New Western Sydney airport lands $16m funding deal to attract more airlines

A new $16m fund will be used to lure more airlines to the new Western Sydney International Airport when it opens late next year.

The Western Sydney International Take-Off Fund will be equally funded by the NSW Government and Western Sydney International airport in a bid to accelerate passenger arrivals to 10 million annually.

The government expects the $16m fund to attract more than 162,000 overseas visitors and generate an estimated $530 million in visitor expenditure.

The long-term passenger target for the new 24-7 airport is 80 million passengers, akin to London’s Heathrow Airport today, airport management says.

The fund will be administered by Destination NSW with funding for airlines provided on a case-by-case basis including incentives such as passenger subsidies and marketing support.

The level of funding will depend on the airline’s flight and passenger numbers over the first three years of operation.

VISITOR GROWTH

NSW Jobs and Tourism Minister John Graham says the airport presents a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to boost visitor numbers.

“You only get to open a new airport once — that’s why we’re backing Western Sydney airport to land new routes …,” he says.

“Western Sydney airport will be a massive growth engine for the NSW visitor economy. This fund will pour jet fuel into that engine.”

Western Sydney International Airport CEO Simon Hickey says tickets for the first flights will go on sale later this year.

He says the fund is “very welcome news” for the airport.

“WSI is built for growth with plans in place that will see it become Sydney’s biggest international airport, handling more than 80 million annual passengers, which is akin to London’s Heathrow airport today,” Hickey says.

So far, Qantas and Jetstar (domestic) and Singapore Airlines (international) are confirmed airline tenants for WSI.

The government expects the new airport to help it reach a target of $91 billion in visitor expenditure by 2035.