Australia's first new major airport in over 50 years has officially opened to passengers, with the first international flight landing at Western Sydney International Airport on Monday morning (Oct. 26).
Air New Zealand flight ANZ165 from Auckland landed at the airport at about 7:30 a.m. local time on Monday, one day after the airport opened for domestic services on Sunday.
The start of passenger services marks the opening of Australia's first new major international airport since Melbourne Airport opened in 1970.
Speaking to reporters on Monday, CEO Simon Hickey said that services from the airport will fly to 250 destinations by the end of 2027.
He said that the airport, which is located 45 km west of central Sydney, will accommodate an estimated 10 million passengers every year by the mid-2030s.
"We'll continue to grow from there. This airport is for the next century as well, and we can continue to grow into the coming years. We're ready to grow with that demand across Sydney and Australia," he said.
Unlike the existing Sydney Airport, which operates under a strict curfew from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. every day, the new airport will operate on a 24-hour basis.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said in a speech at an opening event on Sunday that the airport would drive economic activity, jobs and the future of western Sydney.
Singapore Airlines, Qatar Airways, Fiji Airways and Vietjet Air have announced plans to start operating services to and from the new airport.
(Source: Xinhua)
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