Western Sydney Airport (WSI) Discussion

[dajop]

An article in Channel 9 media today, for those who have subscription or know how to beat the paywall:

There’s one big thing missing from Australia’s first new airport in 50 years

The first new major capital city airport for decades, the supposed game-changer for air travel, is about to open. But where are the flights?

www.theage.com.au

Goes through various limitations (lack of train) etc but concludes " The big hurdle WSI needs to overcome is the lack of international destinations"

It does have 2 already (SIN, AKL) , and Vietjet suggesting a third (BKK). But it also only has 3 domestic destinations so far too - BNE, MEL & OOL, maybe more domestic destinations and lack of frequency of those that are there might be big hurdles as well!

In any event another little insight is the bus to Parramatta, Central Station and SYD T2/3. Priced at $25/$55/$65 one way to those destinations respectively ($60, $140, $170) for a family. (right at the moment it is $90-110 on Didi, so if there were 2 of you I know which I'd be choosing).

www.supershuttle.com.au

 

[Scarlett]

Surprised there has been no announcement regarding parking fees, and retail/food opening dates given the airport opens for passenger traffic next month!

I’ll take a guess:

PARKING
1 hour - an arm
1+ hours - a leg

CONCESSIONAIRES


CAFE
️ $8
$13
$17
$6.50

FAUX IRISH PUB
$16.80

 

[LionKing]

An article in Channel 9 media today, for those who have subscription or know how to beat the paywall:

There’s one big thing missing from Australia’s first new airport in 50 years

The first new major capital city airport for decades, the supposed game-changer for air travel, is about to open. But where are the flights?

www.theage.com.au

Goes through various limitations (lack of train) etc but concludes " The big hurdle WSI needs to overcome is the lack of international destinations"

It does have 2 already (SIN, AKL) , and Vietjet suggesting a third (BKK). But it also only has 3 domestic destinations so far too - BNE, MEL & OOL, maybe more domestic destinations and lack of frequency of those that are there might be big hurdles as well!

In any event another little insight is the bus to Parramatta, Central Station and SYD T2/3. Priced at $25/$55/$65 one way to those destinations respectively ($60, $140, $170) for a family. (right at the moment it is $90-110 on Didi, so if there were 2 of you I know which I'd be choosing).

www.supershuttle.com.au

$25 Parramatta to WSI is reasonable.
If people can brace themselves for the train to Parra this maybe the best option to WSI.

 

[SCM]

You can go much longer distance on the metro which is much cheaper (despite it's construction cost), I don't really get why a bus would Parramatta to WSI should cost more than $5.

The government made the mistake of giving the train stations to SYD to charge BS prices for trains to the airport, now what is their excuse with WSI? They have an opportunity to right that wrong - maybe even do a free shuttle for now to get the airport usage up.

 

[PineappleSkip]

You can go much longer distance on the metro which is much cheaper (despite it's construction cost),

Don't understand this. When the metro goes, it will go to St Marys, not further.

I don't really get why a bus would Parramatta to WSI should cost more than $5.

Private operator seeing a gap in the market. Fare to Parramatta similar to Skybus at MEL.
There are also Opal fare buses already operating to Penrith, Mt Druitt, Liverpool, and Campbelltown. I priced WSI to Liverpool and the adult fare is $4.03. As I write this, there's a bus in 5 minutes.

The government made the mistake of giving the train stations to SYD to charge BS prices for trains to the airport, now what is their excuse with WSI?
They have an opportunity to right that wrong - maybe even do a free shuttle for now to get the airport usage up.

There is a free shuttle bus to St Marys pending the opening of the metro.

 

[LionKing]

You can go much longer distance on the metro which is much cheaper (despite it's construction cost), I don't really get why a bus would Parramatta to WSI should cost more than $5.

The government made the mistake of giving the train stations to SYD to charge BS prices for trains to the airport, now what is their excuse with WSI? They have an opportunity to right that wrong - maybe even do a free shuttle for now to get the airport usage up.

Watch out, I would expect the government to slug you extra for this train.

 

[markis10]

Watch out, I would expect the government to slug you extra for this train.

They don’t anywhere else, so an unfounded baseless comment, especially as the operator hasn’t gone bankrupt requiring revised public/private agreements with a new owner.

 

[UP4014]

You can go much longer distance on the metro which is much cheaper (despite it's construction cost), I don't really get why a bus would Parramatta to WSI should cost more than $5.

The government made the mistake of giving the train stations to SYD to charge BS prices for trains to the airport, now what is their excuse with WSI? They have an opportunity to right that wrong - maybe even do a free shuttle for now to get the airport usage up.

Correct, I'd hazard a guess that the WSI will charge each bus a couple of hundred to pull through the gate.

 

[moa999]

The government made the mistake of giving the train stations to SYD to charge BS prices for trains to the airport,

SYD Airport has never owned the train line..
Construction was partially funded by AirportLink (a distinct entity) at a time when the government was out of money due to all the other Olympic expenditure, in return for a concession over four stations until mid-2030.

Without that private agreement we might still not have an airport station and certainly wouldn't have had it for the Olympics.

The agreement has been subsequently modified so the government rather than The public pays the station fee for Mascot and Green Square.