled to commence operations in 2026, many of the major road and rail links to the airport including the M12 Motorway and the St Mary’s to Bradfield Metro link won’t be in operation for the first couple of years.
