Western Sydney International airport (WSI) has welcomed a Jetstar trial flight – an A320 passenger jet – for the first time alongside hundreds of trial passengers as it ramps up the final phase of its operational readiness program ahead of commercial passenger services taking off from October 25.
The passenger trials involve members of the public participating as volunteers, helping WSI and its partners to trial all stages of the terminal customer journey and associated services, systems and staff, as well as providing valuable feedback that can help enhance the overall airport experience.
The program simulates a genuine journey with trial passengers allocated domestic and international flights, “checking in’’ for their flight, moving through WSI’s efficient security screening, and engaging with different airport facilities and staff as they would on any given travel day.
Jetstar chief pilot Tyrone Simes said flying the first service into a brand -new airport is a once -in-a-career moment.
“Australia hasn’t opened a major new airport like this in more than 50 years, so this morning was a genuinely exciting milestone for me and the team,” he said.
“We’re doing this eight weeks out from the first flight deliberately. It gives us time to take what we learned today and build it into our procedures and crew briefings, ensuring everything is fully tested and refined well ahead of launch.
“Today’s flight was about getting to know the airport before we carry customers. Crew flew the arrival and departure exactly as they will in October, then worked through the ground side of the operation: the taxi route to the gate, lining up on the aerobridge, and the turnaround that gets the aircraft back out again.
“By the time we carry our first customers from Western Sydney, every element of this operation will be familiar to us – and we can’t wait to share that first flight with them.”
WSI chief operating officer Matt Duffy said this exciting final phase of WSI’s operational preparations had been under way since August and involved hundreds of trial participants taking part each week.
“By October, we anticipate that thousand s of participants will have engaged in our trial program – each one of them playing an important role in stress testing our systems, processes and people,’’ Duffy said.
“We’re aiming to make these various elements to be as ‘fail safe’ as they can be.
“This is also about giving us as much experience as possible in navigating the inherently dynamic nature of round the clock airport operations.
“It’s a unique and positive opportunity we’re able to leverage as Australia’s first major international greenfield airport in more than 50 years.
‘The interest from volunteers within the community for the trials was overwhelming – thousands of trial slots were filled within days.
“We ‘re very grateful for the enthusiasm and support from the participants who are taking part each week in the lead up to our passenger services taking off in October,’’ Duffy said.
Federal minister for infrastructure, transport, regional development and local government Catherine King said today’s trial flight was an important test to ensure that WSI is ready to go on day one.
“We’ve had a firefighting tanker and hundreds of freight flights take off and land at WSI,’’ she said.
“Now for the first time, a Jetstar passenger plane has come into land at the new airport.”
