The Australian government has finalised flight paths for the new Western Sydney Airport, prompting anger among residents who fear noise pollution. Transport Minister Catherine King announced the locked-in routes on Wednesday, as construction of the runway was completed ahead of the airport's planned opening in 2026.
While residents in the Blue Mountains and Wallacia regions have seen some alterations from earlier designs, many remain dissatisfied. Minister King stated that five amendments were made to reduce aircraft noise following community consultations, with four concerning night operations. Notably, she issued a ministerial direction to Airservices Australia to make reciprocal runway operations (RRO) the default mode at night, meaning planes will take off and land in the same direction between 11pm and 5.30am.
Outraged locals have taken to social media to voice their complaints. One resident said, 'Good stuff, Springwood/Faulconbridge still getting overnight noise then. The arrivals practically goes over our house.' The Residents Against Western Sydney Airport (RAWSA) group described the changes as 'just window dressing' and expressed being 'appalled' at the lack of change to '24/7 flight intrusion'. Blue Mountains Mayor Mark Greenhill criticised the decision, stating, 'We are a world heritage area. Flogging this place with aircraft noise is nothing short of a senseless disregard for the United Nations declaration.'
However, some have defended the airport, with one commenter saying, 'Almost every single major city in the world has a 24/7 airport. It's good for the economy.' Pilot Captain Byron Bailey criticised the RRO directive as 'almost farcical', warning it could cause congestion and handling difficulties. In contrast, aviation consultant Tony Stanton argued that RRO would only be used at night when traffic is minimal. Minister King acknowledged, 'Can I say that there will be no noise for anyone? I can't say that because that's the very nature of operating an airport is that you have planes, and planes do make noise.'
