New mega £2.7billion airport reveals 24-hour terminal that will ‘rival London's Heathrow' with UK flights
Read more to find out about Qantas' longest flight in the world
TAKING OFF New mega £2.7billion airport reveals 24-hour terminal that will 'rival London's Heathrow' with UK flights
IT will soon be even easier for Brits to hop down under as Australia gears up to launch its 24-hour airport.
West Sydney International is expected to rival London's Heathrow with UK flights, and it's just 30 miles west of the city.
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WSI will be ready to handle 10 million passengers, with plans to expand to 82 million
Credit: Western Sydney Airport
The £2.7billion build has been officially unveiled, with transport and architecture experts praising the design.
The airport will be able to handle 10million passengers, although said there is space to expand further in the future up to 82million.
This includes both domestic and international flights, which will operate 24 hours a day.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government Catherine King were at the launch event.
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The terminal's design offers nods to the country's iconic landmarks like the Blue Mountains, which have been recreated in a ceiling feature.
Sandstone sourced from a quarry on the Central Coast has also been incorporated into the build.
Noting the airport's design, WSI CEO Simon Hickey said: "Visitors will be welcomed by the stories of Dharug country that will connect the world with more than 60,000 years of Aboriginal culture while also highlighting the vibrant communities of Western Sydney."
"Global architecture leaders Zaha Hadid Architects, based in London, and one of our nation's top firms COX Architecture were selected to develop the initial design concepts of WSI following a competition in 2019 that attracted more than 40 international and domestic proposals," he added.
"Fast forward six years and WSI is on the precipice of launching a seamless and stress-free airport experience unlike any other in Australia, giving our global city a 24-hour international gateway that will continue to create significant economic opportunities for all of Greater Sydney."
Domestic and international gates will all be under one roof, making connections straightforward and more efficient.
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The terminal has more than 6,000 solar panels fixed to its roof, helping to reduce its carbon footprint.
It will also collect and recycle rainfall to be used in airport bathrooms, irrigation, and cooling towers.
Initial designs were created by the famous Zaha Hadid Architects in London, along with Cox Architecture in Australia, with construction using local-based Multiplex.
While the major construction is complete, flights won't be available until late 2026.
The current Sydney Airport was founded in 1919, making it one of the world's oldest.
Despite a number of renovations over the years, it is unable to expand much further due to its location.
WSI Airport partners Qantas are currently organising 'Project Sunrise' services for the longest flight in the world.
The Qantas flight service, which will launch non-stop flights between London and Sydney, Australia, expect to be up and running by 2027.
The project was first due to be complete in 2024 but faced delays because of Covid.
Qantas has also revealed that the first route of Project Sunrise won't be from London to Sydney.
Instead, the aircraft will be used for a three-hour flight from Sydney to Auckland in New Zealand.
Eventually, Qantas will be flying from London to Sydney on a non-stop flight that will take a huge 22 hours, spanning over 10,000 miles.
Currently, the longest flight in the world is from Singapore to New York (Newark), which takes just over 18 hours and spans 9,537 miles.
But once Qantas launches the route, it will be significantly longer.
Recently, Qantas revealed the design of its cabins, and they're even designed to avoid jet lag.
The way they do this is through lighting, which Qantas says will "promote circadian adaption, sleep, and wake,' at different times of the flight.
The aircraft will even have its own dedicated wellbeing zone - which is a first for the airline.
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The airport is due to launch flights from 2026
Credit: Western Sydney Airport
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