Many airlines are cutting domestic capacity and are struggling to acquire new jets, leaving few spare aircraft for new airports where demand is unproven. This situation limits the number of planes that can be assigned to Western Sydney International at launch.

A rail link to the airport will not open until 2027 at the earliest. In the meantime, a shuttle bus costs A$55 and takes about an hour, while Sydney’s main Kingsford Smith Airport is only 20 minutes from the CBD by taxi or train, making the new airport less convenient.

The airport’s master plan projects 8.4 million passengers a year by the end of the decade, yet airline commitments remain very limited. Transport professor David Levinson described the passenger forecasts as “a bit optimistic” and said the airport is trying to serve a market that does not yet exist.

Because of uncertain demand, tight airline capacity and weak ground connections, Western Sydney International opens with only a handful of scheduled flights. The airport hopes more carriers will join as the western Sydney population grows and transport links improve.