A Qantas Airbus A321 freighter became the first cargo aircraft to touch down at Western Sydney Airport on Monday, marking another step forward as the facility readies for a full public opening later this year.
Qantas said the A321 flew into Western Sydney as part of a readiness flight that helped validate new operational processes for the airport, including aircraft handling, ground operations, airside coordination, and cargo transfer procedures.
Regular domestic freighter operations are set to commence at Western Sydney on July 27, and Qantas will be by far the largest cargo operator there.
Western Sydney Airport, also referred to as Nancy-Bird Walton Airport, is located in Luddenham and Badgerys Creek, about 30 miles west of downtown Sydney. It will supplement Sydney Airport, the busiest airport in Australia and the main hub for Qantas.
Western Sydney is scheduled to open for passenger flights on Oct. 25. So far, four passenger carriers – Qantas, Melbourne-based Jetstar, Singapore Airlines, and Air New Zealand – have announced plans to operate there.
Australian officials debated building a second international airport in Sydney for decades. The federal government selected the site for Western Sydney Airport in 2014, and construction on the main facilities began in 2018.
