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FAQs

Top 5 FAQs

Ensuring our construction project is being a good neighbour to the communities around the Airport site is important to us.

If you have any questions about the construction project or any feedback, then call our 24/7 toll-free feedback line on 1800 951 171.

At the moment the project is in the early earthworks phase, which means we’re only working on about six percent of the site until major earthworks begin at the start of 2020. As major earthworks ramp up over months to follow, there’ll be lots of construction job opportunities. Until then, if you’re interested in a position on the early earthworks project, then email our contractor CPB Lend Lease at WSAenquiries@cpblljv.com.au .  

As for jobs when the Airport opens in 2026, we’ll be advertising closer to the time. In the meantime any jobs at Western Sydney Airport, the organisation building the Airport, will be advertised at www.wsaco.com.au/careers.
 

The Airport is set to start operating at the end of 2026. Construction began in September 2018.

The Western Sydney International site is massive – at 1,780 hectares it’s around twice the area of Sydney (Kingsford-Smith) Airport. The difference between the highest and lowest points on the site is about the same as a 12-storey building.

To build the terminal and runways, that huge area needs to be flat, so earthworks will take up most of the construction period. We also have very high safety and environmental standards, so we have to take enough time to ensure our workers, the community and the environment are protected.

Flight paths are being developed by the Australian Government’s Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Cities and Regional Development – not by Western Sydney Airport.

Designing and finalising flight paths and airspace arrangements for Western Sydney International airport is a large and complex task that takes several years to complete. Before the airport opens in 2026, a comprehensive airspace planning and design process will be undertaken, with ongoing community engagement. 

The flight paths are being designed by a team of experts and overseen by an aviation Expert Steering Group. This team must take into account the airspace design principles required by the Western Sydney Airport Plan and develop flight paths based on maximising safety, efficiency and capacity, and minimising aircraft noise impacts on the community.

You can expect to see draft flight paths and have a chance to provide feedback around 2021.

For more information about the flight path development process, visit the Department of Infrastructure,Transport, Cities and Regional Development website.

Curfews and other aircraft movement restrictions are not common at airports around the world, in fact, they are put in as a last resort. For example, Sydney (Kingsford-Smith) Airport has a curfew because it is surrounded by some of the most densely populated land in Australia and noise from aircraft taking off and landing at that airport can affect millions of people.

By contrast, the land around Western Sydney International has been protected from medium and high density development for decades, as the site has been planned as a likely location for a major airport for a long time. That means operations at Western Sydney International won’t have the potential to impact as many people.

In addition, flight paths for Western Sydney International will be designed by the Australian Government Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Cities and Regional Development to minimise impacts on surrounding communities. The NSW Government is also planning the land around Western Sydney International, taking into account how to minimise noise impacts.

Operating without a curfew will help us unlock a new era of jobs and opportunities for Western Sydney. It will mean opportunities for airlines and new routes, including more affordable low cost carriers. It will also mean local growers and producers will be able to expand their businesses by becoming exporters, being able to get fresh produce quickly to lucrative markets in Asia overnight. Curfew-free operation means all this will flow on to create more jobs in Western Sydney.
 

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Creating a smart airport is about bringing together planning, design, technology and customer service to create a seamless experience for our customers. At too many Airports, catching a plane is difficult and stressful. We want catching a plane from Western Sydney Airport to be enjoyable and stress-free.

We also have a strong focus on sustainability and are currently working on how we can design and build Western Sydney Airport with sustainable values in mind.

We'll have more to say on being a "smart airport" as planning and designing Western Sydney International progresses.

Local roads around the Western Sydney International site are being upgraded so they can cater for the increase in vehicles that the Airport and surrounding precinct will generate. There’s even a brand new motorway, the M12, being built to the Airport’s front door from the M7 motorway. The NSW Government has committed to the M12 being toll-free.
 

The Australian Government established a government-owned corporation, Western Sydney Airport, to build and operate Western Sydney International. 
 

Aircraft need to take off and land into the wind. Airports that have cross runways are in areas with variable wind conditions, so they can keep operating, even if the wind direction changes.

Wind conditions at the Western Sydney International site are far more predictable and generally come from one direction, which means we don’t need a cross runway.

However there are plans to build a second parallel runway around the 2050s, when the Airport grows and there is increased demand. Until then, one runway is all Western Sydney International needs.
 

We have local employment targets that say at least 30 percent of our workforce during construction must be from Western Sydney. When Western Sydney International is operating, that target increases to guarantee 50 percent of jobs will go to Western Sydney locals. The Airport will generate thousands of jobs during construction and even more when it’s operating. 
 

While Airlines’ planning timeframes are relatively short and its far too soon for any airlines to commit to operating from Western Sydney International, both Qantas and Virgin Australia have said publicly that they intend to operate both their full service brands (Qantas and Virgin Australia) and their low cost carriers (Jetstar and Tigerair) from the Airport.

We’re already talking to airlines around the world to explain the opportunities for new routes and services that Western Sydney International represents, and to make sure the Airport is a part of their long-term planning.

When the time is right, we’ll be signing up airlines from all over the world.
 

The Blue Mountains received World Heritage Status in 2000, when plans for Western Sydney International were well advanced, which means the status was awarded knowing that the Airport was likely to be built. The Australian Government is continuing to keep UNESCO informed about the Airport’s development and potential impacts. At this stage there is no suggestion that the Airport will impact the Blue Mountain’s status.
 

It’s common for aircraft fuel to be trucked into airports while they are still growing. Fuel trucks are used at Canberra, Gold Coast and Adelaide airports.

Remember, not every aircraft that lands at Western Sydney International will need to be refuelled. When Western Sydney International opens, we predict only a handful of fuel trucks will travel to the Airport each day and with upgraded local roads and a new motorway to the Airport, the impacts on local traffic will be minimal..

As Western Sydney International grows, we’ll eventually need our own dedicated fuel line.

The Australian and NSW governments have committed to having a north-south rail link running in time for Western Sydney International’s opening. This train will run from the Airport to connect to the rest of Sydney’s rail network at St Marys Station on the T1 Western Line.

The idea behind prioritising a north-south rail link to the Airport is to ensure that Western Sydney International is connected to the rest of Western Sydney, so it’s easier for people living in region to get to jobs in the Airport precinct and catch a flight.

The NSW Government has committed to beginning early planning for a rail link from Western Sydney International to Paramatta and onto the Sydney CBD.

The NSW Government has also said it will start looking into a future extension of the north-south rail link from the Airport to the Hills District in Sydney’s north-west and to Campbelltown in Sydney's south-west.

Ensuring our construction project is being a good neighbour to the communities around the Airport site is important to us.

If you have any questions about the construction project or any feedback, then call our 24/7 toll-free feedback line on 1800 951 171.