Western Sydney International Airport has begun passenger operations, but the opening exposed confusion over Sydney’s two-airport system. Two Swedish travellers on Jetstar flight JQ373 expected to return to Kingsford Smith Airport and only realised after landing that they had arrived at WSI, while an Air New Zealand passenger on NZ165 reportedly mistook Western Sydney for Western Australia. The new airport is about 60 kilometres from central Sydney, compared with roughly eight kilometres for Kingsford Smith.
The Jetstar passengers had left their car at Kingsford Smith and faced a journey of up to two hours by public transport. At opening, access to WSI relied on buses and a free shuttle to St Marys station because the planned Sydney Metro connection was not yet operating.
Three domestic Jetstar flights were scheduled during the initial operating period, while Air New Zealand provided the first international passenger services. WSI operates around the clock, unlike Kingsford Smith, where most passenger operations are restricted by a 23:00-06:00 curfew. The airport is intended to add capacity to Sydney’s aviation system and support overnight operations, but the early incidents highlighted the need for passengers to check airport designations carefully when booking flights, reading boarding passes, arranging transfers and leaving vehicles.