Western Sydney International Airport welcomed its first overseas arrivals on Monday, but the milestone opening was met with confusion for some passengers.
One traveller, arriving from Auckland on an Air New Zealand flight, admitted he mistook the new airport for Perth. "I got confused, I saw Western Sydney," he told the ABC. "I thought it was Western Australia, and I'm meant to be in Perth, but look, it's still pretty fun, so we'll make the best of it."
He realized the destination was incorrect during the flight but decided to make the best of the situation as he was on holiday.
Another passenger, Julie Lundmark, who had flown in from Melbourne on a Jetstar flight, was also taken aback. "We landed here and looked out of the window and had no idea where we were," she said. "And we looked down the map and we thought to ourselves, we are a little bit lost."
Ms. Lundmark and her companion initially searched online for "west airport," which directed them to the original Sydney Airport, adding to their disorientation. The confusion extended to their travel plans, as their car was parked at the older airport. "We have our car parked at the other airport... We are stuck in Western Sydney," she stated, estimating a two-hour journey to retrieve her vehicle.
Buses and a free shuttle service are currently operating between St Marys station and the new airport, with a metro link expected to open at a later date. Ms. Lundmark advised future travellers to "Double check, everyone, on your tickets before."
Despite the initial confusion, some travellers praised the new $5.6 billion terminal. A total of seven airlines are slated to operate services from Western Sydney International Airport, with Singapore Airlines scheduled to begin daily flights to Singapore on November 23. Services to Nadi, Ho Chi Minh City, and Doha are planned to commence later.
