Western Sydney Airport (WSI) Discussion

[AuSammy]

There are around 38-40k New Zealanders living in Western Sydney LGA.

 

[markis10]

There are around 38-40k New Zealanders living in Western Sydney LGA.

There are around 38-40k New Zealanders living in Western Sydney LGA bro!

 

[Aeryn]

And about triple that is the eastern suburbs and city.

Air NZ doesnt offer J domestically in NZ and rarely across the ditch, pretty much a LCC unless flying longhaul from AKL.

 

[SYD]

And about triple that is the eastern suburbs and city.

Not anymore.

A lot moved north to the Gold Coast / Brissie decades ago.

 

[AuSammy]

Not anymore.

A lot moved north to the Gold Coast / Brissie decades ago.

Correct about even split between Western Sydney and rest of greater Sydney.

Around 85K all up.

So definitely not 2-3 times as claimed.

 

[elanshin]

Thrice weekly seems pretty half-assed, but I suppose it fits with Air New Zealand's half-assed approach to running an airline. Launching after school and public holidays too, which is odd.

I suppose the Fri-Mon return allows a long weekend in AKL, but are there going to be many takers from that catchment?

Barely 20 bucks cheaper outbound, a few pennies cheaper inbound compared to NZ's SYD flights, and not significantly cheaper than QF return for the same dates in the inaugural week... so, why bother?

I don't think AKL is a huge market for Western Sydney, but it's surprising the cheapskates couldn't even be bothered to launch the route with special fares to get some attention and boost early loads.

I'd take day 1 pricing with a grain of salt. For example AY's day one pricing for MEL-BKK-HEL wasn't that attractive either.

You can't run *sales* and promos against a discounted base price.

 

[SYD]

Correct about even split between Western Sydney and rest of greater Sydney.

Around 85K all up.

So definitely not 2-3 times as claimed.

Yes, out in the WS area there’s thousands.

I was just commenting on the fact that the Eastern Suburbs is no longer the “West Island” as it was in the the 1980s.

 

[elanshin]

Correct about even split between Western Sydney and rest of greater Sydney.

Around 85K all up.

So definitely not 2-3 times as claimed.

I thought we were still importing young NZers at a very fast rate (as it's a very real brain drain problem there for them). It's supposedly the among the most immigration from NZ we've ever had.

 

[kamchatsky]

Nope, slum class only on the A320s

Better than NO flights to NZ though. I suspect that NZ put a minimum schedule out to qualify for WSI subsidies from the government?

When will QF/JQ announce their schedules?

 

[Aeryn]

So definitely not 2-3 times as claimed.

The last census would disagree with you. ABS says that 85k of greater Sydney residents were born in NZ, but there are 157k (includes the 85k) with NZ ancestry; and highest concentration of NZ born residents in NSW remain in Sydney's eastern suburbs and inner-city areas.

Recent ANU noted that whilst Blacktown is the suburb with the highest number of NZ born residents, the next 3 with most Kiwis are Mosman (north), Randwick (East) and Port Macquarie (far north).

I'm not saying there isnt a market in Western Sydney for cheap NZ flights, hence Air NZ offering only a domestic single class aircraft; but demand for NZ flights will still be greater at SYD where you have a choice of J or Y cabin on most flights (and even F if you choose EK or the QF JFK flight).

 

[SYD]

The last census would disagree with you. 85k of greater Sydney residents born in NZ, but there are 157k (includes the 85k) with NZ ancestry.

Highest concentration of NZ born residents remain in Sydney's eastern suburbs and inner-city areas. Yes Blacktown is the suburb with the highest number of NZ born but the next 3 with most Kiwis are Mosman (north), Randwick (East) and Port Macquarie (far north).

I'm not saying there isnt a market in Western Sydney for cheap NZ flights, hence Air NZ offering only a domestic single class aircraft; but demand for NZ flights will still be greater at SYD where you have a choice of J or Y cabin on most flights (and even F if you choose EK or the QF JFK flight).

Where are you getting those numbers?

In the meantime, you also have to factor in a bunch of Pacific Islanders (there’s a LOT in WS), who could well be happy to fly via AKL.

 

[AuSammy]

The last census would disagree with you. 85k of greater Sydney residents born in NZ, but there are 157k (includes the 85k) with NZ ancestry.

Highest concentration of NZ born residents remain in Sydney's eastern suburbs and inner-city areas. Yes Blacktown is the suburb with the highest number of NZ born but the next 3 with most Kiwis are Mosman (north), Randwick (East) and Port Macquarie (far north).

I'm not saying there isnt a market in Western Sydney for cheap NZ flights, hence Air NZ offering only a domestic single class aircraft; but demand for NZ flights will still be greater at SYD where you have a choice of J or Y cabin on most flights (and even F if you choose EK or the QF JFK flight).

I specifically referred to New Zealanders. My post did not discuss relevance to SYD or hereditary.

It was in confirmation of @SYD observation.

I am over the discussion of some peoples preference to travel from SYD and knocking the possibilities of WSI

2021 People in Greater Sydney who were born in New Zealand, Census Country of birth QuickStats | Australian Bureau of Statistics

www.abs.gov.au

 

[Aeryn]

Where are you getting those numbers?

Australian bureau of statistics (ABS) using 2021 census data. And a 2025 Australian National University (ANU) Paper.

In the meantime, you also have to factor in a bunch of Pacific Islanders (there’s a LOT in WS), who could well be happy to fly via AKL.

But the OP said NZ not wider pacific islanders. There may be heaps of pacific islanders but the post claimed there were more kiwis in Western Sydney than elsewhere in NSW but that isn't the case.

Of the Kiwis in NSW more of those of Maori descent are in the West; but we were talking about Kiwis as a whole, not just those who identify as Maori.

Like i said Im not saying there isn't a market, but to claim the market is bigger than those who would use SYD is just not true. Given the huge number of flights to NZ everyday, if they thought WSI was going to be bigger for NZ then more flights would be going from there and not just cattle class.

 

[jase05]

if they thought WSI was going to be bigger for NZ then more flights would be going from there and not just cattle class.

It’s day 1
Let’s see how things look in 5-10 years time

 

[SYD]

Like i said Im not saying there isn't a market, but to claim the market is bigger than those who would use SYD is just not true. Given the huge number of flights to NZ everyday, if they thought WSI was going to be bigger for NZ then more flights would be going from there and not just cattle class.

Don’t think anyone has said it’s a bigger market. That would completely ignore all the business travellers slogging back and fourth across the Tasman (no different to those road warriors doing the Oz Triangle routes each week).

But there is a significant Kiwi and greater Pacific Islander communities out west who probably will be very happy with the service. Plus there’s also a growing business traffic related to the Aerotropolis. I guess we’ll see what the passenger number are like.

 

[dajop]

It’s day 1
Let’s see how things look in 5-10 years time

Especially with NZ’s fleet issues which should be resolved by then (5 years time) . Perhaps.

 

[justinbrett]

WSI to AKL might be good for the deportations

 

[SYD]

WSI to AKL might be good for the deportations

It’s slightly quicker to get to SYD from Villawood..

 

[luxury-lizard]

Just noticed when doing some "what if" searches for award seats on SQ using AC points that many award option depart/arrive at WSI. Might be a way for other airlines to fill seats.

 

[dairyfloss]

Just noticed when doing some "what if" searches for award seats on SQ using AC points that many award option depart/arrive at WSI. Might be a way for other airlines to fill seats.

I wonder if we'll start seeing some of these (and similar to/from WSI) in the travel mistakes thread!