Texel Air signs up for Western Sydney Cargo Precinct

Texel Air Australasia has signed an agreement to operate charter air cargo services from the 24-hour Cargo Precinct at Western Sydney International (Nancy-Bird Walton) Airport (WSI), becoming one of the first cargo operators at Australia's newest international airport. The first commercial freighter flights are scheduled to commence on 26 July 2026, marking the start of cargo operations nearly three months ahead of the airport's passenger launch on 25 October 2026.

The move positions Texel Air alongside cargo terminal operators including Qantas Freight, Menzies Aviation and dnata Cargo at the new logistics hub, which has been designed to strengthen Sydney's air cargo capacity and support round-the-clock freight operations.

Western Sydney International Chief Executive Officer Simon Hickey said the addition of Texel Air further strengthens the airport's cargo ecosystem as it prepares to begin operations.

The airport's integrated 24-hour Cargo Precinct, direct access via the upgraded Northern Road and proximity to major freight and industrial hubs at Kemps Creek and the Western Sydney Aerotropolis will improve connectivity for importers and exporters while expanding access to domestic and international markets.

Texel Air Founder and Chairman John Chisholm said the airport aligns with the company's long-term growth strategy and will enable the airline to provide flexible aircraft-on-demand services supporting scheduled freight, charter operations and time-critical shipments. He added that unrestricted 24-hour operations would improve efficiency compared with legacy airports while strengthening supply chain resilience across Australia.

Texel Air operates a fleet of Boeing 737-800 Boeing Converted Freighters, providing domestic freight capacity as well as international charter services.

Western Sydney International's Cargo Precinct has been designed with significant room for future expansion, allowing freight operations to grow in line with rising demand from Australia's logistics, manufacturing and e-commerce sectors. The precinct will include up to 75,000 square metres of warehousing, be capable of accommodating eight wide-body freighter aircraft simultaneously and open with the capacity to handle at least 220,000 tonnes of air cargo annually. Major construction works at Western Sydney International were completed in June 2025, including the passenger terminal, 3.7-kilometre runway, cargo precinct, car parks, roads, bridges and supporting utilities. Freight operations will officially commence on 26 July 2026, with Qantas Freight launching regular services using Airbus A321P2F and Airbus A330 freighter aircraft the following day.

Passenger services will begin on 25 October 2026, when Jetstar operates the airport's inaugural commercial passenger flight from Sydney to the Gold Coast using an Airbus A320. Air New Zealand will launch Auckland services on 26 October, followed by Singapore Airlines' daily Singapore services from 23 November 2026. Qantas will commence passenger operations from WSI on 28 March 2027, operating four weekly flights each to Brisbane and Melbourne using QantasLink Embraer E190 aircraft.

Western Sydney International is the centrepiece of the Australian Government's nearly A$18 billion investment in Western Sydney, supported by major road upgrades and the future Sydney Metro Airport rail connection.

The airport has been more than 15 years in the making. Major design and construction contracts were awarded in September 2021, followed by the start of airside civil works in March 2022. Construction of the airport's 3,700-metre runway was completed in January 2024, while major terminal and civil infrastructure works concluded in June 2025. The project then entered a 12-month operational testing and airport readiness programme from July 2025 to July 2026 ahead of commercial operations.

Designed as Australia's first full-service, curfew-free international airport in decades, Western Sydney International is expected to handle up to 10 million passengers annually in its initial phase while serving as a major gateway for domestic, international and freight traffic.

The airport is expected to significantly strengthen Australia's air cargo network by increasing overnight freight capacity, improving supply chain resilience and providing additional infrastructure for exporters, importers, airlines and logistics providers across the region.