A Qantas Airbus A321 has become the first freighter aircraft to land at Western Sydney International (Nancy-Bird Walton) Airport (WSI), touching down as part of a readiness flight ahead of regular freight operations.
Flight QF7301 landed at WSI at 2:00pm, helping validate key operational processes at the airport’s new Cargo Precinct, including aircraft handling, ground operations, systems, airside coordination and cargo transfer procedures.
Regular domestic freighter operations from WSI will begin on July 27, with the new terminal expected to handle more than 850 metric tons of freight each week. Qantas will operate from a new 24,000m2 freight terminal at the airport, supporting the movement of a range of goods.
Qantas Freight executive manager Igor Kwiatkowski said, “Western Sydney International Airport is set to become one of Australia’s key air freight hubs and today’s flight was an important opportunity to test key procedures ahead of starting operations. In just a few weeks, this new 24-hour facility will provide greater flexibility for our freight network, helping us meet growing demand for e-commerce and next-day deliveries. The airport will increase Sydney’s air cargo capacity helping us to move time-critical supplies around Australia and overseas in the months ahead.”
Western Sydney International Airport CEO Simon Hickey said, “We’ve utilized the latest technology and innovations to deliver a highly efficient, sustainable and future-proofed 24-hour Cargo Precinct. Our operational readiness program and live aircraft trials present an excellent opportunity to test these capabilities. I also want to acknowledge the huge amount of cooperation and coordination across WSI, together with our colleagues at Airservices Australia and our trusted Cargo Precinct partners to deliver this trial program. We look forward to welcoming our first commercial services later this month.”
The trial follows the announcement that Jetstar will operate the first commercial passenger flight from WSI on October 25, 2026, the airport’s opening day, with Qantas following on March 28, 2027, as part of an agreement between the Qantas Group and WSI covering both passenger and freight services.
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