Western Sydney International (Nancy-Bird Walton) Airport (WSI) has welcomed its first Jetstar trial flight \u2013 an A320 passenger aircraft \u2013 alongside hundreds of volunteer trial passengers, as the airport enters the final phase of its Operational Readiness Program ahead of commercial services beginning on 25 October.<\/strong><\/p>\n The trial passengers, members of the public volunteering their time, are helping WSI and its partners test the full terminal journey, including check-in, security screening and engagement with airport facilities and staff, ahead of the airport\u2019s opening.<\/p>\n WSI chief operating officer Matt Duffy said the final phase of testing began in August and is running with hundreds of participants each week.<\/p>\n \u201cBy October, we anticipate that thousands of participants will have engaged in our trial program \u2013 each one of them playing an important role in stress-testing our systems, processes and people,\u201d Duffy said. \u201cWe\u2019re aiming to make these various elements to be as \u2018fail safe\u2019 as they can be.\u201d<\/p>\n Duffy said the trials were also giving staff experience in managing round-the-clock airport operations ahead of WSI\u2019s opening as Australia\u2019s first major international greenfield airport in more than 50 years.<\/p>\n \u201cThe interest from volunteers within the community for the trials was overwhelming \u2013 thousands of trial slots were filled within days,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Federal Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government Catherine King said the trial flight was a key test of the airport\u2019s readiness.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ve had a firefighting tanker and hundreds of freight flights take off and land at Western Sydney International,\u201d King said. \u201cNow for the first time, a Jetstar passenger plane has come into land at the new airport.\u201d<\/p>\n King said airline and airport crews had tested aerobridges, refuelling, baggage services and other systems 54 days ahead of Jetstar\u2019s inaugural commercial flight to the Gold Coast.<\/p>\n Jetstar chief pilot Tyrone Simes described flying the first service into the new airport as a once-in-a-career moment.<\/p>\n \u201cAustralia hasn\u2019t opened a major new airport like this in more than 50 years, so this morning was a genuinely exciting milestone for me and the team,\u201d Simes said.<\/p>\n Simes said the timing \u2013 eight weeks out from Jetstar\u2019s first commercial flight \u2013 was deliberate, giving the airline time to refine crew procedures before launch.<\/p>\n \u201cToday\u2019s flight was about getting to know the airport before we carry customers,\u201d he said. \u201cCrew flew the arrival and departure exactly as they will in October, then worked through the ground side of the operation: the taxi route to the gate, lining up on the aerobridge, and the turnaround that gets the aircraft back out again.\u201d<\/p>\n Trial participants are simulating both domestic and international arrivals and departures, using self-check-in and bag-drop facilities and the airport\u2019s security screening, which includes extra-long lanes, additional body scanners and central image processing. Officers from the Australian Border Force and the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries are also taking part, testing the international arrivals and border security process.<\/p>\n WSI\u2019s passenger services launch on Sunday 25 October 2026.<\/p>\n Getting to WSI before the Sydney Metro arrives: what you need to know<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n![\"Volunteers](\"https:\/\/travelweekly.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/2026_WSI_Check_In-Copy-1024x683.jpg\"\/)
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Systems tested<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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