Western Sydney Airport (WSI) Discussion

[LionKing]

Genuine question, but I still thought they blocked off access to WSI via the roads?

No they have not. You literally can drive to the door of WSI, wherever the doors are open at the terminal building is another question.

 

[jrfsp]

Depends how you search. SYD has an advantage in being the first three letters of the airport name as well as the location code.

View attachment 527576

Once it becomes a popular search it should move up the search list , hasn’t even opened yet

 

[RooFlyer]

WSI<>HBA on twin aisles. That'll be the day!

While I agree with the sentiment, HBA has had its runway lengthened and strengthened to accommodate twin aisles (your federal taxes at work – thank you). Even though they are basically broke, I wouldn’t put it beyond the Tasmanian government to put some money up to QR for some tag flights, at least for a while, for the publicity and gimmickry.

As someone observed, the jets are going to be at WSI for 16 hours, so it doesn’t seem to be a logistical impediment.

 

[offshore171]

Update.



This could be useful for status runs.

Qantas announces new direct flights from Sydney International Airport to Western Sydney International Airport

SHORT HAUL: Travellers using Western Sydney International Airport will soon be able to fly there direct from Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport. “It’s our newest domestic offering,” says a Qantas spokesperson. “The flight time is expected to be twelve minutes and only costs $114, including baggage...

doublebaytoday.com

 

[Be.au]

Update.

View attachment 527625

This could be useful for status runs.

Qantas announces new direct flights from Sydney International Airport to Western Sydney International Airport

SHORT HAUL: Travellers using Western Sydney International Airport will soon be able to fly there direct from Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport. “It’s our newest domestic offering,” says a Qantas spokesperson. “The flight time is expected to be twelve minutes and only costs $114, including baggage...

doublebaytoday.com

Shame it doesn't leave from Double Bay - or Rose Bay - as per the hilarious writers behind this article.

 

[AuSammy]

Update.

View attachment 527625

This could be useful for status runs.

Qantas announces new direct flights from Sydney International Airport to Western Sydney International Airport

SHORT HAUL: Travellers using Western Sydney International Airport will soon be able to fly there direct from Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport. “It’s our newest domestic offering,” says a Qantas spokesperson. “The flight time is expected to be twelve minutes and only costs $114, including baggage...

doublebaytoday.com

LOL. That’s a satire site. Not happening.

 

[offshore171]

LOL. That’s a satire site. Not happening.

You don't say?

 

[elanshin]

I'm sure we'll see plenty of WSI-SYD flight plans over time. Just not as a bookable service.

SYD alternate should surely be WSI unless weather is so bad it knocks both airports offline.

 

[Chatswood]

View attachment 527537

I am concerned that 4 days before opening, and Uber has unable to select WSI as destination.

How can I get to WSI and earn Qantas Points on Uber then?

It’s just not active yet, if you drop a pin on the location it shows as WSI.

 

[nancypants]

Which flight is this? You’re not the first flight out if you’re not on JQ362.

363 and 375

Apparently this is the first passenger flight inbound to WSI (they must be positioning something in to operate the inaugural to OOL), and the first flight WSI-MEL

 

[SeatBackForward]

I'm sure we'll see plenty of WSI-SYD flight plans over time. Just not as a bookable service

the freighters have already been doing this.

 

[dajop]

Fairly sure the catchment for Avalon is significantly smaller and also not a freight centre.

Additionally MEL is a much better airport location and facility-wise than AVV.

Yeh the catchment of AVV that is closer to AvV than MEL is much smaller due to the relative location of the two airports. Sort of like if WSI is where it is now and SYD was somewhere like Parramatta.

But more importantly, for international flights - the curfew - AVV would attract more international flights if no one could fly out of MEL after 111pm..

 

[kamchatsky]

I'm sure we'll see plenty of WSI-SYD flight plans over time. Just not as a bookable service.

SYD alternate should surely be WSI unless weather is so bad it knocks both airports offline.

I can see QF or JQ would something like as part of some charity raising events, or any other marketing purposes. I am sure that there are plenty of people who wants to try it once, just to be able to talk about it

 

[jase05]

I think moving freight to AVV could spare up MEL for more services?
Yet I heard MEL is relatively flat in terms of passenger movement.

Why would freight move to AVV?
There is zero interest in moving there.
Freight has only moved to WSI because of the curfews at SYD and the need for freighters to operate all night.
No such issues at MEL so need to move

 

[Happy Dude]

Update.

View attachment 527625

This could be useful for status runs.

Qantas announces new direct flights from Sydney International Airport to Western Sydney International Airport

SHORT HAUL: Travellers using Western Sydney International Airport will soon be able to fly there direct from Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport. “It’s our newest domestic offering,” says a Qantas spokesperson. “The flight time is expected to be twelve minutes and only costs $114, including baggage...

doublebaytoday.com

I wonder how long it will be before pax post about their disappointing mystery flight....

 

[elanshin]

Why would freight move to AVV?
There is zero interest in moving there.
Freight has only moved to WSI because of the curfews at SYD and the need for freighters to operate all night.
No such issues at MEL so need to move

Just curious but is the location for WSI also a factor given it's much loser to many hubs in SW Sydney vs Mascot and a run through the M5?

 

[moa999]

I didn't actually realise but since mid-2026 AVV has had a weekly freight flight from Riyadh by Saudia Cargo.

Think history is also important - AVV wasn't designed as a 2nd airport. It was a Govt owned aircraft production facility.

If you were to truly build a 2nd Melbourne airport from scratch I'd think you'd do it in the East where most of the population growth is.

 

[SeatBackForward]

Freight has only moved to WSI because of the curfews at SYD and the need for freighters to operate all night.

Not the only reason, WSI has good connectivity to the Sydney Motorway network. A lot of the logistic hubs are located along these, or even just needing to exit good out of Sydney would be much easier from WSI.

 

[ausfox]

The demographic centre of Melbourne is around Glen Iris, about 10k SE of the CBD. It has been edging towards the west over the last couple of decades due to development. A new airport to the SE would still seem logical. AVV is only local for Geelong residents.
The centre of Sydney is around Rosehill near Parramatta so WSI is near many of the Sydney residents as well as industry.