Sydney’s new multibillion-dollar airport has already confused some travellers, with passengers mistaking the new facility for the Australian city’s existing airport and even booking flights to the wrong side of the country.
Western Sydney International Airport, which opened at the weekend after decades of planning, is about 60km (37 miles) from the city centre, compared with just 8km for the existing Kingsford Smith Airport. The new airport operates around the clock, while most passenger flights at Kingsford Smith are banned between 11pm and 6am.
Two Swedish students, both aged 23, discovered the difference the hard way after flying back from a weekend trip to Melbourne. Having read “Sydney West” on their boarding passes, they assumed it referred to another terminal at the familiar airport, they told broadcaster ABC in remarks published on Monday.