Passengers Mistake Sydney’s New Airport for Perth, Scramble for Rides
Some travellers arrived at Western Sydney International Airport without realising their flights used the new airport, leaving them to arrange onward transport…
For passengers accustomed to Sydney’s existing airport, a new landing point can mean an unexpected trip across the city. The opening of Western Sydney International Airport has left some travellers confused about where their flights arrive, with one passenger saying he thought he was meant to be in Perth.
The $5.6 billion airport began operating passenger flights on Sunday. Some passengers had not realised their tickets were for Western Sydney International Airport (WSI), and were left scrambling to organise alternative travel.
Julie Lundmark, from Sweden, was returning from a weekend in Melbourne when she and a friend realised their Jetstar flight JQ373 had landed at WSI rather than Sydney Airport. They had parked their car at the other airport.
“We landed here and looked out of the window and had no idea where we were,” Lundmark said.
She said the pair had checked the airport name on their boarding pass days earlier. Searching for “west airport” had led them to what she described as the normal Sydney airport, adding to the confusion.
“We've made some panic calls to the city and hopefully someone will pick us up,” she told 702 ABC Sydney. Lundmark said it would take her two hours to reach Sydney Airport and urged other passengers to check their tickets carefully.
“Double check, everyone, on your tickets before.”
Passengers face an extra transport leg
The confusion has a practical cost: travellers who arrive at WSI but need to reach Sydney Airport or another part of the city must make separate transport arrangements. A metro service from St Marys to the airport was not completed before the opening, leaving buses and a free shuttle to and from the station as the main public transport options until the rail link opens.
That gap shaped Lundmark’s plans after landing. With her car parked at the other airport, she hoped a friend could collect her rather than attempt the journey across the city.
Another passenger arriving on flight NZ165 from Auckland said he had mistaken Western Sydney for Western Australia and expected to be travelling to Perth. He said he realised the destination before boarding, then decided to make the best of the mistake while on holiday.
“I thought it was Western Australia, and I'm meant to be in Perth, but look, it's still pretty fun, so we'll make the best of it,” he said.
WSI’s opening also marks the start of passenger operations at a second airport serving Sydney. ABC News reported that some early travellers praised the terminal’s layout and operation, even as others worked out how to get to their intended destination.
Three domestic Jetstar flights were scheduled for the day of the report. Air New Zealand flights that morning marked the airport’s first international departure and arrivals. Seven carriers have signed up to operate from WSI.
Flights to Singapore are scheduled to start soon, with Nadi in Fiji, Ho Chi Minh City and Doha among the other destinations planned to follow, according to ABC News.
Source: abc.net.au
