Western Sydney Airport prepares for historic first flight as 24-hour services launch

Key points

• The first flight out of the new Western Sydney International airport is set to take off this Sunday. The airport, about 44 kilometres west of the Sydney CBD, will run 24 hours a day, unlike Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, which has night curfews.
• Jetstar will operate the opening flight, and several international and domestic airlines will follow. Aviation expert Salim Hijazeen expects fewer routes at first, with services growing as demand builds.
• Travel expert Harry Deacon warned that travel costs to the airport could be high for inner-city residents, as there is no rail link yet.