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First International Flight Takes Off From New Sydney Airport

Air New Zealand launched a three-times-weekly Auckland service as the new airport opened its first international route.

  • Western Sydney International Airport began passenger flights on Sunday, immediately causing confusion among travelers who mistakenly believed they had booked flights to the existing Sydney Airport or Western Australia.
  • The $5.6 billion airport is located about 60km from the city center, compared with just 8km for Kingsford Smith Airport, while 'Sydney West' on boarding passes misled passengers into assuming it was a terminal at the familiar airport.
  • Julie Lundmark, a traveler from Sweden, landed at WSI instead of Sydney Airport and told 702 ABC Sydney, "We have our car parked at the other airport." Another passenger mistakenly thought he was traveling to Western Australia.
  • Stranded passengers face logistical challenges as the rail link remains unfinished; buses and a free shuttle operate between St Marys and the airport, though reaching Sydney Airport from WSI takes approximately two hours.
  • Seven carriers have committed to operating from the facility, with flights to Singapore scheduled to begin soon and destinations including Nadi in Fiji, Ho Chi Minh City, and Doha to follow as Sydney becomes a two-airport city.
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Lean Left

Sydney's new international airport has only just opened, but several passengers have already been surprised by where they've landed.

·Copenhagen, Denmark
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Lean Right

A new airport is to relieve Sydney's chronically overloaded aviation infrastructure. Now the first passengers arrive there. Their experiences show that if you want to fly to the Australian metropolis in the future, you should pay attention to the name of the airport when booking.

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Australian Financial Review broke the news in Sydney, Australia on Sunday, October 25, 2026.
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