Texel Air Australasia has signed an agreement to operate charter air cargo services from the new 24-hour Cargo Precinct at Western Sydney International (Nancy-Bird Walton) Airport (WSI), becoming one of the airport’s first cargo operators ahead of its commercial opening.
Freight operations are scheduled to begin on 26 July 2026, nearly three months before the airport welcomes its first passenger flight on 25 October 2026. The move positions Texel Air alongside major cargo service providers including Qantas Freight, Menzies Aviation, and dnata Cargo, helping establish the airport as a new logistics gateway for Australia.
Western Sydney International CEO Simon Hickey said Texel Air’s arrival further strengthens the airport’s growing cargo ecosystem as it prepares to enter service.
The purpose-built Cargo Precinct has been designed to support around-the-clock freight operations, benefiting from direct access via the upgraded Northern Road and close proximity to major industrial and logistics centres such as Kemps Creek and the Western Sydney Aerotropolis. The location is expected to improve connectivity for importers and exporters while expanding access to both domestic and international markets.
Texel Air Founder and Chairman John Chisholm said the new airport aligns with the airline’s long-term growth strategy. He noted that unrestricted 24-hour operations will allow the carrier to deliver more efficient aircraft-on-demand services, supporting scheduled freight, charter flights and time-critical shipments while improving supply chain resilience across Australia.
Texel Air currently operates a fleet of Boeing 737-800 Boeing Converted Freighters (BCF), providing domestic cargo capacity as well as international charter services.
The Cargo Precinct has also been designed with significant room for future expansion. Once fully developed, it will include up to 75,000 square metres of warehousing, parking for eight wide-body freighter aircraft simultaneously, and an initial annual handling capacity of at least 220,000 tonnes of air cargo.
Major construction at Western Sydney International was completed in June 2025, including the passenger terminal, the 3.7-kilometre runway, cargo facilities, road infrastructure and supporting utilities. The airport has since undergone a year-long operational testing and readiness programme ahead of commercial launch.
Following Texel Air’s debut, Qantas Freight is expected to begin regular cargo operations on 27 July 2026 using Airbus A321P2F and Airbus A330 freighter aircraft.
Passenger services will officially begin on 25 October 2026, with Jetstar operating the airport’s inaugural commercial flight between Sydney and the Gold Coast. Air New Zealand will launch Auckland services the following day, while Singapore Airlines is set to begin daily Singapore flights on 23 November 2026. Qantas will join the airport in March 2027, operating Embraer E190 services to Brisbane and Melbourne.
Western Sydney International forms the centrepiece of the Australian Government’s A$18 billion investment in Western Sydney. Designed as Australia’s first full-service, curfew-free international airport in decades, the facility is expected to handle up to 10 million passengers annually in its initial phase while significantly expanding the country’s overnight air cargo capacity and strengthening supply chains for exporters.
