New Sydney airport will take flight in October

Before, then the new Western Sydney International (Nancy-Bird Walton) Airport will open earlier in July for cargo flights.

Airport chief executive Simon Hickey gave an updated timeline to a Senate hearing last week.

By the end of the decade, Western Sydney Airport will enable added passenger capacity to the city at an equivalent of 200 extra flights a day.

The $6 billion project has been in the works for more than a decade.

“We’re getting more and more match-fit each day,” Hickey said.

Airlines including Qantas, Jetstar, Air New Zealand and Singapore Airlines will be among the first to fly there.

Airport systems and infrastructure are being tested and subject to that, airlines will soon be able to open flight reservations in the coming weeks.

“The peak for travel is usually December and January, and we’re just back from that now in February so the airlines will determine when they go on sale. I expect that to be in the not too distant future.”

Virgin Australia said it is ‘looking closely’ at offering flights from the new airport.

Western Sydney Airport is about 40 kilometres from the city centre and won’t have a night time flight curfew like the existing airport.

The NSW state government is constructing a Sydney Metro rail line to the airport but this isn’t expected to fully open until next year.

In the meantime, a free bus service will run from several city centre points to the airport.

“There is still a lot to do but we’re really confident with where we’re at,” Hickey added.