Australia is preparing to open a new international airport in Sydney this October after more than 10 years of planning and construction. The project aims to offer more travel options and support the growth of the city's western side.
The new facility, "Western Sydney Airport," is located in the Badgerys Creek area, about 60 kilometers from Sydney's city center. The construction budget is approximately 5.6 billion Australian dollars, equivalent to around 118.6 billion baht.
A key feature of this airport is its ability to operate 24 hours a day, unlike the existing Sydney Airport near the business district, where flights are restricted to between 6 a.m. and 11 p.m. due to noise control regulations.
The opening of the new airport will increase flexibility in flight scheduling, especially for routes from Asia and the Middle East, which are important for passengers connecting onward to Europe.
Australia's Minister for Transport, Catherine King, stated that the start of passenger flight services at Western Sydney Airport marks a significant milestone for the city, with the first flights expected within the next few months.
Jetstar, a low-cost carrier under Qantas, will be the first airline to operate from the new airport, launching flights to the Gold Coast with plans to add services to Melbourne, Brisbane, and other domestic destinations.
For international flights, Air New Zealand will begin services to Auckland on 26 October, while Singapore Airlines will start daily flights to Singapore from 23 November.
Singapore Airlines flights will depart before midnight to take advantage of the new airport's lack of curfew restrictions.
Initially, the airport is expected to handle about 10 million passengers annually, roughly one-quarter of the passenger volume at the existing Sydney Airport. It is also set to become Qantas's new air freight hub.
This project is Australia's first major new airport in over 50 years and is part of a 18 billion Australian dollar investment plan to develop western Sydney, including a rail link to the airport and improvements to transport infrastructure.
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