The Australian Government has welcomed Qantas and Jetstar as the first airlines to sign up to the Western Sydney International (Nancy-Bird Walton) Airport (WSI) to operate domestic flights.
This agreement is expected to support more than 25,000 flights, carrying more than four million passengers, through WSI each year - and will support 700 jobs.
WSI is a transformational infrastructure project that will generate economic activity, provide long-term employment opportunities in the Western Sydney region, and meet Sydney's growing aviation needs.
Delivery of Australia's newest airport has now also reached another major milestone, passing the halfway mark.
Over 4,300 direct jobs have already been created by the airport's construction, with half being from Western Sydney and around a third learning new skills on-the-job.
More than 250 Western Sydney-based businesses have been engaged by contractors across construction, catering, security and other sectors.
WSI is on track to start operations by late 2026.
Quotes attributable to Prime Minister of Australia Anthony Albanese:
"It's exciting to see Qantas and Jetstar being the first airlines to commit to Australia's newest airport, which will offer international and domestic passenger as well as freight services from Western Sydney.
"This is a strong sign of support from the airline industry and continues the commitment we are seeing from the business community to invest in Western Sydney. That means more jobs for Western Sydney locals, as well as unlocking opportunities for apprenticeships and other learning workers to advance their skills and experience.
"More than 11,000 direct and indirect jobs are expected to be created over the construction period, with thousands more set to be supported once operations begin - meaning WSI really is a game-changer for employment in the region, opening new opportunities across a range of exciting fields."
Quotes attributable to Federal Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government Minister Catherine King:
"Today we are welcoming Qantas and Jetstar as the first airlines to sign up to the airport, which will provide much-needed aviation services and bolster this critical Australian industry - all while championing sustainable features and practices.
"From the terminal to the airfield, sustainability is a key focus in the design and construction of WSI, which will consume less electricity, water and liquid fuels than comparative airports.
"With this first landmark agreement in place, Sydney's new airport continues to pass milestone after milestone, with start of operations just around the corner. Construction has reached the halfway point just months after being assigned the three-letter WSI international airport code."
