Western Sydney International Airport has opened, with passenger flights starting today. Federal infrastructure minister Catherine King said the airport would increase competition in the Sydney Basin and help ease capacity limits at Kingsford Smith Airport. Airport chief executive Simon Hickey said more than 10,000 workers helped deliver the project, and that more than half came from Western Sydney. Hickey said the airport can be reached by the M12 motorway, bus routes and a free shuttle from St Mary's station. Air New Zealand flights are due to begin tomorrow.
Western Sydney International Airport will begin commercial flights on October 25, running around the clock. Airlines including Qatar Airways, Qantas and Singapore Airlines have announced routes there. Travellers face varied costs: shuttle buses from St Marys station, express buses from Sydney and Parramatta CBDs, and car parking rates. Transport expert Rico Merkert says airfare savings may depend on jet fuel prices, which have risen during the Middle East conflict.
Rex Airlines will indefinitely suspend its Sydney to Port Macquarie air service from 25 October, citing high aviation fuel costs and falling demand for seats. Camden Haven Chamber of Commerce president Luke Hadfield says the decision will affect businesses across the wider region, including tourism and investment. Federal Member for Lyne Alison Penfold expressed deep disappointment and warned that passengers may face fewer choices and higher airfares. Rex has described the suspension as temporary but has not said when services might resume. QantasLink will effectively hold a monopoly on scheduled passenger flights from Port Macquarie.
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Regional Australians are losing flights as jet fuel prices soar. Virgin Australia chief customer officer Andrew Cleary told a Senate inquiry that rising fuel costs have made some regional routes unprofitable. The airline has cancelled routes including Uluru to Brisbane and Uluru to Melbourne, along with several routes from Adelaide. Airlines for Australia and New Zealand chief executive Stephen Beckett said thin routes to regional centres are hit first. He also said major airports act like a monopoly, which raises costs for airlines and passengers.
Rex Airlines will suspend its Sydney to Port Macquarie flights from 25 October, leaving QantasLink as the sole operator of regular passenger flights on the route. Federal Member for Lyne Alison Penfold has warned that residents who rely on air travel for specialist medical appointments and hospital treatment could face higher airfares and greater difficulty accessing care. Rex blamed high aviation fuel prices linked to the Middle East conflict and insufficient passenger demand. The airline describes the suspension as temporary.
Rex Airlines has suspended its flights from Port Macquarie and Orange to Sydney from October 25, with no set date for resumption. The airline blamed high aviation fuel prices linked to the Middle East conflict and low passenger demand, saying the routes were not commercially viable. Both destinations continue to be served by another carrier. Nationals MP Alison Penfold said she was disappointed and worried about less competition leading to higher fares, and she has written to QantasLink seeking assurance on pricing.
