First passengers to use new Sydney airport praise 'seamless' experience

The first international flight from Sydney’s new Western Sydney Airport (WSI) is due to depart Monday at 8:55am for New Zealand, following a “seamless” debut for the inaugural commercial services. Jetstar Flight JQ362 left the curfew-free airport just before 11:30am Sunday for the Gold Coast, with Air New Zealand’s NZ166 to Auckland scheduled for Monday at the same time. Passengers including James Irwin and his parents praised easy digital check-in and quick transfers, citing a 22-minute drive, $24 parking for the day, and typically under 10 minutes from car to boarding. Road upgrades and the M12 toll-free access support the opening, while a light rail link is not expected until late next year.