Western Sydney International Airport is on the cusp of opening, with cargo flights set to begin next month and passenger services to follow three months later, according to reports in the Sydney Morning Herald, Brisbane Times and WA Today. Jetstar has confirmed the launch date for passenger flights, with its first flight from Melbourne arriving early and carrying only crew, while members of the public tested the airport's systems on the ground.
The airport's first cargo plane, operated by Qantas, is expected to spark a 'parcel frenzy', with more than 160,000 parcels passing through the freight facility within the first 24 hours. Pilots flying cargo aircraft into the new hub have described it as a 'slick operation', noting it beats the congestion at Kingsford Smith Airport, where space is at a premium on the ground and in the air.
The new airport has revealed details of its international lounge, an 80-seat mezzanine level facility featuring a dining area, a bar, an open kitchen, private shower suites and a view of the Blue Mountains. A state-of-the-art fire station, equipped with gigantic trucks, is ready for the first cargo flights, and the first driverless train for the $12 billion metro line to the airport is housed in a new maintenance facility near Penrith, ahead of testing next month.
However, technical problems with a camera system have forced a curb on flights to the new airport, and authorities have warned that issues need to be addressed before flights start to ramp up or passengers will face delays. Confidential government documents also reveal tensions between senior bureaucrats over how far an extended rail line for double-decker passenger trains should go, with discussions about the 'optimal' suburb for a major metro station in Sydney's north-west.