Freight traffic around the new Western Sydney International (WSI) Airport is due to increase by 33% after its 24-hour cargo terminal operations officially took off on Monday (July 27).
The new terminal was inaugurated with the 10.25pm take-off of a Qantas Freight flight bound for Brisbane, Melbourne and Mascot (Sydney) carrying 165,000 Australia Post parcels.
Twelve flights also arrived overnight, the airport says.
Federal Minister for Transport Catherine King praised the work done on the new precinct.
“This is an extraordinary achievement, opening the precinct,” she says.
“This is going to add 33% capacity (to) freight for New South Wales and the country.”
King says not only will farmers, producers and manufacturers benefit but e-commerce users as well with the terminal to operate 24 hours.
Western Sydney airport CEO Simon Hickey says his airport “is open for business”.
“This 24-hour efficient precinct will help provide access to Australian businesses to global markets. Every hour saved from the supply chain provides opportunity for Aussie suppliers.”
NEW FREIGHT DEAL FOR AUST POST
He expects the precinct to grow in time and says it is designed to cater for future demand.
Australia Post CEO Paul Graham says their inaugural flight carried over 165,000 parcels from Monday alone.
“We know that the e-commerce market will more than double in the next 10 years and this facility is going to allow that growth to happen,” he says.
He also announced a 10-year extension freight deal with Qantas that will allow them to use more aircraft and the airline’s regional and remote network.
Qantas Freight CEO Cam Wallace expects their operations to grow ahead of the October 25 debut of domestic passenger services with a Jetstar flight to the Gold Coast.
“We’re very ambitious about the future here. We think there’s strong underlying travel demand as well as cargo demand,” he says.
“An insatiable amount of people want to purchase online and they’re getting more demanding in terms of how quickly those goods are delivered.”
Qantas says domestic freight services from WSI will operate with Melbourne, Cairns, Adelaide, Brisbane, Gold Coast and Perth with onward flights to regional centres, carrying more than 850 tonnes of freight a week.
International flights are expected to begin early next year, it adds.
Qantas Freight will operate two Airbus A330 and six A321 freighters from the airport with another three aircraft on the way.
Hickey wouldn’t confirmed reports of 96 Qantas flights a week for the precinct but says 12 aircraft will be based there to start.
He also wouldn’t confirm a start date for services by Saudi Arabian air freighters Saudia Cargo but announced that Team Global Express is a new partner.
